The Registrar’s Role in Retention

Loralyn Taylor, Ph.D.RegistrarDirector of Institutional Research

Outline

• The REGISTRAR perspective• Why we are critical to retention• Coordinating efforts • Supporting the cause

– Data, information and anecdotes• Examples & results from Paul Smith’s• Helping YOUR campus

“Retention is everyone’s business.”

Unique Position

• Faculty and Students• Cross-campus interactions• 15,000 foot view

– Information between offices– Timing of information need– Timing of data generation

Unique Position

• Academic Policies– Adviser and change agent– Coherence and balance– Hoops vs. integrity

• Grades• “Ear to the ground”

Unique Position

• Institutional memory• Past practice• Best practice• Exceptions• Degree audits• Data generation

Why Retention Programs Fail

1. No faculty buy-in2. The “risk group of the year” syndrome3. Information & communication problems

– silos– coordination

High First Generation, High Pell, High Risk

Retention RateFirst Time Freshmen Fall-to-Fall Retention

All Fresh: 60-65%

Bachelors: 64-65%

Associates: 50-60%

Support ServicesRetention Office

-FYS-Academic Recovery Program-Transitional Student Program

Academic Support Center-SI, Tutoring, Writing Center

HEOPTRiOSafety NetCareer ServicesAccommodative ServicesStudent DevelopmentStudent LifeHealth Services

Why Retention Programs Fail

1. No faculty buy-in– Early Alerts (~80-85%)

• No feedback to instructor– MidTerm grades (~90-95%)

• Grades only, no context• No feedback

– Respect

Why Retention Programs Fail

2. The “risk group” syndrome– A little

3. Information & Communication problems

– YES!– 4 R’s

Retention Office

Accommodative Services

TRiO Advisor

ARP Advocate

Faculty Advisor

HEOP Advisor

Program Coordinators

Instructors

Academic Support

Student Life

Deans

Student

Student Development

Health Services

Retention Office

Accommodative Services TRiO Advisor

ARP Advocate

Faculty Advisor

HEOP Advisor

Program Coordinators

Instructors

Academic Support

Student Life

Deans

Student

Student Development

Health Services

Common Theme of Retention Committees, Councils, our MSA Self-Study, and Strategic Planning process

• Improve communication within and between faculty and support offices

• Information flow• Improve coordination of response• Close the reporting loop

– What was done/what happened

Information flow and communication problems can sink retention efforts

Strategic Plan InitiativesComprehensive Student Support System• Prioritize existing resources and create

comprehensive support program• Intentionally cross-collaborate• Create a student success network for all

students• Identify individual student needs

– Connect students to services

Generating Faculty Buy-in

• Traditional Retention– Focus on academic– Prevention of student loss– Target at risk students

• Student Success– Add non-academic– All students

Academic Success Center

• Academic Support Center– SI, Tutoring, Writing Center, Math Center

• Targeted Population Programming– ARP, Transitional Student Program

• Early Outreach Program– All students– Students identified as high risk

Strategic Plan InitiativesComprehensive Student Support System• Prioritize existing resources and create

comprehensive support program• Intentionally cross-collaborate• Create a student success network for all

students• Identify individual student needs

– Connect students to services

Support Services and Co-curricular Connections

• Academic Success Center• HEOP• TRiO• Accommodative Services• Student Development• Student Life• Health Services• Career Services• Safety Net• Admissions

Student Success

Strategic Plan InitiativesComprehensive Student Support System• Prioritize existing resources and create

comprehensive support program• Intentionally cross-collaborate• Create a student success network for all

students• Identify individual student needs

– Connect students to services

Searching for Solution• Technology

– Automation• Gather, manage and distribute information• Appropriate offices• Coordinate response• Easy to use

– No extensive training– Not intimidating

Early Warning & Student Tracking System

•Manual flags or flag surveys.•Automatic flags

– based on system data•Automatic communication

– appropriate personnel and/ or student

•Close the loop – Results of intervention to flag

raiser

Educational Support Networking System

•My Success Network– Personalized for each student

•Service catalog– Campus support resources

•Online scheduling •Appointment confirmation by email.•Documentation of contact with students

– private and shared notes.

