St' Josephs College Early Success and Retention Strategies 20052006

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St. Josephs CollegeEarly Success and Retention
Strategies 2005-2006
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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Creation of a Function tasked with Retention and
  Academic Success
• The Academic Center
• Marriage of help and resources
• Staff Director/Professor and Asst. Director,
  work-study students contract advisors
• Development of a physical presence
• Resource room concept
• Hard and soft materials
• Location, location, location

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Development of a virtual presence
• TAC.online
• Downloads
• On-line evaluations
• Email contact
• Calendar of events
• Daily and weekly quotes
• Web links

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TAC.online..examples

• Weekly thoughts for consideration
• How Not to Be a Successful College Student
• Wait until the day before an exam to approach
  the professor for help. Insist on being seen
  immediately, without an appointment. They love it
  when students who never come to class suddenly
  show up at their office before the exam and
  expect a private tutoring session that summarizes
  all the lecture material since the start of the
  semester.
• Never look the professor in the eye or bother to
  take notes. Better still, sit with a friend so
  you can chat and giggle during the lecture. Or,
  trying clipping your nails to pass the time.

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Development of a Relationship
• 1st Year Faculty Advising Program (YEAR.ONE
  advisor)
• 25 faculty with 12 students each
• 4 meetings, at least, during the 1st semester
• Group meeting and one individual meeting during
  orientation
• Individual meetings prior to mid terms and finals
• Attention paid to assuring academic success
  through
• Affiliation/connection
• When you feel a connection to the college
  community, you stay
• Competence/over-coming a challenge
• Confidence that new challenges can be met
  conquered
• Separation/independence

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1st Year Faculty Advising Program

• 2nd Semester
• YEAR.ONE advisors meet prior to final exams and
  2nd semester course registration
• 2nd Semester relationship is less structured for
  successful students relaxed relationship between
  advisor and student
• At risk students, as identified by instructors,
  The Academic Center and YEAR.ONE advisors
  continue regularly scheduled meetings
• Risk overall GPA, specific course issues,
  likelihood to leave
• Involvement of counseling center, assignment of
  peer mentors

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Creation of a Freshmen Seminar
• YEAR.ONE a WebCT seminar passive for 05
• Weekly lessons with study tools and reading
  assignments
• Assigned Text Been There Should've Done That II
  More Tips For Making the Most of College" by
  Suzette Tyler
• WebCT Email and posted discussion topics on
  Lessons by The Academic Center
• Faculty access to YEAR.ONE WebCT email for
  conversation and discussion
• Wireless technology throughout campus facilitates
  this concept

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YEAR.ONE Example lesson

• Lesson Two Classes Have Started - Have You?
• Objectives Grabbing a hold of the basic mindset
  and tools that you need to guarantee
  success...from the beginning.
• Topics
• 1. Classes have Begun...now what?
• 2. Study Planning and Management
• 3. Note-taking and listening skills
• Reading Been There Should've Done That
• -Section 12 pg.109 Just GO!
• -Section 13. pg. 113 Grinding It Out
• -Section 14 pg.123 Classroom Cues
• -Section 15 pg. 133 Notes on Note-taking
• Assignments GO TO CLASS...every class
  ...every day
• Print the YEAR.ONE Weekly Study Planner found
  under Study Tools. Fill it out. In addition to
  classes and studying, schedule in some down time,
  fun time and nothing time. Follow the
  schedule...every day.
• Read the articles on Note-taking and Listening
  Skills. Do what they say. It works...trust
  us...it does.

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YEAR.ONE Orientation

• Saturday September 3rd
• 2 hour session with YEAR.ONE advisor
• Introduce The Academic Center
• Study Break Schedule
• Resources From study abroad through tutoring
• Workshops Information Literacy
• Introduce WebCT through YEAR.ONE Seminar
• Introduce Campus Technology through TAC.online
  and YEAR.ONE downloads
• SJCME Website resources
• Email Campus and WebCT
• Network Access Drives for saving data, printer
  access

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Involve the Parents
• Introduction to The Academic Center and YEAR.ONE
  during summer orientation
• Overview of YEAR.ONE advisory program
• Insight into expectations for students
• Workload
• Class schedule
• Department/major introductions
• Resources and assistance
• Homework for Parents
• Encourage communication
• Deliver supportive messages
• Take away obstacles

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YEAR.ONE Advisor Training

• Collaboration between
• Dean of Students
• Dean of the College
• Counseling Center
• The Academic Center
• Technology Center
• Faculty introduced to YEAR.ONE content
• WebCT
• TAC.online
• Advising goals

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YEAR.ONE Advisor Training

• Counseling Center
• The conditions that we need to help create in
  order for first year students to succeed
• What to look for, what to suggest, what to avoid
• Dean of Students
• The Office of Student Lifes perspective on 1st
  year student success what theyve seen
• Dean of the College
• The SJCME mission of the MELMAC grant, retention
  data and retention goals for 2005-06
• Technology Center
• How to best use the YEAR.ONE WebCT component

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Bring together the Academic Community
• Academic Council
• All College functions Departments that impact
  academic success
• Athletics - NCAA Champs program
• Writing Center
• Accommodations Officer
• Faculty Senate
• Career Services
• Academic Records
• Honors Program
• Technology
• Service Learning
• Study Abroad
• Counseling Center

• Quarterly meetings
• Informational emails
• Information resource sharing
• Consolidation of efforts

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Systemic Approach to Tutorial Assistance
• Currently by department, faculty and/or student
  unpaid or paid
• In the Planning Process
• Tutor Application Process for student tutors
• Major, skill and GPA requirements
• Tutor Request Form
• Capture all pertinent information on one form
• Database for year-to-year comparisons and GPA
  impact
• Collaboration with HR on pay scales

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Develop a systemic and managed early warning
  process
• Prior to midterms (aprox. 5th week) - Email
  contact to all 1st year faculty for feedback on
  all students
• Attendance
• Grades
• Other issues
• Prior to midterms (aprox. 5th week) - Email
  contact to all YEAR.ONE advisors for feedback on
  their advisees
• Attendance in advisory meetings
• Feedback from student and 1st year faculty

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Early Warning Process

• Success Contract
• Based on poor grades, poor attendance or other
  risk factors such as behavioral issues
• Contract between student and YEAR.ONE Advisor
• Contains specific actions and goals
• The Academic Center notified
• Academic Advising notified

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Success Retention at SJCME A Multi-faceted
Approach

• Thought for ongoing development
• Robust 2nd semester program through The Academic
  Center in 2006 spring semester
• Graded 1st year seminar for 2006-07 through WebCT
• Service learning component
• Graded assignments
• Journal
• Institutionalized YEAR.ONE faculty advising
  program
• Extend YEAR.ONE advising to peer mentors
  in addition to faculty for 2006-07