Meeting the Needs of 21st Century Students ICUTAbilene Christian University Bart Herridge, Dean of...

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Independent Colleges & UNIVERSITIES OF TEXAS

Meeting the Needs of 21st Century Studentsat Texas Private Colleges and Universities

BY DWUANA BRADLEYFALL 2016

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The author would like to thank those who took time to participate in the process for gathering and sharing the practices reported in this compendium of retention practices. Special thanks and acknowledgments to Ray Martinez III, President, Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT); Lois Hollis, Director, ICUT Foundation; Wendy Erisman, Owner, Strix Research LLC; and Ray Grasshoff, Editorial Consultant, for their assistance in coordinating and building this body of work. And a sincere thanks to the following administrative personnel for their participation on behalf of their respective ICUT partner institutions:

Abilene Christian University Bart Herridge, Dean of Student Services & Retention [email protected]

Austin College Dr. Sheila Pineres, Vice President of Academic Affairs [email protected]

Concordia University Texas Ruth Cooper, Director of Success Center [email protected]

East Texas Baptist University Kelley Paul, Director of Student Success [email protected]

Hardin-Simmons University Stacey Martin, Associate Dean for Student Engagement [email protected]

Howard Payne University Wendy McNeeley, Dean of Advising and General Education [email protected]

Lubbock Christian University Yvonne Harwood, Assistant Director of Center for Student Success [email protected]

Rice University Jessica Bowers Chukwu, Assistant Director, Student Success Initiatives [email protected]

Texas Wesleyan Chadd Bridwell, Assistant Vice Provost of Enrollment Management [email protected]

Schreiner University Candice Scott, Dean of Student Success [email protected]

Southern Methodist University Ebonii Nelson, Assistant Director of Student Success [email protected]

Southwestern Adventist University Amy Rosenthal, Vice President for Academic Administration [email protected]

St. Edward’s University Nicole Trevino, Associate VP Student Academic Support Services [email protected]

St. Mary’s University Rosalind Alderman, Assistant Vice President of Retention Management [email protected]

University of Mary Hardin-Baylor Katie Bonner, Director, Center for Academic Excellence [email protected]

University of the Incarnate Word Sandy McMakin, Dean of Student Success [email protected]

This project was supported in part by the Council for Independent Colleges and the Meadows Foundation.

Acknowledgments

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OVERVIEW AND MAJOR THEMES 2Overview 3What’s Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander 4The Value of Leadership 5All Hands on Deck 6To Label or Not to Label 7The Mentorship Component 8Intrusive Academic Advising 9Academic Early-alert Software 10Data-informed Decision-making 11Conclusion 12INSTITUTIONAL PROFILES 13Abilene Christian University 14Austin College 15Concordia University-Texas 16East Texas Baptist University 17Hardin-Simmons University 18Howard Payne University 19Lubbock Christian University 20Rice University 21Schreiner University 22Southern Methodist University 23Southwestern Adventist University 24St. Edward’s University 25St. Mary’s University 26Texas Wesleyan University 27University of Mary Hardin-Baylor 28University of the Incarnate Word 29

Contents

Overview and Major Themes

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Across the landscape of higher education, institutions are investing in new initiatives that can help them better serve the low-income, minority and first-generation students who represent an important part of the 21st Century student population. Improving retention and completion by students of color, low-income students, and first-generation college students is one of the greatest challenges in higher education today. These students bring diversity of background, experience, and perspective to colleges and universities, but may lack knowledge about higher education and the resources available to them on college campuses. Academic and student affairs professionals at private colleges and universities across Texas engage continually in efforts to address the significant systemic barriers facing these students in terms of cost, academic advising, mentoring, cultural climate, and more. To support administrators in their efforts, Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas (ICUT) Inc., through its Foundation, has compiled this report on retention and student success strategies used by member institutions.

This report identifies promising practices implemented to increase student retention rates for low-income students, first-generation students, and students of color at 16 ICUT member institutions. Topics addressed in the report include the circumstances from which these retention and completion initiatives emerged, the organizational structures that house them, the administrators, staff, and volunteers who support them, the challenges faced as the initiatives were implemented, the steps taken to overcome those challenges, and next steps in supporting underrepresented, lower-income, and/or first-generation students at these Texas colleges and universities. The 16 selected institutions are those that participated in ICUT’s Fall 2015 Statewide Workshop & Collaboration Conference, and information about their efforts was gathered through a series of interviews with mid-to upper-level administrators. Profiles for each participating institution make up the final portion of this compendium.

Overview

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Many participating colleges and universities focused primarily on increasing retention and completion for all of their students, rather than focusing on income status, first-generation status, or ethnic background exclusively. In fact, most administrators who participated in this study acknowledged that their programs are reaching low-income students, students of color, and first-generation college students but are open to all students in need of support services. Moreover, even when efforts were initially designed to serve these populations, the programs were so successful that they were expanded to serve all students.

For example, all incoming students at Lubbock Christian University (LCU) will be encouraged to participate in the Student Mentoring Program. According to institutional research, participating LCU students are retained at higher rates and remain on academic probation for shorter periods than their peers, indicating the need to expand these services. Another example is at Abilene Christian University, which opened its At-Risk Mentoring Program to all incoming freshmen, increasing participation from 75 to 250 students since implementation. Because the program increased male retention by 10% and Latino and Black student retention by 5%, the effort might be expanded to serve upperclassmen on academic probation. Similarly, the University of the Incarnate Word is expanding its Attendance Is a Must (AIM) Program, which was originally aimed at improving freshmen-to-sophomore retention rates, to support all students in an effort to address completion in addition to retention rates. This trend indicates an important paradigm shift from a philosophy that presumes all students should struggle equally despite background differences, to a philosophy that presumes all students should be supported equally.

What’s Good for the Goose is Good for the Gander

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Visionary leadership is crucial to program success, according to administrators who were interviewed. They emphasized the positive impact of support from a senior-level administrator, such as the provost or president. These leaders were credited with providing vision across the institution about the importance of increasing retention and completion by meeting the goals set forth by the highlighted initiatives in this report. The provost at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor exemplified such leadership by writing into faculty contracts a requirement supporting the university’s Opportunity Program. Faculty members must submit student progress notifications through the program’s academic early-alert software. On average, this requirement has generated a 90% response rate by faculty members reporting the progress of Opportunity scholars in previous semesters.

Indeed, many of the leaders of the 16 highlighted initiatives were high-ranking administrators in their own right (two vice-presidents, one assistant vice-president, one associate vice-president, one assistant vice-provost, five deans, two directors, and three assistant directors), indicating the importance of top administrators’ support for the success of retention and completion programs. As studies of organizational behavior generally support, the involvement of these powerful individuals serves a political and symbolic function in the success of these programs.

The Value ofLeadership

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Research and years of practice indicate that the involvement of many campus partners is required to ensure that student retention and completion goals are met. This pattern holds true for the ICUT institutions profiled in this report. Without the buy-in of multiple campus partners, many of the administrators interviewed admitted that these programs would not be effective and/or could not be implemented on their current scale. The retention programs highlighted here, with one exception, are housed in academic affairs offices. However, it is common for these academic-centered initiatives to cross the divide into student affairs, garnering the support of student affairs personnel and high-ranking student affairs administrators. In addition, these institutions regularly use counseling services, residential life, athletics, and other student life organizations to better connect with the students served. The University of the Incarnate Word’s up and coming program Primero, which will connect every student with a faculty mentor, advising mentor, business office mentor, financial aid mentor, and potentially a residential life mentor, is one example of the depth and breadth of the highlighted initiatives.

