EXECUTIVE SUMMARY I believe success in my educational journey is characterized by a
supportive educational environment shaped by educational policies, and
the positive faculty, Elders-in-Residence, staff, colleagues, guest
speakers, and community members. – Aboriginal Student Retention
Survey
The overall objective of this project is to provide a better understanding of the enrolment
behaviour of Aboriginal students attending VIU and to identify factors that contribute to this
behaviour. Recommendations are provided to help mitigate attrition and improve retention rates.
This study addresses the following research questions:
1. What are the attrition and retention rates for Aboriginal students at VIU and how do these
compare to non-Aboriginal students?
2. What are the primary influencing factors of Aboriginal student attrition?
3. What conclusions can be drawn when comparing retained Aboriginal students and those that
left VIU prior to graduating?
a) Do retention rates differ by student demographic characteristics?
b) Do retention rates differ by student academic characteristics?
By headcount, approximately 8% of VIU’s total students are Aboriginal. Over the past
three years, there has been an average of 1,350 self-declared Aboriginal students at VIU
(this is likely an underrepresentation of the actual number of Aboriginal students).
Throughout this report ‘Aboriginal students’ is used to refer to ‘self-declared Aboriginal
students’.
• The attrition rate for Aboriginal students in 2011 was approximately 5% lower than for
non-Aboriginal students (35% and 40%). Female Aboriginal students have 10% higher
attrition rate than their male counterparts yet have higher grade point averages.
• First-to-second year retention rates for Aboriginal students in the Bachelor of Arts
program has increased 16% from the 2009 cohort to the 2011 cohort (49% to 65%).
• From 2007 to 2011, Aboriginal student certificate cohorts have an average one-year
completion rate of 49%. For the same time period, non-Aboriginal student cohorts have
an average one-year completion rate of 59%.
Approximately 2,200 current and former Aboriginal students were invited to participate in the
online survey to determine their level of satisfaction, services received, progress towards their
goals, and challenges to completion (18% response rate, 388 respondents). The 388 respondents
were made up of 225 current students, 91 graduates, and 72 leavers. The survey was also
designed to explore students’ reasons for leaving VIU, definitions of success, and ways VIU can
help Aboriginal students complete their education journey. The survey participants included all
(VIU) self-declared Aboriginal students who were enrolled at VIU between 2007 and 2013 and
was administered February, 2013. Five focus group sessions were also conducted that included a
total of 32 participants. The focus groups were comprised of current and former students.
• The main reasons for leaving prior to finishing a credential are financial – 78% of
students find it a challenge to pay bills.
•
1
Personal challenges also affect many Aboriginal students. Balancing academic and
personal responsibilities is difficult.
• Most respondents found the level of challenge in their courses to be about right or
difficult. Comments indicate the challenge was rewarding with only 4% of students
indicating courses were “Very difficult”.
• There is a feeling of urgency to preserve knowledge about traditional practices such as
singing, storytelling, drumming, and languages coming from Aboriginal students. Only
40% of respondents were satisfied with the amount and quality of Aboriginal content in
their courses and programs.
Students provided hundreds of comments and suggestions that can help inform VIU’s
programming, support services, and activities for Aboriginal students. Suggestions from
Aboriginal students focused on the importance and usefulness of mentorship, role models, and
Elders; acknowledging and valuing Aboriginal culture and knowledge in the classroom; teaching
and sharing knowledge about Aboriginal culture outside of the classroom (history and facts but
also singing, language, prayers…); and, ensuring that classrooms are culturally sensitive.
•
As an Aboriginal I find excitement in my future once my goals are
accomplished I look forward to obtaining a full time career within my
nation and for success to happen I need the resources available to me. –
ASRS
The Elders in the courses are extremely positive, and also having First
Nations authors, as we need to be reflected in the course content and we
need to be challenged. – ASRS
Even if I am not enrolled in any Aboriginal studies it is wonderful to see
it applied in my courses. – ASRS
Recommendations in this report address the areas of Aboriginal self-identification, engaging
with high school students, community-based programming, targeted retention strategies,
financial challenges, personal challenges, academic challenges, and cultural engagement.
The quantitative analyses are informative and can serve as a baseline for future improvements.
However, it is the richness of the qualitative comments that provide insight regarding the needs
and aspirations of Aboriginal students at VIU. All comments have been provided to the Director
of Aboriginal Education to be used at her discretion.
2
TABLE OF CONTENTS Executive Summary ........................................................................................................................ 1
Table of Contents ............................................................................................................................ 3
List of Figures ................................................................................................................................. 5
List of Tables .................................................................................................................................. 6
1
Introduction ......................................................................................................................... 7
1.1
Project client and purpose ....................................................................................... 8
1.2
Project objectives and scope ................................................................................... 8
2
Definitions......................................................................................................................... 10
3
Literature Review.............................................................................................................. 11
3.1
Aboriginal student retention ................................................................................. 11
4
Methodology and Limitations ........................................................................................... 13
4.1
Aboriginal student data collection ........................................................................ 13
4.1.1 Aboriginal Student Retention Survey ....................................................... 13
4.1.2 Focus group meetings ............................................................................... 13
4.2
Qualitative research with other participants ......................................................... 14
4.2.1 Semi-structured interviews ....................................................................... 14
4.3
Quantitative analyses ............................................................................................ 15
4.3.1 VIU Retention model ................................................................................ 15
4.3.2 VIU Student Experience Survey (SES) .................................................... 15
4.4
Limitations ............................................................................................................ 15
4.4.1 Self-Identification ..................................................................................... 15
5
Aboriginal Student Profile at VIU .................................................................................... 17
5.1
Full-time and part-time students ........................................................................... 17
5.2
Headcount distribution by gender ......................................................................... 18
5.3
Headcount distribution by age .............................................................................. 18
5.4
Headcount distribution by credential type ............................................................ 19
5.5
Summary: Aboriginal Student profile at VIU ....................................................... 21
6
Research Question 1: What is the attrition rate for Aboriginal students at VIU and how
do these rates compare with VIU’s non-Aboriginal student population? ......................... 22
6.1
Bachelor and diploma programs ........................................................................... 23
6.2
Bachelor programs ................................................................................................ 24
6.3
Bachelor of Arts – first-to-second year retention rates ......................................... 25
6.4
2007 Bachelor cohort – year-over-year rates and six-year graduation rate .......... 25
6.5
Certificate program completion ............................................................................ 26
6.6
Summary of findings for Question 1 .................................................................... 28
7
Research Question 2: What are the primary influencing factors of Aboriginal student
attrition? ............................................................................................................................ 29
7.1
Primary reasons for leaving .................................................................................. 29
7.2
Reasons for leaving – other findings .................................................................... 30
7.2.1 Financial difficulties ................................................................................. 33
3
7.3
7.2.2 Personal challenges ................................................................................... 37
7.2.3 Academic preparation ............................................................................... 38
7.2.4 Goals and motivation ................................................................................ 41
7.2.5 Cultural engagement ................................................................................. 45
7.2.6 Student services ........................................................................................ 50
7.2.7 Role of faculty members ........................................................................... 54
Summary of findings for Question 2 .................................................................... 56
8
Research Question 3: What conclusions, if any, can be drawn when comparing retained
Aboriginal students and those that left VIU prior to graduating? ..................................... 58
8.1
Demographic characteristics ................................................................................. 58
8.1.1 Age groups and gender – by enrolment status .......................................... 58
8.2
Academic characteristics ...................................................................................... 59
8.2.1 Full-time/part-time – by enrolment status................................................. 59
8.2.2 Grade point average – by enrolment status ............................................... 60
8.2.3 First-year and second-year Standing – by enrolment status ..................... 60
8.2.4 Grade point average - by age groups and enrolment status ...................... 61
8.3
Summary of findings for Question 3 .................................................................... 61
9
Recommendations ............................................................................................................. 62
10
Works Cited ...................................................................................................................... 67
11
Appendix ........................................................................................................................... 69
4
LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1: Aboriginal student headcount at VIU from 2009/10 to 2011/12................................... 17
Figure 2: Percentage of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at VIU from 2009/10 to 2011/12
............................................................................................................................................... 17
Figure 3: Percentage of full-time Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at VIU from 2009/10
to 2011/12 .............................................................................................................................. 18
Figure 4: Female/male Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at VIU in 2011/12 ................... 18
Figure 5: Distribution of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at VIU by age in 2011/12 ..... 19
Figure 6: Distribution of Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students by credential type in 2011/1221
Figure 7: First-to-second year retention rates for Bachelor and Diploma programs at VIU for
cohort entry years 2009 to 2011 ............................................................................................ 23
Figure 8: Six-year graduation rates for Bachelor and Diploma programs at VIU for cohort entry
years 2005 to 2007 ................................................................................................................. 23
Figure 9: First-to-second year retention rates for Bachelor programs at VIU for cohort entry
years 2007 to 2011 ................................................................................................................. 25
Figure 10: First-to-second year retention rates for Bachelor of Arts at VIU for cohort entry years
2009 to 2011 .......................................................................................................................... 25
Figure 11: Retention and graduation rates for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students in
Bachelor programs at VIU For cohort entry year 2007 ......................................................... 26
Figure 12: Certificate completion rates - Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students ..................... 27
Figure 13: Issues identified as challenges for Aboriginal students............................................... 32
Figure 14: Challenges for leavers compared to current students and graduates ........................... 33
Figure 15: Financial challenges - major and minor ...................................................................... 34
Figure 16: Funding sources for Aboriginal students..................................................................... 34
Figure 17: Personal challenges – health and family ..................................................................... 37
Figure 18: Percentage of students caring for dependents ............................................................. 37
Figure 19: Intensity of challenge in courses ................................................................................. 39
Figure 20: Academic challenges faced by Aboriginal VIU Students ........................................... 41
Figure 21: Amount and quality of Aboriginal content in curriculum ........................................... 45
Figure 23: Particpation in Aboriginal-focused activities .............................................................. 49
Figure 24: Satisfaction with Aboriginal-focused activities .......................................................... 49
Figure 25: Level of usage - student services ................................................................................. 50
Figure 26: Satisfaction with student services................................................................................ 51
Figure 27: Level of usage – comparing leavers and current/graduates ........................................ 51
Figure 28: Strategies to increase faculty/student interaction ........................................................ 54
Figure 29: Age group distribution for 2011 Aboriginal student cohort ........................................ 58
Figure 30: Gender for cohort entry year 2011 .............................................................................. 59
Figure 31: Part-time / full-time Aboriginal students in Master, Bachelor, and Diploma programs
at VIU for cohort entry year 2011 ......................................................................................... 59
Figure 32: First-year and second-year standing for cohort entry year 2011 ................................. 60
5
LIST OF TABLES Table 1: VIU Aboriginal Student Retention Survey sample ........................................................ 13
Table 2: Aboriginal student headcount – Ministry totals compared to VIU self-declared totals . 15
Table 3: Bachelor and diploma cohort sizes ................................................................................. 22
Table 4: Survey respondents ......................................................................................................... 29
Table 5: Reasons for leaving - survey........................................................................................... 29
Table 6: Items covered by First Nations and Métis funding ......................................................... 35
Table 7: Difficulty with First Nations or Métis funding – qualitative comments by category ..... 35
Table 8: Number of hours worked ................................................................................................ 36
Table 9: Highest level of education prior to enrolling at VIU ...................................................... 38
Table 10: Positive examples of Aboriginal course and program content ..................................... 45
Table 11: Ideas for including Aboriginal content – qualitative comments by category ............... 47
Table 12: reasons for not accessing the Gathering Place - qualitative comments by category .... 50
Table 13: Categories of student suggestions for support services ................................................ 52
Table 14: Multi-year program cohort sizes ................................................................................... 58
Table 15: Average age of 2011 student cohort ............................................................................. 58
Table 16: First year grade point average by enrolment status ...................................................... 60
Table 17: Number of students with a grade point average inmulti-year programs ...................... 60
6
1
INTRODUCTION Higher education institutions, worldwide, are grappling with how best to provide academic
programming to meet student demand given that an estimated 75 – 80% of all jobs now require
post-secondary education (Canadian Council on Learning, 2006). This involves seeking ways to
improve both access as well as the retention of non-traditional students such as Aboriginal
students, students with disabilities, low-income students, mature students, and “first generation”
students, i.e. those whose parents do not have not have post-secondary education.
Numerous studies confirm that post-secondary education results in both individual and social
benefits. These include higher employment rates (84% for university graduates two years after
graduation), increased earnings (40% more than high school graduates on average), higher rates
of social participation (e.g. post-secondary graduates are 50% more likely to vote in Canadian
elections) and longer life expectancy (Canadian Council on Learning, 2006) (Association of
Atlantic Universities, 2011).
Aboriginal students however face a number of challenges that make reaping these benefits more
difficult. There is an abundance of evidence regarding the negative repercussions of residential
schools and the loss of culture and family relationships that Aboriginal people in Canada have
experienced. A recent report by the Canadian Human Rights Commission (2013, p. 3) confirms
that persistent “barriers to equality of opportunity” exist and that when compared to nonAboriginal people living in Canada, Aboriginal people:
• Have lower median after-tax income;
• Are more likely to experience unemployment;
• Are more likely to collect employment insurance and social assistance;
• Are more likely to live in housing in need of major repairs;
• Are more likely to experience physical, emotional or sexual abuse;
• Are more likely to be victims of violent crimes; and
• Are more likely to be incarcerated and less likely to be granted parole.
