George D. Kuh THECB 2005 Governing Board Conference Austin TX October 11, 2005 Building an Excellent Undergraduate Experience: Taking Student Success Seriously

We all want the same thing--an undergraduate experience that results in high levels of learning and personal development for all students.

The Role of the Board Governing boards are responsible for insuring the vitality of their institution, consistent with its educational mission, values, and aspirations.

Advance Organizers If boards want students to get as much out of their college experience as possible, on what should they focus? If boards want students to get as much out of their college experience as possible, on what should they focus? What might we do individually and collectively to uphold our end of the educational bargain? What might we do individually and collectively to uphold our end of the educational bargain?

Overview Student engagement and educational excellence Student engagement and educational excellence Some insights from NSSE and DEEP Some insights from NSSE and DEEP Lessons for governing boards Lessons for governing boards

We value what we measure Wise decisions are needed about what to measure in the context of campus mission, values, and desired outcomes.

What Really Matters in College: Student Engagement Because individual effort and involvement are the critical determinants of impact, institutions should focus on the ways they can shape their academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular offerings to encourage student engagement. Pascarella & Terenzini, How College Affects Students, 2005, p. 602

Student engagement, grades, persistence, and satisfaction go hand in hand

The Student Engagement Trinity What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities What students do -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activities What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things What institutions do -- using effective educational practices to induce students to do the right things Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward the right activities

Good Practices in Undergraduate Education (Chickering & Gamson, 1987; Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005 ) Student-faculty contact Student-faculty contact Active learning Active learning Prompt feedback Prompt feedback Time on task Time on task High expectations High expectations Experiences with diversity Experiences with diversity Cooperation among students Cooperation among students

National Survey of Student Engagement (pronounced nessie) Community College Survey of Student Engagement (pronounced cessie) College student surveys that assess the extent to which students engage in educational practices associated with high levels of learning and development

The College Student Report NSSEs Survey Instrument The College Student Report Student Behaviors Institutional Actions & Requirements Reactions to College Student Background Information Student Learning & Development

In your experience at your institution during the current school year, about how often have you done each of the following? 1

Effective Educational Practices Level of Academic Challenge Active & Collaborative Learning Enriching Educational Experiences SupportiveCampusEnvironment Student Faculty Interaction

NSSE Evolution Year Colleges & Universities

NSSE Project Scope 900,000 students from 970+ different schools 900,000 students from 970+ different schools 77% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE 77% of 4-yr U.S. undergraduate FTE 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada 70+ consortia 70+ consortia

NSSE Participating Colleges and Universities

State & University Consortia California State U U of Missouri CUNY U of New Hampshire ConnecticutNew Jersey U of HawaiiU of North Carolina Indiana USouth Dakota Texas A&M KentuckyTexas A&M U of Texas MarylandU of Texas U of MassachusettsU of Wisconsin West Virginia

NSSE in Texas 28 of 41 publics 21 of 53 privates 21 of 53 privates 434K/529K students 434K/529K students 82% undergraduate FTE 82% undergraduate FTE

407 colleges 324,337 students 43 states

Does institutional size matter to engagement? Yes, size matters. Smaller is generally better.

Benchmark Scores for All Students by Undergraduate Enrollment

Academic Challenge, Active Learning, & Student-Faculty Interaction by Enrollment

Academic Challenge at Two Public Universities in Texas

Worth Pondering How do we reach our least engaged students?

Project DEEP To discover, document and describe what high performing institutions do and how they achieved this level of effectiveness.

DEEP Guiding Questions What do strong-performing institutions do to promote student success?What do strong-performing institutions do to promote student success? What campus features -- policies, programs, and practices – are related to higher-than-predicted graduation rates and student engagement?What campus features -- policies, programs, and practices – are related to higher-than-predicted graduation rates and student engagement?

DEEP Selection Criteria Controlling for student and institutional characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, institutional type), DEEP schools have: Higher-than-predicted graduation rates Higher-than-predicted graduation rates Higher-than-predicted NSSE scores Higher-than-predicted NSSE scores Region and institutional type, special mission type, special mission

Project DEEP Schools Doctoral Extensives University of Kansas University of Michigan Doctoral Intensives George Mason University Miami University (Ohio) University of Texas El Paso Masters Granting Fayetteville State University Gonzaga University Longwood University Liberal Arts California State, Monterey Bay California State, Monterey Bay Macalester College Macalester College Sweet Briar College Sweet Briar College The Evergreen State College The Evergreen State College Sewanee: University of the South Sewanee: University of the South Ursinus College Ursinus College Wabash College Wabash College Wheaton College (MA) Wheaton College (MA) Wofford College Wofford College Baccalaureate General Alverno College Alverno College University of Maine at Farmington University of Maine at Farmington Winston-Salem State University Winston-Salem State University

Research Approach Case study method Team of 24 researchers review institutional documents and conduct multiple-day site visits Team of 24 researchers review institutional documents and conduct multiple-day site visits Observe individuals, classes, group meetings, activities, events Observe individuals, classes, group meetings, activities, events 2,700+ people, 60 classes, 30 events Discover and describe effective practices and programs, campus culture Discover and describe effective practices and programs, campus culture

Six Shared Conditions 1.Living Mission and Lived Educational Philosophy 2.Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning 3.Environments Adapted for Educational Enrichment 4.Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Success 5.Improvement-Oriented Ethos 6.Shared Responsibility for Educational Quality

Hay muchas maneras de matar pulgas There are many ways to kill fleas

Remember This Many roads to an engaging, student-centered institution No one best model No one best model Different combinations of complementary, interactive, synergistic conditions Different combinations of complementary, interactive, synergistic conditions Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scale Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scale

Unsolicited advice… Unsolicited advice…

1. Feature student success in the institutions mission. Missions, values, aspirations, and operating philosophy are transparent and understandable Missions, values, aspirations, and operating philosophy are transparent and understandable Institutional values really do guide many important policy and operation decisions. Institutional values really do guide many important policy and operation decisions. Sustained widespread understanding and endorsement of educational purposes. Sustained widespread understanding and endorsement of educational purposes.

