Don’t Be Late To Graduate MACRAO Conference 2016 Amy Lindsay, Retention Coordinator Steve Shablin, Registrar Introduction of each of us and background (OU Alums!)

Agenda Program Initiation Institutional Commitment / Staff Involvement Setting SMART Goals Defining Stop-outs Population and Results Graduation Database Collaboration / Training Marketing / Outreach / Website Keeping it Going Pride Point Scholarship Eligibility Success Plans for Expansion Getting Started / Recap Goals for Today- Fix Order

Oakland University 16,568 Undergraduate Students 4,345 Graduates for 2015-16 Size and location

Program Initiation Students who applied for graduation, thought they were graduating and did not—YIKES! Student emotional distress, embarrassment of not graduating Student has no funding to complete the required degree requirements Oakland University graduation rate negatively impacted What to do?—”Don’t be Late to Graduate Initiative!”

Institutional / Departmental Commitment Office of the President Academic Affairs Office of the Registrar College of Arts and Sciences School of Business Administration School of Education and Human Services School of Nursing School of Engineering & Computer Science School of Health Sciences Bachelor of Integrative Studies University Communications and Marketing Liaison from each School/College

Staff Involvement Staff Involvement Initiative: Buy-in Define Adviser’s Role Assessment for Additional Staff Additional Staff Members Perform Gap Analysis Seek the Funding Consider Effects on Existing Staff Work-load shift Information Sharing Result: 19 hr. Person

Setting SMART Goals Quantifying Stop-outs Variables: Deleted filing cabinet (Dated) Proactive - (Pilot retro one year) Database Design: Purpose - To extract necessary and pertinent information Switch manual processes to automation (More efficient) Who and how we designed the database Identifying group and creating accurate reporting Realize the moving target Specific Measurable Attainable Realistic Timely

What Defines A Stop - Out? Undergraduate students who were removed from our graduation list and DID NOT receive a degree Undergraduate students who did not register or reapply to graduate after being removed from their anticipated graduation list Undergraduate students who have not been attending OU for one or more terms, and did not receive a degree Define Populations , explain undergraduate focus Steve Shablin, Registrar, came to (Tricia) and asked what we could do for stop-outs. I told him I was willing to take on Graduation Stop-outs, those who had applied to graduate but didn’t meet requirements. Records Coordinator audited the original Pilot I group in February and we notified the advisers, asked them to contact students. Then we waited. Went back to our regular jobs. In August, Amy became available so we hired her for 19 hours

Population and Results Target Group & Term # of Students # of Students with a Hold # of Graduates % Graduated Pilot I (FA 2010 & FA 2011) 107 21 58 54% Pilot II (WI & SU 2012) 88 19 50 56% FA 2012 26 8 30% WI 2013 52 4 35 67% SU 2013 17 25 48% FA 2013 10 32 61%

Population and Results continued Target Group & Term # of Students # of Students with a Hold # of Graduates % Graduated WI 2014 30 5 18 60% SU 2014 56 16 25 44% FA 2014 47 17 34% WI 2015 33 10 12 36% FA 2015 36 11 30% WI 2016 60 18% SU 2016 55 38 2 3%

Graduation Database

Graduation Database

Collaboration / Training Degree Audit by Academic Adviser Degree Plans Created by Advisers File Petitions of Exception as Needed

Marketing / Outreach Focus on Student Confidentiality

Website - wwwp.oakland.edu/registrar/comeback

Keeping It Going! Phone calls, email (emphasizing confidentiality) Encouraging their comeback / Appointments with advisers Advertise graduation dates / Scholarship opportunities on website Plan face-to-face time in Student Center Highlight article featured scholarship recipient

Who Rallies for Funding and How to Determine $/FY? Pride Point Who Rallies for Funding and How to Determine $/FY? Designing the Online Application Keep it simple Marketing Set realistic deadlines

Scholarship Eligibility Criteria: 80% of Major Requirements Completed Consideration of Student Loans / Debt Must Be in Good Academic Standing Award Covers Only One Repeat Course Student Submits Statement of Need Non-renewable Award FA Review Amount of Award Will Vary Only covers last 2-3 courses in last term

Success Retention rates impact university funding ROI of Stop-out program ($169K) 438 credits x 386.75= $169,396.50 (Fall/Winter 2013 term)

Plans for Expansion Early Alert System for More Timely Response One-stop Graduation Office / Online Resources FYAC / SYE / Focus on the Finish Line Consistency – Communication and Commitment “Spring Cleaning” Files Initiate Intrusive Auditing Intervention for Students with Financial Holds Comprehensive Reporting and Accessibility of Student Information Add Students to Graduation List After Deadlines

Getting Started / Recap: Quantify Group by Catalog Year Evaluate Degree Deficiency Identify Financial Balances / Holds Develop Scholarship / Assist Students Track Registration Advertise Application Deadlines Report Results and ROI

Thank You! On behalf of Oakland University, we thank you for your time and attention today! Steve Shablin, Registrar - shablin@oakland.edu Amy Lindsay, Retention Coordinator - amlindsa@oakland.edu