Further, the Aboriginal population in Canada grew by 45% between 1996 and 2006, a
significantly higher rate than the non-Aboriginal population which increased by 8% during the
same time period (Statistics Canada, 2013). According to the Canadian Centre for Policy
Alternatives, 40% of Canada’s Aboriginal children live in poverty (compared with 17% for all
Canadian children) and trail the rest of Canada’s children on measures of “wellbeing: family
income, educational attainment, crowding and homelessness, poor water quality, infant
mortality, health and suicide” (2013, p. 7).
The implications of these challenges are evident in measures that are used for reporting on
educational success. For example:
• 40% of Canada’s Aboriginal population aged 20 – 24 years has not completed high
school compared to 12.5% of non-Aboriginal youth (Smith, 2011).
• Amongst the Aboriginal population 8% have completed a university degree as compared
to 19% of the general population in Canada (Statistics Canada, 2013).
Although further analysis of the challenges facing Aboriginal people is outside the scope of this
project, it is important to be sensitive to and aware of the day-to-day reality for some Aboriginal
students as this can affect their learning and in turn, the development of strategies to support
learning.
7
1.1
PROJECT CLIENT AND PURPOSE This project supports Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) intention to promote the success of
Aboriginal students, as articulated in the Academic Plan (VIU, 2010). One of VIU’s priorities,
as outlined in the 2013/14 Aboriginal Service Plan, is to increase access, transition, retention,
completion and satisfaction for Aboriginal learners (p. 7). At VIU more than 1,300 self-declared
Aboriginal students were registered in 2011/12 which represents 8% of the total student
population, third highest amongst BC post-secondary institutions that contribute data to the
provincial Central Data Warehouse (this does not include the research universities in British
Columbia).
Although the enrolment numbers are known, less is known about the success of Aboriginal
students – do they complete their programs? Have they met their goals? If not, why not? This
project derives retention and graduation rates for Aboriginal students as well as gathers
meaningful information from students themselves about challenges they face.
This study was initiated in response to concerns that many Aboriginal students struggle during
their first year and, consequently, leave their program of study. This report examines the
enrolment patterns of Aboriginal students at VIU to determine whether this is the case and, if so,
to identify the underlying factors that contribute to attrition and provide recommendations that
would improve retention.
This study was requested by the Director of Aboriginal Education at VIU and is supported by the
Provost and Vice-President Academic. The results of this project will be used to make evidencebased decisions with regard to developing targeted student retention strategies. The results of
this project will also serve as a benchmark for future analyses and evaluations of such strategies.
1.2
PROJECT OBJECTIVES AND SCOPE The overall objective of this project is to provide a better understanding of the enrolment
behaviour of Aboriginal students attending VIU and to identify factors that contribute to this
behaviour. Recommendations are provided to help mitigate attrition and improve retention rates.
• A profile of Aboriginal students at VIU is provided including a description of academic
and demographic characteristics as well as general enrolment levels and trends.
• Attrition and retention rates for Aboriginal students enrolled in multi-year programs
(Diploma, Bachelor, and Master) for recent years are provided.
o About 35% (2011/12) of Aboriginal students are enrolled in multi-year programs.
As such, a separate analysis is also provided regarding the completion rate for
Aboriginal students in Certificate programs in academic years 2009 to 2011.
• Key findings from an online survey administered to over 2,000 current and past
Aboriginal students are provided. Quantitative information pertaining to a variety of
factors including the use of student services and satisfaction levels, challenges faced by
Aboriginal students, and the quantity and quality of Aboriginal content in courses and
programs is provided. As well, findings from open-ended questions that explore reasons
for leaving VIU, definitions of success, and ways VIU can help Aboriginal students
complete their education journey are provided.
• To compare demographic and academic characteristics of Aboriginal students across
enrolment statuses (attrition and retention), findings from an analysis of Aboriginal
students from the 2011 cohort for multi-year programs are summarized.
This study addresses the following research questions:
8
1. What are the attrition and retention rates for Aboriginal students at VIU and how do these
compare to non-Aboriginal students?
2. What are the primary influencing factors, of Aboriginal student attrition?
3. What conclusions can be drawn when comparing retained Aboriginal students and those
that left VIU prior to graduating?
a) Do retention rates differ by student demographic characteristics?
b) Do retention rates differ by student academic characteristics?
9
2
DEFINITIONS Term
Aboriginal Students
Attrition
ASRS
Commencing Students
Completer
Departure
Student Engagement
First Generation Student
Former Students
Full-time/FT
Full-Time Equivalent/
FTE
Grade Point Value/ GPV
Graduates/Graduation
Student Headcount
International students
Leaver(s)
Non Aboriginal
Part-time/PT
Persistence
Post-secondary
education/PSE
Retention/Retained
students
Student Experience
Survey/SES
Transfer
students/Transfers
VIU Region
Definition
Students who self-identify as Aboriginal on their VIU student record.
The number of commencing students in year (x) who neither complete their credential
nor return to study in the following year (x + 1); also presented as a percentage of all
commencing students.
Aboriginal Student Retention Survey
Students enrolled for the first time.
Students who have completed a post-secondary credential.
Used to describe attrition students; includes Leaver students and transfer students.
Generally accepted as the time and energy that students devote to educationally sound
activities inside and outside of the classroom, and the policies and practices that
institutions use to induce students to take part in these activities.
A student who does not have a parent with post-secondary education / credential
Students who no longer attend VIU, including leavers, transfers, and graduates
In reference to VIU students, includes students that have a 60% or greater course load
relative to the program requirements in a given academic year
*when used in reference to literature in this report the term may vary slightly
A measure of instructional activity as it relates to a program of study. The principle is
that a full-time student within a program of study, within one year, produces 1 FTE.
Unofficial grade point average for each academic year for a student
Students who have been recorded as completing a credential.
A count of individual students regardless of the number of courses enrolled
Students registered at VIU who pay international student fees (i.e. students who are not
Canadian citizens or permanent residents)
Students who leave VIU prior to completing a credential and did not transfer to another
post-secondary institution
Domestic and international students that do not self-declare as Aboriginal
Students who have less than a 60% course load relative to the program requirements in a
given academic year *
*when used in reference to literature in this report the term may vary slightly
Attribute of students who are retained and register in subsequent academic years
Formal education after high school that can be counted towards earning a recognized
credential or qualification.
Retention rate measures the percentage of students enrolled in one year who enrol in the
subsequent academic year.
Comprehensive survey conducted at VIU in February, 2013.
Students who leave VIU and enroll at another post-secondary institution
An area encompassing Nanaimo, Parksville, Qualicum, Ladysmith, Cowichan, Duncan
and Powell River
10
3
LITERATURE REVIEW 3.1
ABORIGINAL STUDENT RETENTION While there is a considerable body of literature related to enrolment management, and retention
strategies in particular, there is little research specific to Aboriginal students. In general, student
attrition is attributed to: the availability of courses, academic experience, social engagement,
student services, goal commitment, and personal or financial factors (Simon Fraser University,
2007).
While these factors likely impact Aboriginal students as well, a study on the retention of
Aboriginal students in Atlantic Canada notes that Aboriginal students face additional barriers
including: adequate preparation for university, access and affordability, and racism and
discrimination (Canadian Council on Learning, 2009).
The Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) study involved interviews with 59 Aboriginal students
at 17 universities throughout Atlantic Canada. Their study identified six key areas of concern
(2009, p. 18):
1 Amongst the research participants, nearly one-third were not aware of resources available to
them;
2 Post-secondary institutions that offered more visible, accessible resources reported higher
usage rates as well as satisfaction levels;
3 The existence of Aboriginal resource centres was deemed ‘critical’, as this area provided
students with educational assistance and resources;
4 Three key barriers to success identified included moving from small, isolated communities to
larger, urban areas, racial discrimination, and financial difficulties related to tuition, housing,
living expenses, daycare and transportation;
5 Many of the participants reported that they did not feel a sense of belonging at their postsecondary institution although the existence and use of student resource centres, or lounges,
were recognized as providing emotional support, a sense of community, and peer support;
and,
6 The report indicated that many Aboriginal students felt it was important to complete a postsecondary education in order to gain knowledge and skills that would allow them to compete
for higher-level jobs in today’s competitive workforce.
In 2010, Thompson Rivers University published a paper entitled “Why Do Aboriginal Students
Stay or Leave Thompson Rivers University?” (Walton, Hamilton, Arnouse, & Johnson, 2010).
This study was a quantitative analysis of 430 Aboriginal Bachelor students who began programs
at TRU between 2004 and 2009. Using administrative and survey data, TRU assessed the
relationship between Aboriginal student degree completion and five factors – age, gender,
university grade point average (GPA), home location, and student engagement.
The study reported that age, gender, and home location (urban/rural) were not related to program
completion; however, GPA was strongly related. Results of the National Survey of Student
Engagement (NSSE, 2012) were also examined. The “Supportive Campus Environment” scale
was the only significant predictor of Aboriginal student retention. NSSE also asks respondents
about the educational level of both parents; however, the TRU analysis indicated this was not
related to Aboriginal student retention.
TRU’s report therefore recommended strengthening academic support, for those who need
assistance, to help raise Aboriginal students’ level of academic achievement. Other
recommendations included increased support for non-academic responsibilities, more “exit and
11
return” policies, and interviewing Aboriginal students to determine how best to enhance the
social environment at TRU.
Studies related to enrolment retention consistently find that the single most important factor
contributing to student completion is the role of faculty members. In a CBC news report, John
Hodson, Chair of Lakehead University’s Aboriginal Education department, commented that
current teaching methods “…often leave Aboriginal students assaulted by the ignorance or
misconceptions of their teachers.” (Hodson, 2012). He goes on to comment that teachers do not
have the education to know how to work with Aboriginal students.
Another study, conducted in 2005 at Cochrane High School in Regina, albeit with only 12
participants, also noted the relationship between teachers and curriculum with Aboriginal
students’ self-concept and identity, as well as their hopes and dreams (Dr. Stirling McDowell
Foundation for Research into Teaching Inc.).
This limited literature review provides general insights into potential impediments to Aboriginal
student retention and success at VIU and provided a starting point for determining an appropriate
research methodology.
To provide a more complete context, data regarding grade 12 completion and post-secondary
transition rates in British Columbia and the VIU Region for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal
students were considered.
• Six-year completion rate: This is the proportion of students who graduate within six
years from the first time they enroll in grade eight. For all students in BC graduating
from public and independent schools, the six-year graduation rate has been consistent at
about 80% from 2007/08 to 2011/12. For Aboriginal students, the rate in 2011/12 was
only 56.4%. Although significantly lower, the rate for Aboriginal students has increased
almost 10% since 2007/08. In the Nanaimo school district, completion rates overall and
for Aboriginal students fall below the provincial rates (71.6% and 49.9%) (Ministry of
Education, 2013).
• Post-secondary immediate transition rate: This is the proportion of students who have
graduated from public and independent schools in BC and make the transition to public
post-secondary institutions in BC. Rates are reported for immediate transition (students
register in post-secondary the year after they graduate from grade 12) as well as after
one, two, three years and more years later. A higher proportion of BC non-Aboriginal
students make immediate transitions to post-secondary education than BC Aboriginal
students (54% compared to 40%).
• Post-secondary cumulative transition rate: Aboriginal students transition at a higher rate
after one, two, and three year waiting periods. For example, after four years, Aboriginal
students from the 2006/07 graduating class came to within 5% of non-Aboriginal
students (67% compared to 73%). In VIU’s region, the four-year cumulative transition
rate for Aboriginal students from the same graduating class exceeded that for nonAboriginal students by 8% (78% compared to 70%) (Student Transitions Project, 2013).
12
4
METHODOLOGY AND LIMITATIONS The project was guided by a mixed-methods research design, including both quantitative and
qualitative methodologies. This approach combined the benefits of both methodologies, using
the qualitative investigation to contextualize quantitative findings. As Tinto (2006) says,
“Knowing why students leave does not tell us, at least not directly, why students persist” (p. 6).
Four data sources were considered: past and current Aboriginal student online survey and focus
groups, other key stakeholder semi-structured interviews, and secondary data analysis of existing
data.
Although the Office of University Planning and Analysis does not require approval of the
Research Ethics Board to undertake research for administrative purposes, a proposal was
submitted and approved by the VIU Research Ethics Board in January 2013 (Appendix A).
4.1
ABORIGINAL STUDENT DATA COLLECTION Two methods were used to collect student data: an online survey and focus groups.
4.1.1
ABORIGINAL STUDENT RETENTION SURVEY Approximately 2,200 current and former Aboriginal students were invited to participate in the
online Aboriginal Student Retention Survey (ASRS) to determine their level of satisfaction,
services received, progress towards their goals, and challenges to completion. The survey was
also designed to explore students’ reasons for leaving VIU, definitions of success, and ways VIU
can help Aboriginal students complete their education journey. All comments and suggestions
offered by students were provided to the client on a confidential basis. (See Appendix B for final
survey instrument, which differs slightly from the version approved by the Research Ethics
Board in Appendix A.)
The survey participants included all self-declared Aboriginal students who were enrolled at VIU
between September 1, 2007 and January 31, 2013 and was administered February 2 - 24, 2013.
An email invitation including a link to the survey, and specifying the purpose of the project, and
incentives for participation was sent, followed by three reminder messages to students with
incomplete surveys, for a total of no more than four contacts. The survey was originally intended
to run for two weeks; however, due to a low response rate survey participants were provided
with an additional week in which to complete the survey.
