OATdb Archive

2014 - 2015

Student Success Initiatives

Goal
Provide An Effective Academic Learning Community (LC) Program 2013-2014
Residential and non-residential learning communities will demonstrate similar or higher academic success.

Objective
Grade Point Average (GPA) Similarities
Students who participate in either a residential or non-residential academic freshman learning community program will earn GPAs at the same or higher levels than their First Time Freshman (FTF) cohort peers.


KPI
GPA Similarities
LC students will be compared to FTF peers with respect to mean GPAs. Students who participate in either a residential or non-residential academic freshman learning community program will earn GPAs at the same or higher levels than their FTF freshman cohort peers.


Result
GPA Comparison Results
Fall 2013 Semester Mean GPA FTF LC students = 2.773
Fall 2013 Semester Mean GPA FTF Composite students = 2.649

Spring 2014  Semester Mean GPA FTF LC students = 2.685
Spring 2014  Semester Mean GPA FTF Composite students = 2.699

FTF LC students had higher GPA than their peers in fall and slightly lower GPA in the spring of their first-year of college.


Action
Future Actions
Curriculum specific to student GPA understanding and improvement strategies will be included in the UNV 1301 course via Advisor involvement.  Additional out of class workshops will be offered.


Objective
Learning Community Retention Achievement
Students who participate in either a residential or non-residential academic freshman learning community program will be retained from fall to fall at higher levels that their FTF freshman cohort peers.

KPI
Retention Achievement
LC students will be compared to FTF peers with respect to % retunring for fall of a second year of study. Students who participate in either a residential or non-residential academic freshman learning community program maintain higher retention percentages than their FTF freshman cohort peers.

Result
Retention Achievement First-Time Freshmen Fall 2013 To Fall 2014
Fall 2013 to Fall 2014 total one-year retention rates:

All Learning Community (LC) Students = 80%
Non-Residential LC Students = 81%
Residential (Bearkat LC) LC Students = 77%
All FTF Students (Composite) = 78%

Action
Retention Reporting Improvements
We will be adding an additional residential LC and will look for improvement opportunities and trends in residential LC - as opposed to reporting just one cohort year results in order to better gauge progress and identify anomaly years/cohorts.


Goal
Provide An Effective Freshman College Success Course
SHSU will provide freshman with a course designed to help freshmen develop skills necessary for college success.

Objective
Retention Similarity
Students who complete a UNIV 1301: An Introduction to Collegiate Studies course will be retained at higher levels than their FTF freshman cohort peers.


KPI
Similarity In Retention
UNIV 1301 students will be compared to FTF peer cohort with respect retention fall to fall. Students who complete a UNIV 1301 course will be retained at higher levels than their FTF freshman cohort peers.


Result
Retention Results UNIV 1301 And Composite Comparison Fall 2013 To Fall 2014
UNIV 1301 student retention = 78%
Non- UNIV 1301 students retention = 78%

Action
Retention Results
Prep students (required to take the course as a condition of their admittance sue to low SAT/ACT test scores or high school class rank), made up 344 (58.1%) of the total 592 students enrolled in the Fall UNIV 1301 course. PREP students as a group were retained at 75%.  Future assessments will focus on improvements for this group as well as others.


Objective
GPA Comparability
Students who complete a UNIV 1301: An Introduction to Collegiate Studies course will earn GPAs at the same or higher levels than their FTF freshman cohort peers.


KPI
Similar GPAs Between UNIV 1301 And Remaining FTF Cohort Peers
UNIV 1301 students will be compared to FTF peers with respect to mean GPA’s. Students who complete a UNIV 1301 course will earn GPAs at the same or higher levels than their FTF freshman cohort peers.


Result
First-Time Freshman (FTF) GPA Results Fall 2013 Cohort
First-Time Freshman (FTF) GPA Results Fall 2013 Cohort

UNIV 1301 Students = 2.635
Non UNIV 1301 Students = 2.654
Composite FTF = 2.649

Same First-Time Freshman (FTF) GPA Results of Fall 2013 Cohort as of Spring 2014

UNIV 1301 Students = 2.607
Non UNIV 1301 Students=  2.729
Composite FTF = 2.699

 


Action
First-Time Freshman (FTF) GPA Results Fall 2013 Cohort Remarks
Students in UNIV 1301 have similar GPA's as there cohort peers.  PREP student GPA, which is part of the UNIV 1301 GPA is less at 2.406 and 2.421 respectively.  Will track PREP in future reports for intervention opportunities for improvement.

Update to previous cycle's plan for continuous improvement

  • UNIV 1301 Census date enrollment  increase comparison:

  • Fall 2014 = 607 out of 2520; fall 2013 = 592, fall 2012 = 533.

  • PREP student enrollment increased fall 2014



  • UNIV 1301 Curriculum syllabi pilot template for 2015-2016 includes improved college major and minor exploration and completion of student’s 4 year college plan.   



  • Completed SHSU P-16 Region development of regional curriculum alignment team project for bridging grade 12 & 13 for English.



  • BLC & FLC Orientations, BLC retreat, Six BLC Challenge topics scheduled for 100
                        students for 24 separate events over first 6 weeks , 2 collaborative ScholarX
                        workshops, 11 Ready Player One events, 12 Ready Player One scholarship
                        opportunities.

Plan for continuous improvement
  • Increase enrollment in select UNIV 1301 college success courses and linked-course Freshman Learning Communities via collaborative partnerships with academic departments and enrollment management.
    i.      Increase student enrollment in the following themed UNIV 1301 college success courses & FLC’s:
    1)      Add 4 SAM Scholar Learning Community UNIV 1301 sections.
    2)      Explore adding 1 new department/discipline specific specialty sections of UNIV 1301 (WASH UNIV 1301, Bio-Pre-Med UNIV 1301)
    3)      Add 4 additional spring 2016 sections (for a total of 6 UNIV 1301 sections) to accommodate selected probationary students and new spring admits Connections Learning Community.
    4)      Research & develop re-visioned UNIV 1301 curriculum for CORE consideration.
    5)      Develop FLC for commuter student success & coordinate unique needs for this group.
    6)      Continue support for PREP students through a supportive communication plan for second semester PREP students in addition to the fall PREP student participation in UNIV 1301, and in learning communities.
    ii.      Modify existing learning community structures based on data-driven assessments of student needs and university systems constraints (SAM Scholars will become a 100-200 student living learning community in fall 2016).
  • Develop curriculum for a sophomore year/transfer academic experience.
    I.  Increase effectiveness of FORWARD program via a proactive mentoring program.
    II.  Initiate sophomore/transfer student academic programming support
    III.  Initiate a pilot sophomore LC
    IV.  Initiate a pilot transfer student LC
    2.      Provide an environment that enhances students’ personal academic experience with the university.
    Increase student participation in civic engagement through comprehensive partnership with Center for Community Engagement, UNIV 1301, & Freshman Learning Community programs.
    Maintain Food Pantry Program oversight (student organization for donations & distributions)
    Target learning community alumni though the FLC website and newsletter to encourage mentorship and volunteerism within our programs.
    Continue to hire student ambassadors who are FLC & UNIV 1301 alumni.
    Hire current FORWARD students to assist with the FORWARD initiative.

Sam Houston State University | A Member of The Texas State University System