STUDENT SUCCESS: ADVISING INTERVENTIONS THAT LEAD TO PERSISTENCE Karen Sullivan-Vance, Ed.M. Alexander Kunkle, M.S.Ed. Jesse Poole, M.S.Ed., M.A. Western Oregon University

Why do some students succeed in graduating from university and other students fail? Theorists from Astin to Tinto have researched this question for decades. Over the years quality academic advising has been listed as having a role in helping students persist towards degrees. This presentation will cover a case study of how one university combined academic advising, technology and educational interventions to help students persist towards academic success. ABSTRACT

Introductions Overview of the state of Higher Education Western Oregon University and Retention/Persistence Issues Development of the Wolf Connection System Ongoing Educational Interventions Challenges, successes and results Questions INTRODUCTIONS AND OVERVIEW

HIGHER EDUCATION

Academic advising is the only structured activity on the campus in which all students have the opportunity for on- going, one-to-one interaction with a concerned representative of the institution. Wes Habley ACADEMIC ADVISING

The view then - Students failed, not institutions. The view now - Recognition that there are multiple factors that impact student retention, from what the institution does to what students bring with them when they begin higher education. RETENTION

Student Integration Model Students who socially integrate into the campus increase their commitment, and are more likely to graduate. Student attrition linked to both formal and informal academic experiences, and social integration. Degree of success a student has in pursuit of higher education influences the level of commitment to the institution, academic and career goals. TINTO

Students are in “a period of passage between the old and the new, before the full adoption of new norms and patterns of behavior and after the onset of separation from the old ones” Vincent Tinto STUDENT PERSISTENCE

4 year public liberal arts Founded in students 52% of entering students are first-generation Large Latino/a population Significant Deaf population WESTERN OREGON UNIVERSITY

Shared Model Mandatory Advising Developmental Advisor Training Proactive (intrusive) Advising ACADEMIC ADVISING AT WOU

Intentional, directed interactions with students. Assessment tools Open ended questions Identify strengths and weaknesses Course recommendations based on student’s current academic skill levels PROACTIVE/ INTRUSIVE ADVISING

Academically Underprepared Individual Risk Factors Familial Risk Factors Social Risk Factors (Miller and Murray,2005) Millennial Generation (Keeling, 2003) STUDENTS WITH ACADEMIC RISK

Student Success Specialist Wolf Connection Systems RFI’s from staff Collaboration across campus to provide wrap around services and referrals STUDENT SUCCESS INITIATIVE

WOLF CONNECTION SYSTEM Early Alert Academic Advising Tutoring Communication

Request for Interventions – Importance of faculty buy-in Student Success Specialist Reaches out to Students Provides resources, referrals and helps students to make decisions about their academics Follows-up with students Additionally: – Athletic midterm grade review EARLY ALERT

In the first full academic year of the WCS: – 672 individual students were referred for intervention 42% student response. 49% of students who met with advisor were classified as successful that term. Only 41% of students who failed to respond progressed positively, with 52% progressing negatively. ENGAGEMENT = SUCCESS

Required interventions enforced via registration holds. Warning requires online workshop completion. Probation requires in-person advising session. Suspension requires mandatory time off, followed by mandatory course upon return. – May petition to newly formed Academic Suspension Committee NEW ACADEMIC STANDING POLICIES

Academic advising that is targeted to the student is provided Specific information on dropping courses or retaking courses Online and in person educational interventions for students at academic risk On-line advisor notes ACADEMIC ADVISING

SSS often recommends tutoring for students that are struggling in courses Free for students Up to two hours a week, per subject TUTORING

Ongoing communication with students Communication with faculty and staff regarding the RFI’s SSS reaches out to the academic departments and shows them the results COMMUNICATION

YearFall AWWinter AP% of students progressed to AP % % % % ACADEMIC STANDING PROGRESSION Winter 2013 – WCS Network launched Spring 2013 – Academic Warning/Probation Interventions began compared to saw a 5.51% (77 students) decrease in students who progressed from AW to AP. In , we saw a 1.51% increase of this same number, to be discussed in limitations.

AW-AP-AS Timeline – When we make contact Time necessary to manage software system Staffing Student Motivation LIMITATIONS

Program expansion across campus Hire a second Student Success Specialist Mandatory sessions for students on Academic Probation Mandate required advising for conditionally admitted students. Continue assessment to determine which interventions are the most effective Add short videos to WCS Additional quantitative analysis of student performance and academic standing. NEXT STEPS

Admission – Students admitted via committee review – assigned student success advisor Early Alert – Faculty referral system Warning Holds – Workshop or face-to-face meetings for students on warning Probation Holds – Face-to-face meeting Academic Suspension – Mandatory time off – Upon return, mandated student success course THE FULL MODEL

There are no insignificant conversations. Dr. Larry Roper FINAL THOUGHTS

Habley, W. R. (1994).Key Concepts in Academic Advising. In Summer Institute on Academic Advising Session Guide(p.10). Available from the National Academic Advising Association,Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS. Keeling, S. (2003). Advising the Millennial Generation. NACADA Journal23 (1&2) pp Miller, M.A. & Murray, C. (2005).Advising academically underprepared students. Retrieved from NACADA Clearinghouse of Academic Advising Resources Web Site: Articles/Academically-un Articles/Academically-un Tinto, V. (1975). Dropouts from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent literature. A Review of Educational Research, 45, Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the first year of college. NACADA Journal, 19(2), 5-9. Tritelli, David. (Winter 2003) From the Editor. Association of American Colleges and Universities Peer Review. Retrieved fromhttp:// RESOURCES