TABLE 1: VIU ABORIGINAL STUDENT RETENTION SURVEY SAMPLE
Online Survey:
Population size:
Minus: returned emails
Minus: confirmed they were not Aboriginal
Actual sample:
Completions (including partial):
Response rate:
4.1.2
2325
-115
-5
2205
388
18%
FOCUS GROUP MEETINGS Five focus groups were conducted that included a total of 32 participants. The focus groups were
comprised of current students, former students, and a combined group of both current and former
students. The first focus group meeting was held at the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship
13
Centre in Nanaimo. The next three focus group meetings were held at the Gathering Place,
Nanaimo campus and the last focus group meeting was held at the Cowichan campus.
To ensure the environment was conducive to open discussion:
• Meetings were held in spaces convenient and comfortable for participants
• An Aboriginal administrator conducted all of the focus groups sessions
• Participants were offered refreshments and a $25 gift card to a local grocery store as
incentives
TILLICUM LELUM FOCUS GROUP – CURRENT STUDENTS
In partnership with VIU, the Tillicum Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre offers Aboriginal
students with an opportunity to complete Adult Basic Education courses while participating in
traditional cultural practises. A focus group of 10 current students was conducted at the Tillicum
Lelum Aboriginal Friendship Centre to gain insight into Aboriginal students from urban areas
who experienced challenges in the K-12 education system.
NANAIMO FOCUS GROUP – FORMER STUDENTS
Of the 41 former students telephoned, 6 agreed to participate in a focus group and 4 of these
actually attended. It was hoped that two focus groups of 6 to 8 former students could be held but
given the time and effort expended to fill one group it was decided to proceed with just one. The
former student group was composed of three leavers and one current graduate student.
NANAIMO FOCUS GROUPS - CURRENT STUDENTS
Two focus groups composed of current students were held to gain insight into the differences
between students who continue at VIU and those who leave. These participants were recruited
from a cohort of 74 students who indicated in the ASRS that they would be interested in
participating in further research. Recruitment was done by both phone and email. Of the 9 who
committed to participate, 6 current students attended the first focus group and of the 9 who
committed to participate in the second focus group, 7 current students attended for a total of 13
participants.
COWICHAN CAMPUS FOCUS GROUP – CURRENT AND FORMER STUDENTS
The Cowichan Campus focus group included both current and former students. These
participants were recruited from a cohort of 19 current and former students from the Cowichan
area who indicated in the ASRS that they would be interested in participating in further research.
Recruitment was done both by phone and by email. Of the 7 students who committed, four
current students and one former student attended.
See Appendix A for Focus Group Questions in the Research Ethics Board submission. Focus
group summaries have been provided to the client on a confidential basis.
4.2
QUALITATIVE RESEARCH WITH OTHER PARTICIPANTS 4.2.1
SEMI-­‐STRUCTURED INTERVIEWS To gain further insight into factors that influence Aboriginal student attrition, fifteen semistructured interviews with a cross-section of key stakeholders (university administrators, Elders,
instructors, Aboriginal advisors, counselors, a high school principal, as well as community
14
partners) were conducted. Two interviews with students were also conducted with students who
were unable to attend a focus group.
See Appendix A for list of interviewees and interview questions. Interview summaries have been
provided to the client on a confidential basis.
4.3
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSES 4.3.1
VIU RETENTION MODEL Student cohorts in multi-year programs (Bachelor, Diploma, and Master's) for academic years
2003/04-2011/12 were analyzed using VIU’s data retention model. The model defines retention
as returning to any program at VIU, which may or may not be the same as the initial student
program. This model was used to report overall attrition and retention rates for question #1 as
well as provided the cohort for study in question #3.
4.3.2
VIU STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY (SES) VIU conducted a Student Experience Survey (SES) for all current students in January 2013
(VIU, 2012/13). Of the more than 8,000 eligible participants, over 3,500 students responded,
producing a 43% response rate. The SES included nearly 180 questions dealing with student
opinions and experiences related to their program of study, instructors, goals, morale, skills, VIU
services, financial status, and overall experience at VIU.
Of SES respondents, 309 or 9% (3,548 total respondents), were Aboriginal students providing an
additional and timely source of data by which to compare Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal student
experiences. Relevant findings from SES are referred to in section 9 of this report.
4.4
LIMITATIONS 4.4.1
SELF-­‐IDENTIFICATION Aboriginal students have the option of self-identifying when they apply to VIU and may also
indicate if they identify as First Nations (status, non-status, treaty, or non-treaty), Métis, or Inuit.
Students are also able to change their Aboriginal status at any time during their studies by
updating their student record. Students who self-identify have access to Aboriginal programs and
services, including those offered at the Gathering Place located on the Nanaimo campus. The
Gathering Place provides access to tutoring, advisors, and Elders.
Not all Aboriginal students self-identify upon application or admission to VIU. Those who selfidentify in the K-12 system, or at other post-secondary institutions, but not at VIU cannot be
included in VIU-specific research under the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
legislation. Hence, when reporting the number of Aboriginal students at VIU the enrolment
numbers are lower than those reported by the Ministry of Advanced Education. The ministry
includes students who self-identified in K-12 and at other BC public post-secondary institutions
prior to enrolling at VIU.
TABLE 2: ABORIGINAL STUDENT HEADCOUNT – MINISTRY TOTALS COMPARED TO VIU SELFDECLARED TOTALS
VIU Totals
2007/08
1,099
2008/09
1,231
2009/10
1,366
2010/11 2011/12
1,367
1,323
15
Ministry
1,830
1,980
2,085
2,105
2,015
Totals
From 2007/08 to 2011/12, the total number of students self-declaring as Aboriginal at VIU has
ranged from 60-65% of the total number of students the Ministry has identified as Aboriginal. It
is hard to determine which number more accurately reflects VIU’s Aboriginal student
population. Some reasons for the discrepancy are:
• Some students that were identified as Aboriginal in the K-12 system may not, as adults,
identify themselves as Aboriginal people.
• The question on VIU’s application form: “Do you identify yourself as an Aboriginal
person, that is, First Nations, Métis, or Inuit?” is prefaced by the following statement:
“Vancouver Island University is dedicated to providing access to Aboriginal students
and supporting them in their efforts to achieve their goals.” Some students may be
reluctant to self-identify as Aboriginal because they feel they will be treated differently
or their declaration may not be handled in a confidential manner.
• In other cases, the K-12 Aboriginal status could have been in error or without the
student’s knowledge.
• The meaning of the phrase “identify as an Aboriginal person” varies from person to
person, and is open for interpretation.
Given that VIU self-identified Aboriginal students make up about 60% of the Ministry’s
numbers, it is likely that the VIU self-identified totals are an underrepresentation of the actual
number.
16
5
ABORIGINAL STUDENT PROFILE AT VIU The number of self-identifying Aboriginal students at VIU has remained relatively stable over
the past three academic years with 1,323 enrolled in 2011/12 (Figure 1,). As shown in Figure 2,
as a percentage of the overall student body, the percentage of Aboriginal students has been
increasing slightly in recent years in part due to the declining number of non-Aboriginal students
over the same time period. In the most current incomplete academic year (not shown), VIU’s
Aboriginal student headcount is 1,370, or 8.25% of 16,601.
FIGURE 1: ABORIGINAL STUDENT HEADCOUNT AT VIU FROM 2009/10 TO 2011/12
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
FIGURE 2: PERCENTAGE OF ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AT VIU FROM
2009/10 TO 2011/12
`
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract. Percentages have been rounded.
5.1
FULL-­‐TIME AND PART-­‐TIME STUDENTS In terms of the percentage of students enrolled in full-time and part-time studies, the percentage
of Aboriginal students in full-time studies ranged from 45 – 51% between academic years
2009/10 and 2011/12, a consistently higher proportion than the 38 – 41% for non-Aboriginal
students.
17
FIGURE 3: PERCENTAGE OF FULL-TIME ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AT
VIU FROM 2009/10 TO 2011/12
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
5.2
HEADCOUNT DISTRIBUTION BY GENDER Males are under-represented at the post-secondary level in general; however, there is a marked
discrepancy at VIU between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students. Amongst Aboriginal
students, 64%, consistently over the past four years, are female. By contrast, over the past five
years, 54 – 56% of non-Aboriginal students are female.
FIGURE 4: FEMALE/MALE ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AT VIU IN 2011/12
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
5.3
HEADCOUNT DISTRIBUTION BY AGE The percentage of students under the age of 30 is approximately 60% for both Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal students. Above the age of 30, however, the distribution of students is
considerably different with 21% of Aboriginal students aged 30 – 39 as compared to 13% of
non-Aboriginal students. Figure 5 also shows that 17% of non-Aboriginal students at VIU are
over the age of 50 as compared to 7% of the Aboriginal student population. In the 50 years and
older category, the activity is primarily Elder College which has not yet attracted many
Aboriginal learners (less than 10 since 2008).
18
FIGURE 5: DISTRIBUTION OF ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AT VIU BY AGE
IN 2011/12
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
5.4 HEADCOUNT DISTRIBUTION BY CREDENTIAL TYPE The distribution of Aboriginal students by credential type is similar to that of non-Aboriginal students, as
can be seen in
19
Figure 6. Approximately 30% of all students are in Bachelor programs. The distribution of
Aboriginal students by credential type in 2011/12 was more concentrated in the Certificate,
Developmental, and Bachelor programs (63%) than non-Aboriginal students (54%). Aboriginal
students were underrepresented in the Apprenticeship and post-degree categories.
Non-Credentials attract the highest proportion of both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students.
This activity is made up of continuing education courses (non-credit) that do not lead to a
credential of any type. Recent community-based curriculum development activity between VIU
and Aboriginal communities is combining credit and non-credit activity and does not fit the any
of the definitions of credentials offered at VIU. Therefore, this activity is currently split between
the non-credential category for non-credit courses and the credential type of the credit courses.
This means that the activity cannot be tracked at the program level. New processes would enable
reporting and measurement of this activity.
20
FIGURE 6: DISTRIBUTION OF ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL STUDENTS BY
CREDENTIAL TYPE IN 2011/12
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
5.5
SUMMARY: ABORIGINAL STUDENT PROFILE AT VIU In summary, the profile of Aboriginal students at VIU shows:
• By headcount, approximately 8% of VIU’s total students are Aboriginal.
• Over the past three years, there has been an average of 1,350 self-declared Aboriginal
students at VIU (as noted earlier this is likely an underrepresentation).
• A higher proportion of Aboriginal students are taking full-time studies compared with
non-Aboriginal students: the percentage of Aboriginal students in full-time studies ranged
from 45 – 51% between academic years 2009/10 and 2011/12, a consistently higher
proportion than the 38 – 41% for non-Aboriginal students.
• 64% of Aboriginal students are female compared with about 55% of non-Aboriginal
students
• A higher proportion of Aboriginal students are in the 30-39 age category than nonAboriginal students. The ratio of VIU students under the age of 30 is approximately 60%
for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students at VIU.
• The distribution of student headcount by credential type is similar for Aboriginal and
non-Aboriginal students. About 30% of both groups are in Bachelor programs.
However, there are a higher proportion of Aboriginal than non-Aboriginal students in
Developmental and Certificate programs.
21
6
RESEARCH QUESTION 1: WHAT IS THE ATTRITION RATE FOR ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AT VIU AND HOW DO THESE RATES COMPARE WITH VIU’S NON-­‐ABORIGINAL STUDENT POPULATION? VIU’s retention model was used to answer this question. It is important to note the following
factors:
• The retention rate is calculated as the percentage of students entering a specific cohort
year who are still registered at VIU or have completed a credential, i.e. retention +
graduation.
• Attrition refers to students who leave prior to completing their credential.
• The retention and attrition rates for this section include only Bachelor and Diploma.
• If a student moves from one multi-year credentialed program to another without
completing the first, their records are merged into the most recent program of study.
• Students who transfer to another post-secondary institution are included in the attrition
rate.
• Percentages are always based on the original size of the cohort.
To analyze retention rates, Aboriginal students in Bachelor and Diploma programs from 2007/08
to 2011/12 were included. Masters programs were excluded since enrolment is very small and
didn’t begin until 2008.
TABLE 3: BACHELOR AND DIPLOMA COHORT SIZES
Aboriginal student cohort sizes
Academic Year
Bachelor
2005
116
2006
117
2007
122
2008
129
2009
161
2010
165
2011
138
2012
148
Diploma
59
35
48
43
42
35
28
39
Master
4
2
2
6
4
Grand Total
175
152
170
176
205
202
172
191
22
6.1
BACHELOR AND DIPLOMA PROGRAMS First-to-second year retention rates for Aboriginal students in Bachelor and Diploma programs
are fairly consistent and comparable to retention rates for non-Aboriginal students. When
considering cohorts from 2007/08 - 2011/12, both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students
experienced their lowest first-to-second year retention rate for the 2010 cohort at 57% and 59%
respectively. Aboriginal students had their highest first-to-second year retention rate with the
2007 cohort at 65% while non-Aboriginal students peaked at 67% with the 2008 cohort.
For the most part, first-to-second year retention rates for non-Aboriginal students have been
slightly more positive than those for Aboriginal students - with the greatest percent difference
(4%) occurring for the 2009 cohort. However, in the 2011 cohort, a higher percentage of
Aboriginal students were retained (either graduated or continued on at VIU) than non-Aboriginal
students by almost 5% (Figure 7). Conversely, the attrition rate for Aboriginal students in the
2011 cohort was approximately 5% lower than for non-Aboriginal students (35% and 40%).
