Retention, Persistence, Graduation Rates, And Grade Point Average
Students who participate in First-Year Experience (FYE) programs have shown longitudinally to be more at risk than the overall entering first-year students. FYE students will be retained, persist, and graduate at similar levels to the overall cohort. Their GPAs will be at similar levels.
Objective
One-Year Retention Rate, 2nd & 3rd Year Persistence, & Graduation Rates, And Grade Point Average
FYE students will be retained, will persist, will graduate, and will earn GPAs at similar levels as the overall cohort.
KPI
Institutional Research Report On First-Year Student Cohort & URRS Report
Institutional Research Report indicates retention, persistence, and graduation rates as well as Grade Point Averages (GPAs). The URRS Report uses the Risk-Adjusted Retention Indicator (RARI) to make adjustments in persistence reflecting at-risk students. Our standard for success is comparable results for First-Year Student Cohort and those of the overall first-year cohort.
The first-year-experience interventions for retention in the UNIV 1301 and FLC programs have demonstrated practically significant increases when compared to the overall 2011 FTF cohort.
The first-year-experience interventions for the fall 2010-2011 FTF cohort indicate that two-year persistence rates from fall 2010 and to fall 2012 met or exceeded the overall FTF cohort.
The three-year results for the 2009-2010 FTF cohort indicates that the UNIV 1301 cohort has persisted at 2% points lower than the overall FTF cohort for that year.
Grade Point Average (GPA) Fall Semester 2011 - 2012 UNIV 1301 = 2.73 FLC = 2.93 Overall freshmen = 2.79
The Freshman Learning Community aggregated GPA for FTF fall semester was higher than the overall freshmen cohort last year. The UNIV 1301 was less, but not outside the general area considering the number of PREP students (at-risk) required to take UNIV 1301.
Six-Year Graduation Rates for 2006 Cohort Who have Graduated by Fall 2012 UNIV 1301 = 44% FLC = 49% Overall Cohort = 44%
The Freshman Learning Community (FLC) continues to outperform the overall cohort. The UNIV 1301 students who are at higher risk as a group performed at the same graduation rates as the overall freshman cohort.
Action
Freshman Learning Communities Successful
Added two new Freshman Learning Community programs in order to provide more students opportunities to participate this year. It appears that our UNIV 1301 students, many of whom are at-risk students (55% PREP), were similar to the overall freshmen cohort. In instances when UNIV 1301 was linked with other classes in a Freshmen Learning Community, students exceeded the overall cohort retention and persistence in every case. We need to link more UNIV 1301 stand-alone classes in learning communities. We will plan an expansion of the residential learning communities and will look to adding another non-residential community.
Regarding GPAs and six-year graduation rates, it appears that our UNIV 1301 students, many of whom are at-risk students, matched the overall freshmen cohort in most cases. In all instances, the Freshmen Learning Community with the UNIV 1301 course linked to 2 other classes each semester tended to do better than the stand alone class. Identified benefits of the FLC is making friends faster, finding students with a common interest early in the college career, and knowing up to 25 students in 2-3 of the same classes to help keep up with the work. Experiencing a large history class with a smaller group of FLC students imbedded within it also impacted the student experience. We need to add more opportunities (seats) in these programs.
Goal
Student Growth In Reading Rate, Comprehension, And Vocabulary
Students will demonstrate growth over the semester in reading rate, comprehension, and vocabulary.
Objective
Increased Reading Rate, Comprehension, And Vocabulary
UNIV 1301 students will demonstrate improvement in reading rate, comprehension, and vocabulary from pre-test to post-test.
Indicator
Performance On The Nelson Denny Reading Test
Form G of the Nelson Denny Reading Test will be given as a pre-test and Form H will be given as the post-test in all UNIV 1301 classes.
Criterion
Growth Over The National Mean
The reading rate, comprehension, and vocabulary will increase from the pre-test to the post-test. The national mean will be used until SHSU can establish a benchmark for the future.
Comprehension mean score will meet or exceed 48.50, the national mean score for college freshmen. Vocabulary mean score will meet or exceed 49.40, the national mean score for college freshmen.
Finding
NDRT Results
Fall 2011 Pretest Vocabulary Mean = 51.03; Posttest Vocabulary Mean = 51.26
Fall 2011 Pretest Comprehension Mean = 52.18; Posttest Comp. Mean = 54.72
Exceeds national norm for comprehension (48.50), and exceeds national norm for vocabulary (49.40). All post-tests show improvement over pretests.
Action
NDRT Actions
We will offer the reading assessment in the UNIV 1301 course as an intrusive intervention diagnostic tool to identify those students who are reading below a 10th grade reading level in their first semester in college. The intervention strategy will be an assignment of an appropriate number of tutoring in the Reading Center with a post test administered at the end of the semester to measure improvement of low-scoring readers. Since improved reading rate strategies occur across the student’s curricular experience we will not use this instrument as a comparative model for first-year experience interventions.
Goal
Participation And Involvement In New Student Convocation
Students, faculty and staff will participate and be involved in the New Student Convocation.
Objective
Student Satisfaction
First-year students who participate in NSC will find the program motivating and useful to their first year of college.
KPI
Self-Reported Survey
Open-ended question survey sent to all first-year students who attended the program. At least 60% will rate the convocation as good or excellent.
Result
Survey Results
New seven-question survey was sent out through the Student Services “Student Voice” survey system. New ½ hour program (shortened from an hour based on last year’s comments) format was well received. Attendees did not like the long food lines and the fact that we ran out of some food items due to a huge increase in attendance.
Forty participants responded to the question: How would rate the New Student Convocation Overall? Exactly 60% responded with either good (45%) or excellent (15%). When asked what to change about the New Student Convocation, six participants responded "nothing." There were 21 suggestions; the most common theme was the dinner food and organization.
Action
Convocation Changes
Even though we had four food lines (double last year) we need to rethink how we will serve 1500 plus people in an efficient manner.
Goal
Student Preparation Through UNIV 1301
Students enrolled in UNIV 1301 develop skills necessary for success in college.
Objective
Develop Skills For College Success
Students will demonstrate development of basic study skills (e.g. reading, writing, note taking, and test taking), critical thinking/problem solving, and life skills (e.g. health/stress, nutrition, relationships/sex, alcohol/drugs, and money management).
Indicator
Independent Educational Development Assessment (IDEA) Ratings Associated With Skill Development
IDEA ratings of questions 21, 23, 24, 27, and 29 will indicate student perception of skill development through UNIV 1301.
Criterion
Mean Scores Of 3.50 Or Higher
The mean scores will be at least 3.50 indicating moderate, substantial, or exceptional progress on perceived skill development.
Finding
Student Responses
Question 21 - gaining factual knowledge - rating: 4.77 Question 23 - improving thinking and problem solving: 4.93 Question 24 - developing specific skills competencies and points of view: 4.13 Question 27 - gaining broader appreciation for intellectual/cultural activity: 4.634 Question 29 - gaining skills in finding and using resources to solve problems: 4.98
Action
College Success Skills
Although it would appear that we have met our goals as assessed, as we review and reflect about the use of the Independent Educational Development Assessment (IDEA) Ratings Associated With Skill Development, we believe that the instrument assesses the students’ self-assessed perception of skill development. A more appropriate outcome of this outcome will be considered for future use. Research will be conducted to discover other validated assessment instruments to measure this goal.