In addition, religiously affiliated institutions—East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) and Hardin-Simmons University (HSU), in particular—see the affiliated mentors, faculty, and advisors of their initiatives integrating their own faith and spirituality into the services provided. “It is not uncommon for these [academic] meetings to end in prayer for a student,” reported an ETBU administrator. The success of this holistic approach at ETBU and HSU is not an anomaly. In fact, the success of services that support the “whole student” as a complex individual, as opposed to an individual with compartmentalized identities, is well-documented in relevant studies.

All Hands on Deck

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A common theme throughout the interviews was the question of whether to explicitly identify students as “at-risk” or somehow “disadvantaged” based on back-ground factors or college readiness. While many of the highlighted programs use data analysis tools to predict a student’s chances of persistence, administrators showed a tendency to offer or mandate services for these students without expressly classifying the students as at-risk, when possible. Some initiatives, however, required academically underprepared students to participate in student success services as a component of their conditional acceptance or re-enrollment. In these situations, it was deemed imperative to co-construct a positive mindset with participating students and reframe deficit mindsets across campus regarding what it means to be a participant in one of the profiled student success programs. In fact, this notion is believed to be especially important at elite institutions such as Rice University, which places students in its Rice Firsts Program based on self-identification as first-generation, rather than on evidence of inadequate academic preparation.

Extending services to all of the incoming student body, when feasible, also seems to help institutions avoid the danger of alienating and stigmatizing students who receive academic probation support services. For example, Concordia University decided to no longer alert students that they are admitted on a probationary status. The institution also expanded its services to all incoming students, acknowledging that they all face some transitional challenges as they navigate a new environment and new expectations upon arrival to college. By allowing students who are not expected to need support to opt out of services, rather than excluding them, the institution intends to send the message that seeking campus resources and support is an intelligent student behavior and encouraged, thus improving the perception of support services on campus.

To Label or Not to Label

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Studies show that students of color and those coming from first-generation college or low-income backgrounds benefit greatly from mentors who can help them to acquire knowledge about higher education processes and the resources available to them on college campuses. Many of the highlighted initiatives emphasize mentorship, which allows administrators to connect students to trained peers, near-peers, and alumni who can guide them and become role models for college completion and general success. St. Mary’s Faculty Academic Mentoring (FAM) program, for example, provides student mentors with peer mentor training, includes them in the program’s annual bonding retreat, and connects them to incoming students to offer an added layer of support to their student success model.

Mentor-mentee relationships between peers not only serve incoming students but also create development, service, and internship opportunities for continuing students. Furthermore, peer and near-peer mentorship opportunities potentially create legacy and institutional commitment among a subgroup of students who might otherwise find themselves alienated and disengaged during their time at the institution and beyond. St. Edward’s University College Assistant Migrant Program participants show considerable commitment to the campus and new generations of scholars after graduating, returning to offer advice and mentoring to students who follow them. Similarly, Lubbock Christian University’s (LCU) Student Mentor Program employs two mentors who are not only LCU alumni, but also alumni of the highlighted mentoring program. Building this network of service-oriented leaders creates alumni who are connected and invested in the university, and has the potential to generate feelings of benevolence and good will among graduates once they move into careers beyond the university.

The MentorshipComponent

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Several administrators described critical advising practices involving multiple campus partners, weekly check-ins, mandatory academic planning and tutoring support, and supplemental instruction. Scholarly evidence and practice support the idea that incoming students simply do not know what they do not know and generally do not participate in optional support learning services. As a result, administrators must find more proactive ways to advise students who initially fail to recognize their own potential or who have yet to gain the intrinsic motivation and/or maturity needed to take full advantage of the services offered. More than one administrator, for example, recalled working in tandem with residence hall staff to locate a less-than-engaged student who was not responsive to the general team of advisors and support staff. Two other institutions reported communicating with parents as a final step, recognizing that parental pressure might influence some students.

This intrusive approach to advising is often vital to meet the needs of today’s changing student demographic. To their detriment, many students experience either an extreme deficit or an extreme excess of parental involvement in their educational success prior to arriving to college. However, it is also evident to administrators that as students develop higher levels of maturity and self accountability, intrusive advising approaches must be scaled back. Some administrators described intrusive advising techniques that were individualized based on a student’s needs as evaluated through intake processes. Others described techniques strategically designed to taper off by semester as students progressed academically. For example, the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor requires all students admitted with scores below the university’s standards to complete a year in the Opportunity Program and advisement through the Center for Academic Success. These students are not allowed to declare a major and move into less-intensive departmental advising until their sophomore year, after they are determined to be college-ready. However, students admitted without meeting admissions standards, but who have significant college credit, can be granted approval to declare a major and be released to a major-specific advisor before completing the standard yearlong commitment required of the typical Opportunity scholar.

Intrusive Academic Advising

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Several administrators identified academic early-alert software as a valuable tool for engaging faculty, advisors, and academic deans in efforts to determine which students need support services. Administrators working with budgetary constraints are often resourceful, sometimes finding ways to use early-alert systems already in place and paid for by other departments or offices, such as tutoring centers or academic advising units. However, administrators at Austin College, as they worked to revamp their retention processes, and at Howard Payne University, as they implemented their Early Alert Program, found that early-alert intervention must be strategically timed. Applied too early in the semester, this tool merely captures early withdrawals, rather than missed classes or poor marks in a class students intend to complete. On the other hand, intervention too late in the semester reduces the window of time needed for a student to reverse poor habits and succeed in a course. Beyond timing, one administrator pointed out the need for early-alert software to be user-friendly enough that campus partners (ex. faculty, coaches, student organization advisors, and others) will use it but comprehensive enough that important trends and student data is efficiently and effectively captured.

Early-alert

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All of the administrators interviewed noted the frequent use of data to inform the mission and goals of the highlighted initiatives, determine the selection criteria, and/or assess the outcomes and success of the population served. This information was also commonly used as leverage to garner support among faculty or staff who might fail to recognize the significance of particular programs. Considerations of campus culture, student demographics, and students’ academic readiness were also noted as crucial to the success of building data-informed initiatives. There was a general consensus that administrators should use data to inform and guide strategic planning while simultaneously creating opportunities for flexibility and organic development based on the needs of students, faculty, and staff.

In particular, administrators from Austin College and the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor noted the importance of refining processes and implementing initiatives that are “data-informed, rather than data-driven.” While data trends may be able to spotlight areas of success or areas for growth, they cannot indicate the appropriate changes necessary to rectify an issue, especially when that issue affects a student’s life opportunities or the livelihoods of faculty and staff on campus. As another administrator put it, “While it is important, it is just data. It is not real life.” Administrators must find an appropriate balance between the narratives illustrated by data and the solutions in response to that data, which are unique to each institution.

Data-informedDecision-making

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Based on research and proven best practices, it is clear that accountability initiatives, early-academic-alert structures, intrusive advising practices, peer/near-peer advising programs, as well as efforts connecting students of color and first-generation college students to alumni, faculty and/or staff who can serve as mentors and role models, improve student persistence and degree attainment in college. The experiences of administrators at the institutions high-lighted in this compendium show that increasing support services for all students, campus-wide approaches to increasing retention and reducing stigmatization, and making data-informed decisions have real impact on the retention and completion rates of underrepresented students and students lacking adequate academic preparation. The institutional profiles on the following pages describe in more detail the processes, challenges, and outcomes associated with the specific campus initiatives.

