University of Kentucky Retention Strategic Plan

Transcription

1 University of Kentucky Retention Strategic Plan In 2007, Provost Subbaswamy declared The War on Attrition. The UK first year student retention rate (persistence in first to second year enrollment) evidenced little change over the past decade, ranging from 77 81%. The UK graduation rate (incoming full time first year students who graduate within six years) hovers at 60% 16 points below the median for UK s aspiration benchmark institutions. Deans, Provost Staff, faculty, and professional staff across the University are challenged to improve UK s first year retention rate and six year graduation rate dramatically. The University of Kentucky must provide opportunities for potential students to attain a bachelor s degree. Students must understand the preparation necessary for success at UK. Additionally, students should be able to identify opportunities for advanced programming on campus and opportunities to begin the path towards academic success prior to arriving at UK. The University has been working for more than a decade to increase undergraduate education efforts in first year student success as well as personalized academic intervention for students who experience academic difficulty at UK. However, the sophomore year experience and upperclassmen experiences are just as critical to improving student persistence, and the University is committed to bolstering critical programs which focus on the successful progress of our students towards degree attainment. A task force appointed by the Provost in 2007 to study issues pertaining to retention and graduation concluded their report with the following aspirations in 2007 to guide units and individuals in responding to the Provost s War on Attrition: 1. Nurture high expectations for the rigor and quality of the undergraduate experience. 2. Communicate strong institutional commitment to student learning. 3. Construct educational communities that engage students in learning. 4. Organize learning opportunities in and out of class to maximize student involvement. 5. Increase time that students spend on activities that impact student development. 6. Assist students in connecting and identifying with the University. 7. Increase frequency and improve quality of student interactions with faculty and staff. 8. Promote active learning and regular, prompt feedback. 9. Nurture respect, inclusivity and interaction among diverse groups. At the University of Kentucky, undergraduate student success is critical to the strategic efforts of all the undergraduate colleges and of all the administrative

2 support units, especially including those in the three divisions of Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and Undergraduate Education. The leadership of these divisions together with the Dean of the College of Arts & Sciences comprises the Provost s Retention Workgroup, which meets monthly to: monitor current retention and graduation rate data of students at UK as well as any research and assessment activities that contribute to campus goals; identify current student success programs and assessment initiatives occurring on campus; identify best practices and outstanding student success programs at other institutions and considers their application potential at UK; make recommendations to the Provost concerning ways to increase student learning, success, satisfaction and persistence at UK; and, appoint task forces to develop (and, when appropriate, implement) programmatic initiatives that enhance student success at UK. In the process of developing a strategic plan for the University s effort to improve retention and graduation rates, the Provost s Retention Workgroup has focused on several critical areas for regular attention. These topical areas serve as key points of inquiry for both policy development, implementation and assessment for systemic improvement. 1. High Impact Faculty Student Interactions: focusing on intentional student engagement strategies and crafting challenging learning opportunities in and out of class with frequent and timely feedback from faculty these high impact activities include active learning experiences in the traditional classroom with a low faculty/student ratio, first year learning communities, internships, service learning, study abroad, research with faculty mentors, senior capstone. 2. Individual Planning with Professional Academic Advising and Career Counseling: focusing on a carefully articulated and guided academic career trajectory based on realistic conceptions of the time to degree paying close attention to the empowerment of the student efficacy and personal motivation but often this may work best in conjunction with a peer to peer relationship or peer group environments so that the college experience is explained through newly interpersonal relationships. 3. Robust and Coherent Preparedness for the Rigor of Academic Life in a Research Institution: focusing on increasing college success through greater student readiness for college and careers providing necessary supports to students as they enter into the University or a particular college (especially critical when matching expectations for a selective program) and extending that support in different ways as the student persists in earning a degree; in this case, student time on task becomes an important predictor of student

3 learning/success and student involvement rates, especially enforcing oncampus residence, co curricular activity participation (not just class attendance), or seeking a job on campus in order to explore and understand life in the academic departments or labs. 4. High Performance Recruiting and Admissions: focusing on the interrelatedness between the individual colleges and the programs they offer (including the success of their graduates) and the University s recruitment strategies and goal setting; if a particular major is a highly popular topic with prospective students, the related college s strategic goals and accessibility for new students are clearly communicated and enforced early in the process of admissions, especially including those programs in selective colleges. 5. Consistent Academic Policies Supporting Multiple Pathways to Degree: focusing on systematic improvement in policy formation and implementation at the department, college and institutional levels so that faculty and staff are empowered to overcome traditional barriers and can best support the most highly motivated degree seeking students finding alternative pathways (including equitable transfer equivalencies, residency requirements, accelerated courses, distance learning and credit for prior learning) to graduation. While each college and unit is working on a response to the Strategic Plan, this document provides an overview and highlights those planning efforts coordinated and supported across university units and colleges related to improving retention and graduation rates. On the following pages we have outlined a life cycle framework strategic plan that will guide our deliberative efforts to improve the entry, persistence and timely graduation of students at the University of Kentucky. Goal 1: Provide access and pathways for successful entry to UK. A key to improving retention and graduation, hence better serving the Commonwealth of Kentucky through the development of a better educated society which will meet the critical needs of our state, region, nation and the world. Objective 1.1: Attract and enroll more high ability students from all societal segments to the University of Kentucky. Strategy 1.1.1: Enhance and elevate the visibility of undergraduate programs and initiatives at the University of Kentucky to potential students.

