Take Flight in Four. Presentation to EWU Board of Trustees, September 28, 2012 Rex Fuller, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs

Transcription

1 Take Flight in Four Presentation to EWU Board of Trustees, September 28, 2012 Presenters Rex Fuller, Provost and Vice President, Academic Affairs Stacey Morgan Foster, Vice President Student Affairs Colin Ormsby, Interim Vice Provost for Undergraduate Affairs and Student Success

2 Take Flight in Four EWU is committed to ensuring that students have barrier-free access to achieve their Baccalaureate degrees in FOUR years. What to do. Resources available. Recommended strategies for success.

3 Features Priority registration Early advising Best practices for student retention Student driven

4 Requirements Matriculate as a freshman in the fall quarter (and may transfer in credits from another college or Running Start). Create a four-year program with an assigned academic advisor prior to fall quarter. Meet every quarter with the assigned academic advisor to ensure priority registration eligibility. Be realistic about the chosen major. Several require more than 180 quarter credits.

5 Recommended Strategies for Success Complete all developmental courses by the end of the first year. Take at least four summer session classes or the equivalent number of courses on-line if any remediation is required. Take two summer courses or the equivalent number of courses online if NO remediation is required.

6 Recommended Strategies for Success Complete, with passing grades, a minimum of 45 credits per year and be in good academic and disciplinary standing. Identify courses that require a minimum grade in order to progress towards graduation. Exceed that minimum grade requirement.

7 Recommended Strategies for Success Be flexible with the course schedule and be willing to take courses when they are offered. Live on campus the first year. Connect with campus support resources and co-curricular activities.

8 Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) What about students who are already sophomores and who also expect to graduate in four years total? Can they still take advantage of this program? Absolutely. An advisor can work with any student to review progress and help set up a four year plan.

9 FAQ Can this be done with programs that require more than 180 credits? Yes. However, it might be more difficult. Majors in many of these programs are high-demand fields and require completion of more than 45 credits per year to graduate in four years. Students may also elect to take summer courses to accelerate their program toward completion.

10 FAQ How important is living on campus to achieving a four-year degree? Nationally, research indicates that living on campus is positively correlated to greater identification with the institution, increased retention, and progress to degree. Because of this, we highly encourage firstyear students to live on campus. That said, there are many students who graduate in four years while living with their families or with roommates offcampus.

11 FAQ How much time should a student expect to commit to studying in order to be successful in courses? Students should expect to spend about two hours in preparation outside of class for every class hour scheduled. A 15-credit load requires a total time commitment of about 45 hours a week, a full time job! Students should consider taking a First-Year Experience class to help with time management and study skills.

12 FAQ What about extra-curricular activities? Can students engage in campus life and be successful on the four-year pathway? Most definitely! In fact, student engagement on campus with various activities has a direct impact on overall satisfaction with the educational experience and ultimate success. Students increase access to resources and opportunities that will be integrated with classroom experiences. Plus, the benefit of priority registration will enable students to plan a schedule in such a way that they can take maximum advantage of all that EWU has to offer.

13 Reflection and Data Currently, 22 percent of FTF graduate in four years. 1,500 freshmen x 22% = 330. The percentage of students who graduate in four years from Washington regional comprehensive institutions ranges from the mid-twenties to midthirties. IPEDS peers have a 17 percent graduation rate in four years. The overall four-year graduation rate for public universities in the United States is 31 percent.

14 Reflection and Data The program will provide a point of differentiation. The program will not compromise our commitment to access and opportunity. Over 72 percent of EWU students report working while going to school. Planned start date for the program is fall 2013.

15 Internal Discussion Can we create and schedule enough First-Year Experience courses? market program and identify students prior to enrollment?

16 Progress to Date Excellent FYE models are already developed with Eastern Scholars (summer bridge), Eastern Advantage, and the Living Learning Centers. We can expand these. Four-degree programs are being developed.