Conclusion

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Institutional Profiles

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INITIATIVE: Academic At-Risk Mentoring YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: 200-250 freshmen—with an emphasis on academically at-risk students, students of color, first-generation-college students, and low-income students, though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groups LEADERSHIP: The Dean of Student Services and Retention with support from the Director of Residential Life, Director of Early Alert Programs, and Vice President for Student Life

PROGRAM OVERVIEWRetention data from the past six to seven years are used to predict the type of freshman student who may be at risk of attrition. Students admitted to special programs, scholarship programs, or other learning communities are routinely excluded. An individual connects with targeted students within the first two weeks of classes. The mentor follows up with each student weekly, and sometimes more frequently, depending on the student’s needs. The goal is to pair the student with campus resources he or she may be unaware of to ensure success. The initiative works in tandem with residential hall directors and advisors to serve the target audience. The program is now widely integrated throughout all facets of the university and continues to grow and change each year.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe initial goal of these efforts was to improve freshman-to-sophomore retention by better addressing the needs of a rapidly changing student body. This program grew from an isolated unit, functioning out of a single office, to an initiative that now engages both student and academic affairs personnel across campus. Enrollment in the program has grown from 75 students to approximately 250 students. The program has led the university towards a more cohesive attitude and effort in working on retention and completion goals. Based on the gains made through the Academic At-Risk Mentoring Initiative, the newly modified strategic plan now challenges the institution to grow from its 15-year average of 70-75% freshman-to-sophomore retention to an 80% average over the next five years. So far, administrators have reduced their reliance on student mentors, and the mentor to mentee ratio between faculty/staff and student mentees has also been reduced. Moreover, expanding the program has called for thefine-tuning of position descriptions and training agendas, as well as the hiring of new personnel. The program relies on residential life directors and hires from a diverse array of backgrounds, including from the nonprofit student support program Communities in Schools, to fill mentor positions in ways that work with the philosophy of the program. This philosophy is: “If we are approaching students the right way and helping them to be successful, then retention is the measurement of that. It is not really the goal.”

OUTCOMESFreshman-to-sophomore retention, students’ engagement in activities, and students’ likelihood to access resources are the greatest indicators of success for this program. Retention is climbing within particular subgroups: retention of male students increased almost 10% since the program began and retention of Hispanic and African-American students is up 5%. Overall, students involved in this initiative are more engaged in student activities and more likely to access student resources than their peers.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREThere is considerable discussion about expanding these efforts to reach every incoming freshman by connecting them to a peer, near-peer, or faculty mentor. In the future, this program will reach beyond first-year students to target at-risk upperclassmen. In addition, the program will move beyond predictive data modeling based on background factors and incoming test scores. The plan is to isolate keystone courses by academic program to enable mentors to use those missed opportunities as intervention points.

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“If we are approaching students the right way and helping them to be successful, then retention is the measurement of that. It is not really the goal.”

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INITIATIVE: Early Alert, Improved Feedback Loop YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: Approximately 1,300 students per year—with an emphasis on students of color (40%), first-generation college students (25-30%), and Pell Grant-eligible students (30%), though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: The Office of the Registrar, Academic Standing Committee, Curriculum Committee, Faculty Advising, Student Affairs, and the Vice President of Academic Affairs/Dean of Faculty

PROGRAM OVERVIEWAustin College implemented two new initiatives to increase retention. The first is an expanded early-alert program that collects, in a single site, information about student progress from a variety of sources, including professors, academic mentors, coaches, and student life staff. Information is collected at key points in the academic year, including early in the academic semester and then again at mid-semester. The Dean of Faculty and the Vice-President for Academic Affairs review this information and target interventions as needed. To improve the feedback loop to students, Austin College has modified the ways it measures and reports academic progress. It found, for example, that first-year students were interpreting academic probation (an official status indicating that a GPA had dipped below 2.0) as a sign that further academic progress was not possible. The institution revised the way it calculates academic probation to recognize that difficulties in the first and second semester are normal and, with proper intervention, entirely manageable. This is especially true for students from under-represented backgrounds who often have significant transition challenges. Under the new policy, academic probation is not triggered unless the GPA drops below 1.5 in the first semester, 1.7 in the second semester, or 1.9 in the third semester. The second initiative involved improvements in processes to give students and their academic advisors and mentors clearer information about academic progress. This included creating clear degree checklists, transitioning to an online system that can be accessed 24/7, and providing faculty mentors with reports about degree progress for their student mentees.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHA new electronic workflow system will increase transparency and accountability for processing documents related to student retention, such as petitions. Additionally, faculty advisors serving graduating seniors will meet with senior-level administrators to centralize efforts and create cohesive guidance to ensure students meet graduation requirements. Gathering appropriate and relevant data to educate campus partners and support the efforts proved challenging but worthy of the effort to make this initiative a success.

OUTCOMESRetention and graduation rates have increased. Stop-out rates have decreased. The number of students on probation has fallen. There are increases in the number of students retained each semester and performing better academically as they continue. In 2018, the first class to attend under these new processes will show the true impact of these comprehensive efforts. Although its four-year graduation rate (in the high 70% range) and freshman-to-sophomore retention rates (approximately 86%) compare favorably with many public and private institutions in Texas, Austin College continues to seek improvement.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREComprehensive student advising, to include benchmark road-mapping related to experiential learning activities, is the next foreseeable initiative to be implemented on a large scale at Austin College. This new initiative will empower students to integrate their co-curricular experiences and skills into their academic degree plans and begin planning for important milestones as they pursue a liberal arts education. Students will be provided individualized and comprehensive advising about when to take advantage of an internship, a study abroad experience, or a similar pursuit.

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“Its four-year graduation rate (in the high 70% range) and freshman-to-sophomore retention rates (approximately 86%) compare favorably with many public and private institutions in Texas, Austin College continues to seek improvement”.

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INITIATIVE: College Forward Mentoring Agreement YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: 182 freshman and transfer students —with an emphasis on provisionally admitted students, students of color, first-generation college students, and Pell-eligible studentsLEADERSHIP: The Student Central Director, Director of the Student Success Center, Office of Disabilities, Counseling Center, and Dean of Student Services in collaboration with College Forward

PROGRAM OVERVIEWConcordia University-Texas (CTX) is in the first year of a three-year programmatic partnership with College Forward (COFO)—a nonprofit organization that seeks to increase college attainment and success among disadvantaged students. COFO has partnered with CTX to build momentum and offer modeling for the institution to address retention. Two full-time COFO near-peer mentors meet with students to provide guidance in five key areas: (1) academic success, (2) affordability of college, (3) personal finance, (4) engagement, and (5) long-term/life goals. In fall, COFO mentors emphasize registration for spring enrollment, and in spring, FAFSA completion for the following academic school year. As part of Student Central, the university’s one-stop-shop for student financial and registration issues, the mentors work out of a centralized office on campus, making themselves accessible to students daily. Through the early-alert system used on campus, mentors are provided individualized updates regarding the academic progress of students served. Of the 182 participating students, 57 were provisional admits in Fall 2016. These 57students were required to take a semester-long scholarship-development course. Each COFO mentor was assigned to assist in the execution of the course and made contact with these provisional admits through this avenue.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHAs the partnership with COFO winds down in year three, intensive college coaching will be integrated into the student experience at CTX. At that time, CTX anticipates employing graduate assistants as near-peer mentors.

OUTCOMESCTX and COFO will work with a third-party evaluator who will assess student success in the program. Success will be based on the number of students who successfully re-enroll from the fall to spring semester and from the freshman to sophomore year.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURECTX is considering discontinuing the mandatory scholarship-development course and replacing it with a broader voluntary program, which will serve a smaller number of students and take place over the course of a full academic year rather than a single semester. The skills and resources offered in the course (faculty/staff mentorship, study/time management skills, and speaker series) will provide incentives for students to participate. Students can also look forward to the added bonus of a $2,000 scholarship award upon completion. In an effort to reduce the stigmatizing effect of labeling students as underprepared, students will no longer be told that they are being admitted to the university on a provisionary basis. Contingent upon these changes, the scholarship-development course will no longer be a mandated condition of student’s provisionary admission contract. Students who continue as mentors will continue to receive the $1,000 tuition reduction. These changes will increase the programmatic focus on relationship building and provide support to those students who want and need it.

