We continue to implement ways to help support students both in and out of the classroom to be successful and improve retention.
Evaluation Plan and measures: Retention numbers, event attendance, tutoring sessions, event evaluations, DFW rates
KPIs: Retention rates, event attendance, FYE advising and check-in meetings, tutoring participation.
Baseline measure (for each KPI): Fall 2018 cohort retention rates. Increased participation and retention of first-year students who attend Thunder Camp. Increase student attendance at university-sponsored events. Increase in person interactions with first-year students. Increase participation in the number of students attending tutoring sessions.
Current/most recent data (for each KPI): Attendance and retention of Thunder Camp participants (142 freshmen attended camp in August 2022 and 63% were retained to their sophomore year.) Attendance at student engagement events (59 events were held in the 2022-2023 academic year with 5,997 students attending). FYE advising and check-in meetings (FYE conducted 1091 in person meetings with students during the 2022-2023 academic year). Tutoring participation (179 tutoring sessions were conducted to 74 individual students during the 2022-2023 academic year).
Goal or targets (for each KPI): increased participation in events and progress towards meeting the retention target
Time period/duration: yearly
In Fall 2023, the first-year students in University College were placed in block schedules that included having their first-year seminar (UNIV 1000) course meeting four days a week. Our Thunder Camp extended orientation has proven successful with a higher retention rate for students who attended compared to the overall retention of the cohort. Our UNIV 1000 first-year seminar course was revamped to focus on the student’s purpose, self-advocacy, self-regulation, self-awareness, and self-confidence.
This fall, all first-year students are each creating a personalized academic plan using the Student Educational Planner in Degree Works. We will continue to work on creating a sophomore/2nd year retention plan and are in the process of planning a university-wide retention summit.
Challenges: Academic and social maturity of first-year students.
Support Needed: Re-evaluation of the funding model to include special funding or earmarks for academic retention initiatives.
