1. 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!)

2. 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

3. Oakland University 16,568 Undergraduate Students
4,345 Graduates for
Size and location

4. 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!”

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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

8. 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

9. 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%

10. 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%

11. Graduation Database

12. Graduation Database

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

14. Marketing / Outreach
Focus on Student Confidentiality

15. Website - wwwp.oakland.edu/registrar/comeback

16. Keeping It Going!
Phone calls, (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

17. 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

18. 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

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

20. 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

21. 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

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