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“In an effort to reduce the stigmatizing effect of labeling students as underprepared, students will no longer be told that they are being admitted to the university on a provisionary basis.”

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INITIATIVE: Academic Coaching YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: 200 freshmen and probationary continuing students—primarily in service to students of color, first-generation college students, and student athletes, though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: The Director of Student Success, Coordinator of Academic Support & Testing and two graduate assistants with the support of the Assistant Vice-Provost and Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWIn line with the mission of East Texas Baptist University (ETBU) to provide a Christ-centered, personalized college experience, ETBU implemented an intentional and structured academic coaching model to support retention and completion. Students are paired with a faculty or staff mentor and tasked with a weekly meeting for academic advising that goes beyond discipline-specific tutoring. Faculty mentors and students work together to determine best times and places to connect. Students bring with them a task sheet and are guided through weekly planning to create a safe space of accountability. Grades and attendance are assessed weekly. During these meetings, students are taught how to engage with faculty members and how to practice appropriate time management. Students are also encouraged to connect with faculty, tutoring, writing, and other services. At times, students may be referred to counseling services or Residence Life staff when issues in their personal lives are revealed in these sessions. It is not uncommon for these sessions to end in prayer for a student.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHOne opportunity for growth has been finding ways to better integrate Residential Life into this work. The staff already helps the academic coaches locate students of concern who stop coming to meetings on their own. Though Residential Life’s efforts are critical in assisting with accountability, there are more opportunities for partnership. In another vein, the program is so successful that more and more of the university’s athletic coaches are interested in mandating that their student athletes take advantage of the support offered through this initiative. With athletes making up 40% of the student body, ETBU anticipates the need to grow the academic coaching staff or provide more intensive training to coaches and other campus partners to strategically expand the initiative. Based on concerns that peer mentors lacked the capacity or authority to implement intrusive advising, which has proven to be crucial in the success of the program, peer and near-peer mentors will no longer serve as academic accountability mentors, but will continue to serve as tutors and supplemental instruction leaders.

OUTCOMESOf students participating based on probationary academic standing, significantly fewer remain on probationary status for consecutive semesters. These students improve their GPAs from the interventions offered and move back into good academic standing. Anecdotally, after learning about the resources on campus and learning study skills through this initiative, one provisionary student has been on the Dean’s Honors list every semester and is now positioned to graduate; another provisionary admit—a student athlete—has one of the highest GPAs among his teammates after participating. Overall, athletic teams with students mandated to participate in these services report higher GPA averages in the semesters in which they partnered with those managing the academic coaching initiative.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREIn addition to continuing the academic coaching initiative, this is the first year that ETBU will have supplemental instruction sections for Anatomy/Physiology and Micro Economics. These are major entry-level courses for Nursing and Kinesiology majors and Business majors, respectively, which see the largest enrollment numbers each fall. In targeting students struggling in these gateway courses, ETBU anticipates supporting a large number of students who may otherwise be at risk of attrition due to poor academic standing.

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“ETBU implemented an intentional and structured academic coaching model to support retention and completion.”

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INITIATIVE: Peer Mentoring Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2012POPULATION(S) SERVED: 75 freshmen—with an emphasis on academically at-risk students and students of color. Transitioning to all freshmen (approximately 400 students) in the next year.LEADERSHIP: Coordinator for Academic Support/Retention Initiatives, the Associate Dean for Student Engagement, and the Dean of General Education with the support of the Provost, Vice President for Student Affairs, and the university’s administrative council, which includes all Vice Presidents and the President

PROGRAM OVERVIEWDeveloped with an initial three-year grant, Hardin-Simmons has connected students known to be at risk of attrition to peer mentors for the past four years. Students are grouped into “stampedes” totaling 7 to 10 freshmen and two mentors. Students meet monthly for “hot topic” discussions, and first-year seminar courses are taught by faculty members on topics such as academic advising, guidance on transitioning to college, and engagement opportunities. Students also receive spiritual encouragement through the faith-based components of the seminars and group activities.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHIn the coming year, this initiative will be expanded to serve all incoming freshmen. This decision was made in part to eliminate the stigmatizing effect of singling out a small percentage of students as underprepared or ill-fitting in some way. Moreover, in previous years, students served through this initiative were retained at a rate approximately 10 percentage points higher than their peers, indicating a missed opportunity to better serve the entire student body. Along with this transition, student mentors and an additional non-faculty staff member will be integrated into the seminar classes and tied to each stampede, offering students more opportunities to find a connection. Additionally, upon approval, the program will move away from its current mandated nature to an optional support program.

OUTCOMESIn its fourth year, this initiative has greatly improved retention at Hardin-Simmons. At the onset of the initiative, the university’s freshman-to-sophomore retention rate was in the 60-65% range. At this point, the overall retention rate is on the cusp of 70%. The most significant gains are particularly related to the success found in retaining the students participating in this initiative; these students are retained at rates between 80-85%.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREIn future years, peer mentors will act in an advocacy capacity by connecting students to early-alert intervention resources. The university will increase the number of participating students by piloting 6-13 new freshman seminar courses in 2016-2017, and is anticipating that all incoming freshmen will enroll in a freshman seminar for 2017-18. Continued improvement in attendance, persistence, and graduation rates is anticipated.

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”In previous years, students served through this initiative were retained at a rate approximately 10 percentage points higher than their peers, indicating a missed opportunity to better serve the entire student body. “

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INITIATIVE: Early Alert Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2011POPULATION(S) SERVED: Approximately 200 students per year—with an emphasis on freshmen and sophomores LEADERSHIP: The Dean of Advising and General Education with the support of the Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWHoward Payne University serves its entire student body, on an as-needed basis, through the early-alert program it has in place. Professors identify struggling students based on academic progress, college readiness, attendance, and general performance in any course. Notifications are sent to the Dean of Advising and General Education, as well as support staff who interact regularly with that student—coaching staff, academic advisors, and student organization advisors. This degree of involvement among staff and faculty ensures that the student is well-supported and encouraged to get back on track before failure becomes inevitable. At the first notice, students receive an email communication from the dean encouraging the student to speak with the concerned faculty member and address any reported concerns related to their academic progress through university resources. This line of communication serves as a “wake-up call” for many students, rather than a punitive process, and helps them gain self-agency and exercise personal initiative in their academic success. This initiative is housed under the Collegium, which supports learners with disabilities, students admitted on a provisionary basis, and students identified through the early-alert system.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe greatest issue currently being addressed related to this initiative is finding the early-alert software that best fits Howard Payne University. Finding a program that is robust enough to eliminate unnecessary administrative work and simple enough that faculty and support staff will utilize it has proved to be a challenge. The institution moved from a web page form, to Grades First (an Advisory Board Company product) and finally to the early-alert component of Campus Connect (a Jenzabar Inc. product) to its newest software—Power Campus (an Ellucian LLP product). The Grades First software was not cost efficient and became “unwieldy,” Campus Connect was very useful but is being discontinued, and the current software, Power Campus, is not compatible with the initiative’s most-utilized processes. The university has formed a committee to resolve this issue.