Even though the rates are similar for the two students groups, this does not mean that the rates
are acceptable. Improving retention and graduation rates for all students at VIU is important.
Ten-year retention tables for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students can be found in Appendix
C.
FIGURE 7: FIRST-TO-SECOND YEAR RETENTION RATES FOR BACHELOR AND DIPLOMA
PROGRAMS AT VIU FOR COHORT ENTRY YEARS 2009 TO 2011
VIU Retention Model June 17, 2013
As shown in Figure 8, the percentage of Aboriginal students who completed Bachelor and
Diploma programs within six years ranged from 27 – 36% for cohorts starting between 2005 and
2007. This is significantly lower than the 39 – 42% six-year graduation rate for non-Aboriginal
students. However, it should be noted that the difference between the rates for each group is
decreasing at a fast rate (from a 15% difference to a 6% difference over three years).
FIGURE 8: SIX-YEAR GRADUATION RATES FOR BACHELOR AND DIPLOMA PROGRAMS AT VIU
FOR COHORT ENTRY YEARS 2005 TO 2007
23
VIU Retention Model June 17, 2013
6.2
BACHELOR PROGRAMS When Bachelor programs are considered on their own, Aboriginal students’ first-to-second year
retention rates are very comparable to those of non-Aboriginal students and sometimes higher.
The first-to-second year retention rates for the 2011 Aboriginal student cohort in Bachelor
programs are 6 percentage points higher than for non-Aboriginal students.
24
FIGURE 9: FIRST-TO-SECOND YEAR RETENTION RATES FOR BACHELOR PROGRAMS AT VIU
FOR COHORT ENTRY YEARS 2007 TO 2011
Bachelor Program 1st-­‐to-­‐2nd Year Reten?on Rates 65% 64% 60% 63% 64% 63% 63% 56% 62% 60% 55% 57% 55% Aboriginal Students Non-­‐Aboriginal Students 50% 45% 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 VIU Retention Model June 17, 2013
6.3
BACHELOR OF ARTS – FIRST-­‐TO-­‐SECOND YEAR RETENTION RATES The Bachelor of Arts is the most popular program offered at VIU. Interestingly, first-to-second
year retention rates for Aboriginal students in the Bachelor of Arts program has increased 16%
from the 2009 cohort to the 2011 cohort (49% to 65%). Over the same period, rates for nonAboriginal students declined 6% (from 59% to 53%). Comparisons for other programs at VIU
are not provided due to low sample sizes.
FIGURE 10: FIRST-TO-SECOND YEAR RETENTION RATES FOR BACHELOR OF ARTS AT VIU
FOR COHORT ENTRY YEARS 2009 TO 2011
VIU Retention Model June 17, 2013
6.4
2007 BACHELOR COHORT – YEAR-­‐OVER-­‐YEAR RATES AND SIX-­‐YEAR GRADUATION RATE First-to-second year retention rates are most often cited because a large number of students leave
during or after their first year of study. However, it is important to consider year-over-year rates
25
as well as the number of students graduating. The percentage of students graduating from a
Bachelor program within six years is a widely used indicator of student success. The most recent
cohort that can be analyzed for year-over-year retention as well as six-year graduation is the
Bachelor cohort from 2007.
Figure 11 shows that the six-year graduation rate is 6% lower for Aboriginal students than nonAboriginal students. However, Aboriginal students are narrowing the gap between nonAboriginal students in six-year graduation rates and first-to-second year retention rates in multiyear programs.
FIGURE 11: RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES FOR ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL
STUDENTS IN BACHELOR PROGRAMS AT VIU FOR COHORT ENTRY YEAR 2007
VIU Retention Model June 17, 2013
6.5
CERTIFICATE PROGRAM COMPLETION As noted, retention rates provided thus far include students in multi-year programs, typically
Diploma and Bachelor programs. This section provides completion rates for Aboriginal students
in Certificate programs from 2007 to 2011 (13% of Aboriginal students in 2011/12).
Completion rates are provided for after one year, two years, and three years. Rates for Aboriginal
students and non-Aboriginal students are provided for comparison.
Most Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students complete within two years of beginning a
Certificate program. Figure 12 shows Certificate completion after one, two, and three years as
well as non-completion. For the 2010/11 and 2011/12 cohorts, data for subsequent years’
enrolments is not complete. The red portion of the bars indicates completion within one year of
beginning a Certificate program. Aboriginal students complete within one year at a lower rate
than non-Aboriginal students with an average one-year completion rate of 49% over a five-year
period (2007/08 – 2011/12). For the same time period, non-Aboriginal student cohorts have an
average one-year completion rate of 59%. Completion rates after two years (red + green) are
26
more comparable for the two groups (4-year average of 66.8% for Aboriginal students and
72.1% for non-Aboriginal students).
It should be noted that the cohort sizes are much different with the Aboriginal student cohorts’
average size at just over 90 and the non-Aboriginal student cohort’s average size at just fewer
than 1,200.
FIGURE 12: CERTIFICATE COMPLETION RATES - ABORIGINAL AND NON-ABORIGINAL
Aboriginal Students -­‐ Cer?ficate Comple?on 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 1 Year Non-­‐Aboriginal Students -­‐ Cer?ficate Comple?on 100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0% 2 Years 3 Years Incomplete 1 Year 2 Years 3 Years Incomplete STUDENTS
Source: Based on the October 19, 2012 data extract.
27
6.6
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FOR QUESTION 1 Bachelor and Diploma programs
• The first-to-second year retention rate for Aboriginal students in Bachelor and Diploma
programs is about the same or slightly lower, within 2 – 5%, of non-Aboriginal students.
• The six-year graduation rate for Aboriginal students in Bachelor and Diploma programs
is approximately 6% percentage points lower than that for non-Aboriginal students.
• The gap is narrowing between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal students when comparing
six-year graduation rates and first-to-second year retention rates.
Bachelor programs
• First-to-second-year retention rates for the 2011 Aboriginal student cohort in Bachelor
programs is 6 percentage points higher than for non-Aboriginal students.
Bachelor of Arts
• First-to-second year retention rates for Aboriginal students in Bachelor of Arts programs
has increased 16% from the 2009 cohort to the 2011 cohort (49% to 65%). Over the same
period, rates for non-Aboriginal students declined 6% (from 59% to 53%).
Certificate programs
• From 2007 to 2011, Aboriginal student Certificate cohorts have an average one-year
completion rate of 49%. For the same time period, non-Aboriginal student cohorts have
an average one-year completion rate of 59%.
• After two years, the cumulative rates are more comparable. For example, in the 2010
Certificate program cohort, 73.8% of Aboriginal students had completed their Certificate
compared to 75.6 of non-Aboriginal students. The average two-year completion rate
(2007-2010) is 66.8% for Aboriginal Certificate students and 72.1% for non-Aboriginal
Certificate students.
28
7
RESEARCH QUESTION 2: WHAT ARE THE PRIMARY INFLUENCING FACTORS OF ABORIGINAL STUDENT ATTRITION? While the percentage of Aboriginal students who are retained and complete their program of
study is comparable to that of non-Aboriginal students and/or improving, it is important to better
understand the reasons for Aboriginal student attrition.
There were 388 respondents to the ASRS. The survey grouped the respondents into current
students, graduates, and leavers (left VIU prior to completing a credential).
TABLE 4: SURVEY RESPONDENTS
ASRS Respondents
Current Students
Graduates
Leavers
Total
7.1
225
91
72
388
PRIMARY REASONS FOR LEAVING Leavers were asked to provide the main reason for leaving VIU. Of the 69 students who
responded, the primary reason for leaving VIU prior to graduating was financial, whether
expressed as financial difficulty, or needing to go to work. A further 16% cited personal family
circumstances as their main reason for leaving.
Of responses in the “Other” category, most were a variety of reasons; however, three students
identified academic probation or failure as their main reason for leaving. Other responses
included, “changing mind about career”, “moved” or “stress”.
TABLE 5: REASONS FOR LEAVING - SURVEY
Reason for Leaving
%
Decided to go to work
20%
Financial difficulty
16%
Personal family circumstances
16%
Transferred to another institution
13%
Personal health circumstances
6%
Other reasons
29%
Total (Source: ARS; n=69)
100%
In addition to providing a main reason for leaving, forty-one students provided detailed
comments around their reasons for leaving. The comments corroborated the findings in which
student indicated their main reason for leaving with work/career garnering the most comments
followed by personal and financial. Multiple comments describe situations where students were
unsure of what direction they wanted to take, but that they planned on returning to VIU or
another institution in the future. A few comments also show a lack of understanding regarding
some of VIU’s academic policies.
I decided to return to work as I was struggling financially on my
allowance
– ASRS
29
It is very difficult to go to school and work with three young children. I
plan on returning to school when I can afford the time and the courses. I
may have to wait until my children won't require childcare/daycare. –
ASRS
Financial difficulty was the main reason at that time. I went back to work
… and with a great deal of emotional support from co-workers, family
and friends I am attending [another institution]. I have been able to
access some sponsorship, and through many resources at First Peoples
House I have the spiritual and emotional support to continue my
education journey.
– ASRS
7.2
REASONS FOR LEAVING – OTHER FINDINGS Questions in the ASRS were designed to uncover specific factors that may be influencing
Aboriginal students’ decisions to leave VIU prior to completing a credential or that make their
experience at VIU overly challenging or difficult. Ultimately, this information will enable VIU
to develop strategies to mitigate the factors that are within VIU’s control.
The ASRS asked students whether specified skills or issues were a challenge for them while at
VIU. Responses provided valuable information regarding financial, personal, and academic
challenges.
PAYING BILLS WAS CONSIDERED A CHALLENGE BY THE MOST ABORIGINAL STUDENTS (78%)
FOLLOWED BY ‘HEALTH AND WELLNESS’ AND ‘FAMILY RELATIONSHIPS’ (64% AND 61%).
ACADEMICALLY RELATED ISSUES WERE MENTIONED MANY TIMES BUT NOT TO THE SAME
DEGREE THAT FINANCIAL AND PERSONAL ISSUES WERE MENTIONED.
30
Figure 13 displays issues that were identified as challenges in descending order.
31
FIGURE 13: ISSUES IDENTIFIED AS CHALLENGES FOR ABORIGINAL STUDENTS
Issues iden?fied as challenges for Aboriginal students Paying bills 271 Health and wellness 224 Family rela?onships 210 204 Study skills Exam wri?ng skills 182 Finding affordable housing 174 Having enough to eat 172 158 Accessing academic support Math skills 152 Wri?ng skills 142 Science skills 124 Reading skills 84 Finding affordable daycare 63 0 50 100 150 200 250 300 Source: ASRS; number of respondents to each question ranged from 198 to 351.
Category Issue
Financial Finding affordable
daycare
Having enough to eat
Finding affordable
housing
Paying bills
Personal Family relationships
Health and wellness
Academic Reading skills
Science skills
Writing skills
Math skills
Accessing academic
support
Exam writing skills
32
For analysis, the issues were grouped into the
categories of Financial, Personal, and Academic to
provide an indication of general types of challenge. Limitations to this analysis are that some
students did not provide a response for every issue (did not indicate that the issue was not a
challenge). As well, equal numbers of issues in each category were not offered as options.
Themes of reasons for leaving and challenges are looked at in closer detail and presented with
additional quantitative and qualitative survey findings and comments from the focus groups later
in the report.
Figure 14 demonstrates the differences between the challenges for leavers and current
students/graduates. The green bars indicate which issues were less of a problem for leavers and
the red bars indicate which issues were more of a problem for leavers. The data labels provide
the difference in percentage points (ppts) for students that find the issue to be a challenge. For
example, 9 ppts fewer Leavers indicated that “Finding affordable housing” was a challenge. On
the other hand, 11 ppts more Leavers found “Accessing academic support” to be a challenge.
Study skills
FIGURE 14: CHALLENGES FOR LEAVERS COMPARED TO CURRENT STUDENTS AND
GRADUATES
Source: ASRS; n≥198.
Accessing academic support was a greater challenge for leavers than for current students and/or
graduates. This could indicate a lack of awareness about services available to students or the
ability to access them.
7.2.1
FINANCIAL DIFFICULTIES As previously noted, one of the main challenges faced by Aboriginal students was financial, with
78% of respondents reporting that it was either a major or a minor challenge to pay bills; over
half of students (55%) had trouble finding affordable housing; and half (50%) indicating they
had trouble finding enough to eat.
33
FIGURE 15: FINANCIAL CHALLENGES - MAJOR AND MINOR
Financial Challenges Paying bills (n=349) 38% Finding affordable housing (n=318) 40% 31% 23% 22% Major 45% Minor Having enough to eat (n=345) Finding affordable daycare (n=198) 13% 37% 20% 50% 12% None 68% Source: ASRS
When asked about sources of funding, students were able to select all sources that they accessed
while at VIU. Most students selected more than one source. The most common source of funding
for Aboriginal students is First Nations education funding.
FIGURE 16: FUNDING SOURCES FOR ABORIGINAL STUDENTS
Funding Sources 159 First Na?ons educa?on funding Student loans 109 Employment while a_ending VIU 82 75 Personal savings Family/friends 33 21 19 15 61 8 Bursaries/grants 56 8 43 Scholarships 4 30 4 Mé?s funding Other, please specify: 18 7 0 20 40 60 Current or graduate 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 Leaver Source: ASRS
The First Nations and Métis funding appears to cover different costs for different students. Of
the 226 Aboriginal students who received First Nations education funding or Métis funding, selfreported results indicated that most were funded for tuition, books, and a living allowance but
not for tutoring (17%). Since academic challenges exist for many respondents, access to tutoring
or services to help students learn how to learn, is important.