4 Strategy 1.1.2: Provide robust opportunities for undergraduate research and creative activities with faculty. Strategy 1.1.3: Create programs and partnerships that educate potential students and parents on what it means to be a student at the University of Kentucky, including interest and career exploration leading to appropriate major selection. Objective 1.2: Ensure a seamless transition from high schools and community colleges to a degree path at UK. Strategy 1.2.1: Continue to develop and market the dual enrollment BCTCblue+ program and extend to other community colleges. Strategy 1.2.2: Provide information to students early in the recruitment cycle on the requirements and preparation needed for success in a given degree/career path. Strategy 1.2.3: Provide multiple opportunities for Academic Readiness Program students to develop proficiency in identified areas of academic need prior to arrival to the University of Kentucky. Strategy 1.2.4: Continue to develop and improve summer advising and orientation programming and curriculum to focus on learning outcomes for success. Strategy 1.2.5: Develop articulation agreements to provide smooth paths into majors at UK. Strategy 1.2.6: Expand transition courses for transfer students, such as UK 301. Strategy 1.2.7: Increase scholarship and grant program funding, especially for those students most at risk: first generation, underrepresented minorities, veterans, adult learners. Objective 1.4: Build partnerships with P 12 to enhance preparation of students for college success. Strategy 1.4.1: Develop dual credit programs with high schools to provide smooth transitions for students into UK. Strategy 1.4.2: Continue to build relationships between UK and surrounding counties through shared workshops and initiatives.

5 Strategy 1.4.3: Develop STEM programming to enhance teaching and learning in high schools that prepares students for university learning. Goal 2: Focus on First Year Success and Freshman Retention UK is committed to enhancing the educational attainment of the citizens of the Commonwealth. A key step in this process is to ensure that all students admitted to the University of Kentucky are provided the tools to experience academic success and to feel engaged in the life of the university. Students who are academically successful and engaged co curricular programming are much more likely to return for their sophomore year, which in turn results in higher rates of degree attainment. Our goal is to raise the retention rate of UK s first year students from approximately 81% to 90%. Objective 2.1: Provide high quality, professional advising and advising based services for all undergraduate students. Strategy 2.1.1: Expand ranks of professional advisors across all undergraduate colleges to provide academic advising and interventions to enhance student success and persistence. Strategy 2.1.2: Revise career classification for professional advising staff to promote the profession and to elevate the visibility of advising on campus. Strategy 2.1.3: Ensure that professional advisors have experience or education in college student development when hired. Strategy 2.1.4: Provide continuous professional development for academic advising staff. Strategy 2.1.5: Enhance the visibility and desirability of Undergraduate Studies as a home for exploring major and career options and for students in transition, transfer students, at risk students, and those pursuing preprofessional and National Student Exchange opportunities. Objective 2.2: Provide effective university wide student academic and co curricular support and resources to aid in student success and graduation. Strategy 2.2.1: Develop an Undergraduate Success Center providing a one stop shop for academic and co curricular services and activities. Strategy 2.2.2: Expand access to peer tutoring and academic enhancement services.

6 Strategy 2.2.3: Continue to develop and maintain a centralized, online, federated environment for student success relying on participation data from support services units. Strategy 2.2.4: Develop a fully integrated Early Alert System that includes opportunities for faculty, staff and parent input, automated attendance and participation tracking, and supports timely intervention by advising, student affairs, financial aid and residence life staff. Strategy 2.2.5: Enhance the midterm grade reporting process to ensure compliance for all UG courses, that reported grades reflect the reality of the students progress, and that midterm grade alert messages are more constructive for individual student development needs. Objective 2.3: Provide effective first year programming to enhance academic success and institutional connection. Strategy 2.3.1: Provide access to UK 101 and other first year seminar programs for all incoming students. Strategy 2.3.2: Continue to improve transition programming (offered by K Week, Residence Life, Student Involvement, etc.) and offer more activities throughout the freshman year. Strategy 2.3.3: Develop effective freshman interest groups that encourage interactions between students, faculty, and staff. Strategy 2.3.4: Foster collaborations between Undergraduate Education, Student Affairs, Residence Life and Colleges to continue the development and expansion of Living/Learning Communities and Residence Colleges. Objective 2.4: Enhance the role of faculty in student success. Strategy 2.4.1: Improve communications with faculty so that they understand the impact of the classroom on retention and persistence. Strategy 2.4.2: Expand the use of mandatory attendance taking in freshman courses. Strategy 2.4.3: Provide expanded opportunities for faculty to develop pedagogical approaches that enhance engagement with students in and out of the classroom.