STARFISH

Accommodative Services

TRiO Advisor

ARP Advocate

Faculty Advisor

HEOP Advisor

Program Coordinators

Instructors

Academic Support

Student Life

Deans

Student

Student Development

Health Services

At Paul Smith’s• Information and communications plan

– Permissions• Who sees what, when

– Action hierarchy• Who does what, when

– Marketing campaign• Implementation plan

– John Kotter’s Change Management Theory

At Paul Smith’s• Early Identification

– Pre-enrollment• Predictive modeling

– Probation status– Early Alerts– Midterm grades

• Calc midterm gpa• Merge with Fin Aid data

Planning for Success• Intentionality

– Paralysis by Analysis– Make a plan

• Simplicity– Less is more– Make a simple plan

Planning for Success• Clarity

– Decrease training, increase compliance– Make a clear, simple plan

• KISS– Make a clear, simple plan that can be

understood and followed

Information ManagementThree types of Flags

– Informational• Notify about concern

– Action• Student in need of intervention

– Urgent• Critical action needed• Student in danger of suspension

Informational Flags

Low GradesAttendance ConcernMissing WorkSocial/Personal ConcernNo Show in ClassBehavioral Issues

3 Flag Warning Support Action6 Flag Warning Advisor/Support

ActionStudent Development—PrivateHealth Concern—PrivateMissed required tutoringHealth Services—Missing State

Mandated Requirements

Action Flags

Urgent Flags

Suspension for Non-paymentAcademic Recovery Program Suspension WarningHealth Services Suspension WarningSafetyNet Notification of a Health/Safety or Behavioral

ConcernFinancial Aid Loss of FundingTrespass Notice

Dear STUDENT FIRST NAME:

Your instructor in CLASS NAME has reported that they are concerned about your grades on assignments and/or tests

We are concerned about your success!

Paul Smith’s has a number of student support services designed to help you on your path to graduation. These can be accessed through your home page in Starfish in the My Success Network channel on the bottom left of the screen or through the Success Network link at the top of the page.

Please take advantage of our student support resources.

The Academic Success Center has a number of resources including individual and group tutoring, supplemental instruction, and the Writing Center. Appointments can be made with Renee Marleau, the Tutor Coordinator, through Starfish.

Sincerely,

Virginia McAleese, Associate ProfessorDirector of the Academic Success Center

Feedback to FacultyFeedback has been provided for the Low Grades flag which you raised

on STUDENT NAME.

Flag DetailsStudent: STUDENT NAMEFlag Name: Low Grades Category: AcademicRaised On: 9/14/2010 Cleared On: 9/20/2010Feedback From: Monica Buriello

Feedback: The student will be speaking to his professor, attending the SI, and getting tutoring. His tutoring was just assigned for Dendrology. We have a follow-up meeting planned for next week. If you would like to discuss this in more detail please contact me.

The Registrar knows FIRSTIdentification

– Who– What– Where

• FWS freshmen• Suspensions without probation

• High Challenge Courses– Targeting support

• Early Alert Survey Data• Grades

– Midterm/final distributions• DFW rates

– Math– English– Critical FY major courses

The Registrar knows FIRST

Top Five:  Most Concentrated Sections (by number flagged)

Section IDFlagged Students Total Students

% Students

BIO 101.LEC.01 52 191 27

FOR 110.LEC.01 31 84 36

CHM 141.LEC.01 18 113 15

CHM 141.LEC.02 16 69 23

FOR 110.LEC. 02 16 69 23

Data• Track success

– Generate “wins”• Student success

– Increased retention• Minimum 1 year

– Increased graduation rates• Min 4 years

Key Performance Indicators• Early

– EA Survey results– Flag rates– Flag clearance times– MidTerm and Final Grades

• % with at least one D or F grade• % D and F grades awarded

– % suspended after probation

Key Performance Indicators• Mid

– Year-to-year retention rates– % with overall gpa >2.00– % on probation– % suspended– % on Dean’s List

