international fye conference, montreal, july ‘09 increasing accessibilty: lessons learned in...
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
INCREASING ACCESSIBILTY: INCREASING ACCESSIBILTY: LESSONS LEARNED IN LESSONS LEARNED IN
RETAINING SPECIAL RETAINING SPECIAL POPULATION STUDENTSPOPULATION STUDENTS
IN CANADAIN CANADA
Susan Gottheil, Mount Royal CollegeClayton Smith, University of Windsor
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Topics Introduction
Who are the Underserved Populations?
The Strategic Enrolment Management (SEM) Framework
Barriers to Access & Attrition Factors
Lessons Learned
Canadian Best Practices
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Overview In Canada, changing demographics & increased
competition, as well as social values based on equity, have sharpened efforts to increase PSE participation rates of youth from under-represented/ under-served groups
Provincial governments are funding a variety of targeted initiatives
Holistic retention programs & planning are not well-developed at most institutions
Access to and success in PSE has become an important public issue3
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Underserved/Underrepresented Underserved/Underrepresented PopulationsPopulations
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Low-Income/First Generation Students
58.5% of 18-24 year olds from families earning < $25,000 participated in PSE in 2006, compared to 80.9% of youth of same age from families with an income over $100,000 (Canadian Council on Learning)
Parental education (& not parental income) key Parental education (& not parental income) key driver of PSE participation in general & university in driver of PSE participation in general & university in particular particular (Finnie & Mueller, 2008)(Finnie & Mueller, 2008)
81% of 18 to 24 year olds whose parents have a university education participate in PSE, compared to 53% for young people whose parents didn’t go past high school (CMSF)
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
First Generation Students (cont’d)
About half not involved in extra curricular activities (NSSE 2008)
Less likely than peers to earn degrees, even when differences in high-school preparation taken into account (College Board)
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Aboriginal Canadians
3.8% of the Canadian population (2006 Census)
• 62% North American Indian, 30% Métis, 5% Inuit
• 1,123 communities and close to a dozen language families
More than 70% living off reserves (54% in cities)
Much younger than Canadian population as a whole
• Almost half under 25 (2006 Census)
Fastest growing segment of Canadian population
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Aboriginal Canadians (cont’d)
Among 20-24 year olds, 40.3% have not completed high school vs. 12.5% in non-Aboriginal population (2006 Census)
By age 20, non-Aboriginal youth 3X more likely than Aboriginal youth to be in PSE (Baldwin & Parkin, 2007)
Dropout and attrition 33-56% higher (depending upon age of student) than among general student population (Parkin & Baldwin, 2009)
7.7% have a university credential vs. 23.4% of non-Aboriginal population (2006 Census)
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The SEM FrameworkThe SEM Framework
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
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Enrolment ManagementEnrollment management is an organizational concept and a systematic set of activities designed to enable educational institutions to exert more influence over their student enrollments. Organized by strategic planning and supported by institutional research, enrollment management activities concern student college choice, transition to college, student attrition and retention, and student outcomes. These processes are studied to guide institutional practices in the areas of new student recruitment and financial aid, student support services, curriculum development and other academic areas that affect enrollments, student persistence and student outcomes from college.
- Don Hossler, 1990
International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Traditional Enrolment Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Admission
OrientationCo-curricular
Support
Academic Support
RetentionFinancial Support
Classroom Experience
The Student Success Continuum
Student’s College CareerAttain
Degree/Goal
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
The SEM Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Admission
OrientationCo-curricular
Support
Academic Support
RetentionFinancial Support
Classroom Experience
The Student Success Continuum
Student’s College Career AttainDegree/Goal
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Barriers to Access
Financial• Tuition, fees & cost of living
• Debt aversion
Academic• Low high school grades, wrong course prerequisites, high
dropout rate
• Lack of preparation (hard & soft skills); quality of local high schools
• Gaps in training and certification
Geographic• Distance, costs of travel
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Barriers to Access (cont’d)
Language & literacy
Family & community: Lack of role models• Note: Some ethnic groups have considerably higher
educational aspirations for their children than others
Enforced cultural assimilation and legacy of residential school system for Aboriginal students
Aspirational• Lack of interest/motivation
• PSE not considered necessary (for job, life)
• Lack of information about PSE benefits
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Barriers to Access (cont’d)
Self-esteem and self-confidence
Institutional• Programs don’t respond to needs, interests
• Unknown environment
• Admission criteria and complexity of admission procedures
• Lack of information
• Counseling structure
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Attrition Factors
Academic preparation and performance• Contributes to lack of engagement, motivation
• Questioning of abilities, confidence
Financial support, student debt, cost of education
Family and work responsibilities
Language proficiency
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Attrition Factors (cont’d)
Low level of educational aspiration/motivation; uncertain or misdirected goals/expectations
Well-being• Isolation
• Stress
• Lack of understanding of culture, racist attitudes on campus
Social/Family/Community support
Engagement
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Conclusion
Web of barriers to access & success interact with & compound one another
• Unmet financial need• Inadequate academic preparation, motivation &
direction• Insufficient information, guidance &
encouragement
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Lessons Learned: Increasing Retention within the SEM Framework
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Lesson #1 Access and success should not be targeted in
isolation: the barriers/obstacles are the same• Placing too much emphasis on access can be
problematic if it results in too little focus on student success
• Similarly, focusing primarily on policies which support persistence could result in failure to meet access goals
Remember the comprehensive SEM framework
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Lesson #2
Special population students have different needs from traditional students – the funnel & student life cycle experience is different for different students
Retention strategies need to be customized to meet the needs of each special population group
But remember, people from the same group are often/also diverse based on SES, age, individual experiences, etc.