OUTCOMESHoward Payne has an average year-to-year retention rate of 60% and a year-to-year retention goal of more than 70%. Data is captured annually to track the students reported through the early-alert system, the courses with which they are struggling, the grade at notification, and the final semester grade. Efforts are deemed successful when 50% of these students pass their courses at the end of the term. However, the ultimate goal of these efforts is an 80% rate. Data for this year’s success outcomes are forthcoming.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREThere is a desire to expand this program through an envisioned academic support hub and/or a more-specialized team to support struggling students. However, budgeting is a key factor in realizing this vision. At this time, Howard Payne is focused on finding early-alert software that works best for faculty, advisors, and administrative staff dedicated to supporting at-risk students through this retention initiative.

HOWARD PAYNE UNIVERSITY


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“Finding a program that is robust enough to eliminate unnecessary administrative work and simple enough that faculty and support staff will utilize it has proved to be a challenge.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Student Mentoring Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2008POPULATION(S) SERVED: Approximately 135-140 freshmen—with an emphasis on academically at-risk students, students of color, and first-generation-college students, though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: Center for Student Success, including Disability Services, Tutoring Services and the Mentoring Team, with the guidance and visionary support of the Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWLubbock Christian University (LCU) has five strategic priorities: 1) Christian Development, 2) Academic Excellence, 3) Deepening LCU’s Sense of Community, 4) Advancing LCU’s Reputation, and 5) Engaging the World Critically with a Christian Foundation. All LCU workshops and teachable moments are aligned with these priorities. The LCU Mentoring Initiative was developed to create opportunities for access and support for students who need it and to support faculty as they make an effort to support these students. Beyond that, it was developed to provide community and connection for students who might otherwise find it difficult to build a community at LCU and therefore find themselves at risk of attrition. The program is housed in the Center for Student Success in the Academic Affairs department and is primarily tasked to support each academic department. However, emotional and social gains are often observed as a result of the connections made between students and faculty through the support of this program.

The LCU Mentoring Initiative is implemented by three full-time staff mentors, one of whom is also a faculty member, and two graduate interns from LCU’s Behavioral Sciences Program. The mentors are former LCU students and former participants in the mentorship initiative themselves. Moreover, both are from underrepresented racial backgrounds, making them near-peer mentors who are genuinely able to identify with the students served. In the fall, students are paired with a mentor who connects with them through the process of enrolling at LCU after they have been admitted. These mentors provide a road map with information regarding buying books, completing the FAFSA, moving into the dorms, and related issues. Students meet their mentor for an intake process within the first two to three weeks of classes. Conditionally admitted students are automatically assigned to meet once weekly as mandated in their admissions contract, but meeting frequency varies for all other students. Each student is provided information about tutoring services, a free planner with study tips and goal planning exercises, general advice on adjusting to college life and academic planning, and other resources during these meetings.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe intake assessment, developed in-house through the LCU mentoring program, has been an area for signifcant growth. Once a substantially long document, it is now significantly more concise and a stronger tool for determining the level of intervention required to best serve students more personally. The assessment now evaluates students in five key categories: 1) Interview, 2) Goals and Objectives, 3) SAT/ACT Scores, 4) High School GPA, and 5) Student Classification. The evaluation is effective because it is conducted as a conversational interview. Moreover, it is paired with student exercises through which they articulate their goals and values as scholars. Beyond the assessment, the mentorship initiative is a crucible to building relationships between student and academic affairs personnel across campus.

OUTCOMESSuccess is assessed annually based on progress toward three goals: 1) at least 50% of students in good academic standing; 2) cumulative GPAs of at least 2.0; and 3) fall-to-spring retention rates of at least 50%.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURELCU is expanding this program and opening it up to all incoming students (freshman and transfer). Administrators will be rolling out two pilot freshman seminar courses in the coming year, and the developed curricula will be considered by executive administrators for all general freshman seminar instruction.

LUBBOCK CHRISTIAN UNIVERSITY


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“The LCU Mentoring Initiative was developed to create opportunities for access and support for students who need it and to support faculty as they make an effort tosupport these students.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Rice Firsts Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2014POPULATION(S) SERVED: 12 students, exclusively in service to first-generation college students LEADERSHIP: Assistant Director for Student Success Initiatives

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe Rice Firsts Program is a peer mentorship initiative to provide community to first-generation college students at Rice University. Data is obtained from the Office of Admissions to select all incoming freshman who self-identify as first-generation college students for participation in the program. Freshman applicants are then paired with upperclassmen who also self-identify as first-generation college students. Students are matched on similarities, such as hobbies, academic interests, or residential college. Six mentors participate in the Rice Firsts Program, allowing for a 2:1 mentee-to-mentor ratio. Mentors are expected to participate in a mandatory two-part training. Part one of the training provides an overview of the program and addresses expectations of mentors through role play. Part two offers mentors and mentees their first opportunity to meet and settle on an agreement of expectations for the following semester. Mentors and mentees are expected to meet at least once per week.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHIn 2014, the Rice Firsts Program served four students. A year later, the program served 12 students. Since the population of self-identified first-generation students at Rice University is about 10-11% (of a total of 4,000 students), the program is anticipated to grow in size and to promote more campus leadership in efforts to ensure the success of first-generation-college students. Through an in-house training program, the Assistant Director of Student Success Initiatives educates faculty and staff on those students’ needs as a way to better integrate faculty and staff into efforts to improve the success of these students at Rice.

OUTCOMESThe largest indicators of success for this initiative are the friendships and connections made through the development of relationships between the mentors and mentees. The program is not large enough at this time to have significant impact on the university’s overall retention. However, the relational element makes it worthwhile for all involved.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREBeyond efforts to integrate faculty and staff into the success of the Rice Firsts Program, there will be a strategic plan to increase the number of mentors as this program is expanded. To realize this vision, there is an opportunity to expand the pool of qualified mentors through collaboration with continuing first-generation students who express a genuine interest in supporting students from first-generation backgrounds.

RICE UNIVERSITY


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“The Rice Firsts Program is a peer mentorship initiative to provide community to first-generation college students at Rice University.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Title V Project YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: All students—with an emphasis on academically at-risk freshman, Latinos (38.8%), and males (51%), though not exclusive to these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: The Dean of Student Success, Director of the Advising and Career Development Center, Director of the Center for Digital Learning, and the Director of the Center for Teaching and Learning, with the support of the Provost’s Office

PROGRAM OVERVIEWAs a recently designated Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), Schreiner University was awarded Title V funding to support retention and completion efforts across the institution. The university initially sought this funding to address concerns about Schreiner’s retention and graduation rates, to improve services promoting academic excellence amongst the institution’s growing Latino student population, to enhance faculty development, and to create a new administrative position (Director for Institutional Research).

The Title V funds allowed Schreiner to create three support centers on campus—the Center for Advising and Career Development, the Center for Digital Learning, and the Center for Teaching and Learning. The funding has also allowed Schreiner to significantly increase the quality and quantity of student-led supplemental instruction sessions and peer-tutoring services. Every peer tutor and supplemental instruction leader receives special training and guidance from designated personnel to standardize instruction and maintain quality while incorporating student-to-student support into these services. Moreover, the funding allowed faculty to greatly improve their skills in online teaching and high-impact instructional practices. Through the efforts of the new Director for Institutional Research, Schreiner expects to identify successful and unsuccessful practices, increasing their efficiency and effectiveness through data-based decisions.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHSchreiner’s designation as an HSI provided the platform and funding to more strategically serve its Latino student population and changed the campus climate to one where Latino students are able to take pride in their heritage as an integrated component of their scholarly identity. This effort helps the university to create inclusive, non-stigmatizing learning communities and approach students holistically in advising and recruitment.

