Greetings From The University of West

Georgia!

It’s All About Graduation!

Graduation!

Graduation -- at all costs;

Graduation -- in spite of all obstacles;

Graduation -- however long and hard the road may be;

… for without Graduation our students miss out on all the benefits that accrue with a college degree!

… Sir Willis Churchill

Presentation Points

What are the Problems leading to Low Graduation Rates?

How do we Know this?

What are we going to do about it?

LOTS AND LOTS OF ANALYSIS!

How Do We Know What the Problem Is?Graphical Analysis

Overall Retention and Graduation Rates

By Ethnicity and Gender

Comparisons with Peers

Drilling Down to Root Causes

Trends in UWG Overall Fall Retention Rates

57

6365 65 65 66

70

73

69

72 71

70

7375

73

40

45

50

55

60

65

70

75

80

1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

Percent

Trends in UWG’s 6-Year Graduation Rates, Fall 1994 - 2003 cohorts

10

Trends in UWG’s Second-Year Retention Rates by Ethnicity and Gender

%

11

Trends in UWG’s Six-Year Graduation Rates by Ethnicity, 2000-03 Cohorts

%

12

UWG & Comparator Institutions: Six-Year Graduation Rates (Fall 2002 Cohort)

13

Southeastern Louisiana University

Northeastern State University

University of West Georgia

Jacksonville State University

University of Central Oklahoma

Saginaw Valley State University

Salem State College

Edinboro University of Pennsylvania

California University of Pennsylvania

Bridgewater State College

Minnesota State University-Mankato

Southeast Missouri State University

University of Central Missouri

Kutztown University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania

Central Washington University

University of Wisconsin-Whitewater

SUNY College at Oswego

Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

Aspirationals (Median)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70%

28%

30%

32%

33%

36%

38%

43%

44%

50%

51%

51%

51%

51%

53%

54%

55%

56%

57%

59%

63%

UWG & Comparator Institutions: Median SAT Scores, 2007

850 900 950 1000 1050 1100

Jacksonville State UniversitySalem State College

Southeastern Louisiana UniversityCalifornia University of PennsylvaniaEdinboro University of Pennsylvania

Northeastern State UniversitySlippery Rock University of Pennsylvania

East Stroudsburg University of PennsylvaniaSaginaw Valley State UniversityUniversity of Central Oklahoma

Kutztown University of PennsylvaniaMinnesota State University-Mankato

University of West GeorgiaBridgewater State College

University of Central MissouriSoutheast Missouri State University

Central Washington UniversityUniversity of Wisconsin-Whitewater

SUNY College at Oswego

930945950950955

970975

985990990995

1,0101,0201,020

10251,0251,0281,030

1,090

Median Score14

Fall 2001Fall 2002

Fall 2003Fall 2004

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

27.4% 30.6%

28.2%29.3%

19.4% 19.3%

18.5% 19.0%

6.9%7.5%

6.3% 7.5%

1.2%

2.6%

3.4% 1.7%

1.9%

2.4%

1.2% 1.2%

Fifth Year

Fourth Year

Third Year

Second Year

First Year

Retention Losses at the End of Each Year – As a Percentage of Entering Cohort

How Has UWG Performed Since 2005 in Selected Core Courses Identified (DFW Rates)?

22

Significant change due to

change in staffing

philosophy—converting temporary

instructor lines to permanent lecturer lines

with departmental responsibility

Significant change due to

change in staffing

philosophy—Senior Tenured

faculty teach first-year course

More Analysis – With Intervention

ANOVA of Graduates vs. Non-Graduates (Fall ’00 –Fall ’03 Cohorts, 6-year Graduation):

Statistically Significant Findings:Expected Family Contribution: Higher for Graduates (measure of SES?) (p ≤ .01)

Living Arrangements: Residential Students Graduate at higher rates than Commuters (p ≤ .05)

First Term GPA: Graduates have .8 higher GPA after the first term (p ≤ .01)

Probation Status: Non-Graduates are 3-times more likely to be on Probation after their first term (p ≤ .001)

Attempted Credits in Second (Spring) Term: Graduates complete more credits in the Fall (non significant) and Spring (p ≤ .05) than Non-Graduates

