Integrating Institutional Initiatives to Support Retention

Western Connecticut State University

Project IMPACT

Linda Vaden-Goad, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

vaden-goadL@wcsu.edu 203-837-9400

Project IMPACT:Improving Minority Paths to Achievement Through Community Transformation

Western Connecticut State University

Community of Practice Leaders:

S. Alba D. Skar, Chair, Department of World Languages & Literatureskars@wcsu.edu 203-837-8485

Linda Vaden-Goad, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences vaden-goadL@wcsu.edu 203-837-9400

Project IMPACT:Community of Practice Core Team Leaders

Academic Success Community Dr. Linda Rinker, Provost, Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. William Petkanas, Professor and Chair of Communication, Director of Faculty Advisement and Center for Excellence in Learning and Teaching

Student Life Community Dr. Walter Bernstein, Vice President for Student Affairs

Regional Educational Community Bill Glass, Associate Superintendent of Danbury Public Schools

Local Danbury Community Eva Colón, Director of the Hispanic Center of Greater Danbury

Student Cohort Learning Community (crosses all communities) Jonathan Rodriguez, Student, President of LASO

One Initiative is Our Participation with AASCU and the Latino/Hispanic Student Success

Self-Study

Co-Chairs:

S. Alba D. Skar, Chair, Department of World Languages & Literature

skars@wcsu.edu 203-837-8485

Linda Vaden-Goad, Dean, School of Arts and Sciences

vaden-goadL@wcsu.edu 203-837-9400

Latino/Hispanic Student Success Self-Study:Team Members

Co-Chairs (Alba Skar, Linda Vaden-Goad), plus:

Carina Bandhauer, Associate Prof. of Sociology Lawrence Hall, Director of Admissions William Hawkins, Enrollment Management Officer Bryan Samuel, Director of Multicultural Affairs and Affirmative

Action Programs Jerry Wilcox, Director of Institutional Research and Assessment

Latino/Hispanic Student Success at WestConn:Self-Study’s Main Questions

How are we doing in terms of access, retention and graduation? AASCU Self-Study

What are our current efforts at WestConn that encourage student success? Pre-Collegiate Programs Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success First-Year Experience Other Initiatives

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Purpose

To learn from the experiences of 10 AASCU institutions that have demonstrated greater success than would be expected in the recruitment, retention and graduation rates of Latino/Hispanic students.

To assess the current state of these factors at WestConn

To begin “closing the loop” using data-driven findings and input from the university and greater community.

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:WestConn’s Basic Data

One of 4 Universities in CSU System Carnegie Classification: Master’s 1 4 Academic Schools 38 Undergraduate Programs + Division of

Graduate Studies ~ 6,086 Students 15.4 to 1: Student to Faculty Ratio

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:WestConn’s Basic Data, continued…

2006 Average SAT for FTIC students: 1000 90% of the students are from Connecticut 7% are Latino/Hispanic or Puerto Rican 1-Year Average Retention for L/H (1996-2000): 60.2%

a difference of 7.74% with non-Latino/Hispanic Caucasian students

6-Year Average Graduation Rate for L/H (1996-2000): 26.5% a difference of 9% for non-Latino/Hispanic Caucasian students

One-Year Retention Rates for FTIC Students by Ethnicity (11 Years)

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F1996 F1997 F1998 F1999 F2000 F2001 F2002 F2003 F2004 F2005 F2006

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Six-Year Graduation Rate by Ethnicity

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F1996 F1997 F1998 F1999 F2000 F2001

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Grade Point Average at 3.5 and Above by Ethnic Group Affiliation, Smoothed

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F01 S02 F02 S03 F03 S04 F04 S05 F05 S06 F06 S07

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Grade Point Average at Less than 2.0 by Ethnic Group Affiliation (Smoothed Lines)

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F01 S02 F02 S03 F03 S04 F04 S05 F05 S06 F06 S07

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Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:7 Current Features That Contribute to Student Success

Leadership, Values and Visioning, and the new Strategic Plan

Pre-Collegiate Programs First-Year Experience Program Advising, Advisement Center, Orientation, Scheduling* Learning Labs and Tutoring Resource Center Student Life, Organizations Curricular Initiatives*Provost’s New Initiatives to enhance advisement and scheduling

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Unique Aspects of Campus that Influence Retention and Graduation

Location (a richness in resources and connection)

Community Resources (very diverse, welcoming in many ways; perhaps not as welcoming in others re immigration issues, etc.)