OUTCOMESPrior to receiving Title V funding, Schreiner had a 63% fall-to-fall retention rate. In 2014 and 2015, Schreiner’s fall-to-fall retention rate reached 71%, and 70%, respectively. Graduation rates are expected to increase as well when the first cohort of participating students reaches that point.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURESchreiner has implemented several student success programs as part of an effort called the Schreiner Experience. Those programs include Schreiner’s Purposeful Lives Initiative, which integrates service learning into the curriculum; its Meaningful Work Initiative, which covers work-study and internship opportunities; and the Changing Global Society Initiative, which is home to the university’s study-abroad experiences. Through those three initiatives, the Title V project, and other student support efforts, Schreiner expects significant improvement in retention and completion rates.

SCHREINER UNIVERSITY


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“This effort helps the university to create inclusive, non-stigmatizing learning communities and approach students holistically in advising and recruitment.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: The Rotunda Academic Scholars Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2008POPULATION(S) SERVED: 200 students (freshmen to senior)—with an emphasis on academically at-risk students, Black and Latino students, and first-generation college studentsLEADERSHIP: The Assistant Director for Student Success with the support of the Coordinator and Director of Student Success under the vision of the Assistant Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe Rotunda Academic Scholars Program selects students based on an assessment of academic credentials, described leadership roles, and participation in service. Additionally, the program includes students from the Dallas ISD Mustang Scholars Program and STEM Prep Program. Both programs are comprised primarily of students from low socioeconomic households and/or underrepresented backgrounds. The Rotunda Academic Scholars Program is a four-year program. The first year is focused on academic success and competence. It consists of weekly meetings with an advisor, study halls, a grade-checking system, monthly workshops, and peer mentorship. The second year, geared towards leadership, consists of leadership-oriented workshops and fewer mandatory study halls for students in academic good standing. Year 3 is service-centered, with students encouraged to give back within the organization, campus-wide, and to the surrounding community. Year 4 is about emergence and preparing students for life beyond the university: budgeting/finance support, graduate and career prep, resume and cover-letter building, and etiquette. This program, initiated to support a group of scholars who bring an element of diversity to Southern Methodist University, offers them the opportunity to build institutional commitment through mentorship and academic support.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHSince 2008, The Rotunda Academic Scholars Program has transitioned and grown. Originally, it was socially oriented and exclusively targeted students of color. After 2008, the program was no longer exclusive to students of color. In approximately 2012, administrators extended the program from a one-year initiative to a two-year initiative; it was further extended to serve students through their senior year in 2015. The transition from socially oriented to the social/academic hybrid today supports students in a more holistic fashion and addresses the continued retention issues facing this group. The addition of services into the second year was to address a “second-year” slump; the addition of support into the fourth year diminished the sense of abandonment among students as they pursued careers and goals beyond the success found on campus. In recent years, assessment has become an area targeted for improvement. Since 2011, all learning objectives have been connected with the Council for the Advancement of Standards in Higher Education (CAS). Furthermore, assessment surveys have been modeled accordingly to offer more robust learning outcomes and experiences for students served.

OUTCOMESData is collected on each student’s grades and retention from year to year. Students participating in The Rotunda Academic Scholars Program demonstrate higher graduation rates, higher cumulative GPAs, and less time on academic probation than the general population. The program has an 80% six-year graduation rate.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREThis program will continue to be a primary focus for retention efforts at Southern Methodist University. The program is anticipated to take on a more prestigious presence among support/scholarship programs at the university. The program, previously known as the Bridge Program, was rebranded and renamed in 2016 as the first step in morphing the effort to be recognized as a program with students of great leadership and scholastic ability, reflecting Southern Methodist University administrators’ beliefs and reducing potential stigmatization of participating students.

SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSITY


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“Students participating in The Rotunda Academic Scholars Program demonstrate higher graduation rates, higher cumulative GPAs, and less time on academic probation than the general population.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Summer Bridge Program YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2013POPULATION(S) SERVED: 25 incoming freshmen—with an emphasis on academically at-risk students, first-generation college students, and low-income students, though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groups LEADERSHIP: Vice President for Academic Administration, faculty from the English and Mathematics Departments, Director of the Center for Academic Success and Advising, and the Director of the Center for Academic Success and Advising

PROGRAM OVERVIEWStudents admitted on a provisional basis participate in a college readiness boot camp in the summer preceding their first semester at Southwestern Adventist University. In the bridge program, students are required to live in dorms, even if they typically reside in the local area. For approximately three weeks, students take part in intensive workshops in reading, writing, and mathematics. Students are also offered skill inventories, in addition to college-readiness workshops and physical education. Each workshop is paired with a one-and-one-half-hour small group tutoring session to ensure mastery of the covered concepts. Every morning begins with breakfast and worship, in line with the institution’s mission as a religious institution. Students are introduced to many other students, staff, and faculty on campus to create a network and support team. Students are also taken to events and sometimes even to the homes of campus leaders. This program was put in place to serve incoming students who may not meet the institution’s admissions requirements but showed promise, grit and willingness to put in the effort necessary to succeed.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe university has focused on drop/fail/withdraw rates for gateway classes and offers supplemental instruction to support retention in these areas. However, administrators saw an opportunity to offer something additional through a residential program. In previous years, participation in Summer Bridge guaranteed admission in the following semester, but now satisfactory completion of the program is required for admission. Additionally, there has been great success with preparing students in reading and writing, but less so in mathematics. Through recent funding from the ICUT Foundation, the university strengthened the development of mathematics skills among this population of students. Administrators are considering modifying the curriculum of the Summer Bridge Program and increasing monitoring and support during the first semester in which these students enroll in college algebra to better support these students.

OUTCOMESFor the first year of the Summer Bridge Program, the fall-to-spring retention rate for provisionally admitted students was exactly the same as the retention rate of their peers who did not participate in the program. This year, the institution awarded Associate of Applied Science degrees to its first two Summer Bridge alumni. Moreover, each student graduated within the intended three-year completion rate for an associate’s degree set forth by the institution. Summer Bridge also played a role in making possible a considerable decrease in the number of students on academic probation each year.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREIn the future, Southwestern Adventist University students will be paired with mentors in the fall to continue the support offered during the Summer Bridge Program. The university is also considering an increase in supplemental instruction beyond general biology and anatomy/physiology to chemistry and math. As part of its re-accreditation process, the institution is rolling out a ten-year Quality Enhancement Plan to address whole-person wellness to better support their students in choice, rest, environment, activity, trust, interpersonal relationships, outlook, and nutrition. Each year, an institution-wide initiative will be implemented in one of those areas, not only to indirectly address retention but to address the critical non-academic factors at play in overall student success.

SOUTHWESTERN ADVENTIST UNIVERSITY


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“This program was put in place to serve incoming students who may not meet the institution’s admissions requirements but showed promise, grit and willingness to put in the effort necessary to succeed.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 1972POPULATION(S) SERVED: 35 incoming freshmen students—with an emphasis on students of color and first-generation college studentsLEADERSHIP: CAMP Director, CAMP Associate Director, one administrative staff member, and one graduate assistant, and the support of the Associate Vice President for Student Support Services

PROGRAM OVERVIEWA number of students entering St. Edward’s each year belong to families of migrant farm workers who move around the country to make a living by harvesting various crops. These students show high levels of grit, persistence and determination. However, due to the nature of their parents’ jobs, they also usually have checkered academic backgrounds. With extra support provided through CAMP, a partially federally funded grant program at St. Edward’s, these students succeed despite the challenges presented by their high school experiences. Participating students contribute $2,000 dollars towards their education expenses. The remainder of their room and board, tuition, and registration fees, in addition to most other expenses (including books, transportation, and student fees) are provided by St. Edward’s in their first year. In the years following, students continue to receive funding for up to the cost of tuition. Students receive the support of faculty, staff, and peer mentors to help them with the adjustment to university life. Unique to CAMP at St. Edward’s, students are supported through all four years of their undergraduate experience rather than only their freshman year. Therefore, the benefits of the program are reflected not only in the freshman-to-sophomore retention rates for these students, but also in their graduation rates. Students must maintain a 2.0 GPA and 12 credit hours per semester to participate in the program.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHSt. Edward’s University is a Holy Cross Brother’s institution with a mission that reflects strong Catholic values, an “open door” admissions philosophy that prioritizes opportunity over traditional indicators of academic excellence, and a welcoming climate that meets students where they are academically and socio-emotionally. In addition, St. Edward’s is a Hispanic-Serving institution. CAMP is an opportunity for the institution to grow and further advance its agenda to reflect those values of inclusivity and academic opportunity. There is always a need for additional funding for CAMP because the program runs the annual risk of not receiving federal funds. The institution relies on annual donations and continues to apply every five years for federal funding.