34
TABLE 6: ITEMS COVERED BY FIRST NATIONS AND MÉTIS FUNDING
Cost covered by FN or Métis funding
Tuition
96%
Books
91%
Living allowance
77%
Tutoring
17%
Aboriginal students who received First Nations education funding or Métis funding were also
asked whether they experienced any difficulty in applying or receiving their education funding.
Ninety-seven students indicated that they did not have any difficulty with the funding process.
However, 19 leavers and 75 current students or graduates provided over 100 comments across
five main themes.
TABLE 7: DIFFICULTY WITH FIRST NATIONS OR MÉTIS FUNDING – QUALITATIVE COMMENTS
BY CATEGORY
Category
%
Limited funding available
49%
Time delays/processing
15%
Poor communication with band officers
9%
Meeting criteria for grades
6%
Limited information on available funding
1%
Other
30%
The majority of the respondents’ comments was concerned with limited funding and expressed
concern that the amounts provided by First Nations or Métis funding sources did not cover actual
costs. Specifically, funding appears to be year-to-year rather than for the length of the program.
For example, students in programs of more than one year in length need to reapply for funding
each year. This leads to uncertainty and last minute decision-making. Section 6.4 and 6.5
indicate that Aboriginal students may take longer to complete degrees and certificates than nonAboriginal students. If funding is based on program completion at full-time equivalent course
loads, many students’ studies would exceed this time frame, putting even more pressure on
finding financial support
I had to take the post-baccalaureate program at VIU because it was the
only BEd program where my Band would provide funding. I also had to
take out a student loan to supplement that funding as it didn't last past
the fall semester. – ASRS
The first year was great, fully funded and supported, while second year
was not as good. During second year, apparently the funds can be cut
without any notice, and it makes for a great deal of stress when funds are
played around with. – ASRS
I was denied funding towards the last year and a half of my degree
because I did not complete my 4 year degree in the 4 years. – ASRS
35
My band only funds 25 students each year. We have a very high number
of people applying, (100+) therefore not making me eligible for funding
every year. – ASRS
Students also expressed frustration around meeting eligibility requirements such as: maintaining
certain grades, academic probation, and rules around the types of courses they can take.
I am experiencing difficulty in funding, due to me wanting to transfer my
credits from Criminology to First Nations Child and Youth Care. They
don't support me in changing my program. – ASRS
Students mentioned long time delays and extensive paperwork as sources of frustration. Some
students also indicated a frustration with limited information, advising, and band communication.
Other comments referred to a lack of assistance in negotiating the process for applying for
funding and a lack of online information for specific Bands. Positive comments came with
regard to the assistance from a VIU staff member and a Band Advisor; students indicated they
would not have been able to complete the process without the help of these individuals.
Also related to financial difficulties is the need to work. Of the students that reported
employment as a source of funding in Figure 16 while at VIU, 62% worked 20 or more hours
weekly.
TABLE 8: NUMBER OF HOURS WORKED
Less than 20
20 or more
Total
Current or
graduate
34
46
80
Leaver
Total
4
15
19
38
61
99
Many of the students that received First Nations or Métis funding indicated that the funding did
not cover the full costs. The conclusion can be drawn that many students need to work, even if
they are receiving funding. The need to work puts more pressure on students that are already
challenged financially and personally.
Focus group participants also mentioned similar challenges they experienced regarding finances.
I'm constantly looking for outside resources to help. – Focus group
participant
Funding officers are very strict, you need a minimum GPA OF 3.0; I fell
to 2.9 and they wouldn’t fund me for my living allowance during that
time and I appealed and lost. For a single person, rent takes more than
half of funding. – Focus group participant
Financial support is also limited – if you start to fall behind in school,
band funding is cut. – Focus group participant
36
Students were asked where they access a computer for schoolwork to determine if this was a
financial or academic barrier for some students. Over 80% of students (319/388) indicated that
they accessed a computer from home. The next most popular choices were computers at VIU
(203) and public library (60). Accessing computers does not appear to be a barrier for survey
respondents.
7.2.2
PERSONAL CHALLENGES It is clear from the survey and the focus groups that Aboriginal students are faced with personal
challenges that may affect their enrolment patterns.
FIGURE 17: PERSONAL CHALLENGES – HEALTH AND FAMILY
Personal Challenges -­‐ Major and Minor Health and wellness (n=351) 20% 44% Family rela?onships (n=345) 21% 40% 0% 20% 40% 36% Major Minor 39% 60% 80% 100% None Source: ASRS
Health and wellness issues were also mentioned by nearly two-thirds of students. Family
relationships also factored in as a common challenge, reported by 61% of students. When
Aboriginal students were asked about which issues were a challenge for them, 224 or 64%
indicated that health and wellness was a challenge with 20% indicating this as a major issue.
Of respondents to the survey, 207 Aboriginal students (54%) live with at least one dependent
(defined as financially dependent in survey).
FIGURE 18: PERCENTAGE OF STUDENTS
CARING FOR DEPENDENTS
Source: ARS; n=388.
The percentage of students caring for dependents is
higher, although not statistically significant, for
students that left prior to completing a credential
than for current students or graduates. All students
have a finite number of hours for attending class,
studying, and completing coursework. Taking care
of dependents (like employment or other
commitments) restricts the hours available for
school. For some, competing obligations restrict the
hours available for school to a level below that
which an individual requires in order to succeed
academically.
Focus group participants also voiced concerns
around personal responsibilities such as home life,
caring for children, and relationships - and the
ability to manage these competing forces.
37
My home-life takes the focus away from school – balancing school and
home life and asking for help is difficult. – Focus group participant
What's challenging is being a single parent and demands of children and
meeting their needs. – Focus group participant
My home-life is challenging and the lack of support and understanding
from other members of my family. – Focus group participant
The change from reserve life to VIU life, from welfare to bills, there's no
preparation for that, or the repercussions, lack of support, and
judgments from family for "changing", it's hard to go back and visit
family still on the reserve. – Focus group participant
I need to stop procrastinating and take more initiative but asking for
help is difficult. – Focus group participant
7.2.3
ACADEMIC PREPARATION Academic preparation was explored in a variety of ways including academic background, level
of challenge of courses, and academic skill challenges.
All students in the ASRS responded to the question regarding their previous academic
experience. Seventeen percent of leavers had not finished high school compared to 12% of
current students and graduates. For both groups, 50% of students reported that they did not have
any education higher than high school level.
TABLE 9: HIGHEST LEVEL OF EDUCATION PRIOR TO ENROLLING AT VIU
Highest level of education prior to enrolling at VIU
Leaver
Did not finish high school
Graduated from high school
Some post-secondary education but did not complete a
credential
Completed a certificate or diploma program
Completed trades training
Completed a bachelor’s degree
Other, please specify:
17%
33%
25%
Current or
graduate
12%
38%
17%
18%
1%
4%
1%
100%
21%
3%
5%
3%
100%
Source: ASRS; n=388
Since 83% of leavers had graduated high school or had some post-secondary experience,
compared with 88% for current/graduates, attrition is not clearly attributable to lack of academic
preparedness.
Students were also asked how challenging they found courses in their VIU program. Over 50%
indicated that they thought the level was about right with almost 40% found their courses
difficult.
38
FIGURE 19: INTENSITY OF CHALLENGE IN COURSES
Just over one-half of Aboriginal students reported
that the amount of challenge in their program was
"about right," with the second-largest group
Easy 34% reporting that their program was “difficult”. There
About right was not much difference between current students,
53% graduates and leavers in proportion of each group
Difficult that thought the level of challenge was "about right";
4% 9% n=385 Very Difficult Source: ASRS;
surprisingly, the group with the smallest proportion
who answered "very difficult" was the leaver group.
Over 150 comments were received in relation to
level of challenge. Many comments indicated that coursework was difficult but rewarding.
Definitely not easy but surprisingly mind opening. – ASRS
Courses are challenging but not impossible. – ASRS
Difficult, but expected. It was a challenging program, with a lot of
information in a short period of time. – ASRS
I enrolled as a mature student, where my studies didn't come easy and
learned with challenges, but with dedication. I was successful. – ASRS
I really liked my courses; especially the classes where we had Elder's in
Residence attend. The courses were challenging, however, I felt with the
right amount of support I was able to navigate through them easier. –
ASRS
Student comments demonstrate the connection between personal and academic responsibilities.
I am self-employed and work all of the time that I am not in class. The
difficult part is making sure I have enough time for work, classes, and
studying.
– ASRS
Difficulties were more often around personal life issues and challenges
occurring while taking courses in my VIU program. – ASRS
Took 5 courses, it was difficult to keep up with assignments and take
care of family. Daycare was an obstacle. – ASRS
39
The challenge comes mostly from home life. But I'm sure if I accessed the
support services offered it would've helped. Just that I am not sure how
to ask for help from someone which is a part of being Aboriginal. –
ASRS
Challenge is managing work, and cultural obligations (big house,
funerals).
– ASRS
40
As previously noted in section 7.2, many survey respondents experienced academic challenges,
particularly in general skill areas such as study skills and exam writing skills.
FIGURE 20: ACADEMIC CHALLENGES FACED BY ABORIGINAL VIU STUDENTS
Study skills (n=350) 13% 45% Exam wri?ng skills (n=351) 15% 37% Math skills (n=313) 17% 31% Major Accessing academic support (n=336) 11% Science skills (n=286) 12% Wri?ng skills (n=350) 8% Reading skills (n=349) 3% 0% 36% Minor None 32% 32% 21% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Source: ASRS
I always did poorly on writing papers – I came from the reserve and I
didn't feel that there was a bridge to gap from reserve to university. –
Focus group participant
I did not get enough time for help from the Writing Centre. I felt like they
were pushing you out the door and I had to get my own English tutor. –
Focus group participant
It's hard for mature learners to enter into VIU –VIU should look at more
programs that offer college prep (math and English) for mature students
and in general and have funding for students to come here for prep
programs. – Focus group participant
VIU needs more workshops that would help with learning just for First
Nation students (e.g. writing essays workshop). – Focus group
participant
7.2.4
GOALS AND MOTIVATION To gain a better understanding of what motivates Aboriginal students at VIU, students were
asked what “success” meant to them. Eighty-five percent of students provided a response (328
students provided 387 comments). Themes emerged with 31% of students citing “graduating”
41
and 13% citing “getting good grades” as a sign of success. However, many other definitions of
success were offered including “learning and understanding” (12% of respondents),
“employment” (12% of respondents), and “giving back to the community” (6% of respondents).
For me success is the excellent grades that I have been able to achieve...
Especially in comparison to my high school grades which were as low as
they could be without failing. I also define success as getting my diploma
in 2012 and now continuing on to finish my degree in 2014. – ASRS
Completing program and balancing cultural obligations and program
requirements. – ASRS
The first in my family to get a degree. – ASRS
Completing my courses while still holding strong to my identity as an
indigenous person. Not losing sight of my community and family and the
values that they have instilled in me. – ASRS
Completing all course requirements successfully, hopefully with good
grades. Meeting new people and creating a home away from home.
Building of resources at hand. – ASRS
I believe success in my educational journey is characterized by a
supportive educational environment shaped by educational policies, and
the positive faculty, Elders-in-Residence, staff, colleagues, guest
speakers, and community members. – ASRS
Many comments also conveyed a holistic and transformative perspective. Respondents placed
importance on the overall experience and journey rather than specific grades or
accomplishments. Many students also expressed gratitude for their experiences.
I define success as overcoming challenges and obstacles that you face in
life. There will always be barriers in life and what I have learned is to
seek solutions and support services that can help you overcome these. –
ASRS
For me success in terms of my post-secondary education is having my
friends and family there to support and encourage me in my journey,
they are very much a part of my success. Also being able to maintain my
connection with my culture, traditions and community throughout my
education journey was a measure of success because I want to be able to
go back into my community to work with them to make a positive
difference. – ASRS
42
As an aboriginal I find excitement in my future once my goals are
accomplished I look forward to obtaining a full time career within my
nation and for success to happen I need the resources available to me. –
ASRS
As having my world view expanded, challenged conventional
stereotypes, taken more than the basics of the course with me when I
finish. Expanding my mind and improving my skills as a writer, reader,
Canadian, and First Nations person. – ASRS
I mainly experienced challenges in first year, trying to make the
transition from high school to university, where the pace increased
dramatically, and learning was almost completely independent. – ASRS
Challenges, yes! Raising a young child while attending a school and I
also worked a part time job. I had to take Eng 047 twice. – ASRS
I have experienced challenges in achieving success at VIU. My
challenges have been mostly related to being away from home and from
my family. Being lonely is the number one reason why most people from
my community do not go to university or do not finish university. – ASRS
Challenges in achieving success for me, included financial challenges. I
worked closer to full time hours, as well as going to school full time.
Even being supported financially from my Band, and working throughout
my time at VIU was still challenging financially. Just the cost of rent,
food, parking, gas, and other day to day expenses was difficult to
manage when also having to manage school work. – ASRS
Financially, yes. As I was not funded by my band in the end, and
travelling to school from Cowichan to Nanaimo through the week was
very challenging. I was fortunate to have the support of my mother. –
ASRS
When asked for ideas on how VIU can help Aboriginal students complete their educational
journey at VIU, 150 students provided comments. Many comments were directed at increasing
awareness about services and activities available to Aboriginal students; many other comments
focused on increasing Aboriginal cultural knowledge for faculty members through enhanced
curriculum, more Aboriginal faculty members, and sensitivity training; another clear theme was
the importance of Aboriginal mentors and roles models and how these initiatives could be
enhanced.
