Student Retention Study

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It Takes a University Programs and Initiatives
in Support of Retention and Student Success 4th
Annual Retention-Graduation Conference October
24, 2007
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Presenters

• Bernadette Gray-Little
• Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost
• Lynn Williford
• Assistant Provost for Institutional
  Research Assessment
• Bobbi Owen
• Senior Associate Dean of Undergraduate
  Education
• Cynthia Demetriou
• Retention Coordinator
• Archie Ervin
• Associate Provost for Diversity
  Multicultural Affairs

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Origins of the Study

• Carolinas vision of becoming the leading public
  institution is grounded in its commitment to
  providing the strongest possible undergraduate
  educational experience.
• The Academic Plan and the Measures of Excellence
  identify retention and graduation rates as key
  performance indicators.
• Study initiated by the Enrollment Policy Advisory
  Committee (EPAC) as part of ongoing efforts to
  assess the outcomes of efforts to improve the
  undergraduate experience.

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Retention Study Group Members (2004)
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Major Research Questions

• What factors impact retention and graduation for
  undergraduate students at Carolina?
• How do institutional policies and services impact
  persistence and graduation?
• What do these results suggest in terms of steps
  that might be taken to better support students in
  persisting and graduating from Carolina?

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Methodology

• Analysis of characteristics and enrollment
  patterns of freshmen cohorts
• 1997 and 1998 through Fall 2003 (n6,841)
• Variables examined included
• academic preparation
• engagement
• demographic characteristics
• socio-economic status
• achievement at Carolina
• Surveys of non-returning students
• Analysis of letters appealing ineligibility
• Review peer institutions policies and practices

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(No Transcript)
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Predictors of Transferring

• Low first year GPA
• Less engaged in campus social activities
• Carried a part-time courseload more than once
• Weaker high school curriculum
• Asian or White
• Non-North Carolina resident

After controlling for all other variables in the
model.
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Students Explanations for Transferring

• Felt insignificant and lost
• Family and personal problems
• Lack of fit with other Carolina students in
  terms of values, lifestyle
• Change in interests choice of a major not
  offered at Carolina

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Predictors of Not Graduating or Transferring
within Five Years

• Low first year GPA
• Became academically ineligible (57 at least
  once)
• Stopped out more than once
• Carried a part-time courseload more than once
• Less engaged in campus social activities
• Carolina was not first choice of colleges
• Low family income
• First generation college

After controlling for all other variables in the
model.
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Students Explanations for Failure to Graduate

• Multiple interacting factors
• Academic problems
• Struggled in courses required for chosen major
• Financial perceived need to work
• Personal problems
• Depression
• Family responsibilities
• Unaware of services available to help them manage
  demands effectively and/or reluctant to seek help

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Major Finding

• Poor academic performance is the strongest
  predictor of not graduating from Carolina
• 90 of those who stay in good academic standing
  graduate within five years, compared to lt 40 of
  those who become ineligible even one time.
• Even for students who do not become ineligible,
  low performance is strongly correlated with
  transferring to another institution or not
  graduating at all.

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Other Findings

• Quantitative and anecdotal evidence suggests that
  low income and first generation college students
  often have multiple factors that put them at risk
  for not graduating, including
• Weaker academic preparation
• Choices of majors that are inconsistent with
  academic preparation
• Continued financial pressures from family
• Working more (regardless of aid received)
• More reluctance or uncertainty about seeking
  help or initiating interactions with faculty and
  administrators

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Recommendation 1 Expand Summer Bridge program

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Phased increase from 50 (2004) to 65 (2007)
• Goal 100 (2010)

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Recommendation 2 Establish an effective early
warning system

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Explore resources to put system online

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Recommendation 3 Increase supplemental
instruction and small classes

• IMPLEMENTATION
• SI added in additional courses beyond the
  introductory level
• Anatomy Physiology
• Organic Chemistry
• Small class size continued priority
• 50 of Course Sections had an Enrollment of Fewer
  than 20 (2005)
• Only 11 had Enrollment of 50 or more (2005)

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Recommendation 4 Expand programs promoting
smaller communities, cultural identity, and sense
of belonging

