Student Retention Plan

Division of Student Affairs

• Faculty Senate (October 2005)
• Council of Academic Deans (October 2005)
• Student Affairs Council (January 2006, May 2006)
• Extended Student Affairs Council (September, November 2005; January, March 2006)

• College of Science (November 2005)
• College of Liberal Arts (April, 2006)
• College of Education (May 2006)
• Parents Association (May, 2006)

• Materials provided for Parents Association Calendar 2006-2007 (April 2006)
• Retention tips for Parents Association web site (Summer 2006)

1. Texas State First-Time Freshmen, Results of the CIRP 2005 Freshmen Survey

2. P.A.W.S. Alert Summary
3. Welcome Bobcats Retention Summary
4. Student Success Web Page Web Counter

5. Advance Registration Headcount as a Percentage of Enrollment

6. Fall 2005 Executive Summary
7. Spring 2006 Executive Summary

8. Fall 2005 Executive Summary
9. Spring 2006 Executive Summary

10. Transfer Student Focus Group Executive Summary available July 2006

11. Summary Frequencies by College
12. Freshmen Retention for Student on Probation

13. Retention of Fall Semester New Undergraduates
14. Retention of Summer Cohort Students (Freshmen)

15. One-Year Retention Rates of First-time, Full-time Freshmen by High School Origin for Schools Sending at least 15 Students in one of the Indicated 5-Year Periods

• The program was launched in mid-September 2005.
• Monthly reminder e-mails were sent to faculty and staff in September, October, November, February, March, and April.
• 28 liaisons were trained.
• An appreciation luncheon was provided to liaisons in May 2006.

• Volunteers to call students were recruited through a campus wide e-mail. The majority of the volunteers were from Student Affairs.
• Phone calls began in early September and were completed the second week in November.
• The calling program provided insight into the freshmen experiences including delayed homesickness, anxiousness about mid-terms, and confusion about registration.
• Overall, a slightly higher percentage of students returned the following semester when contacted by phones versus receiving an e-mail.

• Total number of calls 35
• Number of students enrolled in following semester 24 (68.6%)

• Total number of calls 3,358
• Number of students enrolled in following semester 3,046 (90.7%)

• In Spring 2006, new transfer students were added to the Welcome Bobcats Program. The transfer students were contacted via e-mail and not by telephone.
• In Summer 2006, freshmen, freshmen-transfers, and transfer students will receive at least two telephone contacts by staff before receiving an e-mail from VPSA office.

• The web site was launched in March 2006.
• Web site address is: https://www.studentaffairs.txstate.edu/studentsuccess/
• Student success quotes and photos were added in May 2006.
• 411 unique IP addresses have visited the site. Total number of visits is 4,641.

• Academic Success 801
• Leadership Success 406
• Career Success 362
• Personal Success 332
• Financial Success 289
• Social/Engagement 268

• For Fall 2006, the web site will be promoted through the New Student Orientation power point, pens for PAWS Preview, and bookmarks for US 1100 instructors.
• A curriculum is being developed for the instructors of US 1100 sections.
• A component on self reflection and intended outcomes of attending college is planned for Fall 2006.

• March agenda
  • Overview of current data: general retention, academic characteristics, students on probation, ethnicity/first generation, students who withdraw, and literature review

• Each semester e-mails were sent to students one week prior to the beginning of registration. At the start of open registration, a second e-mail was sent to all students that did not register during the designated time to remind them of the remaining registration availability.
• Flyers were distributed to Residence Halls, Academic Advising Centers, Student Health Center, Student Center, and other buildings frequently visited by students.
• Table tents were distributed to the following food service areas: Commons, Jones, the Den, the Lair, and LBJ Student Center. Additional table tents were set up on the second floor of the library, Math Lab, Writing Center, and other lounges in academic buildings during Spring 2006.
• Bus advertisements were used to promote summer school and fall registration during the spring registration periods.

• Transfer Student Welcome Receptions were initiated in June 2005 to connect new students with academic services and Student Affairs departments. The students were invited to lunch at George’s with staff from Academic Advising, Student Learning Assistance Center, Career Services, Admissions, Financial Aid, Mentoring, and the other departments represented by team members.
• The program was again offered in January 2006 for the new students arriving in spring. The spring program was expanded to include current student representatives from the Non-Traditional Student Organization and University Ambassadors.
• At both receptions approximately 10-15% of the new transfer students attended, 30 participants in the summer and 150 participants in spring.
• A modificationmade to welcome receptions was the Transfer Student and New Major Receptions offered during the fall semester. These events were co-hosted by the team with 11 academic departments and 2 colleges. Approximately 360 students attended the academic receptions.

• The survey was initiated in Fall 2004 and it was sent to all students that did not advance register. Beginning in Fall 2005 new criteria were established for survey distribution. The survey was only sent to undergraduate students, who did not apply for graduation, were not on suspension, and did not advance register.
• The Fall 2005 survey also asked students if they needed assistance. Many students used this opportunity to request help for complex issues. The issues were handled by the VPSA office and utilize liaisons throughout campus.
• The lists of students on probation were provided to Academic Advising Centers in January 2006. The lists of student on probation and students that did not advance register for Fall 2006 will be sent to Advising Centers in June 2006.

