Beyond Retention: Enhancing Student Success Loralyn Taylor, Ph.D. Virginia McAleese

Outline Focus on Standards 9,8,7 About us Our retention efforts Strengthening our support services Changing our focus Results so far

Standards 9, 8, 7 Student Support Services Provides SSS to enable each student to achieve the institution’s goals for students. Student Admissions and Retention … seeks to retain students through pursuit of student’s educational goals Institutional Assessment Develop and implement assessment process evaluating overall effectiveness

Paul Smith’s College ~1000 FTE 80/20% bachelors Very diverse –Culinary and Hospitality –Forestry, Natural Resources, Recreation –Science, Liberal Arts and Business

Paul Smith’s College High First Generation High Pell ~70% male 85% residential Ave HS GPA: SAT Combined:

Retention Rate 59-63% –FTFT freshmen 52-55% –Associate 64-65% –Bachelors

Support Services Retention Office -FYS - Academic Recovery Program - Transitional Student Program Academic Support Center -SI, Tutoring, Writing Center HEOP TRiO Safety Net Career Services Accommodative Services Student Development Student Life Health Services

Retention Office Accommodative Services TRiO Advisor ARP Advocate Faculty Advisor HEOP Advisor Program Coordinators Instructors Academic Support Student Life Deans Student Student Development Health Services

Retention Office Accommodative Services TRiO Advisor ARP Advocate Faculty Advisor HEOP Advisor Program Coordinators Instructors Academic Support Student Life Deans Student Student Development Health Services

Common Theme of Retention Committees, Councils, our MSA Self-Study, and Strategic Planning process Improve communication within and between faculty and support offices Information flow Improve coordination of response Close the reporting loop –What was done/what happened

Strategic Plan Initiatives Comprehensive Student Support System Prioritize existing resources and create comprehensive support program Intentionally cross-collaborate Create a student success network for all students Identify individual student needs –Connect students to services

Searching for Solution Technology –Automation Gather, manage and distribute information Appropriate offices Coordinate response Easy to use –No extensive training –Not intimidating

Early Warning & Student Tracking System Manual flags or flag surveys. Automatic flags –based on system data Automatic communication –appropriate personnel and/ or student Close the loop –Results of intervention to flag raiser Educational Support Networking System My Success Network –Personalized for each student Service catalog –Campus support resources Online scheduling Appointment confirmation by . Documentation of contact with students –private and shared notes.

Information Management Three types of Flags –Informational Notify about concern –Action Student in need of intervention –Urgent Critical action needed Student in danger of suspension

Informational Flags Academic Probation Transitional Program High Risk of Academic Issues Financial Aid hold No FAFSA Student Accounts hold Tutoring will be cancelled Tutoring cancelled Low grades Attendance concerns Low motivation Social/personal concern Behavioral issues

Action Flags 3 Flag Warning—Support Action 6 Flag Warning—Advisor and Support Action Student Development—Private Health Concern—Private Missed required tutoring Missed required advocate meeting Required tutoring will be cancelled

Urgent Flags Academic Recovery Program Suspension Warning Health Services Suspension Warning SafetyNet Notification of a Health/Safety or Behavioral Concern Trespass Notice

Dear STUDENT FIRST NAME: Your instructor in CLASS NAME has reported that they are concerned about your grades on assignments and/or tests We are concerned about your success! Paul Smith’s has a number of student support services designed to help you on your path to graduation. These can be accessed through your home page in Starfish in the My Success Network channel on the bottom left of the screen or through the Success Network link at the top of the page. Please take advantage of our student support resources. The Academic Success Center has a number of resources including individual and group tutoring, supplemental instruction, and the Writing Center. Appointments can be made with Renee Marleau, the Tutor Coordinator, through Starfish. Sincerely, Virginia McAleese, Associate Professor Director of the Academic Success Center

Feedback to Faculty Feedback has been provided for the Low Grades flag which you raised on STUDENT NAME. Flag Details Student: STUDENT NAME Flag Name: Low Grades Category: Academic Raised On: 9/14/2010 Cleared On: 9/20/2010 Feedback From: Monica Buriello Feedback: The student will be speaking to his professor, attending the SI, and getting tutoring. His tutoring was just assigned for Dendrology. This is a service of Starfish. Click here to change your notification preferences.