Second Term GPA: Graduates have a higher GPA after Spring Term (p ≤ .01)

Critical Core Course Success: Non-Graduates failed at higher rates in ENGL 1101 and MATH 1111 in their first term (p ≤ .001 for both)

Cannot control input variables; but can reduce their effect by intervention

So, What Are the Roots of the Problem?Analysis points to problems in the first and second yearThe first term of first year is criticalAn emerging institutional approach to the First Year Failure and withdrawal rates (D, F, W) in some core courses are very high

Low Freshman Success Rate (FSR) and First Term GPAs

FSR 42.7 % in AY 2006; 51.7 % in AY 2009First Term GPA = 2.3

So, What Are the Roots of the Problem? (contd.)

Low course load leading to extended time to degreeIncreased in Fall ’09 due to special prioritization for core coursesFor those who graduated, average time to degree has been fairly constant at 12.2 semesters – even a slight change would make a big difference

Low retention and graduation rates of male studentsSome policy questions:

unlimited and easy withdraw; unlimited retakes; low standards for academic standing; declaration of major; restrictions on admission to major…

Campus Culture: Are retention and graduation overtly and clearly prioritized as a campus imperative – for both students and colleagues?

Fall Cohort FYP Retention Rate

FY Program Fall 08 Cohort Retention Rate

No FYP Selection 67%

Selected but Dropped 63%

UWG 1101 75%

Learning Communities 80%

Residential Peer Mentoring 74%

MAP Mentoring 76%

Honors 86%

FY Mentoring/iServe 71%

Commuter FYP Previously Commuter Retention <60% 65%

Overall Retention Rate 73%

Evolving Culture Change

Implemented First Year For Everyone Program – 97% of all first year students are in some FYP

Higher retention rates for those in programs than not Foundations of Excellence – Study of First year (set the stage for RPG Grant and addition of FYPs)Early Intervention (different levels of implementation)

Predictive modeling for At-Risk Students (first term) based on pre-college characteristics – predicted 75% of outcomesResidential; EFC, HS GPA, Race (AA is a plus), answers on New Student

Profile (Finances as Barrier and Difficulty Choosing a Major)New Student Profile -- Direct Intervention and Early EngagementEarly Withdraw Intervention (wks 2-6)

Academic Warning/Probation InterventionAppointment with Advisor; Academic Warning seminars

Evolving Culture Change

RPG Guides: Direct retention and graduation program in each A&S department; meet with parents at Orientation

DegreeWorks: Measures progress towards degree

Academic Support Centers: Writing Ctr.; Math Lab; Biology Tutoring; EXCEL Center (tutoring, mentoring, advising)

Two-Phase Orientation (Summer and Transitions)

Second Year Experience program (Spring 2010 initial term)

First-Year Commuter program, Commuter Student Association, Commuter Lounge

Policy change: Enforced 60 hour rule – students must declare a major by their 60th hour; required intervention if not

Policy change: Increased threshold for Academic Good Standing; increased requirement for intervention (challenge/support)

MetricsPass rates in core coursesPass rates lower level coursesPass rates upper level coursesSuccessful course completion rates per semester (DFWI)Average student credit hour load per semesterFreshmen success rates Retention and Success rates by First Year ProgramFirst- and second-year retention rates.First-year retention rates by First Year Programs/Interventions/ServicesFour-, five-, and six-year graduation ratesNational Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) Data

What are we going to DO about it?Three-Year Plan: Big Ideas

First Year Critical – DFW – Improvement StrategiesPredictive analysis and interventionsInstitutional Commitments:

First-year programsSupport: Orientations, Tutoring Centers, RPG Guides, etc.Degree Works (Wolf Watch)Center for Teaching & LearningIncrease student load per semesterEngaging male students

Declaring majors by 60 hours; then Departmental ownershipStudy Institutional Policies and Procedures affecting time to degree

Note: The details of the plan will be an evolving one, based on faculty input and emerging creative ideas.

Student, Faculty,

Administrative Culture

Thank you for this opportunity to look more carefully at ourselves!

What are we missing?