Mid-Term Conversations provide students with mid-term DFUs with face-to-face opportunities in one-on-one or small groups to discuss challenges from the first half of the semester and expose them to campus resources to get them back on track.
The facilitator asks students direct questions to get them engaged, introduces alternative assumptions, asks for examples, and asks for personal reflections and insights as to why they are having academic challenges in the first year.
Evaluation Plan and measures:
- Review of academic support activity for this group at the end of the semester.
KPIs:
- % of participants who engage in an academic support function
Baseline measure (for each KPI):
- % of participants who engage in an academic support function
- Fall 2022 participants: 54% (149/274) engaged in tutoring, math/writing centers, or individual success consultations
Current/most recent data (for each KPI)
- % of participants who engage in an academic support function
- Spring 2023 participants: 68% (13/19) engaged in tutoring, math/writing centers, study table, or individual success consultations
Goal or targets (for each KPI):
- % of participants who engage in an academic support function
- 70% of participants will engage in an academic support function
Time period/duration
- Ongoing
The program in two semesters has averaged a 61% participation rate in academic support activities beyond the initial conversation. We are hopeful that with increased staffing we can increase the percentage of participants who attend an Individual Success Consultation (one-on-one meeting with Student Success) upwards from 30%; we hope that the data reveals that an increase in these one-one-one sessions, which build trust through relationships will lead to a further increase in engagement with academic support.
- We are taking qualitative data from the sessions to assist in data gathering.
- We have marketed sessions as mandatory to increase participation.
- We will be gathering survey data after sessions to assess whether students find the sessions valuable and whether they intend to engage in academic support afterwards.
Challenges:
- High-need: Over 1600 freshmen received at least one mid-term deficiency.
- Staffing: Almost 3000 undergraduates had at least mid-term deficiency. With only two staff members conducting sessions, many students will not be reached by this method or may have scheduling conflicts with the advertised sessions. We have had to limit the number of students we contact for this service. A lack of staff also limits the impact of follow-up and the opportunity to build relationships. Additional full-time personnel to serve as academic coaches or a reliance on student works is necessary.
- Compliance: Attendance at these sessions are not tied to any other activity, such as registration, housing, or re-admission to the University after academic suspension