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Completed University-wide Diversity Assessment
  (2005)
• Adopted Diversity Plan (2006)
• Established Diversity Incentive Fund
• faculty, staff, and student co-curricular
  programs exploring cross-cultural experiences
  and learning
• Established university-wide diversity education
  team to advance diversity assessment initiatives

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Recommendation 5 Develop early intervention for
students who become ineligible

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Academic Probation
• An early intervention process for students who
  encounter academic difficulties, with the goal of
  encouraging them to
• maintain their enrollment at Carolina while
  regaining academic good standing, and
• take advantage of support services targeted at
  helping them meet their academic requirements and
  remove other obstacles to progress towards
  graduation.

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Academic Probation System

• www.studentsuccess.unc.edu
• 4 Step Academic Enhancement Plan
• Students on probation must complete the
  following steps and are highly encouraged to
  participate in the Bounce Back program
• Complete the Self-Assessment.
• Complete the online Student Success Seminar.
• Sign the Probation Contract at the end of the
  seminar.
• Make an appointment with their advisor. Bring the
  completed Self-Assessment and the signed
  Probation Contract to the meeting.

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www.studentsuccess.unc.edu
Welcome. The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill is committed to helping each student
reach his or her full academic potential.
Students are encouraged to give thoughtful
consideration to their academic and personal
goals leading them to take responsibility for
their academic choices and decisions.  These
resources are designed for undergraduate
students   to understand their academic
standing to enhance their academic experience
to promote student success to guide them
toward graduation.

• You must complete the following steps and you
  should consider participating in the
• Bounce Back program
• Complete the Self-Assessment.
• Complete the online Student Success Seminar.
• Sign the Probation Contract at the end of the
  seminar.
• Make an appointment with your advisor.Bring the
  completed Self-Assessment and the signed
  Probation Contract to the meeting with
• your advisor.

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Welcome to the onlineStudent Success Seminar
THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL

• All students on Academic Probation must complete
  this seminar.
• You will be asked to sign a probation contract
  verifying your successful completion of this
  seminar.
• To complete this seminar you will need
• pen and paper
• printing capabilities
• time
• the ability to focus
• If you are somewhere you cannot concentrate, come
  back and complete this seminar later today.
• Try going to a quiet computer lab on campus or a
  secluded spot in the library somewhere you can
  concentrate and there will be no interruptions.
• This seminar is interactive.
• Take notes as you read.
• To move on after you have completed an activity
  or completed reading a section, click on your
  mouse or press return.
• Complete all worksheets and assignments.

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Quiz
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Click on the box that best completes the
following statement.

• If your estimated number of hours of activity
  exceeds the total number of hours in a week, you
  should
• cut back on the number of hours you use for
  personal needs like relaxing, sleeping,
  grooming and eating.
• consider dropping one or more of your courses.
• prioritize your activities then see if you can
  spend less
• time on the activities with low
  priority.
• save time by multitasking (i.e. reading while
  texting on your phone or studying while
  responding to emails).

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• cut back on the number of hours you use for
  personal needs like relaxing, sleeping, grooming
  and eating.

Incorrect To be successful, it is essential to
maintain a healthy lifestyle. You should not cut
back on these personal needs as they are
imperative to your good health.
TRY AGAIN
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CORRECT
next
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Recommendation 6 Revise eligibility
requirements

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Drop deadline extended from 6 to 8 weeks (Fall
  2006)
• 2.0 GPA required for Good Standing throughout
  undergraduate career (Fall 2007)

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Recommendation 7 Maintain on-going program of
research and evaluation

• IMPLEMENTATION
• Apply Diversity Assessment Recommendations
• Revisit the 2004 study in 2008

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Next Steps

• EPAC subcommittee (Retention Study Group)
  reconvened Fall 2007 to revisit the 2004 study
• Campus-wide Retention Working Group established
• Implementation of 2004 recommendations continued

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Questions
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To view this presentation online and learn more
visit
http//oira.unc.edu/facts-and-figures/retention-an
d-graduation/retention-and-graduation.html