Oklahoma Association of Institutional Research October 14, 2011 A Different Approach to Retention – The Student Learning Progress Model Cindy Boling Director, Institutional Research Dr. Cynthia Murray Professor, Mathematics and Statistics

University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Located in Edmond, OK – OKC MSA 1.2 million people 195,015 credit hours 17,239 students – 89% UG / 11% GR – 67% Full Time – 61% Caucasian, 23% Minority, 7% International, 5% Multi-racial, 4% Not Declared – 68% OKC MSA, 22% Other OK, 3% Out of State, 7% International

University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) Five Colleges and “Unassociated” Programs – (Forensic Science Institute, FYE, Leadership Minor)

The Situation Student Right to Know (SRTK): – First time, full time, degree seeking student Problem: – Small percentage of student body 10% of UCO’s student body 3-4% if non degree earners are backed out 6 SRTK cohorts is still less than 50% of UCO’s student body

The Cohorts SRTK – first time, full time, baccalaureate degree seeking students – 1700 students, tracking for ten years Transfers – first time at UCO, full time, degree seeking students – 1100 students, tracking for ten years Graduate – first time, full time, graduate degree seeking students – 170 students, tracking for five years – full time is 9 GR hours or 12 mixed hours Associate – first time, full time, associate degree seeking students – 100 students, tracking for five years All students are full time in the fall term with a fall or preceding summer start

The Other Groups Success Central – freshman orientation class, not required but strongly encouraged (Enrl Mgmt) New Broncho Orientation – one day orientation (Std Aff) Biomedical Learning Community – students selected based on their declared major (Biology/Acad Aff) COMPASS Learning Community – students determined to be “at-risk” based on admission standards (Housing/Admin) Greek Life – (Std Aff) Athletics (Athletics/Pres Ofc)

Other Factors OSRHE tracks two rates for all OK institutions – Traditional: start at UCO, earn degree from UCO – In State: start at UCO, earn degree anywhere in the state Interest in program level rates Next to no student progress review Moneyball by Michael Lewis

Other Factors, con’t UCO’s mission and vision addresses EVERY student – Academic: Helping students learn so that they may become productive, creative, ethical, engaged citizens and leaders. – University: The University of Central Oklahoma (UCO) exists to help students learn by providing transformative education experiences to students so that they may become productive, creative, ethnical and engaged citizens and leaders serving our global community. UCO contributes to the intellectual, cultural, economic and social advancement of the communities and individuals it serves.

The Opportunity September 2010 – flyer from the American Association of State Colleges and Universities Student Learning Progress Model (SLPM) from the University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Key components – 10 year cycle (UCO was already doing) – All incoming students, including part time, transfers, graduates, non degree seeking (UCO was already doing some of these) – Multiple sub cohorts (UCO was already doing some, but needed to be doing more) – Student Learning Rate (addresses the “higher calling”) – Organized approach (UCO needed this)

The Opportunity, con’t September – November – discussions with Information Technology, then with Mathematics and Statistics faculty December – made application, received acceptance January – overview meeting in Houston – Provost – Dr. William Radke – Associate VP Academic Effectiveness – Dr. Charles Hughes – Director of Institutional Research – Ms. Cindy Boling (beta director) – Professor, Mathematics and Statistics – Dr. Cynthia Murray (beta technical lead)

The Process January – Overview Meeting March – Advisory Council – Representatives from each college, President’s Office, and Enrollment Management May – Data Collection – Awards, Course/Grade Records, Enrollment, Student Characteristics (a lot more than required), Transfer- Out Students (National Student Clearinghouse) June – August – work on SAS coding, tables and graphics

The Process, con’t September – – Fine tuning the summer work – Completed the topic paper – Meeting with Advisory Council October – Presentations – President’s Cabinet – Oklahoma Association of Institutional Research – National Symposium on Student Retention – Provost’s Cabinet November – Presentations – Chair’s Meeting

Results

Reaction Director of Institutional Research – – Consistency in patterns – Not much difference between SRTK and SLPM rates – Lots of data to clean up Advisory Group – “This is exactly what I need but for my program” President’s Cabinet – We need to figure out how to make this part of the planning process

Next Steps Presentations to more campus groups – Enrollment Management – Student Affairs – HLC Self Study Team – Faculty Senate Produce other cohorts/sub cohorts – Graduates – SRTK – By academic programs – Currently tracked groups – Financial aid (need to pull data) – Cohort file Transformative Learning Central Six – Global and cultural competencies – Leadership – Health and wellness – Service learning and civic engagement – Discipline knowledge – Research, creative, and scholarly activities

Next Steps, con’t Presentations to more external groups – American Association of State Colleges and Universities – Higher Learning Commission – Association of Institutional Research – Oklahoma State Regents of Higher Education Working with peers – Sam Houston State University – Other beta test sites – Other nine UCO metropolitan peer group institutions

Final Caveat SLPM does not replace SRTK

A Different Approach to Retention – The Student Learning Progress Model Cindy Boling Dr. Cynthia Murray Questions?

The National Symposium on Student Retention Sponsored by the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange at the University of Oklahoma – November 1, 2011 A Different Approach to Retention – The Student Learning Progress Model Cindy Boling Director, Institutional Research Dr. Cynthia Murray Professor, Mathematics and Statistics