CREATE AND BUILD A NATIVE STUDENTS UNION!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
– ASRS
43
I am now at another University and there are workshops (drum making,
moccasin making, speaker series) which have been awesome to go to.
Also, I have had two Indigenous instructors and it was my first time ever
having an Indigenous instructor. It was an unforgettable experience
because it was the first time I felt really valued and heard as an
Indigenous woman. In the social services program there was not one
Indigenous instructor and/or no course about Indigenous people which
is problematic because our people are a growing population and
because of colonialism there are high rates of Indigenous children within
the foster care system. Therefore, there needs to be some education
about Indigenous people to ensure the emerging social service students
are not causing more harm to an already oppressed group.
– ASRS
Engage with the culture when creating content. Ensure that the
professors teaching the courses are culturally sensitive and will stop
racism/bigotry in the classroom. I took a course at SFU on Aboriginal
peoples and the law and the discussions got out of hand pretty quickly. It
is not my duty to educate my pupils, it is the teachers. – ASRS
Peer mentorship/helpers with other successful students (similar to the
international program) – ASRS
To meet with a learning coach or mentor that will connect and guide the
student with the goals for the weekend/ following a schedule to
succeed...to encourage students to keep a time slot open for themselves.
To read, to pamper themselves, to bond with their spouse, etc. Maintain
a balance. Encourage students to understand that this time of
EDUCATION is only for a short time and that other cultural
responsibilities may need to be placed on hold until completing school...
– ASRS
Offer grants and bursaries to those who are on sponsorship... because
those who are on sponsorship funding don't get much, we live in poverty
with our families while we are here/access to community food bank are
there, but does not really support health and nutrition. We are on the
bottom of the food chain. We manage and budget what we can, but it is
hard when you have children and are a full time student. I could not
afford X-mas this year.
– ASRS
Everyone should be treated with the same importance. Aboriginal
students should not be singled out, in my opinion. – ASRS
44
Well I think in the aboriginal bridging program, it would be extremely
beneficial if they taught successful note taking classes, and study skills
training and organizational time management classes that were actually
in depth, not just a simple hand out. and maybe a way for aboriginal
students to more easily find some kind of system for university courses to
have a study buddy type of system, or study group system that you could
maybe just sign up for at the beginning of each semester. – ASRS
7.2.5
CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT Two areas of cultural engagement and student satisfaction were explored through the ASRS:
Aboriginal content in curriculum and participation in Aboriginal activities outside of the
classroom.
FIGURE 21: AMOUNT AND QUALITY OF ABORIGINAL CONTENT IN CURRICULUM
Amount and quality of Aboriginal content in curriculum Amount of Aboriginal Content (n=350) 20% Quality of Aboriginal Content (n=345) 40% 17% 0% 40% 43% 20% Dissa?sfied 40% 40% Neutral 60% 80% 100% Sa?sfied Source: ASRS
Forty percent of respondents were satisfied with the amount and quality of Aboriginal content in
their curriculum. Another 40% reported they were neither satisfied nor dissatisfied, suggesting a
lack of engagement. Leavers were slightly more dissatisfied than current/graduates in regard to
both the amount (22% vs. 19%) and quality (21% vs. 16%) of Aboriginal content in their
curriculum.
When asked how important Aboriginal content is in courses and programs, 75% of respondents
indicated that it is important.
Many students (200) provided positive examples of Aboriginal content in their courses and
programs. These examples can help future development and integration of Aboriginal content
into more courses and programs. To begin to understand what is working well for Aboriginal
students at VIU, their comments were grouped into seven main themes.
TABLE 10: POSITIVE EXAMPLES OF ABORIGINAL COURSE AND PROGRAM CONTENT
Positive Examples
Total
Role of Faculty / Aboriginal content into the classroom
FN specific courses/programs
Elder in residence / FN speakers/ FN Instructors
Arts & Humanities courses (Arts, English, History, Media Studies)
68
66
37
24
45
Social Sciences courses (Anthropology, Sociology, Psychology, Criminology,
23
Law)
Education-related courses
7
Health & Human Services courses
1
Other
35
Total
261
Students appreciated it when faculty members, regardless of the course being taught, mentioned
the history of Aboriginal peoples in Canada and how it ties into current topics. By simply
acknowledging history and its impact, Aboriginal students had a feeling of acceptance and
recognition.
I have had instructors who are aware of the history of the Indigenous
people in this country and are able to correct any biases from students
about Indigenous communities. – ASRS
The faculty allowing me to include my spin on projects. There's more of
an openness to incorporate as much Aboriginal culture as I can.
– ASRS
Aboriginal students that did not already have knowledge of traditional teaching especially
appreciated the opportunity to learn about Aboriginal content as part of the curriculum, such as
First Nations Studies courses or readings of short stories.
English class had short Stories about aboriginal culture and I found it
very interesting because I was raised off reserve and don't know many of
my family members from there. – ASRS
I really appreciated learning more about Coast Salish protocols,
territory and history because since I live on Vancouver Island and work
in community it is important for me to know in order to work with the
people to the best of my ability. – ASRS
The presence of First Nation Elders, speakers, or instructors was also very well received by
students.
The Elders in the courses are extremely positive, and also having First
Nations authors, as we need to be reflected in the course content and we
need to be challenged. – ASRS
Having Elders within the classroom I have found to be a positive
example of Aboriginal content. I have also found that drumming, singing
and a prayer at beginning of class and the proper way to introduce
yourself within the classroom as positive. I find that most of the time I do
46
not know a single thing about my other classmates and a real
introduction at the beginning of classes is nice. – ASRS
When asked about specific kinds of Aboriginal programs, content, or teaching methods that they
would like to see, almost 200 students offered ideas. Seven categories were used to summarize
the results.
TABLE 11: IDEAS FOR INCLUDING ABORIGINAL CONTENT – QUALITATIVE COMMENTS BY
CATEGORY
Category
Total
Traditional practices/programs
54
Integrating more Aboriginal content into existing courses
46
First Nation programs
28
More Aboriginal faculty, elders, mentors, support, tutors
19
Satisfied with current VIU offerings
15
Mandatory First Nations course for all students
8
Aboriginal Student Centre
7
Other
40
Ideas for weaving Aboriginal knowledge into almost every discipline were put forward
including: fine arts, visual art, horticulture, history, anthropology, business, languages, culinary
arts, law, taxation, herbology, biology, education, fisheries, criminology, child and youth care,
English, global studies…
An urgency to preserve knowledge about traditional practices, and specifically singing,
storytelling, drumming, and languages is very important message that is coming from Aboriginal
students.
I think offering a program that teaches people about the diversity of First
Nations, Métis and Inuit. A program that is specific to incorporating
First Nations perspectives. – ASRS
I would like to see an Aboriginal Healing Program offered. Learning the
traditional foods and ceremonies practiced. This would beneficial to the
many challenging times we face as aboriginal students. – ASRS
I would like to see more languages offered; there is a great need to have
these languages available so that the next generation can learn them to
keep them alive. – ASRS
I think most courses should try to include or incorporate some type of
aboriginal education or relation to the world. ie: history, poverty,
traditional language. – ASRS
A Coast Salish language course (if not already available). ...
Empowerment of First Nation women and men. – ASRS
47
Even if I am not enrolled in any Aboriginal studies it is wonderful to see
it applied in my courses. – ASRS
I would like to see aboriginal content within the business courses. I took
the business management degree. The only way to get an aboriginal
content is with electives. – ASRS
I would like to see classes with an Aboriginal focus, or at least, one class
spent on Aboriginal history, and teachings (example, some people do not
know that traditionally, it is rude to look a person in authority or with
respect in a community, in the eyes. This is problematic considering in a
Western society where it is considered rude not to look a person in
authority in the eyes.).
– ASRS
It would be nice to have a few First Nations peoples courses (for a
degree, not just for people to attend that are in that particular program)
at the Cowichan Campus. – ASRS
Focus group participants also commented on the need for more Aboriginal content.
There is no Aboriginal component in the science program – I am going
home to live in a First Nation society after I graduate and I do not feel
prepared to deal in the real world. – Focus group participant
I think not being heard is the biggest frustration – I feel First Nations are
totally excluded from all the programs – VIU needs to start
implementing Aboriginal focus in all the courses to make us feel
integrated and apart of the school. – Focus group
48
The survey asked students whether they attended any Aboriginal-focused events or activities at
VIU. Figure 22 shows the percentage of respondents that experienced each of these events or
services.
FIGURE 22: PARTICPATION IN ABORIGINAL-FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
Par?cipa?on in Aboriginal-­‐focused ac?vi?es 42% A_ended events where Elders were present Aboriginal Student Services 38% Elders as part of your classroom experience 38% 33% Welcome Back events Campus Wide Feasts 29% Consulta?on with Elders outside of the classroom 29% Aboriginal Speaker Series 21% Student Mentorship 11% 0% 10% 20% 30% Percentage of respondents that par?cpated 40% 50% Source: ASRS; number of respondents to each question ranged from 343 to351.
Students who indicated that they participated in Aboriginal-focused activities were then asked
about their satisfaction level with each of them. Satisfaction levels are presented in Figure 23.
FIGURE 23: SATISFACTION WITH ABORIGINAL-FOCUSED ACTIVITIES
Sa?sfac?on with Aboriginal-­‐focused ac?vi?es Elders as part of your classroom experience 77% 19% 73% Consulta?on with Elders outside of the classroom 22% Student Mentorship 62% 32% A_ended events where Elders were present 61% 34% Aboriginal Speaker Series 45% Campus Wide Feasts 47% 50% Welcome Back events 42% 45% 44% 53% Aboriginal Student Services 0% Very Sa?sfied 20% 34% 40% 60% 80% 100% Sa?sfied Source: ASRS; number of respondents to each question who said “yes” to participation ranged
from 37 to 145.
As shown in Figure 23, satisfaction is very high with all of these events and activities. The
conclusion can therefore be made that these activities are meaningful to the students participating
in them. However, participation rates are all less than 50%.
49
Lower levels of participation could indicate low awareness. When asked about whether or not
they have ever accessed services at the Gathering Place, only 41% (140) students answered
“Yes”. Over 200 students said they had not accessed services at the Gathering Place. When
asked why, the most common responses were that they did not know about it or that they were
not interested.
TABLE 12: REASONS FOR NOT ACCESSING THE GATHERING PLACE - QUALITATIVE
COMMENTS BY CATEGORY
Category
Total
Have not heard of it/don't know where it is
Not interested/didn't need it
Too busy/not convenient/not available when I'm on campus
Not at Nanaimo campus/hadn't been constructed during my time at VIU
Didn't know that it was for me/didn't feel comfortable or welcome/didn't know
anyone there
Didn't know that there were useful services/the extent of services
Other
50
47
28
26
23
21
14
These findings are consistent with the Canadian Council on Learning (CCL) findings that onethird of Aboriginal students were not aware of resources available to them. This study suggest
that many Aboriginal students do not know about the Gathering Place, what services are
available there, or do not feel that the Gathering Place was an appropriate place for them.
I wasn't aware of the services that were provided, I think my own
personal assumptions may have kept me from going. In the past when I
sought help I wouldn't receive it, therefore, I assumed that if I went to the
Gathering Place it would have been a similar experience. I went there
once I made another Indigenous friend and had lunch but that was the
extent of the visit.
– ASRS
I went there a couple of times but didn't feel comfortable. Because I
appear white thanks to Scottish genes, I often feel, from people who don't
know me, a reverse racism. I understand where that comes from, but it
makes it really hard sometimes to fight through that to acceptance. I
always feel like I have to "explain" myself as to why I am there. – ASRS
7.2.6
STUDENT SERVICES FIGURE 24: LEVEL OF USAGE - STUDENT SERVICES
50
Level of usage -­‐ student services Library resources 243 Admissions services 49 179 42 Aboriginal Student Services 122 27 Financial Aid Services 123 25 Personal counseling 61 Tutoring Services 55 0 19 17 50 100 150 Current or graduate 200 250 300 350 Leaver Source: ASRS
About 82% of respondents accessed the library while only about 20% accessed tutoring services
and Personal counseling services. Although library usage is high and admission services usage
is 64%, the other services were used by relatively few respondents. Again, while usage was
fairly low, satisfaction levels were very high. Level of usage was higher for leavers than current
students and/or graduates as shown in Figure 26.
FIGURE 25: SATISFACTION WITH STUDENT SERVICES
Library resources 93% Aboriginal Student Services 6% 1% 89% Personal counseling 10% 83% 12% 1% 5% Registra?on services 77% 19% 4% Financial Aid Services 76% 20% 4% Admissions services 76% 21% 3% Tutoring Services 76% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% Sa?sfied Neutral Dissa?sfied 19% 70% 80% 90% 6% 100% Source: ASRS; the number of responses to each question who said “yes” to usage ranged from 70
to 342.
Leavers accessed services at a higher level than current students and/or graduates. However,
satisfaction levels between the two groups are quite comparable suggesting that satisfaction with
services was not a factor influencing Aboriginal students to leave before graduating.