OUTCOMESCAMP students are tracked on a number of metrics including attendance, mid-term progress reports, semester-to-semester retention, annual retention, number of hours accumulated, participation in living-learning communities, grades, and academic standing. Typically, the university has been successful with CAMP students based on these metrics. Participating students are typically highly engaged and are quite successful academically, participating in programs such as the Fulbright Scholars and McNair Scholars programs. However, a more important measure of success for CAMP is the extent to which it engages with students’ families. CAMP recognizes that for this sub-population, it is the entire family that chooses St. Edward’s, not only the student. CAMP has longstanding success in bridging the gaps and addressing the concerns that these students and their families face when making the decision to attend college.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURESt. Edward’s University will continue to make modest changes to CAMP to maintain the success of the program. In addition, the institution will implement a new orientation session for the parents of first-generation students to help families feel more at ease and knowledgeable about St. Edward’s. These efforts will be led through collaboration between student life and admissions offices and will aid in the university’s goal to increase diversity and effectively serve students from various cultural backgrounds.

ST. EDWARD’S UNIVERSITY


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“CAMP recognizes that for this subpopulation, it is the entire family that chooses St. Edward’s, not only the student.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Faculty Academic Mentoring Program (FAM)YEAR IMPLEMENTED: Piloted in 2009POPULATION(S) SERVED: 100 students (80 mentees and 20 peer mentors)—with an emphasis on students of color, first-generation college students, and low-income students, though not exclusive to nor intentionally targeting these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: Vice-Provost for Enrollment Management, Director of Retention Initiatives, with the support of the President and Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWTo increase the frequency and quality of interaction between students and faculty, St. Mary’s University started the Faculty Academic Mentoring (FAM) program. The FAM program provides students and faculty a reason to gather and helps to “demystify the professoriate.” Due to the population served at St. Mary’s (64% first-generation by federal definition), the FAM program relies on a more-restrictive definition to determine first-generation status to keep the program manageable and intimate. Eligible students are those for whom neither parent has completed an associate’s degree or higher (44% of St. Mary’s students). Peer mentors are selected the prior year. Each peer and faculty mentor receives a stipend, and peer mentors are required to participate in year-round training. Peer mentors who complete training and obtain the required number of mentoring hours become eligible for College Reading and Learning Association (CLRA) certification paid for by the Office of Student Retention. This practice not only standardizes the performance of mentors, but helps students pursue graduate assistantships. Faculty mentors undergo less-intensive mentor training.

The first event is the Fall Welcome reception. Next, students and faculty participate in a 24-hour retreat within the first three weeks of school. Students experience a student and a faculty panel discussion during the retreat. The student panel allows students to see that there are students with similar backgrounds, fears, and challenges who are successful at St. Mary’s; the faculty panel helps students realize that faculty members are human too. For the remainder of the year, students are put into pods of six including four mentees, one peer mentor, and one faculty mentor. There is the expectation that faculty engage students at least six times per semester. One pod meets every Thursday morning at Starbucks, another pod meets on Sunday afternoons at the faculty member’s home for dinner, and yet another pod meets for pizza on Fridays. The program also employs an intrusive advising model to support students through FAFSA submission, grade monitoring for those on academic probation, and more.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe FAM program grew out of an organic desire, voiced by faculty members, to have a structured initiative that provided sustained engagement with students. In 2010, there were 66 students participating. In 2011, there were more than 120 applicants. That year, nearly 170 students, faculty, and staff were accepted for participation in the program to avoid denying any student the benefits of participating. Due to inconsistent attendance, program attrition, and the general chaos of managing a group of that magnitude, the intake process was capped thereafter. Furthermore, a couple of steps were added to the intake process to better focus the program and tighten the number of students serviced by requiring students to demonstrate their interest through a survey and interview.

OUTCOMESThe FAM program has helped St. Mary’s students in a variety of areas including graduation completion, FAFSA completion, and faculty-student relations. These students have a 90% FAFSA completion-by-priority-deadline rate, they build lasting relationships with faculty members that result in long-term professional networks, and graduation rates are rising.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREIn the future, there will be an effort to tighten and refocus the FAM program. When a program is as successful and long-standing as FAM, there is often a need to ensure a focus on the basics to continue the momentum of the program. In addition to reinforcing the foundational points of FAM, St. Mary’s will establish a spinoff initiative to reach a broader number of students with guidance and structure based on the FAM program.

ST. MARY’S UNIVERSITY


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“FAM program provides students and faculty a reason to gather and helps to “demystify the professoriate.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Alternative Spring BreakYEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2016POPULATION(S) SERVED: 11 students—with an emphasis on students of color, first-generation college students, and Pell-eligible students, though not exclusive to these sub-groupsLEADERSHIP: Student Life, the Director of Financial Aid, Associate Vice-Provost of Enrollment, and the Dean of Students

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe Alternative Spring Break program was hosted at a Heifer Ranch in Perryville, Arkansas, for the first time in March 2016. Students and staff received free transportation and meals for the length of the program. The application was opened to all interested Texas Wesleyan students, and priority was given to Pell-eligible students from first-generation backgrounds. The program, designed and implemented to develop peer mentors, is service-oriented and focused on community building. In line with the mission of the university to educate and retain a diverse student body from all walks of life, the Alternative Spring Break initiative also intentionally included many students from Black and Latino ethnic backgrounds. Students were provided a platform to engage with others and offer their perspectives on how they experience Texas Wesleyan. The ultimate goal of the program is to improve these students’ ability to maintain their scholarships and Pell-eligibility by increasing their engagement. Three professional staff members from Student Life served as Alternative Spring Break advisors during the weeklong event.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHBecause Texas Wesleyan seeks to rise to the status of a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving institution (HSI) the Alternative Spring Break, in and of itself, was considered an avenue for growth. The diverse group of students who participated were able to express their needs to administrators, offering staff insight into needed services and support for this population of students. However, finding students able and willing to participate was difficult. The nature of the student body at Texas Wesleyan is largely commuter, which makes it difficult to facilitate engagement because many students have considerable obligations and responsibilities that pull them away from campus. Administrators took this as an opportunity to connect with faculty and staff to increase nominations, extended the opportunity to students to self-nominate, and continued to send out reminders encouraging participation to address this issue, making the program a success.

OUTCOMESThe Alternative Spring Break program allowed participating students to build skills and pursue leadership and service opportunities on campus. Through their engagement with staff, they have secured new opportunities that would have been otherwise unavailable to them. They are now more active in student life and able to give voice to the experiences of students like them on campus. Texas Wesleyan is collecting data and information related to Pell eligibility, high schools, GPAs, majors, and students’ academic advisors to measure progress toward degrees. The success of this initiative is ultimately determined by whether these students continue to enroll and progress towards degree completion and maintain eligibility for their scholarship.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREEfforts to secure university funding to ensure the continuation of the Alternative Spring Break initiative will continue. Furthermore, an earlier marketing campaign (as early as January) should increase participation. Outside of the Alternative Spring Break program, Texas Wesleyan recently established a football program. In response, a new retention initiative designed to serve those student athletes who are Pell-eligible is under consideration.

