OATdb Archive - Sam Houston State University

OATdb Archive

2008 - 2009

Academic Support Programs

Goal

Provide Effective Academic Support Programs

Support student success with the provision of effective programming.

Objective

Monitored Academic Progress (MAP)

The MAP program will provide quality academic advice and assistance to students who are re-admitted by their respective deans as probationary students, following their suspension.

Indicator

Students Returning To Good Standing Or Improving Their Overall Grade Point Averages By The End Of The Semester.

If the students improve their overall grade point averages by the end of the probationary semester, whether they returned to good standing or not, then the individual programs designed for them were effective and the likelihood of their continuance is high.

Criterion

50% Of These Probationary Students Improved Their Grade Point Averages.

If half the students on individualized programs were successful in improving their grade point averages, then their continuance at the university is highly likely, even though some may not have returned to good standing.

Finding

Data Of Students Referred By Deans To The MAP Program In Spring, 2009

Data indicate that 34.4% of these students returned to good standing and 61.7% improved their overall grade point averages.

Finding

Data On Students Referred By Deans To The MAP Program For Fall, 2009

Data reveal that in the fall semester 41.6% of students in MAP program returned to good standing and 74.3% improved their overall grade point averages.

Action

Requirement To Refer Students To MAP Program

Although the Deans currently have the choice of referring students to the MAP Program, the Executive Director of the Student Advising and Mentoring Center has met with the Council of Deans to encourage an even greater use of this successful program to help even more students.

Objective

First Alert

The First Alert Program will provide quality academic advice and assistance to students identified by their professors as being "at risk" in their classes.

Indicator

Number Of Referrals By Professors

Professors have the opportunity to refer students to the First Alert program who are not performing well on tests and quizzes or who are not attending class.

Criterion

Students Do Not Fail Course For Which They Were Referred.

If the student does not fail the course, either by passing the class or, in some instances when the referral is late in the semester, drops the course, then the student is likely to have a more successful semester.

Finding

Data On Students Referred To First Alert Program For Academic Year 2008-09

Data indicates that 79.9% of the students referred by professors to the First Alert program were successful.

Action

Use By More Professors.

Although there is continuous growth in the number of professors who refer students to First Alert, more diversified means of communication are alerting the faculty to the success of the First Alert program to encourage more referrals from them.

Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

Plan for continuous improvement During the recent academic year, assessment efforts concentrated on the two intrusive programs designed to help at-risk students, MAP and First Alert. Data indicate that both intrusive programs are accomplishing desired results. First Alert, a program which has been in existence for seven years has continuously helped thousands of students to succeed in individual classes. The data revealed a nearly 80% success rate in preventing students from failing who were to the program by their faculty. While the ideal is for a 100% success rate, this is not reasonable. As such, the actions of the program will be to increase faculty awareness of the program as opposed to making changes in the program. The feedback from professors who use this program has been extremely positive and more faculty are begin encouraged to use the program. The MAP program has also been utilized to help students readmitted on probation. Rather than leaving them on their own to return to good standing, this monitored program allows them to confer with a professional who can help them with success initiatives and although the number of students returning to good standing has not reached its desired goal, those who have increased their grade point averages has exceeded expectations; therefore, the program will continue with encouragement to the Deans to refer all probationary students for the program. Toward that end, the Executive Director of the SAM Center and the director of the MAP program met with the Council of Associate Academic Deans to encourage greater utilization of the program. Once again the program is successful, but there is a need to increase the use of the program.