Principal Investigator
Rabi A. Musah
Co-Investigators
Denise M. McKeon
Hua Shi
CARSS
Project Evaluator
Patrice Lancey—Market
Research Analysis LLC
Center for Achievement,
Retention, and Student
Success
Project Program Coordinator
Dianne E. Jester
DUE-0756985
Abstract
Implementation
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in Biology
Underrepresented Ethnic Groups
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in
Chemistry
Transfer Students
120%
120%
100%
100%
100%
100%
92%
We utilize a holistic model reliant on the creation of learning communities through group study
and support. We have met the original program goals of: sustainability, institutionalization,
provision of peer tutoring and peer/staff mentoring, ongoing project evaluation, and
dissemination.

Acquisition of a permanent well-furnished space in a centralized location

Appointment of a full-time program coordinator
UAlbany has committed $150,000.00 annually in support of the CARSS program at the
termination of the grant funding period
82%
86%
82%
90%
90%
90%
50%
40%
30%
14%
18%
89%
Spring 2009
Fall 2009
88%
89%
10%
Spring 2010 Spring 2009
Year 2
10%
10%
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Year 1
CHM
BIO
PHY
77%
80%
78%
86%
87%
85%
0
30%
Spring 2009
20%
11%
11%
12%
12%
Spring
2009
Fall
2009
Spring
2010
Spring
2009
17%
18%
20%
23%
22%
Fall
2009
Spring
2010
Spring
2009
Fall
2009
Spring
2010
Year 2
Year 1
Year 2
Year 1
Black
13%
14%
15%
Spring
2009
Fall
2009
Spring
2010
Year 2
Year 1
Summer
2009
Fall 2009
Non-Carss
Other
STEM Student CARSS Participation by Transfer Status
To a Great Extent
100%
To a Moderate Extent
To a Small Extent
80%
80%
Not at All
70%
70%
Total Sessions Provided
87%
79%
87%
82%
81%
86%
87%
95%
50%
96%
95%
40%
60%
87%
87%
87%
86%
92%
50%
13%
21%
13%
18%
19%
14%
13%
5%
5%
4%
Spring Fall 2009 Spring
2009
2010
Spring Fall 2009 Spring
2009
2010
Spring Fall 2009 Spring
2009
2010
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Year 1
Freshmen
Year 2
Sophomore
Carss
Non-Carss
Year 2
13%
13%
Junior
Spring 2009
Fall 2009
Year 1
14%
8%
0%
Spring Fall 2009 Spring
2009
2010
Year 2
To a Great Extent
13%
Spring 2010
Spring 2009
Year 2
13%
Fall 2009
Year 1
To a Moderate Extent
Spring 2010
To a Small Extent
Year 2
Non-transfer
Year 2
Not at All
Transfer
Carss
Total Sessions Provided
Non-Carss
88%
91%
77%
71%
78%
75%
65%
60%
50%
48%
40%
30%
10%
83%
93%
86%
83%
80%
67%
85%
67%
60%
40%
0%
General Physics I*
0%
General
Organic
General
General
Organic
General
General
Organic
Chemistry II Chemistry Chemistry I* Chemistry II Chemistry I* Chemistry I Chemistry II Chemistry
II*
II*
SPRING 2009
FALL 2009
Non-CARSS
Physics I: Mechanics
General Physics I
General Physics II*
FALL 2009
SPRING 2010
Physics II:
Electromagnetism
SPRING 2010
Non-CARSS
CARSS
* Pass rates for CARSS participants are statistically higher than Non-CARSS participants for denoted courses (only
courses with enrollment of at least 30 were tested)
- Pass is defined as a D- or better grade in the course (includes "S" grade)
CARSS
* Pass rates for CARSS participants are statistically higher than Non-CARSS participants for denoted
courses (only courses with enrollment of at least 30 were tested)
- Pass is defined as a D- or better grade in the course (includes "S" grade)
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in Chemistry
Underrepresented Ethnic Groups
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in
Biology
120%
120%
93%
88%
96%
80%
88%
82%
88%
61%
60%
100%
94%
40%
20%
Performance - Pass Rates
Performance - Pass Rates
100%
20%
20%
100%
98%
100%
100%
82%
88%
70%
90%
Performance - Pass Rates
Performance - Pass Rates
120%
89%
83%
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in
Physics
93%
91%
90%
100%
91%
92%
85%
80%
86%
82%
81%
91%
70%
70%
86%
63%
76%
60%
66%
48%
45%
40%
20%
0%
General Biology II*
Introductory Genetics
SPRING 2009
Non-CARSS
Introductory Genetics
FALL 2009
CARSS
Percent
Number
Percent
•