STARFISH Accommodative Services TRiO Advisor ARP Advocate Faculty Advisor HEOP Advisor Program Coordinators Instructors Academic Support Student Life Deans Student Student Development Health Services

Re-framing the Conversation Traditional Retention –Focus on academic –Prevention of student loss –Target at risk students Student Success –Add non-academic –All students

Reorganization Academic Success Center Academic Support Center –SI, Tutoring, Writing Center Targeted Population Programming –ARP, Transitional Student Program –High Risk Students Early Outreach Program –All Students –Opt into mentoring program

Support Services Academic Success Center Academic Support Center -SI, Tutoring, Writing Center Targeted Populations Academic Recovery Program High Risk Students Transitional Program First Year Seminar Early Outreach All students Opt in to mentoring program HEOP TRiO Accommodative Services Student Development Student Life Health Services Career Services Safety Net Admissions Residence Life Athletics

Assessing our Initiatives Comprehensive Student Support System Prioritize existing resources and create comprehensive support program Intentionally cross-collaborate Create a student success network for all students Identify individual student needs

Critical points—Before Starfish Attendance –weekly Early Alert Program – 4th week MidTerm grades –8 th week

With Starfish 4 th Week Early Alert Survey 8 th Week MidTerm Grade warnings Flag students –Anytime –Wider safety net Not just instructors

With Starfish Spring flags raised –Prior to first survey –No marketing 49% of flags raised outside of EA or MT

Early Alert Survey 4 th week –Automated faculty survey –Low grades, –Attendance Concern, –Low Motivation or –Social/Personal concerns

Early Alert Survey

Starfish Early Alert Survey Results 2010SpringFall Sections Reporting92%98% Completion Time (days) # Flags Raised # Students Flagged % Students Flagged47%48% Flags/Student

Early Alert Flags

Assessing our Initiatives Comprehensive Student Support System Intentionally cross-collaborate

Feedback to Faculty Feedback has been provided for the Low Grades flag which you raised on STUDENT NAME. Flag Details Student: STUDENT NAME Flag Name: Low Grades Category: Academic Raised On: 9/14/2010 Cleared On: 9/20/2010 Feedback From: Monica Buriello Feedback: The student will be speaking to his professor, attending the SI, and getting tutoring. His tutoring was just assigned for Dendrology. This is a service of Starfish. Click here to change your notification preferences.

Assessing our Initiatives Comprehensive Student Support System Prioritize existing resources and create comprehensive support program Intentionally cross-collaborate Identify individual student needs –Connect students to services

Top Five: Most Concentrated Departments (by number flagged) Department Flagged Students Total Students % Students MAT FOR ENG BIO CHM

Top Five: Most Concentrated Sections (by number flagged) Section ID Flagged StudentsTotal Students % Students BIO 101.LEC FOR 110.LEC CHM 141.LEC CHM 141.LEC FOR 110.LEC

Top Five: Most Cleared Flags (by percent cleared) Flag Flags Raised Flags Cleared% ClearedCategory Has not completed Enrollment Check In Process Financial Academic Recovery Program Suspension Warning Academic Missed Required Advocate Meeting 66100Academic Not Full Time Academic Health Services--Missing State Mandated Requirement Health

Assessing our Initiatives Comprehensive Student Support System Identify individual student needs –Connect students to services

Unexpected Benefits Reinvigorated discussion –How can we help –Want to be on board Increased faculty participation Improved communication Exploring the possibilities

Questions? Loralyn Taylor, Ph.D. Director of Institutional Research Registrar Virginia McAleese Director Academic Success Center Associate Professor