Since college is much less structured than high school, beginning UNH students may need some help learning how to structure their lives. As students become upperclassmen and get into their major courses, grades often improve. Freshmen and sophomores usually do not work a great many hours at outside jobs, but the upperclassmen do much more outside work. The university does not benefit from frequent publicity in the state about budget cuts. In response to a request, Mark Rubinstein said that he would send to the senators the data which he referred to in this senate meeting.
Students apply to more schools than in the past, especially now that they can apply on the web.
A professor commented that attendance is the best predictor he has found for the grades in his introduction to physics course. He suggested that the admissions office should check the high school absentee data. Mark Rubinstein agreed and said that also we need to intervene to improve student retention at the university. Academic planning and the critical issues document - Jim Varn said that the Academic Planning Steering Committee began its work in January and that its members include faculty, staff, administrators, students and trustees. The group has been framing questions and issues about academic planning, rather than making decisions about it.