CARSS bridges [this] gap for me, and has encouraged me [so] that I can not only survive
chemistry, but I actually can enjoy it and feel confident about doing well. I highly recommend
this program to anyone eligible to avail themselves of this most helpful resource. Thank you,
CARSS!!!
248
50%
105
61%
196
40%
55
32%
44
9%
12
7%
•
CARSS has been an amazing resource for me this semester that’s been both readily available
and greatly beneficial. Thank you so very much.
4
1%
0
0%
492
100%
172
100%
•
Over all very helpful. Have noticed an improvement in my general understanding of Chemistry.
Feel more confident when taking tests. Hopefully this study group review will be available for
General Chemistry II.
•
This service is great to have available because the tutors are always easy to interact with and
interaction in the subject makes it more fluid and easier to understand.
Fall 2009
Spring 2010
Number
Percent
Number
Percent
•
CARSS has been infinitely helpful this semester. Without it I probably wouldn’t have done well at
all. CARSS is a great program and will definitely keep students in the math and sciences. Thank
you.
910
67%
1252
68%
391
29%
517
28%
•
I would like to thank you for your help in [the] study group (Genetics) during this past semester.
Your knowledge and overall passion to teach biology, specifically genetics, helped me
tremendously. I believe that the CARSS program is a great tool that assists students in the
learning process. Without the CARSS program and your help, I am sure that I would not have
done as well as I did in this course. Once again, thank you.
46
3%
64
4%
5
<1%
7
<1%
1352
99%
1840
100%
Challenges & Opportunities
STEM Student CARSS Participation and Performance in
Chemistry
95%
My name is Will and I want people to know about our wonderful CARSS program here at
UAlbany. I don't have much of a formal background in the sciences, yet through the assistance I
am receiving through this program, I have earned the highest grade in my chemistry lab section
last semester, a "B" in general chemistry (a real accomplishment for me), and I have a 3.79 GPA
in the pre-med program. The large lecture courses at a state university this size have been a
difficult transition for me to make from previous college experiences with much greater
individual attention.
Senior
IMPACT OF STRATEGIES
100%
•
Summer 2009
Number
DEGREE OF HELPFULLNESS
OF TUTORING SESSION
20%
12%
Spring 2009
CARSS Program Year 2
Total 2009-10
30%
10%
STUDENT COMMENTS
CARSS PROGRAM YEAR 2
87%
40%
30%
20%
Spring 2011
CARSS Program Year 1
Total 2008-09
90%
88%
Fall 2010
CARSS PROGRAM YEAR 1
Non-Carss
90%
80%
Spring 2010
Number, Percent and Extent of Helpfulness of
Tutoring Sessions Provided to
CARSS Participant STEM Majors
Year 2
Hispanic
Carss
STEM Student CARSS Participation by Student
Classification
100%
80%
- Pass is defined as a D- or better grade in the course (includes "S" grade)
200
Year 2
0%
Strategies
 Career counseling
 Provision of free tutoring in STEM gateway courses
 Provision of review/recitation sections
 Creation of an on-campus home
 Establishment of a STEM Tutors training course
 Aggressive dissemination: website (www.albany.edu/carss); brochure; faculty in-class support;
participation in new student orientations
 Establishment of a bona fide, furnished, dedicated center space
 Hiring of a full-time program coordinator
 Securing financial commitment from the University Administration to permanently support
tutor and coordinator salaries
CARSS
250
DEGREE OF HELPFULLNESS
OF TUTORING SESSION
CARSS Investigators, Program Coordinator and Tutor
Staff—Spring 2011
SPRING 2010
Number of Small Group and Review Sessions
Years 1-3
40%
20%
A Learning Community
Non-CARSS
- Pass is defined as a C- or better grade in the course (includes "S" grade)
- Other includes American Indian or Native Alaskan and Asian or Pacific Islander
10%
CARSS
FALL 2009
50%
Male
Carss
82%
83%
88%
White
Creating and supporting learning communities
SPRING 2009
50
60%
CARSS participation