FIGURE 26: LEVEL OF USAGE – COMPARING LEAVERS AND CURRENT/GRADUATES
51
12 Personal counseling Tutoring Services 10 8 Admissions services Aboriginal Student Services 4 0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 Leavers accessed more (percentage points) Source: ASRS
Leavers accessed personal counseling and tutoring services in higher proportions than did current
students/graduates.
• Leavers were as satisfied with their tutoring experiences as currents/grads.
• Leavers were less satisfied with personal counseling than currents/grads (77.7% vs.
85.0%.
• There is no significant difference in level of use or satisfaction level of library or
financial services between leavers and current students and/or graduates.
Students were asked if there were any supports or services that were not provided that would
have been helpful to them. Sixty-nine comments were provided in the following categories. All
comments were made available to the client on a confidential basis.
TABLE 13: CATEGORIES OF STUDENT SUGGESTIONS FOR SUPPORT SERVICES
Categories of suggestions
FN specific supports/services
Financial services/help
Tutoring/learning supports
Negative comment
Technology
Other
Total
16
13
11
7
4
23
More chances to apply for bursaries/grants/scholarships for both fulltime students and part-time students.
Would be nice if they were emailed to the students. – ASRS
Maybe the financial services can reach out more to students to ask if we
are interested in setting up a meeting so they may help sort out finances.
Such as students who have previously got a student loan or even
budgeting.
– ASRS
Academic counselors - and not just assume that all First nations students
want to take FN BA Arts. – ASRS
52
Being more aware that there is FN support services. – ASRS
I would have appreciated someplace or someone to go to, when
experiencing racism. Often it was an unintentional student remark but I
still needed to talk it over with someone to figure out how to deal with it
in the future. – ASRS
It would have been nice to have found out way earlier in the semester
about the free tutoring funding for aboriginal students, through the
gathering place. and it would have also been helpful to have some kind
of program or course for aboriginal students. – ASRS
Relationship building, building relationships with other students would
be nice to see more of. Then we can build a better support system if we
meet other people. Weekly talking circle or stress relieving groups to
hear other aboriginal students. – ASRS
53
7.2.7
ROLE OF FACULTY MEMBERS Students were asked to select the top three strategies that they thought would encourage faculty
members to interact with students.
FIGURE 27: STRATEGIES TO INCREASE FACULTY/STUDENT INTERACTION
Friendly/welcoming demeanor 80% 66% Open door policies Experien?al learning opportuni?es 32% Encouraging office hours/visits 31% Social spaces for students and faculty 30% On-­‐campus social events with faculty 20% Proximity of offices to classrooms 19% Off-­‐campus social events with faculty 8% 0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100% Source: ARS; n≥352
Figure 27 shows that four out of five respondents indicated that a friendly/welcoming demeanor
in faculty members is important to encourage interaction with students outside the classroom.
Data from the Student Experience Survey showed that Aboriginal students were less likely than
non-Aboriginal students to rate their instructors as approachable, helpful and understanding. This
information suggests that there is a need for faculty members to be culturally sensitive to needs
of Aboriginal students.
Students in the focus groups highlighted the importance of relationships with faculty members,
other students, and Aboriginal education workers.
The small class sizes allow for extra support from faculty, I like that
faculty accommodate to the students' needs. – Focus group participant
What's keeping me here is the instructor's understandability of our
culture – especially when there is a death or a need to go to the big
house.
– Focus group participant
I like small classes and faculty remember your name. I thought it would
be different because I am a mature student but younger students have
been supportive and look up to me. – Focus group participant
I've developed a close knit community with other students. I like the
instructors – they want to see you succeed. – Focus group participant
54
What's working to keep me here is my connection with Aboriginal
educational workers. – Focus group participant
Through the ASRS, 149 students provided comments about their relationships with faculty
members. Most comments were positive in nature and described faculty members as friendly,
welcoming, and helpful.
The relationships I have made with my faculty was one of the greatest
experiences I have had with VIU. I am happy to call a couple of my
professors my friends. – ASRS
The faculty always seemed very helpful, some faculty never fully
explained their policies on interaction with them outside of the
classroom though, which left me feeling unsure if they were available
etc. – ASRS
Having a relationship with your faculty is very important. It's critical
that they understand who you are and where you come from. The more
they know about you, the easier it will be for them to teach you. – ASRS
I enjoyed all my instructors, some were more helpful and understanding
of my challenges as a full time student and a full time single parent. –
ASRS
I feel that I had a pretty good relationship with a lot of my professors at
VIU. I was able to get a lot of help on homework / assignments through
visiting them in their offices, most of the time not during office hours. It
was extremely helpful, and I'm not sure I would come even close to
getting that sort of support from teachers at a larger university. I think
that is what sets VIU apart from other universities. Things are very
focused around learning, and the availability of the faculty was
invaluable in my time there. Most large universities have professors who
are focused on research, and who are basically unreachable a lot of the
time. – ASRS
However, a few comments were negative in nature and highlight the need for cultural
understanding.
I had a professor who told me on one of my papers that First Nations
people were not prominent in business or military therefore they should
not be compared to the cultural sensitivity of doing business
internationally. Perhaps faculty in non-First Nations related courses
55
should receive training of some sort on aboriginal issues and awareness.
– ASRS
Faculty does not seem to want to interact with students, it seems more of
a personality thing (introverts). – ASRS
Making time is important for students who are not from this community.
They may have little interaction with anybody outside of school, and
when met with an unpleasant attitude or unhelpful remarks it makes it a
further challenge to try to interact with members at the space again. –
ASRS
7.3
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FOR QUESTION 2 Financial
• The main reasons for leaving prior to finishing a credential are financial – 78% of
students find it a challenge.
• Relying on year-to-year funding approval creates stress for students.
• Many students are working while attending school and many are working over 20 hours
per week.
• Difficulties with negotiating the process for securing financial assistance are a concern
for many survey respondents and focus group participants. This does not give any
indication of how many students were not successful in completing the process and
therefore did not attend VIU.
Personal
• Personal challenges also affect many Aboriginal students. Balancing academic and
personal responsibilities is difficult.
• “Health and wellness” and “Family relationships” were cited as challenges for over 60%
of respondents.
Academic preparation
• Attrition is not linked to a lack of academic preparedness; 83% of leavers had graduated
high school or experience post-secondary education prior to attending VIU. However,
most respondents find Study skills and Exam writing skills to be challenging.
• Most respondents found the level of challenge in their courses to be about right or
difficult. Comments indicate the challenge was rewarding with only 4% of students
responding “Very difficult”.
• Leavers found “Accessing academic support” to be more of a challenge than
current/graduates.
• “Study skills” and “Exam writing skills” are challenges for the largest number of
Aboriginal students. “Accessing academic support” is also a common challenge.
Other findings
• Part of the purpose of this survey question regarding how success is defined was to
determine if measuring completion and retention rates is an appropriate way to gauge
success for Aboriginal students. Overall responses indicate that completion and retention
are appropriate measure.
56
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
There is a feeling of urgency to preserve knowledge about traditional practices such as
singing, storytelling, drumming, and languages coming from Aboriginal students.
Only 40% of respondents are satisfied with the amount and quality of Aboriginal content
in their courses and programs.
Less than half of survey respondents participated in Aboriginal-focused activities.
However, satisfaction levels for students that did participate were well over 80%.
When asked about whether or not they have ever accessed services at the Gathering
Place, only 41% (140) students answered “Yes”. Over 200 students said they had not
accessed services at the Gathering Place. When asked why, the most common responses
were that they did not know about it or that they were not interested. Information and
guidance about support services that are available should be more widely circulated.
Level of use of some student services suggest some services should be accessed more,
such as, tutoring and personal counseling.
Suggestions from Aboriginal students focused on
o the importance and usefulness of mentorship, role models, Elders
o acknowledgement of Aboriginal culture and knowledge in the classroom
o teaching and sharing knowledge about Aboriginal culture outside of the classroom
(history and facts but also singing, language, prayers…)
o ensuring that faculty members are culturally sensitive
o Increasing awareness of Gathering Place and Aboriginal student services
The student comments from the survey are rich in content and can inform student success
strategies. These comments should be shared in a confidential manner with members of
the client’s team.
57
8
RESEARCH QUESTION 3: WHAT CONCLUSIONS, IF ANY, CAN BE DRAWN WHEN COMPARING RETAINED ABORIGINAL STUDENTS AND THOSE THAT LEFT VIU PRIOR TO GRADUATING? In addition to the information provided through the ASRS, an analysis of the cohort of
Aboriginal students who started a multi-year program in 2011 was conducted. This analysis
compares students across enrolment statuses (attrition and retention) by demographic and
academic variables as of June 17, 2013.
The cohort under examination is made up 172 Aboriginal students that began Bachelor,
Diploma, and Master programs in academic year 2011.
TABLE 14: MULTI-YEAR PROGRAM COHORT SIZES
Aboriginal student cohort sizes
Academic Bachelor
Diploma
Year
2011
138
28
8.1
Master
6
Grand
Total
172
DEMOGRAPHIC CHARACTERISTICS 8.1.1
AGE GROUPS AND GENDER – BY ENROLMENT STATUS FIGURE 28: AGE GROUP DISTRIBUTION FOR 2011 ABORIGINAL STUDENT COHORT
Source: Based on the June 17, 2013 data extract.
Aboriginal students 24 years and younger appear to be at greatest risk of attrition. Retention
strategies specifically aimed at reaching these students should be developed. These students are
likely new to post-secondary and may benefit from more communication and general academic
skill development.
TABLE 15: AVERAGE AGE OF 2011 STUDENT COHORT
Enrolment Status
Attrition
Retention
NonAboriginal
24
23
Aboriginal
26
24
58
Graduation
27
31
Overall Average
24
25
Although Aboriginal students’ average age is higher for all enrolment statuses, the overall
average is almost equivalent.
FIGURE 29: GENDER FOR COHORT ENTRY YEAR 2011
Source: Based on the June 17, 2013 data extract.
Female Aboriginal students from this number outnumber males by more than two to one.
However, males have a slightly higher retention rate. Although the difference is not significantly
significant, female Aboriginal students may benefit from targeted retention strategies.
8.2
ACADEMIC CHARACTERISTICS 8.2.1
FULL-­‐TIME/PART-­‐TIME – BY ENROLMENT STATUS FIGURE 30: PART-TIME / FULL-TIME ABORIGINAL STUDENTS IN MASTER, BACHELOR, AND
DIPLOMA PROGRAMS AT VIU FOR COHORT ENTRY YEAR 2011
Source: Based on the June 17, 2013 data extract.
Full-time students have a significantly higher retention rate than part-time students (+28ppts).
Reasons for this can be related to financial challenges (part-time studies a result of lack of
funding), personal commitments or academic challenges. Exploratory conversations with parttime learners may inform the development of strategies to support them better.
59
8.2.2
GRADE POINT AVERAGE – BY ENROLMENT STATUS When comparing first-year grade point average (GPV) for the 2011 multi-year program cohort,
Aboriginal students’ results are slightly lower in all enrolment categories than those of nonAboriginal students. More interesting are the results in Table 17; in the Attrition category only
63% of Aboriginal students are reporting a GPV whereas 80% of non-Aboriginal students are
reporting a GPV. This means that almost 40% of Aboriginal students did not complete one
credit course in the first year – likely withdrawing from all courses. This group of students (new
in multi-year programs) would therefore likely benefit from an Early Alert system where their
progress can be monitored and action can be taken before it is too late for that semester.
TABLE 16: FIRST YEAR GRADE POINT AVERAGE BY ENROLMENT STATUS
1st Year GPV
Non-Aboriginal
2.87
3.58
3.00
3.03
Attrition
Graduation
Retention
Overall
Aboriginal
2.11
3.55
2.80
2.69
TABLE 17: NUMBER OF STUDENTS WITH A GRADE POINT AVERAGE INMULTI-YEAR
PROGRAMS
Count of
Students
NonAboriginal
Aboriginal
Attrition
915
60
Graduation 296
15
Retention
1,238
97
Overall
2,449
172
8.2.3
% with GPV
NonAboriginal
80%
99%
94%
90%
Aboriginal
63%
100%
91%
82%
FIRST-­‐YEAR AND SECOND-­‐YEAR STANDING – BY ENROLMENT STATUS FIGURE 31: FIRST-YEAR AND SECOND-YEAR STANDING FOR COHORT ENTRY YEAR 2011
Source: Based on the June 17, 2013 data extract.
To be categorized as First-Year Standing, a student must have completed fewer than 24 credits;
Second-Year Standing students have completed between 24 and 53 credits. For this cohort,
60
retention was clearly higher for students who had completed more credits. This analysis suggests
that those who drop out, drop out early.
8.2.4
GRADE POINT AVERAGE -­‐ BY AGE GROUPS AND ENROLMENT STATUS When age groups and GPV were analyzed for VIU in general, it is found that GPV consistently
increased along with age for every enrolment status. This positive correlation is not as clear for
Aboriginal students from the 2011 multi-year program cohort. Aboriginal students from this
cohort who were 35 years or older had the highest GPV (graduates) and the lowest GPV
(attrition). Other than this anomaly, GPV for Aboriginal students also generally increased with
age. The age and GPV correlation may be due to students gaining academic skills, experience,
and maturity as they get older.
When GPV was compared by gender and enrolment status, female Aboriginal students’’ GPVs
were higher than male Aboriginal students in all categories.
8.3
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS FOR QUESTION 3 For the 2011 multi-year programs cohort:
• Aboriginal students between the ages of 25 and 34 have the highest retention rate of all
age categories. Age categories with the highest attrition rates are 19-24 and 35+.