• The Student Success Team recognizes the scholastic achievements with the Dean’s List Reception. Receptions were held in September 2005 and February 2006. Students were able to take photographs with a representative from the College Dean’s office. Student earning at 4.0 received a t-shirt. Approximately 3,400-3,600 students are on the Dean’s List each semester and approximately 350-600 students attend each reception. The event continues to expand each semester as students also invite family and friends to the celebration. The list of students who earn Dean’s List recognition is also posted on the Student Success Team web page: http://www.vpsa.txstate.edu/studentsuccess/.

• Beginning with the December 2005 Commencement ceremony, the staff members from the Division of Student Affairs volunteer as ushers for all four graduation ceremonies. In the future, the Division hopes to capture from graduating seniors information about individuals on campus that have made a difference in their lives and share this with the faculty or staff member.

• Residence Life has implemented the collection of hometown newspapers to be a resource for others to send information back home on student success.

• An All Male track was added to the African American Leadership Conference.
• The Latino Leadership Conference was reformatted to be workshops and programs offered during Hispanic Heritage Month including a program with Delores Huerta.

• Asking departments to facilitate informal student/faculty gatherings.
• Creating opportunities to provide peer support groups: conferences, common experiences, counseling, group activities, and student organization advisors to host meals.

• During Fall 2005 a list of programs in the first six weeks of the semester was distributed to Academic Advising Centers, Residence Life and other Student Affairs offices.
• Mama’s Kitchen promoted students joining faculty and staff for lunch once a month.
• Mentoring Program offered mentor/mentee luncheons to encourage connections.
• Common Experience started a tradition of outdoor speakers to highlight the topics. This year was Maya Angelou and Spike Lee.
• In Spring 2006, Residence Hall Assistants were provide information and support to engage freshmen in programs offered in the halls and /or on campus.

• In 2005-2006, the University Mentoring Program served 157 new students, matched one-on-one with one of the 156 volunteer faculty (12), staff (71) or student mentors (73).
• The balance of mentors and mentees allowed for any student wishing to have a mentor to be placed quickly rather than being placed on a waiting list. By increasing our pool of mentors, it also allowed more of the new students’ preferences such the mentors’ interests, major/field, gender, ethnicity, and other factors that help establish a comfort zone to be used as criteria for the match.
• The program continues to target high risk students such as minority and first-generation college students.
• The program offered orientations to the new mentors and mentees to establish expectations as well as to share information that can assist the mentors better serve the new students.
• A graduate research assistant in the Dean of Student Office also assisted with the program.
• A Mentor/Mentee retreat was held at University Camp. This included participation in the Challenge Course which encourages students to seek creative solutions to challenges (real & perceived) and to transfer skills to other real life situations such as academic and social challenges.

• Career Services, held an Open House early in the fall to introduce students to the services of the office and to the idea of career exploration and planning.
• Academic Advising Services and the Vice President for Student Affairs Office, held a luncheon that shared with students, information critical to their academic success (importance of academic advising & the VPSA’s Student Success Plan).
• Multicultural Student Affairs, co-sponsored and invited all participants to Mama’s Kitchen in March & April.

• Members of Student Affairs enrolled as members in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• Career Services was recognized by the Hispanic Chamber for its efforts to place students in the community.
• For the upcoming year, continued outreach with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will occur including an invitation to participate in Hispanic Family Visit Day.

• Instead of hosting a Pre PAWS Preview program, Multicultural Student Affairs developed the Fresh Encounters program to guide first generation and minority students throughout the semester.
• Students met weekly to discuss current issues they were experiencing, develop academic and success skills, learn information about campus resources, and create a connection with others on campus

• Web site was launched in early June 2006.
• Web site address is: http://www.vpsa.txstate.edu/student-success/transfer-student-resources.html
• Bookmarks to publicize the web site were distributed to transfer students at Orientation sessions and throughout departments in Student Affairs.
• Admissions use the bookmark during recruitment efforts throughout the state.
• A web counter will be added as an enhancement to the website.

1. The effectiveness of our retention programs, particularly the P.A.W.S. Alert early warning system, is dependent upon faculty and staff across campus remaining actively involved in the lives of students and utilizing the service.

2. The campus must continue to strive to increase the level of customer services and assistance given to students. The campus must work together to minimize negative situations the students may be experiencing. Students are commenting that they get the run around or wrong information. As a campus, we can minimize these feelings.

3. Student at risk will require efforts from numerous entities on campus to prevent them from falling onto probation. When students are on probation, we must commit resources to assist in improving their academic status and success skills.

4. As a front line staff in contact with many of our students, academic advisors will need to be supported in their efforts to guide students during the college career.