SPRING 2010
0%
18%
Female
60%
FALL 2009
General
Organic
General
General
Organic
General
General
Organic
Chemistry II Chemistry II Chemistry I Chemistry II Chemistry I Chemistry I Chemistry II Chemistry II
MAT
10%
Year 1
Increasing retention of historically underrepresented students in STEM majors
Introductory Genetics
100
Year 1
CARSS participation

Non-CARSS
70%
70%
20%
Institutionalizing the Center for Achievement, Retention and Student Success
40%
80%
80%
Increasing the 2-3 year graduation rates of transfer students entering into UAlbany in their
junior year
Introductory Genetics
90%
Goals
 Increasing the 4-year graduation rates of a cohort of freshman with declared STEM majors

Introductory Genetics
SPRING 2009
100%
0%

67%
60%
0%
STEM Student CARSS Participation by Ethnicity
90%
GOALS AND STRATEGIES
68%
69%
Reviews
100%
10%
78%
73%
150
STEM Student CARSS Participation by Gender
60%
79%
81%
20%
General Biology II
LEVELS OF PARTICIPATION
CARSS participation
III.
44%
0%
Program dissemination through electronic reserves, Blackboard, and a web site
(www.albany.edu/carss); brochures; faculty in-class support; participation in year around
new student orientations; aggressive and continuous e-mail advertising of program offerings;
prominently posted program flyers

CARSS participation
UAlbany has committed to continuing the CARSS program coordinator staff line
60%
20%
Active evaluation since program’s inception including development of formative assessment
instruments (survey tools, focus groups, daily student feedback, tutor round-table feedback
sessions); realignment of goals to fit student population needs; identification of areas of
greatest challenge to students; statistical analysis of incoming data; real-time program
adjustments

CARSS tutoring had a statistically significant impact on pass rates of females in targeted biology,
chemistry, and physics courses and on the pass rates of underrepresented ethnic groups for
chemistry.
II.
75%
78%
88%
81%
80%
88%
34%
Provision of 3 types of tutoring services (weekly study sessions; review/recitation; one-onone tutoring

There was an increase in CARSS participation among transfer STEM students, from 8% to 13%
from year one to year two, and the 19% increase in pass rates for minority students in organic
chemistry in fall 2009 translates into 10 students who we anticipate would not graduate without
CARSS intervention. The project will be sustained because:
80%
85%
Appointment of qualified, trained tutors

Based on these two courses alone, 98 additional students will proceed toward graduation in
STEM as a result of CARSS services. Inclusion of the data for Genetics, Physics and General
Biology II increases this number by a factor of two. We specifically tracked STEM major sub-groups
of female, self-identified minority and transfer students.
It has a dedicated permanent fully furnished space from which to operate
80%
40%
The program continues to grow as evidenced by an increase in the number of tutoring sessions by
1,029 from year one to year two. As a result, pass rates in key gateway courses have improved.
For example, the pass rate in Organic Chemistry I increased by 9% in year one and by 18% in year
two, while the year one pass rate in General Chemistry I increased by 7%.
I.
90%
Performance - Pass Rates
Establishment of CARSS Tutor Training Course (ACAS 498), a college wide course offered
three consecutive semesters

88%
88%
Performance - Pass Rates
The Center for Achievement, Retention, and Student Success (CARSS) is a comprehensive
program that addresses retention of freshmen and transfer students in STEM fields at the
University at Albany-State University of New York (UAlbany).
100%
100%
Introductory Genetics
SPRING 2010
* Pass rates for CARSS participants are statistically higher than Non-CARSS participants for denoted
courses (only courses with enrollment of at least 30 were tested)
- Pass is defined as a C- or better grade in the course (includes "S" grade)
0%
General
Chemistry II
Organic
Chemistry II
SPRING 2009
General
Chemistry I
General
Chemistry II
FALL 2009
Non-CARSS
Organic
Chemistry I*
General
Chemistry I
General
Chemistry II
Organic
Chemistry II*
SPRING 2010
CARSS
* Pass rates for CARSS participants are statistically higher than Non-CARSS participants for denoted courses (only courses with
enrollment of at least 30 were tested)
Challenges:

Meeting the demand for those needing CARSS services: The extreme cuts that have
been made to SUNY funding have resulted in fewer academic support services for
students. This in turn has meant that greater numbers of students in need are
turning to CARSS for assistance, and we cannot always meet the demand.

Manual management of student requests for tutoring: Scheduling for tutoring
services has been extremely time consuming, as all requests for tutoring are made
directly to our program coordinator. To resolve this issue, we recently retained a
student from the computer science department to develop an online sign-up system
for students which we will be testing during the spring 2011 term.
Opportunities

Tailored math tutor sessions: We have observed that students enrolled in STEM
gateway courses such as general chemistry and genetics need additional assistance
with the math that is germane to these subjects. To help these students, we are
piloting a program in which tutoring services in math for general chemistry and
genetics are offered alongside the courses when they are taught. Thus far, this has
been well-received by students.

Omit spring semester genetics and physics: We have observed that for certain
courses, the demand for tutoring services varies depending upon the semester in
which the course is offered. For example, the demand for genetics tutoring is
significantly less in the spring semester compared with the fall. Therefore, we are
considering devoting less of our resources towards the provision of genetics tutoring
in the spring. The demand for physics tutoring is less than it is for all other courses
combined. Thus, we are considering devoting the resources that are currently being
directed to physics tutoring to other areas where there is greater demand, such as
general and organic chemistry courses.