1. Bridging the Gap for
Students at Risk:
A Data-Driven Case
Management Approach

2. Coordinator of Academic Advising and Special Programs
Janina DeHart
Assistant Director
Mentoring and Persistence to Success (MAPS)
Jenny Stewart
Coordinator of Academic Advising and Special Programs
College of Education and Allied Professions
Annie McCord
Academic Advisor
W. David Scales
Psychology Professor

4. Academic Success Program
ASP
Provides an early start to facilitate a successful first year
Conditional admission pathway
Full year of support and accountability
Learning Community Model with residential, academic, and co-curricular components

5. 2016 Demographics Number of students enrolled: 202
Gender: 53% Male; 47% Female
Ethnicity
Caucasian/Non-Hispanic %
African American/Non-Hispanic %
Other (Multiracial, Other, Did not disclose) 12%
Average HS GPA: 3.024
Average Unweighted HS GPA: 2.700
Average SAT CR: 451
Average SAT Math: 450
Average SAT (CR + M): 901
Average ACT Comp: 18
1,936
54% M; 46% F
78.9%
6.3%
14.8%
3.78
1018
22.5
WCU Demographics for Incoming Freshman Class
1936 students
54% Male; 46% Female
Caucasian 78.9%
Black 6.3%
Other 14.8%
Avg HS GPA 3.78
Average ACT 22.5
Avg SAT 1018

6. Students Perceived as “At-Risk”
Talk about why we don’t like the term “at-risk.”

7. Admission is Competitive
Fall 2016
Freshman Class Target: 1,750
Fall 2016 Final Counts
Freshman Applications: 18,302
Freshman Class: 1,936

8. Admission Paths Fall Admission Standard Great Grades Honors
Academic Success Program Admission
Spring Entry Program Admission
Refer to the two Admission handouts: Paths & Philosophy.

9. ASP Model

10. Academic Success Program Mission
Western Carolina University offers the Academic Success Program (ASP) as an opportunity for students to begin their college experience early and to prepare them for success in college and beyond. This program is designed to provide a full year of support to facilitate a successful first-year experience and to help students develop skills to excel in their college career.

11. Summer Session WCU Orientation: June 23 – 24
Program Orientation: June 25
Summer classes begin: June 27
Summer session ends: July 30
Seven Hours of Course Credit:
ENGL 190: First Year Seminar in Literature, 3 hr.
Other Liberal Studies course, 3 hr.
USI 130: University Experience, 1 hr.
Academic Support & Residential Community
Activities & Programs

12. Summer Components Summer Academic Theme Case Management Model
Anthropology, General Psychology, and Health & Wellness
Case Management Model
Receive Peer Support
Meet with Academic Advisor
Live together in a community
Participate in activities and trips, including a class field trip
Engage in a service project
Receive academic support

13. Successful Completion
Complete all three courses with a grade of C or better
ENGL 190 – A, B, C, U
Other Liberal Studies Course & USI 130 – use regular +/- grades
Earn a 2.5 GPA or higher
Uphold the Code of Student Conduct

14. First-Year Components
Live together as part of Western Carolina PEAKS
Case Management continued
Peer Support continues
Meetings with Academic Advisor
Take LEAD 160: Student Leadership & Academic Success (1 hr. credit) and participate in Leadership activities in the fall semester
Review academic progress and receive support

15. Case Management Model

16. Residential Case Managers
Case Management Model
Intentional Multi-modal Support and Intervention
Summer Weekly Team Meetings
Fall Monthly Team Meetings
Student
Residential Case Managers
Advising
Instructors
Peer Mentors
ASP Program Personnel

17. Advising Components Summer Reports and Data (CSI) Case Management
Mandatory Advising Meetings
Fall
Mandatory Advising Meetings (3 total)
Progress Reporting (5th, 8th, 11th week)
Reports and Data (MYSA)
Spring
Advising meeting at beginning of semester, then as needed
College Student Inventory provides talking points/conversation starters. For example…
What is the mid-year report called?

18. Partnerships Advising Admissions Residential Case Managers
First-Year Experience
NASPA interns
Could we roll this slide into the Case Management slide?

19. Data & Analysis

20. College Student Inventory Mid-Year Student Assessment
Advisor Reports
Summary Reports
Dropout Proneness
Predicted Academic Difficulty
Educational Stress
Receptivity to Institutional Help
Recommendations
Get help with exam skills, study habits, writing skills, basic math skills
Get tutoring

21. College Student Inventory Mid-Year Student Assessment
CSI and MYSA Self Report Ratings:
Ethnicity and Gender
Attitudes toward educators
Family emotional support
Desire to finish college
Financial security
Confidence in verbal, math and science abilities
Opinion tolerance
Study habit
GPA Predictors
Gender
beginning of summer program – comfort level w/ subjects; likelihood to look for help;
  influences decisions about topics covered in summer program (USI course)
MYSA half way through Fall of first year – how is your experience (professors, campus, peers, resources); advising (what are your goals, choosing a major, etc.)
  adjustments – peer mentors more available during summer

22. CSI CSI and MYSA Self Report Ratings Retention Predictors
Ethnicity and Gender
Attitudes toward educators
Family emotional support
Desire to finish college
Financial security
Confidence in verbal, math and science abilities
Opinion tolerance
Study habits
Retention Predictors
Attitude toward educators

23. MYSA Same scales as CSI GPA Predictors Retention Predictor Gender
Family emotional support
Study habits
Math and science confidence
Retention Predictor

24. Summer Performance Data
Summer Cohort
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
Number Enrolled 92
125
139
132
172
Summer Success Rate
83.7%
92%
97.8%
96.2%
95.3%
Average GPA – summer
3.167
3.261
3.317
3.177
3.315
GPA - 4.0 5 21 17 9 20
GPA 22 33 29 47
GPA – 32 65 66 71
GPA – 18 31 24 25
GPA - below 2.5 or did not make C’s in all classes 11 3 8

25. ASP Retention Information 2011-15
Note: Fall to Fall Retention rate for 2010 cohort = 62.6%
Compared to WCU overall freshmen retention, currently 80%

26. Informing Practice Targeted Programming
USI & LEAD classes (summer and fall)
Workshop series
Expected predictors of student success
Stress level
Family emotional support
Study habits
Unexpected
Attitude toward educators
you dont quit a job, you quit a boss

27. Questions?

28. CONTACT INFORMATION
Janina DeHart
Jenny Stewart
Annie McCord
W. David Scales