Key Performance Indicators• Late

– Multi-year retention rates– Graduation rates

Student Evaluation Points• Attendance• 4th Week Early Alert Survey• 8th Week MidTerm Grade warnings• Flag students

– Anytime– Wider safety net

• Not just instructors

With StarfishSpring 2010• 100% Full Time Faculty• 91% Adjunct Faculty• 271 flags raised

– Prior to first survey– No marketing

• 49% of flags raised outside of EA or MT

An intentional, clear, simple and intuitive design is critical to a successful plan.

Early Alert Survey

Early Alert Survey Results2010 2011

Spring Fall Spring Fall

Sections Reporting 92% 98% 96% 84%

Completion Time 1.8 1.4 2.25 1.7

# Flags Raised 614 789 700 810

# Students Flagged 291 380 342 387

% Students Flagged 35% 38% 37% 36%

MidTerm Warning Flags• 8th Week

– All students– Automated flags

• Flag for grade below C

28% decrease in % with D or F

Fall

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

3 year average 2010 2011

% Stude

nts

% Students with 1 D or F Final Grade

Suspension after probation:Down 50%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

Continuing Probation

Good Standing

Suspension Withdraws

Academic Recovery Program Results

200920102011

Good Academic Standing: +7%

Prior 3 year average 2010 2011

Term 75.0% 80.8% 83.1%Overall 82.1% 84.5% 87.9%

65.0%

70.0%

75.0%

80.0%

85.0%

90.0%

% Stude

nts in Goo

d Stan

ding

% of Students in Good Standing

2.25

2.45

2.65

2.85

3.05

3.25

Prior 3 yr average 2010 2011

GPA

Term and Overall GPA Changes Fall Semester

CumTerm

36% Probations41% Suspensions

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

Prior 3 yr ave 2010 2011

% of S

tude

nts

% of Students on Suspension or Probation

SuspensionsProbations

Dean’s List: +17%Adirondack Scholar: + 44%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

2009 2010 2011

% stud

ents re

ceiving aw

ard

Academic Awards

Dean's ListADK Scholar

Earned Associates in 2 years

+23%

0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

Prior 3 year ave 2008 2009

% Stude

nts E

arning

 Associates

Assoc Seeking Graduating in 2 Years

Increase in Net Student Revenue due to Increased Overall Retention RateIncreased retention Additional Students Net Student Tuition

Spring 2010 to Fall 4.40% 36 360,000.00 

Fall 2010 to Spring 0.80% 39 390,000.00 

Spring 2011 to Fall 3.60% 59 590,000.00 

Fall 2011 to Spring 2.00% 70 700,000.00 

Grand Total 2,040,000.00 

How to Help• Provide Actionable Information

– Advising• Student complaints• Common questions

– Advisor training– Instructors

• Student complaints• Common questions

– faculty development/new faculty orientation

How to Help• Provide Actionable Information

– Review policies and procedures• Identify and remove unnecessary roadblocks• Reduce paperwork

– Identify curricular roadblocks• Advisors and deans

– Scheduling problems• FWS ex.

– Close the loop!!

How to Help• Identify high challenge courses

– Help target resources• Registration committee

– Incl. students– Reduce issues

• Plan sheet review committee– Curricular issues– Scheduling issues

How to Help• Help others speak the language of the:

– Faculty– Students– Administration

• Be a change agent– Neo-curmudgeon

Registrar’s Office

Accommodative Services

TRiO Advisor

ARP Advocate

Faculty Advisor

HEOP Advisor

Program Coordinators

Instructors Academic Support

Student Life

DeansStudent

Student DevelopmentHealth Services

Administrative offices

Questions?

Loralyn Taylor, Ph.D.RegistrarDirector of Institutional ResearchLTaylor@paulsmiths.edu