7 Goal 3: Ensure Continuing Student Success Toward Degree Attainment Students who return to the University of Kentucky after their freshman year must continue to experience success and engaged learning and living. We must target those areas that help all students to determine their pathways to success. Our goal is to raise our six year graduation rate from approximately 60% to 72%. Objective 3.1: Develop programming to ensure continued progress towards degree attainment. Strategy 3.1.1: Establish programs and traditions for the sophomore year, much like K Week for freshmen, that provides new opportunities for engagement with UK and the community. Strategy 3.1.2: Develop a flexible Bachelors of Interdisciplinary Studies that challenges students and prepares them for life beyond the academy. Strategy 3.1.3: Offer re recruitment incentives targeting high achieving students (UK GPA of 3.5 and higher before the census date of second Fall semester). Strategy 3.1.4: Re recruit graduating cohort who withdraw and create a leave of absence policy to educate and encourage student persistence at UK. Strategy 3.1.5: Offer a greater variety of formats and delivery modes for selected undergraduate majors to increase access and success for nontraditional students. Strategy 3.1.6: Create strategically targeted interdisciplinary undergraduate degree programs that provide opportunities not currently available in our curriculum. Strategy 3.1.7: Continue to provide high quality, professional advising that complements and supports faculty advising across campus to encourage and facilitate the timely graduation of our undergraduates. Objective 3.2: Provide major and career counseling to ensure that students are progressing through a major with a clear vision of their career goals. Strategy 3.2.1: Continue to develop strong relationships between Stuckert Career Center staff and Colleges to provide timely information and career

8 advising for students early in their academic career. Plan strategically for providing resources that Strategy 3.2.2: Develop class level career courses to provide freshman, sophomores, and juniors with timely, career focused courses that reinforce the major preparation courses. Strategy 3.2.3: Increase the use of the University degree audit software and other tools for tracking student progress and time to degree. Strategy 3.2.4: Provide more opportunities for students to their options proactively prior to changing majors. For example, a College Fair in the fall, near mid term, to provide information on majors and careers. Strategy 3.2.5: Expand opportunities for credit bearing learning experiences for exploring majors. Career courses, service learning, internships, etc Objective 3.3: Enhance programming to identify at risk students and intervene proactively to enhance persistence. Strategy 3.3.1: Implement a strategic, integrated model for undergraduate student employment, grounded in a developmental understanding of students needs as they progress academically and designed to facilitate, rather than hinder, student retention and success. Strategy 3.3.2: Develop programs to allow incoming freshmen the opportunity to find on campus jobs before coming to campus. Strategy 3.3.2: Monitor student academic success and continue to provide proactive advising to keep students on track for graduation. Strategy 3.3.3: Enhance Financial Early Alert system to assist students with financial issues that may result in leaving UK. Goal 4: Graduate Students who are Prepared for Leading Roles in an Innovation driven Economy and Global Society. Our students must not only be retained and graduated, they must be prepared for a global economy, one in which many of the jobs and careers they will be in do not exist today. It is not enough to graduate; our students must graduate ready to serve the Commonwealth, the nation, and the world.

9 Objective 4.1: Ensure rigorous and meaningful cutting edge academic programming that tracks the development of knowledge and its application to better prepare students for success. Strategy 4.1.1: Develop innovative interdisciplinary certificate programs to allow exploration of knowledge outside of the major Strategy 4.1.2: Create strategically targeted interdisciplinary undergraduate degree programs that provide opportunities not currently available in our curriculum. Strategy 4.1.3: Integrate credit and/or paid internship experiences in every student s academic experience. Strategy 4.1.4: Provide expanded opportunities for Study Abroad, National Student Exchange, service learning, undergraduate research opportunities and capstone courses. Objective 4.2: Provide multiple opportunities for students to explore job and career possibilities. Strategy 4.2.1: Provide opportunities for alumni mentoring and interaction. Students should be able to learn from and with recent graduates to see the connection between their academic work and the world beyond. Strategy 4.2.2: Provide rigorous, cutting edge programs that bring the development of new knowledge and its interface with the real world to the for Strategy 4.2.3: Create programming for a variety of employers to become systematically involved in career class events and departmental classes.