New Faculty Orientation

August 2017

Francis Atuahene, PhD

Associate Vice President of Student Success (Interim)

WCU has how many undergrads…?

A. 10,000 – 12,000

B. 12000-14,000

C. More than 15,000

10,000 – 1

2,000

12,000 – 1

4,000

More

than 15,0

00

0% 0%0%

How diverse is our UG student population?

A. 12.7% Minority

B. 16.5% Minority

C. 17.5% Minority

0% 0% 0%

How diverse is our Grad student population?

A. 14.8% Minority

B. 15.6% Minority

C. 20.7% Minority

15% M

inorit

y

17% M

inorit

y

19% M

inorit

y

0% 0%0%

A look at WCU’s First Year Admit Types

• Regular Admission (FY1)

• Academic Development Program – Act 101 (FY2)

• Academic Development Program – Non-Act 101 (FY3)

• Motivation (FY4)- Achieve!

Where are the students coming from– Fall 2016

Total In-State Out-of-State

Undergraduate 14,402 12,718 1,684

88.3% 11.7%

Graduate 2,608 2,318 290

88.9% 11.1%

Total University 17,010 15,036 1,974

88.4% 11.6%

Transfer students represent about 34% of the undergrad student population.

A. True

B. False

True

False

0%0%

First Generation College Goers by Ethnicity/Race

Underrepresented minority students are more likely to be first-generation college

students.

Race/Ethnicity 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015

African American 47% 39% 41% 38% 39%

Asian 28% 15% 17% 33% 26%

Hispanic/Latino 38% 41% 37% 35% 51%

White 22% 24% 20% 20% 19%

Multiracial 38% 32% 29% 19% 32%

Total 26% 26% 23% 23% 24%

First- to Second-Year Retention Rates

73.4

61.1

85.8

69.7

74.7

49.1

50.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100

National Persistent Rate

National Retention Rate

WCU Retention Rate

4-Year Public Retention

4-Year Private Retention

2-Year Public

4-Year for Profit

First Year Persistence and Retention Rates

WCU-Institutional Effectiveness – Fall 2014 - Fall 2015

National Student Clearinghouse- Research Center – Fall2015 – Fall 2016

Retention rates by race/ethnicity

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

Retention -Asian Retention -Black Retention-Hisp. Retention-White

72.9

54.5

6264.4

86.8 85.3

79.9

86.9

88.7

83.684.1 88.1

National WCU WCU-3Yr Ave

WCU-Institutional Effectiveness – Fall 2014 - Fall 2015

National Student Clearinghouse- Research Center – Fall2015 – Fall 2016

6-Year Graduation Rates

59.60%62.90%

71.40%

29.50%

70.10%

National PA Public PA Private NFP PA Private-FP WCU

NCES

Graduation Rates by race/ethnicity

16.3

16.7

28.2

23.5

46.2

51.1

77.8

71.8

52.5

71.3

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80

Black

Native

Am

Asian

Latino

White

% Grad 6 Yrs % Grad 4 Yrs

91.381.2

67.3 70.3

75.386.1

71.4

81.7

73.7

79.1

70

75

80

85

90

95

WCU F1 F2 F3 F4

ALL

URM

Second –Third Year Retention by Admit Type

SES - Pell Recipients

Year Undergraduate

Fall 2008 16.1%

Fall 2009 20.4%

Fall 2010 23.5%

Fall 2011 24.2%

Fall 2012 24.2%

Fall 2013 24.0%

Fall 2014 25.6%

Fall 2015 23.4%

Fall 2016 21.8%

Intersection between low-income and first-generation status

• 4 times as likely to drop out

• Independent and self-reliant

• Lack the cultural and social capital

• Academic and social integration

Shock vs. Ecstasy

• May feel separated from family and friends in home community

• May experience “impostor syndrome” or unwarranted feelings of

inadequacy

• They may see failure before it happens

• I’m ready for the fun of college!

• Have a glamorized perception of college

• “You Only Live Once”

• Not realize the effects on their future of decisions they make

now

For FGCS, college is like giving someone a big bag with jigsaw puzzle pieces without giving

them the box with the picture.

Dorothy Ward, UTEP

Two Related Surveys

• Beginning College Survey of Student Engagement (BCSSE)

• First-year only, during orientation

• 1,995 respondents (BCSSE 2015)

• National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

• First-year and seniors only

• Response rate: FY 27%, Seniors 31%

• 1,828 respondents(NSSE 2014)

In college, how many hours will you spend in a typical 7-day week?

None 1 – 10

hours

11 – 20

hours

21 hrs or

more

Prep. for class (studying,

homework)0% 26% 52% 21%

Working for pay 35% 38% 22% 5%

Co-curricular activities 2% 57% 34% 7%

Relaxing/socializing 0% 45% 45% 10%

BCSSE 2015

How prepared are you to do the following in your academic work at this university?

Work effectively with others 75% 69%

Learn effectively on your own 66% 55%

Think critically and analytically 55% 57%

Write clearly and effectively 51% 55%

Speak clearly and effectively 50% 49%

Use computing and information technology 48% 56%

Analyze math or quantitative problems 41% 43%

Combined responses of “5,” and “6” on a six-point scale where 6 is

“Very prepared.”BCSSE 2013 2015

During the coming school year, how difficult do you expect the following to

be?

2013 2015

Managing your time 44% 40%

Paying college expenses 40% 42%

Learning course material 28% 38%

Interacting with faculty 10% 13%

Making new friends 12% 17%

Getting help with school work 10% 10%

Combined responses of “5,” and “6” on a six-point scale where 6 is “Very difficult.”

How can Faculty help?

• Reach out before help is needed

• Recognize the role of the classroom in students’ campus life

• Find out if students are commuting

• Interact frequently in and out of class ― Say more than “come to

my office hours”

• Encourage students to collaborate

and help each other

• Support students’ belief that they

can learn

Monitor student success

•Class attendance

•Missing assignments

• Low engagement in class

discussions

•Participate in Early Alert

Monitor student success

• Help students develop a sense of belonging

• Recognize that for some students being a college student is not the most important role in

their lives

• Facilitate early connection to resources

• The students you have vs. The students you wish you had

• Help students to develop Growth Mindset

• Practice…

• Acceptance

• Empowerment

• Advocacy

Thank you!!

Questions