Mission and Vision California State University, Monterey Bay is a public liberal arts institution with a distinctive curriculum and outcomes- based education model. Its Vision Statement is the driving force behind all decisions and actions taken at the institution.

Mission and Vision George Mason University The Right Place. The Right Time The Right Place. The Right Time [We] will be a magnet for outstanding faculty who will devise new ways to approach problems, invent new ways to teach, and develop new knowledge for the benefit of the region and nation…

Living the Mission Sea change at KU to emphasize undergraduate instruction Experienced instructors teach lower division and introductory courses Experienced instructors teach lower division and introductory courses Faculty members from each academic unit serve as Faculty Ambassadors to the Center for Teaching Excellence Faculty members from each academic unit serve as Faculty Ambassadors to the Center for Teaching Excellence Course enrollments kept low in many undergraduate courses; 80% have 30 or fewer students; 93% 50 or fewer students. Course enrollments kept low in many undergraduate courses; 80% have 30 or fewer students; 93% 50 or fewer students.

2. Strategically invest in student learning …in professional baseball it still matters less how much you have than how well you spend it

2. Strategically invest in student learning Align rewards with institutional mission, values, and priorities Align rewards with institutional mission, values, and priorities Hire right-minded people Hire right-minded people Invest in physical plant improvements that facilitate learning Invest in physical plant improvements that facilitate learning

3. Require evidence for policy decisions and improvement efforts. What do the data say? What do the data say? Sunset redundant and ineffective programs; feed those that are demonstrably effective (evidence?) Sunset redundant and ineffective programs; feed those that are demonstrably effective (evidence?) Positive restlessness: Are we performing as well as we can? Positive restlessness: Are we performing as well as we can?

Self-correcting orientation FSU Chancellor concerned about first-to-second year retention rates FSU Chancellor concerned about first-to-second year retention rates Chancellor launches Freshman Year Initiative Chancellor launches Freshman Year Initiative Vision of holistic student development engaged all FSU community members Vision of holistic student development engaged all FSU community members Expanded facilities to support students Expanded facilities to support students

4. Include student success indicators in the presidents performance review When, where and how do leaders underscore the importance of undergraduate education? When, where and how do leaders underscore the importance of undergraduate education? annual state-of-the campus reports annual state-of-the campus reports governing board meetings governing board meetings alumni gatherings alumni gatherings convocations, convocations, faculty meetings faculty meetings What are appropriate indicators for evaluating the presidents performance related to the undergraduate experience? What are appropriate indicators for evaluating the presidents performance related to the undergraduate experience?

5. Review board priorities with student success in mind How does your board hold itself accountable for student success? How does your board hold itself accountable for student success? What structures and processes are in place for this to happen? What structures and processes are in place for this to happen? How much time does the board spend annually discussing student engagement, learning outcomes, persistence, and graduation rates relative to other matters? Meeting with students? How much time does the board spend annually discussing student engagement, learning outcomes, persistence, and graduation rates relative to other matters? Meeting with students?

6. Make student success everybodys business. Student and academic affairs collaboration Student and academic affairs collaboration A caring, supportive community A caring, supportive community

6. Make student success everybodys business. Student and academic affairs collaboration Student and academic affairs collaboration A caring, supportive community A caring, supportive community Ms. Rita Ms. Rita

It Takes a Whole Campus to Educate a Student

7. Stay the course The good-to-great-transformations never happened in one fell swoop. There was no single defining action, no grand program, no one killer innovation, no solitary lucky break, no miracle moment. Sustainable transformations follow a predictable pattern of buildup and breakthrough… (Collins, 2001, p. 186)

Ponder This To what extent does the institutional missionespoused and enactedunmistakably emphasize student success? To what extent does the institutional missionespoused and enactedunmistakably emphasize student success? How do you know whether you are achieving your mission? What is the evidence? How do you know whether you are achieving your mission? What is the evidence? What are the institutions core values about students and their education? What are the institutions core values about students and their education?

Ponder This Where do students and their learning fall among the boards interests and priorities? Is a standing committee dedicated to student learning and campus life? Where do students and their learning fall among the boards interests and priorities? Is a standing committee dedicated to student learning and campus life? How does the institutions spending plan enhance student learning and success? Are modest resources available to support trying out good ideas? How does the institutions spending plan enhance student learning and success? Are modest resources available to support trying out good ideas?

Ponder This What institutional and student- performance indicators are used to inform board decisions? Who reports on key indicators to the board? What institutional and student- performance indicators are used to inform board decisions? Who reports on key indicators to the board? What mechanisms or structures does the board use to promote and support student participation in decision making or program development? What mechanisms or structures does the board use to promote and support student participation in decision making or program development?

Ponder This Where among the presidents priorities do students, their learning, and their success fall? Where among the presidents priorities do students, their learning, and their success fall? What student success indicators are included in the presidents annual performance review? What student success indicators are included in the presidents annual performance review? Does the culture of the board encourage or discourage open, productive dialogue about matters related to student success? Does the culture of the board encourage or discourage open, productive dialogue about matters related to student success?

Questions & Discussion