TEXAS WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY


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“The ultimate goal of the program is to improve these students’ ability to maintain their scholarships and Pell eligibility by increasing their engagement.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: The Opportunity ProgramYEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2007POPULATION(S) SERVED: Approximately 65-100 provisionally admitted incoming freshman—with an emphasis on Black and Latino students (60%) and first-generation-college students (90-95%)LEADERSHIP: Director of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), four advisors and the support of the Provost’s Office

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe Opportunity Program provides underprepared students the opportunity to prove themselves as capable scholars. Prior to their enrollment, students sign a contract detailing the conditions of their acceptance and first-year requirements: maintaining a 1.8 GPA, a 14-credit-hour maximum course load per semester, academic advising out of the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE), one-year undeclared major status, three advising meetings per semester, and mandatory retake of any failed courses in the first year.

The program’s goal is 100% voice (or personal text) contact by the first day of school. Students attend a summer orientation, known as Cru Camp, and receive a personalized welcome gift and introduction on move-in day in their dorm room from their CAE advisor. Students are encouraged to attend the annual Opportunity Program Welcome Seminar, where they get information on campus resources and avoiding academic pitfalls. Every two weeks, throughout the first year, faculty members report their concerns about class attendance and academic progress of students to CAE advisors through an early-alert system. Whether the student is responsive or not, advisors continue to foster some level of engagement. For example, advisors offer to help with finding work study positions, submitting housing applications, completing the FAFSA, and at times, transfer planning if it is in the student’s best interest. Over winter break, advisors send personalized postcards to students, congratulating them on a successful semester and encouraging their return in the spring. After their return, there is a climactic, yet informal, individual advising meeting where advisors recognize student’s self-sufficiency and academic accomplishments as they proceed into a declared major.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe intrusive advising model employed by The Opportunity Program highlighted several areas for growth. Advisors realized increased access to advisees was critical for retention, so students are now required to wait one year before transferring into departmental academic advising. Significant differences between an intrusive holistic academic advis-ing model and the traditional faculty advising model created tension that could only be settled by data. For example, data revealed that, prior to 2010, many of the Opportunity scholars changed majors frequently because they failed to understand the connection between their majors and careers. Now, these students are required to delay declaring a major and focus instead on career/major exploration in the first year of college. The academic strengths of students vary widely, requiring the program to tailor expectations, development opportunities, and program pace to each student, rather than impose rigid, blanket requirements.

OUTCOMESThe Opportunity Program has had significant impact on freshman-to-sophomore retention rates at UMHB. In 2012, the university-wide freshman-to-sophomore retention rate was 67%, while the rate for Opportunity Scholars was 58%. In 2015, the retention rates were 73% and 65% for the university and Opportunity Scholars, respectively.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREA designated summer bridge program for Opportunity Scholars is under consideration. Also, UMHB will implement transition events to increase student support. It will also enhance peer mentoring efforts. In addition, UMHB is considering revising its current first-year seminar course, making it an Opportunity Program-focused freshman seminar course. The revamped seminar courses will be taught by CAE advisors to allow them more contact with Opportunity students.

UNIVERSITY OF MARY HARDIN-BAYLOR


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“The Opportunity Program provides underprepared students the opportunity to prove themselves as capable scholars.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


INITIATIVE: Attendance is a Must (AIM) for Success YEAR IMPLEMENTED: 2014POPULATION(S) SERVED: 900-1,050 first-year students—with an emphasis on Latino students, first-generation college students, and commuter studentsLEADERSHIP: Dean of Students Success and Director of the University Advising Center in coordination with the Provost

PROGRAM OVERVIEWThe Attendance is a Must (AIM) for Success initiative tracks class attendance for all incoming students to the University of the Incarnate Word (UIW). The program improves retention and graduation rates by ensuring that students complete the most basic step to student success—going to class. Faculty members report student absences through an early-alert system to ensure that students receive appropriate support when they fall below 100% attendance. Beyond showing up to class, the University of the Incarnate Word communicates to faculty, staff, and students that success also requires active engagement and participation inside the classroom. The program helps participating students to better understand the culture of education and connects them with faculty members as early as possible within students’ first year. The AIM for Success program was put into place to enhance other retention and graduation initiatives, which include a first-year mentoring initiative, an advising portal system, and connected co-curricular and student services. All of these initiatives work together under the Graduation Vision 2020 strategic retention and graduation plan, which was implemented to maintain the university’s retention rate between 75-79% and increase the university’s graduation rate to 60%.

OPPORTUNITIES FOR GROWTHThe AIM for Success initiative revealed that communication and strategic planning on retention and graduation goals at UIW needed strengthening to create the culture and alignment necessary for the program’s success. Initial concerns that faculty members would be reluctant to follow through with a mandated attendance policy were resolved through strong communication about the graduation and retention rates at the time of the program’s inception, and about where the institution envisioned these rates in the future. Also, staff worked to communicate the experiences of students who were successful and who were not successful. The institution-wide conversation was robust and led to 223 faculty members participating in what is ultimately a voluntary activity, a strong buy-in by faculty that must be maintained.

OUTCOMESThis initiative improved the frequency and quality of communication between faculty, staff, and students. Ultimately, the program helped students to better understand what it means to be successful and communicated a message that the university cares about their success. The institution is monitoring first-year retention and progression to graduation to determine the success of students being supported through this initiative. Additional data is gathered through the National Student Engagement and Satisfaction Survey (NESS) to determine how students are faring at the University of the Incarnate Word.

LOOKING TO THE FUTUREExpanding this initiative beyond the first year to support students through the entirety of their undergraduate career is under consideration. Also, there is an interest in implementing additional checkpoints to better support transfer students. The University of the Incarnate Word will also implement a separate initiative called Primero, which will group students in advising circles of 20, and employ a comprehensive concierge style of support by faculty and staff members across campus. Through their advising circles, students will be connected to a faculty mentor, an advising mentor, a business office mentor, a financial aid mentor, and potentially a residential life mentor—all trained to be informal advisors/mentors.

UNIVERSITY OF THE INCARNATE WORD


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“The program improves retention and graduation rates by ensuring that students complete the most basic step to student success—going to class.”

ICUTFOUNDATION


The Independent Colleges and Universities of Texas Inc. is a 501(c)(6), non-profit advocacy organization, representing private non-profit higher education in Texas. Out of the organization’s 38 members, five are Historically Black Colleges or Universities (HBCU), ten are Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI), and 12 are emerging HSIs. The institutions that make up the ICUT consortium together represent approximately 20% of the total student enrollment in Texas’ four-year colleges and universities. The ICUT Foundation, a 501(c)(3), is a subsidiary of ICUT Inc. and acts to support each of the member institutions as the fundraising arm for the consortium, and the State Fund Member of the Council for Independent Colleges (CIC).

The overarching mission of ICUT Inc. is to protect and promote the general welfare of Texas independent colleges and universities in areas of special concern to member institutions and assure college access and success for all populations. In consonance with the overarching mission of ICUT Inc., the mission of the ICUT Foundation is to (1) support college and university leadership in their efforts to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of higher education; (2) raise funds for and administer privately funded scholarship programs for students attending independent colleges and universities; (3) help low-income students, students of color, and first-generation students prepare for and successfully graduate from college; and (4) help students develop the professional skills they need to successfully launch careers.

About ICUT

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