1. Mirela Blekic Portland State University April 15, 2015 Student Success and the Role of Faculty

2. Agenda Barriers and contributors to success Faculty and student success Conversation

3. Did you know?... About 3/4 of freshman who don't return to PSU for their second year leave in good academic standing? Students who transfer to PSU as sophomores are 47% less likely to be retained to third year compared with sophomore students who started at PSU as freshman? 14% of students who complete UNST Capstone don't graduate from PSU within 4-10 years since completing the course? Mentors and mentees commit to 1000 minutes of mentoring in Freshman Inquiry and 500 minutes in Sophomore Inquiry per term.

4. What kinds of problems that impede student success might your students/you encounter? Academic Financial Personal Other

5. Other Contributors to Success Student Satisfaction Student Motivation Student-Faculty Involvement/Interaction Peer-to-Peer Interaction Engaged Learning Other Factors

6. Faculty and Student Success – One Approach* Identify and Act Early Identify Persistence indicators in the first four weeks: Two or more absences Missed assignment deadlines Academic difficulties in early work Act Early Track student absences and performance. *Based on the work of UNST Faculty Retention Committee (2010)

7. Faculty and Student Success – One Approach* Recommendations Three-prong escalating strategy: 1)Contact student expressing concern and offering help. 2)Faculty meets with student. 3)Connect student to university resources (e.g., writing classes and resources, advising, etc.). *Based on the work of UNST Faculty Retention Committee (2010)

8. Faculty and Student Success – One Approach Is this a viable approach? – Advantages? – Disadvantages? Can this approach be strengthened? How? Are there barriers in referring students to services on campus? – If yes, what are they?

9. Faculty and Student Success - Discussion What role should faculty play in student success efforts? – What does one need to know to support students? – What are the limitations on the role of faculty? Knowledge (faculty cannot solve all student problems). Limitations due to other responsibilities (teaching, research, and service obligations). Is there a difference in the role of UNST faculty and faculty in other departments as it relates to student success? What should we do next? – What can be done now? – What strategies require additional resources?

10. Thank You! Mirela Blekic University Studies mirelab@pdx.edu