to contribute to the quality of the University's academic programs, the Office of the Associate VP for Academic Affairs will promote the development and maintenance of a variety of academic support services.
Objective
Attract Quality Undergraduate Students
To improve the academic reputation of the institution, it is imperative that a higher quality of student be recruited and retained. The higher quality students will also assist the University in recruiting and retaining higher quality faculty.
Indicator
Enrollment Rates
If the University is successful in targeting and enrolling quality undergraduate students, there should be an increase in SAT scores for entering students, an increase in the number of honor students and international students.
Criterion
Create An Honor's College
There is growing evidence that students are more attracted to an Honors College rather than an Honors Program. To the extent that the SHSU's Honor's Progam meet the criteria of an Honors College, the name change should increase recruitment efforts.
Finding
Honors College
The Board of Regents of Texas State University System approved the Sam Houston State University Honors College at it November 2009 Board Meeting. Upon the motion of Regent Pollard, seconded by Chairman Blatchley, with all Regents voting aye, it was ordered that the name of the Elliott T. Bowers Honors Program Be changed to the Elliott T. Bowers Honors Program.
Criterion
Increase In Honors Program
To the extent that the Honors Program increases in size without lowering its standards, it can be assumed that growth of the Honors Program is correlated with the University''s ability to attract and enroll higher quality students.
Finding
Honors Enrollment
In 2008-09 the Honors Program had 81 applications from current SHSU students with 43 being accepted. In 2009-10, there were 70 applicants, of which 39 were accepted. The 2010 admissions represented a decline of 12%, while students accepted declined by 9%.
Action
Honors Program
The Associate Provost has asked the Honors Program Director to develop a marketing and recruitment plan to address the drop in enrollments. This plan will be implemented in the coming year.
Objective
Working With Other University Divisions To Improve Access To The University And Consistency With Off-Campus Offerings
As the college market becomes more competitive, it is necessary to be proactive in recruiting students. This may entail examining and reducing some of the difficulties potential students face in the admission process as well as improving procedures designed to serve non-traditional students taking classes off-campus.
Indicator
Articulation Agreements
With competition increasing between universities, efforts need to be made to make the transition from either high school or community college easier. Thus the university has been active in developing articulation agreements with potential feeder schools or institutions.
Criterion
Articulation Agreements
SHSU will maintain and expand articulation agreements with community colleges across Texas.
Finding
Articulation Agreements
Currently, we have articulation agreements with 42 community college districts in Texas. This past year, we renewed four existing articulation agreements.
Action
Articulation Agreement
We now have articulation agreements with the majority of community colleges in Texas. We will begin working on moving these agreements into Banner and work on making our International Students at the community colleges aware of our agreements.