Campus History (low number of residence hall rooms, few local housing options – getting better, but more is needed. Were logistical problems re food service on Westside Campus and shuttle transportation – now fixed)

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Other Important Features

President’s Community Involvement: Board service on Latino Scholarship Fund of Danbury President’s dialogues with community leaders, looking for collaborative

opportunities

Provost’s leadership toward international memoranda of understanding with other universities

Admissions Office: hired a secretary who is fluent in Spanish

A VERY caring faculty and staff, committed to students

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Pre-Collegiate Programs

Pre-Collegiate Collaborative Programs (5) ConnCap/Upward Bound (with Danbury High)

EXCEL Middle School Program (with Roger’s Park and Broadview)

Educational Achievement and Access Program [EA2P] – here at WestConn, a summer preparation program

ESL Adult Certificate Program (4 courses, TOEFL Test Prep)

Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success (with Danbury and Bethel High Schools)

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:First-Year Experience

Outgrowth of Values and Visioning Process and General Education Committee Efforts

Utilizes regular 100-level courses with student success “drop-in modules” regarding Academic Skills (3+): critical thinking, writing, information

literacy, primary research, oral communication, ethics University Success Factors (2+): co-curricular involvement,

support services, organizational skills, technology skills, working in groups

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:First-Year Experience, continued…

Small classes (22) of only first-year students, taught by full-time faculty

Discussion-based, working to create connections First-Year Students must take at least 3 of these

courses during first 30 credits Transition into program over 3-year period Coordinator: Dr. Patricia O’Neill, Psychology

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:First-Year Experience, continued…

Goals to help students: successfully transition to college enhance study skills develop excitement for learning see relationships between studies and greater world increase persistence become socialized into community of scholars who prize learning,

community engagement and immersion into the world of ideas

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Leadership’s Commitment

Committed to valuing diversity and the learning that can occur in diverse settings President’s Initiatives Fund

President’s Initiatives Fund 2005 ($120,000) to support collaborative initiatives that “employed the university’s regional advantage to educate for global realities”

3 of 12 included global travel to Latino/Hispanic cultures Ex: Global Academy (Puerto Rico-2 years): 31% of students attending

were of Latino/Hispanic originPresident’s Initiatives Fund 2007 ($100,000+) to support

collaborative initiatives that highlight the “learning opportunities that differences create” (Provost Linda Rinker, chair)

Latino/Hispanic Self-Study:Bright Future

Leadership and Campus Community Committed to the valuing of diversity and the learning

that occurs in diverse settings New initiatives Shared goals Many features already in place that contribute to

student success at WestConn

Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success:Board of Trustees’ Resolution (July 26, 2003)

Beginning in Fall 2004 – 3 GOALS Successfully complete all remedial courses within first 24 credits

Establish what HS Math and English curricula are necessary for students to complete proficiency prior to college

Develop action plans to increase the percentage of entering students who are ready for credit-bearing classes

Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success:Goals 1-3

1. Decrease number of high school students needing remediation upon entering college

2. Clarify college expectations in both English and math to students

3. Look for areas of mismatch

Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success:Goals 4-6

4. Build relationships among the faculty at high schools and university — truly collaborate

5. Increase first-year retention

6. Increase six-year graduation rate

Building a Bridge to Improve Student Success:Outline of Project

Phase I: Placement Testing of High School Juniors (Cohort A) and Spring Dinner Meetings (first collaborations)

Phase II: 3-Day Summer Faculty Meetings for Planning Curricular Changes for Senior Intervention Year

Phase III: Retesting High School Seniors in Spring of Senior Year (begin Cohort B for Juniors) and Meetings among faculty (…and over again)

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Figure 1: English Writing Placement Across Three Years

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Junior in HS 61 36 2

Senior, YR 1 37 53.2 10

Senior, YR 2 13.36 66.65 16.9

ENG 098 ENG 101 ENG GE

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Figure 2: Math Placement Across Three Years

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Junior in HS 62 19 19

Senior, YR 1 41 21 38

Senior, YR 2 41.25 20.7 37

MTH 098 MTH 100 MTH GE

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New Data: Retention RatesBridge Schools vs. Others

1st and 2nd Year Retention Rates for Bridge and Other Schools

72.4

62.164.1

48.3

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Building a Bridge in the Sciences:Encouraging Collaboration in the

Sciences with Area Schools

Hosted the Bethel Middle School Science Fair

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Encouraging Collaboration in the Sciences with Area Schools

Mentored WISTR Teachers

Building a Bridge:In Summary

Costs decrease Retention increases Need for remediation decreases Time to graduation should decrease Collaboration works for generating better understanding of

what changes need to be made Collaboration clearly improves access for more students,

allowing them to utilize their first year in college more effectively and completely

Integrating Institutional Initiatives to Support Retention:General Conclusions

We are making great strides to address student success in general.

We are only beginning to address student success as it specifically relates to Latino/Hispanic students and their families.

We are in an excellent position to address these issues in specific ways (Project IMPACT). Our new collaborative design that integrates community at all levels

will bring us to a point of creating the kind of student success models that fit our students and community in the best ways.