• Female Aboriginal students have a 10% higher attrition rate than their male counterparts
yet have higher grade point averages.
• Twice as many Aboriginal students in this cohort attended VIU full-time than part-time.
• The retention rate for full-time Aboriginal students is 10ppts higher than the retention
rate for part-time Aboriginal students.
• Of Aboriginal students that did not return after first year, only 63% produced a GPV,
indicating that they likely did not successfully complete any courses in their first year.
• In general, GPV increased with age for this cohort. One exception was the 35 years and
older attrition group: their GPV was the lowest of all age categories in the attrition
group.
61
9
RECOMMENDATIONS The purpose of this report was to identify and better understand challenges faced by Aboriginal
students in completing their studies at VIU. The following recommendations reflect suggestions
for improvement based on the analysis of the findings of this report. Page numbers within the
report are provided for reference. The confidential student comments should also be reviewed
by those developing and implementing any of the following recommendations.
Aboriginal self-identification: In order for VIU, and in particular, the Office of Aboriginal
Education, to have an accurate understanding of how many Aboriginal students are attending
VIU, it is important for Aboriginal students to self-identify as such. The goal is not to “match”
the Ministry’s numbers but rather to be able to connect with and support as many Aboriginal
learners as possible. (Refer to page 17 in report.)
1. Explain and circulate the benefits of self-declaring as Aboriginal at VIU.
2. Work with the Student Records and Information Systems departments so that when a
student indicates their Aboriginal status they receive a welcome email including a list of
benefits and key contacts. Small incentives such as a coffee card may also encourage
students to self-declare.
High school students: Data show that the grade 12 graduation rate and the post-secondary
transition rates are lower for Aboriginal students than non-Aboriginal students across the
province. Retention rates at VIU are comparable to those for non-Aboriginal students but far
fewer Aboriginal students are attending. (Refer to page 12 in report.)
3. Work more closely with School District 68 to build relationships with students in high
school and elementary school. For example, implement a Visiting Elders program for
elementary schools.
Community-based programming: Recent community-based curriculum development between
VIU and Aboriginal communities combining credit and non-credit activity that does not fit the
any of the definitions of credentials currently used at VIU. This means that the activity cannot
be tracked at the program level. New processes would enable reporting and measurement of this
activity. (Refer to page 21 in report.)
4. Explore current processes for registering students in community-based activity
(combinations of credit and non-credit). Implement coding procedures that will make
this activity reportable.
5. Work with the Office of University Planning and Analysis to examine relationships
between demographic, academic, and other Aboriginal student characteristics. For
example, is participation in Aboriginal-focused activities correlated with GPV?
6. Work with the Office of University Planning and Analysis to analyze semester-tosemester retention rates and patterns to determine if Aboriginal students are at increased
risk of attrition at different times during the academic year.
Targeted retention strategies: About 60% VIU’s Aboriginal students are female. At the same
time, the retention rate for female Aboriginal students has lagged that of male Aboriginal
students by about 5% in the past two years for multi-year programs. As well, the analysis of the
2011 multi-year cohort indicated a higher grade point average for female Aboriginal students
than male Aboriginal students. (Refer to pages 20, 62 in report.)
7. Develop a targeted retention strategy for female Aboriginal students that focuses on their
needs – not just limited to their academic needs. This may require further qualitative
research.
62
Targeted retention strategies: VIU’s Aboriginal student profile has a higher proportion of
students in the 30-39 year old age category than non-Aboriginal students. Although Aboriginal
graduates in this age category are achieving high grade point averages, this age group has
experienced higher attrition than other age groups as well as lower grade point averages for
students in the attrition category (2011 cohort). (Refer to pages 21, 62 in report.)
8. Develop an academically-focused retention strategy for older learners (30-39 years).
This strategy could tie in to the mentoring program, alumni, or special orientation and
ongoing social and academic support activities.
Targeted retention strategies: A higher proportion of Aboriginal students are attending full-time
than non-Aboriginal students (50% compared to about 40%). Retention rates are higher for fulltime learners and those with second-year standing than part-time learners. (Refer to pages 20,
61,62 in report.)
9. Implement an academically-focused retention strategy that meets the learning needs and
schedules of full-time learners to maintain or improve the current retention rates for fulltime Aboriginal students.
10. Implement a retention strategy that meets the learning needs and schedules of part-time
learners. This may include more than academic support (personal counselling, financial
counselling…)
Targeted retention strategies: First-to-second year retention rates are most commonly used as an
indicator of success. At VIU, Aboriginal students first-to-second year retention rates are
comparable, and at times higher than, those for non-Aboriginal students (multi-year programs).
However, completion rates are lower for Aboriginal students than non-Aboriginal students.
(Refer to pages 26-28, 31 in report.)
11. Focus on year-over-year retention that ultimately results in students completing a
credential. Ensure that continuing students are receiving just as much academic and
social support as new students. This could tie into the mentoring program.
12. Identify certificate students that are intending to finish their credential within one year.
Implement academic supports for short-term intensive programs. This may tie into
portfolio-building initiatives.
Financial challenges: “Paying bills” was cited as a challenge for 78% of survey respondents. As
well, the most common main reasons for leaving before completing a credential were “Decided
to go to work” and “Financial difficulty”. As well, the process and requirements to secure and
maintain First Nations funding is challenging and frustrating for many students. (Refer to pages
35, 33, 38 in report.)
13. Pilot a financial education/budgeting workshop as part of orientation. This could include
a financial management support group, not to provide funding but to provide education
on how to manage money. Include information on smart shopping, budgeting. Ideas:
group buying for discounts.
14. During high school recruitment activities, begin to educate and assist with providing
information on funding paperwork and processes.
15. Provide a financial support worker/advisor to navigate funding application process, and
eligibility requirements. This person should also be able to advise students on VIU’s
academic policies and responsibilities of students.
16. Make recommendations/consult with Bands/Advisory councils on how to make First
Nations funding more secure and consistent. Base funding on likely time to completion,
not completion time based on full-time course loads.
63
17. Create more work opportunities on campus for Aboriginal students through the Campus
Career Centre.
Personal challenges: “Health and wellness” and “Family relationships” were cited as challenges
for 60% of students. As noted in the introduction, a variety of barriers exist for some Aboriginal
students and these can make a student’s life very challenging. These issues are difficult for VIU
to address as they are not directly related to educational services. However, informing students
about personal services (such as counseling and advising) as well as what social and cultural
activities are available is key to supporting From the student comments received through the
ASRS, it is clear that many students benefited personally from participating in the Aboriginalfocused activities organized by the Gathering Place (particularly interaction with Elders and
mentors). (Refer to pages 35, 7, 50-53 in report.)
18. Implement an increased awareness campaign for Aboriginal students (new and
continuing) that includes information about the Gathering Place and all activities and
support services that are available to Aboriginal students.
19. Continue or increase Elder interaction and mentorship opportunities, particularly for
students identified as experiencing personal difficulties.
20. Create a guiding framework for holistic advising for Aboriginal students. Include phases
that meet students’ needs at different points in time. For example, before registering,
include advice and assistance with completing the process for financial funding. This
will include a long-term education plan that is realistic. Include financial, personal, and
academic support.
Academic challenges: Most students were comfortable with the level of academic challenge in
their courses. However, “Study skills” and “Exam writing skills” were identified as challenges
for most students. Math, writing, science, and reading skills were also cited as challenges by
many students but to a lesser degree than the general academic skills. (Refer to pages 35, 42 in
report.)
21. Implement regular workshops on “Learning how to Learn” which include studying skills,
exam writing skills, and other techniques. Also refer students to the Math and Writing
Centres and tutoring services.
22. Connect with the Early Alert system so that when an Aboriginal student is identified as at
risk of academic failure, the appropriate Aboriginal student services are contacted.
Cultural engagement: About 40% of Aboriginal students are satisfied with the amount of
Aboriginal content in their courses/programs while 75% indicated that it was important to them.
200 students provided positive examples of current inclusion of Aboriginal content and ideas for
future inclusion. Student comments communicate a strong desire for more Aboriginal content
and cultural sensitivity in the classroom. As well, student satisfaction with Aboriginal-focused
activities was very strong (87 to 96% satisfied). However, participation was only at about 40%
of students. Student comments indicated that these activities were beneficial to the students
personally and academically. (Refer to pages 48-54 in report.)
(See recommendation #13 to increase awareness about activities organized by the Gathering
Place. Include traditional practices such as artistic activities, practical skills, and language skills.)
23. In partnership with the Associate Vice-President: Academic Planning and Aboriginal
Initiatives, strike a task force to develop materials and resources to integrate Aboriginal
knowledge into VIU curriculum. Make use of student comments from the ASRS.
24. In partnership with the Associate Vice-President: Academic Planning and Aboriginal
Initiatives and the Centre for Innovation and Excellence in Learning, develop and provide
64
learning opportunities for faculty members on how to support Aboriginal learners in
higher education. Make use of student comments from the ASRS.
65
"There needs to be an advocate from VIU that helps students before they
start university – an advocate that would provide knowledge on funding,
resources, preparation." – Focus group participant
"VIU should have a support worker who understands First Nations
people and can seek student out to help them because First Nation
students are often shy and won't seek it." – Focus group participant
"VIU needs to get all First Nation emails and make distribution list to
send out information because a lot of students do not walk by here
[Gathering Place] – the old place was central." – Focus group
participant
"I think VIU should post success stories of former students and how they
found help, funding they received, pamphlets that indicate where to find
help/resources." – Focus group participant
"There should be a First Nation student union or an institution/entity to
have outreach to other resources to find funding, networking, job search
resources, drumming nights, smudging, similar to UVIC's Healing
Ceremonies." – Focus group participant
"It should mandatory for First Nation history to be a part of VIU
programs– as told by Elders, First Nation people." – Focus group
participant
"There needs to be cultural events on campus that educate all VIU
students on First Nation cultures." – Focus group participant
"I recommend VIU provides a Life skills coach that teaches budgeting,
seeking resources, time management, study-skills, research skills and a
general area that informs First Nation students the service available
outside VIU." – Focus group participant
66
10
WORKS CITED Association of Atlantic Universities. (2011). Thriving together: Universities and Community in
Atlantic Canada - a social and culturan impact study. MarketQuest-Omnifacts.
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. (2013, September 18). Poverty or Prosperity Indigenous Children in Canada. Retrieved from
http://www.policyalternatives.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/publications/National%20Offi
ce/2013/06/Poverty_or_Prosperity_Indigenous_Children.pdf
Canadian Council on Learning. (2006, April 16). Post-Secondary Education: The Crucial Link to
Employability. Retrieved from http://www.cclcca.ca/pdfs/CEOCorner/HUMASubmission20070906EN.pdf
Canadian Council on Learning. (2009). Retention of Aboriginal students in Post-Secondary
institutions in Atlantic Canada: an analysis of the supports available to Aboriginal
students. CCL.
Canadian Human Rights Commission. (2013, September 16). Equality Rights Data Report on
Aboriginal People. Retrieved from http://www.chrcccdp.gc.ca/sites/default/files/equality_aboriginal_report.pdf
Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation for Research into Teaching Inc. (2005). Addressing
challenges that impede the success of Aboriginal students at Cochrane High School.
Saskatoon SK: Dr. Stirling McDowell Foundation.
Hodson, J. (2012). Professor, Lakehead Univsity. (CBC, Interviewer) Retrieved from Teachers
failing Aboriginal students.
Norrie, K., & Lennon, C. e. (2013). Measuring the Value of a Post-Secondary Education.
Montreal and Kingston: McGill-Queen's University Press.
NSSE. (2012). National Survey of Student Engagement Institutional Report. Indianna University
Center for Post-Secondary Research.
OECD. (2012). Education at a Glance 2012: OECD Indicators. Retrieved from OECD
Publishing: http://dxdoi.org/10.1787/eag-2012-en
Simon Fraser University. (2007). Understanding student retention at SFU. Burnaby, BC: Simon
Fraser University.
Smith, C. a. (2011). Increasing Accesibility: lessons learned in retaining special population
students in Canada. College & University, 86(4), 47-52.
Statistics Canada. (2013, April 16). Archived Content. Retrieved from
http://www12.statcan.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/hlt/97560/pages/page.cfm?Lang=E&Geo=PR&Code=01&Table=1&Data=Dist&Sex=1&Start
Rec=1&Sort=2&Display=Page
Statistics Canada. (2013, April 16). Population Growth. Retrieved from
http://www.statcan.gc.ca/pub/89-645-x/2010001/growth-pop-croissance-eng.htm
Student Transitions Project. (2013). First ANNUAL Transitions of Eligible Graduates (From
STP2011 at 2012-04-12).xlsx. Vancouver, BC: Student Transitions Project.
Tinto, V. (2006). Research and practice of student retention: what next? Journal of College
Student Retention 81(1), 1-19.
VIU. (2010). VIU Academic Plan - framing our future. Retrieved 2012 йил 20-June from
Integrated Planning - Academic Plan: http://www.viu.ca/integratedplanning/academic.asp
VIU. (2012/13). Student Experience Survey.
VIU. (2013). Aborignal Service Plan. Nanaimo: Vancouver Island University.
67
Walton, P., Hamilton, K., Arnouse, M., & Johnson, S. (2010). Why do Aboriginal students stay
or leave Thompson Rivers University? Kamloops, BC: Thompson Rivers University.
68
11
APPENDIX A. Research Ethics Board submission
B. Final Online survey instrument
C. 10-Year Retention tables
69