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Lesson #3 There’s a need for both specialized/targeted programs
& integration of under-represented groups into regular programming
• The latter requires outreach, cultural sensitivity & awareness of specific historical, economic & social barriers faced by special populations
We need to create connectivity between our FYE programs & campus programs/services targeted to specific groups – e.g., holistic first-year experience programs
• Importance of entire campus community working together to support under-served populations & make them feel part of our communities
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Lesson #4
Need longer term resource commitment/strategies to have impact on both access and retention/student success
Need to work with communities, provide role models & mentorship opportunities, ensure adequate information
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Lesson #5 Assessment is key but … data is often difficult to
come by• Targeted communities sometimes are reluctant to self-
identify
- Makes it hard to set goals
• Difficult to assess what barriers may be and whether targeted programs and initiatives are successful
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Student Retention: Best Student Retention: Best Practice ProgramsPractice Programs
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Elements of Best Practices
Bridging/Transition program
Development of a cohort with peer support
Financial aid
Connection to community role models
Faculty/staff as coach or mentor
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Elements of Best Practices (Cont.)
Attention to special population needs and integration into the wider campus community
Holistic student life cycle approach
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EngagementIn Learning
EffectiveTransition
Access toSupport
Sense ofBelonging
Goals:- To develop appropriate
transition programming- To increase
participation in transition
programming
Goals:- To ensure appropriate support exists- To develop students’ knowledge of and ability and willingness to access support
Goals:-To foster academic
integration- To foster social
integration
Goals:- To teach students habits for academic success- To provide opportunities for students to explore and set goals
University of Saskatchewan’s Student Achievement Model: Principles and Goals
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Pathways to Education
Started in Toronto’s Regent Park, now in 6 Canadian communities
• Integrated academic, social & financial support to at-risk students through community-based initiatives
• Tackles low ambition and low marks, builds positive self-image
• Provides mentors and tutors from Grade 9 on and $4,000 bursary on high school graduation (“learning accounts”)
- Dropout rates fell from 23%-58% in different sites
- Teen pregnancies and crime rate plummeted
- College and university enrolment almost doubled• 80% of graduates from Pathway’s original site in Regent’s Park
have gone on to PSE (2009)
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Foundations for Success Project Offers case-managed support services & financial
incentives to students at 3 Ontario colleges (Seneca, Mohawk & Confederation)
• Assesses students after admission but before begin, identifying those that would benefit from academic tutoring, peer mentorship & career counselling
• Highest impact when matched with (small) financial bursary
• Has led to 6.4% increase in student retention
• Project specifically benefited low-income students, ESL students, students entering with low (under 65%) high school grades, & women
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Lethbridge College: First Nations, Métis and Inuit (FNMI) Transition Program
Provides 12 students with a $12,000 scholarship to aid with finances
Provides 3 steps to aid in transition• Course on introduction to college life (August)
• Additional course in 1st term on skills and attitudes needed for college success
• Class on leadership skills (January)
Spiritual support from elders; help from mentors and advisors
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International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09International FYE Conference, Montreal, July ‘09
Fisher River First Nation (Manitoba)
Implemented a 9-month transition program for all students who want band to fund PSE
• Aim is to reduce drop-out rate
• Course focuses on life skills, academic upgrading & career counseling
• Students spend time in Winnipeg to prepare for transition to urban living
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And Some Other Strategies … Specialized academic programs/courses Delivering courses in communities/off campus Reserving seats in programs Programs for internationally trained professionals Bridging & transition programs Community partnerships & outreach Financial aid workshops Targeted bursaries, scholarships, & work-study programs Dedicated space on campus Residence/housing Supportive campus environment
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Discussion, Discussion,
Comments & QuestionsComments & Questions
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Contact Us @Contact Us @
Susan GottheilSusan Gottheil [email protected]
Clayton SmithClayton Smith [email protected]
Canadian SEM Website: www.uwindsor.ca/semCanadian SEM Website: www.uwindsor.ca/sem
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