1. Committee on Undergraduate Student Success April 26, 2010 Focusing on UK’s War on Student Attrition

2. 1997 Postsecondary Education Improvement Act: “A major comprehensive research institution ranked nationally in the Top 20 public universities at the University of Kentucky.” UK’s Top 20 Business Plan and Recalibration: Key components for improving UK Undergraduate Education ACT/SAT Score – increase average (converted) SAT score from 1128 to at least 1193 Student to Faculty Ratio – increase teaching faculty by 625 Programs and Services – gen ed reform, targeted support Graduation Rate – increase by 12% (retention rate of 90%)

3. Why Focus on Student Attrition? The Picture in 2007

4. Why Focus on Student Attrition? The Competition Retention Rate: UK – Original Business Plan:77.8 percent 20 th Institution:92.0 percent Graduation Rate: UK – Original Business Plan:59.6 percent 20 th Institution:77.5 percent

5. Guiding Principles for War on Attrition

6. Guiding Principles A “Systems Approach” for Recruitment RETENTION GRADUATION

7. Results So Far

8. Budget Cuts Matter ACT/SAT score: Top 20 universities (average)1248 20 th university1186 University of Kentucky1096 Kentucky statewide average 990 Student to Faculty Ratio: UK17 to 1 20 th university15 to 1 Faculty UK needs to get to 20 th : 197 Faculty positions cut in 2008: 71

9. Retention Rates 2007 UK

10.  Source: The Education Trust. College Results Online  http://www.collegeresults.org School Grad Rate Median SAT % URM UG Enroll UC- Riverside 66107532.414,452 U of AL65110513.518,346 U of KY6111256.618,081  A Comparison - 2007

11. Retention strategies  Alabama course redesign initiative in introductory mathematics  Lowered DEW rate in college algebra from >50% to ~25% from 1998 to 2005, erasing differences between Afr-Am and White success  UC-Riverside learning communities in each college  Retention rates in each LC measured centrally