Flight Plan: A Proactive Approach to Fostering Sustainable Student Success at the University of Louisville October 6, 2016

What is Flight Plan? Introduction to Flight Plan Flight Plan is a campus-wide initiative to assist undergraduate students in staying on course to graduate in 4 to 6 years.

Why is Flight Plan Important? Introduction to Flight Plan (Cont.) Why is Flight Plan Important? Assists the university in improving student persistence and retention. Target for 6-Year Graduation Rate on University's 2020 Scorecard is 60.5% (currently 53.5%)

Why is Flight Plan Important? Introduction to Flight Plan (Cont.) Why is Flight Plan Important? Supports state and community interests Contributes to a more educated workforce Attracts more businesses to Kentucky (> tax dollars) Supports 55,000 Degrees Initiative

Why is Flight Plan Important? Introduction to Flight Plan (Cont.) Why is Flight Plan Important? Helps students financially Students’ tuition cost will not be as high if they graduate in a timely manner Students can graduate with less debt if they graduate on time Students can start earning a salary earlier if they graduate and enter the job market earlier

Background: How was Flight Plan developed?

Charge from provost How was Flight Plan developed? Create an “out-in-four” program to proactively assist students to graduate in 4 years

Identified Stakeholders How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) Identified Stakeholders Academic advisors Students Advising Center Directors Institutional Research Campus partners

Discussion and research How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) Discussion and research Regular meetings times took place among the stakeholders Institutional Effectiveness provided data Institutions with Out in Four programs were studied University of Arizona Arizona State University of Florida

Recommendations to Provost How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) Recommendations to Provost Create 4 – year degree progression plans Teach and inform students how to graduate in 4 years Monitor degree completion of first time-full-time students Review Advanced Placement and CLEP credit awarded

Recommendations to Provost How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) Recommendations to Provost Change maximum hours per semester from 17 to 18 Ensure campus-wide collaboration and support Provide incentives Improve enrollment management Change culture of “expected” graduation in 4 years

Who Oversees Flight Plan? How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) Who Oversees Flight Plan? University-Wide Flight Plan Executive Committee (EC) appointed by the Provost 4 subcommittees bring recommendations to EC. If approved, recommendation forwarded to Provost

Marketing and Education Policy and Procedure Milestones/Tracking How was Flight Plan developed? (Cont.) 4 Subcommittees Marketing and Education Policy and Procedure Milestones/Tracking Intervention/Data Collection/Assessment

How does Flight Plan work?

How does Flight Plan Work? Cont.) Students: investigate careers early are assigned to an academic advisor in PS in their first semester and when they transition to faculty advisor select a 4, 5, or 6 year Flight Plan during their second semester of freshmen year are measured against milestones at the end of year 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 (depending on FP selection) not meeting milestones are required to meet with their academic advisor

What are milestones? How does Flight Plan Work? Cont.) For most majors, milestones are based on the completion of a minimum number of hours each year AND a minimum grade point average (determined by academic major) STEM majors – course-based milestones

Students Not Meeting Milestones … How does Flight Plan Work? Cont.) Students Not Meeting Milestones … discuss with academic advisor what caused them not to meet milestones develop a plan to get back on course OR select a new Flight Plan

Academic Advisors… How does Flight Plan Work? Cont.) Discuss with students what may have contributed to their inability to meet milestones. Record reasons in data base Work with students to develop a plan to get back on course or assist students in selecting a different Flight Plan.

Flight Plans and Milestones How does Flight Plan work? (Cont.) Flight Plans and Milestones FPs including required Milestones can be viewed here: louisville.edu/flightplan Students can change their FP anytime they wish by meeting with their academic advisor Refer to sample in their folder

Technology

Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Technology Available for Flight Plan Microsoft Word and Adobe Acrobat Worked with academic units to develop four-year degree progression plans, which later became “Flight Plans” Developed in Microsoft Word, published in PDF Minimal interactivity or integration with other UofL technology

PeopleSoft Course Planner Technology Available for Flight Plan (cont.) PeopleSoft Course Planner Students can browse course catalog and place courses in specific upcoming semesters, from which they can then register when eligible Collaboration: Advisors can also view student’s planner in PeopleSoft PeopleSoft Course Planner – Students can browse course catalog and place courses in specific upcoming semesters, from which they can then register when eligible PeopleSoft

Technology Available for Flight Plan (cont.) Course Planner (Example)

PeopleSoft Advisement Technology Available for Flight Plan (cont.) PeopleSoft Advisement Advisement Report (Degree Audit) Degree progress based on academic catalog requirements Structured to match that of catalog requirements What-If Scenario Simulate changing majors, adding minors, etc. Shows degree progress in new major or minor Collaboration: Students and Advisors can view these reports

CardSmart (formerly GradesFirst) Technology Available for Flight Plan (cont.) CardSmart (formerly GradesFirst) Appointment scheduling and discussion notes Appointment Campaigns to students who miss Flight Plan milestones Entry of coded reasons as to why student missed milestones for the academic year

Organizational Challenges

Decentralized Structure Organizational Challenges Decentralized Structure Advising centers report to units, not centrally Requires buy-in from a large number of diverse organizations and groups on campus

Culture Change Organizational Challenges (cont.) Reluctance to change practices necessary to follow Flight Plan model Increasing enrollments, shrinking resources Viewed as additional work, NOT as changing the way we do things

Assessment

How will we know if Flight Plan is successful? Assessment How will we know if Flight Plan is successful? More students taking 15+ hours each semester More students meeting milestones Increased graduation rates (4, 5, 6 years)

Assessment (cont.) Attempted Hours

Assessment (cont.) Attempted Hours

[students meeting milestones] Assessment (cont.) % Met Milestones (overall) 2012, 2013 & 2014 Milestone Checks * - Excludes students who have stopped or dropped out (at least 2 consecutive semesters without enrollment, excluding summer) or were suspended ** - Excludes students in Exploratory division of A&S for comparison purposes [students meeting milestones]

Assessment (cont.) First-Year Milestones Met 2011, 2012 & 2013 Cohorts * Includes Exploratory students

Assessment (cont.) Second-Year Milestones Met 2011 & 2012 Cohorts * Includes Exploratory students ** Includes stop/drop students

[Graduation rates] Assessment (cont.) 4-Year Graduation Rates, GRS Cohorts 2009-2012 First-Time, Full-Time Cohorts 2009-2011 Rates Source: UofL Institutional Research 2012 Projected Rate Source: UofL Flight Plan data [Graduation rates]

Next Steps

Additional technology Next Steps (Cont.) Additional technology Flight Planner Automate milestone checking Integrate Flight Plans with Course Planner and Advisement Report Usage tracking

Additional Milestones Next Steps (Cont.) Additional Milestones EAB: “Success Markers” Course- and grade-based according to major

Frequency of Milestones checks Next Steps (Cont.) Frequency of Milestones checks Determine if milestones should be checked each semester rather than once a year in order to intervene earlier

Advising Structure Next Steps (Cont.) Decrease student-to-advisor ratios Advising career ladder Mandatory advising every semester Professional advising only Advising Scorecard to incentivize cooperation among units

Discussion Questions?