Faculty Role in Student Retention

1. Faculty Role in Student Retention Fall 2008 Faculty Workshop

2. Faculty Role in Student Retention Retention Stats at CBU • First-Second Year Retention Rate: 85% • Six-Year Graduation Rate: 65% • Rates exceed national averages for traditional selective private institutions (71.8% / 50.8%) and are comparable to our sister institutions (ACT; 2007) • How above rates are measured • fall to fall • measured using first-time freshmen • standard admits (met our admission criteria) – IPEDS (all)

3. Faculty Role in Student Retention Theoretical Framework • Alexander Astin (1999a;1999b) • Theory of Student Involvement • Rooted in longitudinal studies of college drop-outs • What Matters in College (Astin;1993) • Assess how college affects students • Pre/post tests (CIRP data Freshmen/Senior years)

4. Faculty Role in Student Retention Student Involvement • most significant factor cognitive/affective development and influencing student persistence to graduation. • Three most powerful forms of involvement: • Academic involvement • Involvement with faculty • Student peer groups

5. Faculty Role in Student Retention Student Engagement • work led by George Kuh, et. Al. (2005) • Qualitative Study of Documenting Effective Educational Practices (DEEP) Colleges/ Universities • What conditions affect student success? • National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) • Assess student and institutional behaviors known to be associated with desired student outcomes

6. Faculty Role in Student Retention NSSE – Sample questions • How often have you worked harder than you thought you could to meet an instructor’s expectations? (Very often – Never) • How often have you received prompt oral or written feedback from a faculty member of your work? (Very often, - Never) • How often have you talked about career plans with a faculty member or advisor? (Very often – Never) • Worked with other students on projects in class? (Very often-Never) • To what extent does institution provide support your need to help you succeed academically? (Very much – Very little) http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/NSSE2008_US_English_Paper.pdf

7. Faculty Role in Student Retention Best Practices • High Expectations • Clear Goals • Timely Feedback • Personal Connections • Access to resources Chickering and Gamson, 1987; Kinzie, J., 2005; NSSE, 2008; Kuh, et. Al.,2005 )

8. Faculty Role in Student Retention Models at CBU • Our faculty are our best resource • great barometer for what is happening with students • Many of you are already applying some of these strategies • Receive encouragement from one another to tighten up some of the strategies you are applying

9. Faculty Role in Student Retention Model at CBU: High Expectations Stephen Christie, Associate Dean of Business; Assistant Professor of accounting, finance Student Comment: “Professor Christie doesn’t let me get away with anything. If I am not doing my best, he calls me on it.”

10. Faculty Role in Student Retention Model at CBU: Clear Goals Bruce Prins, Assistant Professor of biology Student comment: “I know exactly what is expected of me when I am studying for Dr. Prins’ class.”

11. Faculty Role in Student Retention Model at CBU: Timely Feedback Anne-Marie Lawson, Assistant Professor of PsychologyDirector, Graduate Program in Forensic Psychology Student Comment: “I always knew how I was doing in Dr. Lawson’s class…she even took the time to personally follow up with me when I was having difficulties.”

12. Faculty Role in Student Retention Model at CBU: Personal Connections Anthony Donaldson, Dean School of Engineering; Professor of Engineering Student Comment: “I love that man…he’s so one on one.”

13. Faculty Role in Student Retention Model at CBU: Access to Resources Academic Resource Center • Come into the classroom • Retention Alert Form . • Ideas for collaboration

14. Faculty Role in Student Retention Influence of Academic Resource Center Usage upon FR-SO Retention Rates ARC Usage promotes student retention

15. Faculty Role in Student Retention Discussion • How do you establish expectations in your classes? • How do you differentiate between establishing clear goals and spoon feeding students? • What is “timely feedback”? • What have been your experiences with collaborative learning? • How can the Academic Resource Center partner with you?

16. Faculty Role in Student Retention Sources • ACT (2007). National collegiate retention and persistence to degree rates: 2007. Retrieved July 1, 2008, http://www.act.org/research/policymakers/pdf/retain_2007.pdf • Astin, A. W. (1993). What matters in college? : Four critical years revisited (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • Astin, A. W. (1999a). Involvement in learning revisited: Lessons we have learned. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 587-598. • Astin, A. W. (1999b). Student involvement: A developmental theory for higher education. Journal of College Student Development, 40(5), 518-529. • Chickering, A. W., and Gamson, Z. F. “Seven Principles for Good Practice in Undergraduate • Education.” AAHE Bulletin, 1987, 39(7), 3–7. • Kinzie, J. (2005). Promoting student success: What faculty members can do. (Occasional Paper #6). Retrieved July 1, 2008, from • http://nsse.iub.edu/institute/documents/briefs/DEEP%20Practice%20Brief%206%20What%2Faculty%20Members%20Can%20Do.pdf • Kuh, G. D., Kinzie, J., Schuh, J. H., Whitt, E., & Associates. (2005). Student success in college: Creating conditions that matter (1st ed.). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. • National Survey of Student Engagement. (2008). retrieved August 20, 2008 from http://nsse.iub.edu/pdf/NSSE2008_US_English_Paper.pdf

17. Faculty Role in Student Retention Thank you! Tracy Ward Dean of Academic Services California Baptist University tward@calbaptist.edu