The Center for Achievement, Retention, and Student Success (CARSS) is a

comprehensive program that addresses retention of freshmen and transfer

students in STEM fields at the University at Albany-State University of New

York (UAlbany).

We utilize a holistic model reliant on the creation of learning communities

through group study and support. We have met the original program goals

of: sustainability, institutionalization, provision of peer tutoring and

peer/staff mentoring, ongoing project evaluation, and dissemination.

The program continues to grow as evidenced by stakeholder driven

increases in the number of tutoring sessions from 109 in year one to >600

per semester. On average, the program serves >600 students per

semester. To accommodate UAlbany STEM student population needs, the

CARSS program has made >135 appointments of STEM tutors who offer

tutoring assistance to STEM tutees. As a result, pass rates in key gateway

courses have steadily improved. Additionally, it is clear that both the small

group sessions that foster the formation of semester-long learning

communities, as well as the “pre-exam review sessions”, positively impact

grades and retention outcomes.

Goals

Increasing the 4-year graduation rates of a cohort of freshman with

declared STEM majors

Increasing the 2-3 year graduation rates of transfer students entering

into UAlbany in their junior year

Institutionalizing the Center for Achievement, Retention and Student

Success (CARSS)

Increasing retention of historically underrepresented students in STEM

majors

Creating and supporting learning communities

Strategies

Provision of free tutoring in STEM gateway courses

Provision of review/recitation sessions

Creation of an on-campus home

Establishment of a STEM Tutors training course

Aggressive dissemination: website (www.albany.edu/carss); brochure;

faculty in-class support; videos; participation in student orientations

Establishment of a bona fide, furnished, dedicated center space

Securing financial commitment from the University Administration to

permanently support tutor and coordinator salaries

Features of CARSS project sustainability include the following:

I. It has a dedicated permanent fully furnished space from which to

operate

II. UAlbany has committed to continuing the CARSS program coordinator

staff line

III. UAlbany has committed $150,000.00 annually in support of the CARSS

program at the termination of the grant funding period

Our earlier studies to identify students who were “at-risk” revealed characteristics that enabled us to identify such students early in their academic careers and target them for participation in CARSS programs. In this follow up work, we sought to verify and quantify the positive impact of CARSS participation on performance in key gateway courses. Our Specific Aims were to:

1. Determine the impact of CARSS participation on pass rates in the two-semester general chemistry and organic chemistry course sequences

2. Quantify the probability of positive outcomes (passing grades) as a function of frequency of participation in CARSS programs

DUE-0756985

Principal Investigator

Rabi A. Musah

Co-Investigators

Denise M. McKeon

Hua Shi

Project Evaluator

Patrice Lancey—Market

Research Analysis LLC

Project Program Coordinator

Dianne E. Jester

CARSS

Center for Achievement,

Retention, and Student

Success

A CARSS “learning community”. Permanent CARSS center

• Develop a program that caters to the needs of transfer and non-traditional

students

• Develop a tutor training course text

• Expand the number of tutoring and review sessions to service greater

numbers of students

Characteristics of CARSS Student Participants

Positive Dose-response Effect for Students Enrolled in General Chemistry II

Participation in CARSS study groups and review sessions positively impacts final grades in General

Chemistry & Organic Chemistry

Overall Project

Opportunities

Implementation:

Determination of Dose-response Effects

of CARSS Participation on Retention

0% 20% 40% 60% 100%80%

20% 40% 100%estimated probability of a student obtaining a C- or better final grade

60% 80%0%

0% 20% 40%

Estimated probabilities are calculated from a predictive model that used all students enrolled in

General Chemisrty I in Fall 2010 and Fall 2011.

estimated probability of a student obtaining a C- or better final grade

estimated probability of a student obtaining a C- or better final grade

STUDENT SUCCESS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I

Estimated Probability of a Student Obtaining a C- or Better Final Grade based on

Number of CARSS Sessions (Group and Review)Attended and SAT Math Score

60% 80% 100%

Did not attend

CARSS

Attended CARSS

1 - 4 times

Attended CARSS

5 or more times

SAT Math Score above 610

81.3%

SAT Math Score above 610

89.3%

97.2%

SAT Math Score above 610

SAT Math Score between 530 and 610

58.7%

SAT Math Score less than 530

40.7%

SAT Math Score less than 530

57.0% 73.3%

SAT Math Score between 530 and 610

92.0%

SAT Math Score between 530 and 610

84.6%

SAT Math Score less than 530

FINAL GRADE

35%

40%

30%

AB

C+

GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I WHO DID NOT ATTEND ANY

CARSS SESSIONS DURING FALL 2011

4.0%3.1%

B+

13.6%

10%

15%

20%

25%

5%

A-

E W

11.1% 11.4%

D+

D

C

C-

B-

22.5%

E, WC+, C, C-

5.6%

15.1%

10.8%

D+, D

7.7%

4.6%

11.7%

4.6%

7.4%

18.2%

A, A- B+, B, B-

24.7%23.7%

D+

A-

FINAL GRADE

EW

C

B+

B

B-

12.6%

23.2%

6.3%7.0%

C+

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D E, W

35%

D1.3%

2.6%

4.3%

C-

3.9%

6.6%11.4%

10%

6.3%

18.2%

15%

A5.6%

5%

30% 28.8%

25%

36.4%

12.6%

20%18.2%

40%

GRADE DISTRIBUTION OF STUDENTS IN GENERAL CHEMISTRY I WHO ATTENDED AT LEAST

ONE CARSS SESSION DURING FALL 2011

Positive Dose-response Effect for Students Enrolled in General Chemistry I

Historically, SAT scores have been used as a reference point when evaluating

success at the college level. We have defined success as a grade of C- or better

because: (i) this is the minimum grade required as a prerequisite for advancement

in the major for several gateway courses; (ii) it is the minimum grade accepted for

transfer course credit in any course; and (iii) as the foundation courses collectively

comprise approximately one-third of the credits in the science majors, grades of

less than C- are often a predictor of lack of success in upper level courses and,

ultimately, in unsuccessful completion of the major.

Our data indicates that student participation in CARSS services clearly increases

the probability of earning a higher final grade in General Chemistry I and II, two

crucial courses for all science majors and ones which prove to be stumbling blocks

for many students. This effect is positively linked with the number of times a

student participates in CARSS services (study group and review sessions) within a

given semester. Moreover, it appears that attendance at even one CARSS review

session can affect the likelihood that a student will earn a higher final grade in a

course for which CARSS provides services.