1. A Four-Pronged Action Plan for Retention: Successes and Challenges
Pace University Retention Conference June 16, 2017
A Four-Pronged Action Plan for Retention: Successes and Challenges
Edward Callen
Professor and Chair, Psychology Department
University of South Carolina Aiken

2. University of South Carolina Aiken
Senior comprehensive university in South Carolina system
COPLAC Member Institution
#1 for Public Regional Comprehensive Universities in the South by U.S. News and World Report.
Undergraduate degrees and few graduate degrees
Fall 2016 Enrollment: 3548
40% first-generation

3. 2013 Campus Strategic Planning Process
2013 Campus Strategic Planning Process Action Item: Retain, progress and graduate a greater percentage of students
Retention, Progression, and Graduation Committee:
Addressing high DFW rates (particularly those that impact large numbers of students).
Evaluating the purpose and educational goals of placement testing and its effectiveness in identifying academic readiness for various courses.
Ensuring that early intervention initiatives are having a positive impact in a way that is cost and work load effective (e.g., academic services for students, diagnostics, reporting processes).
Improving academic advising processes and approaches.

4. DFW rates

5. Potential Factors Impacting High DFW Rates
Course structure/design/instructor
Is the method of instruction appropriate and the most effective one for the course?
Is the length of class periods appropriate for the subject matter? Should the course meeting times be shortened or lengthened for better success?
Are there additional course delivery methods that can assist certain low- performing or at-risk students in the course, such as supplemental lab course requirements, online web assistance/training, supplemental course materials?
Does the structure of the course provide adequate feedback and assessment to the student (i.e., frequency of grades/written assignments) regarding his or her performance prior to midterm grade reporting and/or the withdrawal date?
Are there mechanisms and/or strategies in place in the course for intervention with students that are performing at the “DF” level?

6. Potential Factors Impacting High DFW Rates
Inadequate preparation in subject matter
If there is a placement test, is it accurately assessing knowledge necessary for that particular course? Are there courses that do not have a placement test or diagnostic tool that would benefit from one?
Are prerequisite courses adequately preparing students for that particular course? Should new/additional prerequisites be required?
Is the course listed at the correct level (i.e., is it a 100-level course that should not be taken by freshmen)? Independent of the course number, is the course one that certain students or majors would be more successful in it if not taken until the second semester or second year?
Other factors
Does the time in their college career that the student takes the course impact their success (i.e. first semester vs. later)?
Are there course combinations that lead to lack of success (i.e. taking courses in certain disciplines at the same time)?

7. Initial Actions Taken
Attendance reports during first six weeks, follow up Contact by a counselor in Center for Student Achievement
100, 200 level course midterm grades
Changed the Withdrawal date, two weeks after midterm

8. Recommendations (* In Progress)
All academic units should include, in the annual program review reports, what the unit has done to address retention and progression of students in the unit’s program, particularly in courses with high DFW rates. *
Consider whether or not to “flag” courses with DFW rates that exceed some particular threshold.
Units should evaluate their courses to determine which courses are most appropriate for students to take in the freshman year. *
If a unit decides that a course is not suitable for freshmen, a suggestion about when that particular course should be taken should be provided.
This information should be clearly communicated by the Office of Academic Affairs and readily available to all advisors/units.
If a course has a lot of writing and reading, would this course be more effective for the student if taken after ENGL 101?

9. Recommendations (* In Progress)
It is recommended that an alternative to the math placement test be implemented.
Equation that considers overall high school GPA, most recent math courses completed in high school, and national scores on either the SAT or ACT. *
If a math placement test remains in place, it is recommended that our university do more to help students prepare for this test. *
Preparation: practice exams, suggestions to students on areas to focus on, tutorials, and refreshers.
There should be an increase in the number of full-time instructors who are able to teach basic math courses. *
Increased placement of students into the beginning 101 language courses even if they have had some of that language in high school is a positive approach that is increasing student success, as reflected in improving DFW rates for the language courses.
It appears that students who tend to wait and take their language courses after the freshmen year are more successful.

10. Recommendations (* In Progress)
Develop clear organizational advisement structure; consider investing in professional advisors; improve overall communication *
Develop an effective early warning system
Provide academic advisors and unit heads a semester by semester overall report of GPAs of students, with those at risk for any factors identified by risk factor
Implement a formal Hold on classes so that students cannot withdraw from a class without the advisor removing the hold after meeting and guidance
Identify students who hold Life and Hope scholarships and are at GPA for risk of losing the scholarship early enough to provide intervention, perhaps with Fall GPA run
Have all unit heads review all courses in their curricula and identify which level the courses are appropriate for non-majors, either through academic standing, prerequisites, or semester *
Have programmatically-produced reports of any GPA drop in two successive semesters (e.g., murky middle findings)
Have all degree programs develop a Major Map for the major to serve as a guide to course sequencing, high impact practices, extracurricular opportunities, capstone and other options, as well as career options/outcomes
Develop a Major Mentor program, where seniors in a major are paired with freshman as their mentor
Examine possible ways to modify the USC Aiken app to include automatic links to various support services, faculty, staff, advisors, etc.

11. Course Design and Redesign Alternatives to Algebra

12. Course Design and Redesign Psychology Statistics Course Redesign
Graduate student coaching model
Lectures and Friday Lab classes
Applied data activities

13. Student Support Resources – General Programs
First-Year Mentoring: a program for first-semester students to help them acclimate to the university. It focuses on social development and learning about resources. New students are paired with upper-class students for the semester for regular meetings and activities.
Compass Leadership program: a program for juniors and seniors to be paired with professionals in our community to learn more about the they might be interested in and what they need to work on.
The ACE Club (specific to first-generation students): The purpose of the ACE Club is to promote the retention and graduation of first-generation college students by providing academic, social, and cultural support and awareness of opportunities while in and beyond college.
First PACE: cohort support for provisionally admitted students. This program includes additional support services for students, such as tutoring, intrusive advising, and mentoring.
Summer PACE program: a summer program designed to prepare some students for college life. A summer program over a couple days, during which we have Math and English workshops; discuss advisement and address concerns students may have; students get to meet faculty and ask questions, etc.
All Subject Tutoring: provide tutoring services to all students across campus in all subjects except: Math tutoring goes through the Math Department and Math Lab; Writing help goes through the English department and Writing Room.

14. Student Support Resources New Center for Student Achievement
New location in university library
Two Psychology graduate students as counselors
Changes of majors/advisors are processed through office
Academic consultations for students who need additional support in non-course specific areas (time management, study skills, test-taking tips, picking a major, etc.)
Workshops on those same non-course specific topics as well as workshops on priority registration
“Thrive Guide” contains important information about university office and contacts and answer new students’ most frequently asked questions.
Process the attendance reports and early warning forms.
Tutoring Services

15. Initial Results

17. Retention Improvements
First-Year to Second-Year Retention
2011 – 68% %
2013 – 66%
2014 – 72%
2015 – 72%
Total All Students Year to Year Retention Change
– 3.3% increase
– 3.4% increase

18. First Generation Student Initiatives
New First Generation Committee of faculty, staff, students
First Pace Club
First Generation Student Retention % % %

19. Future Directions
Focus on progression rates and retention rates from the second, third, and fourth years
Focus on high-impact teaching practices
Issues dealing with the murky middle students
Examine successful students
What made them successful? Extra-curricular activities, participation in student life, tutoring, etc.
Possible to incorporate measures into senior exit surveys to gauge participation in those types of activities
Track a cohort of incoming freshman and use time series analysis to see how campus participation changes over the years and how that affects RPG measures

20. Further information or questions?