Fall 2005 Cohort 1,890 1,054 56% Fall 2004 Cohort 1,828 1,035 57% Fall 2003 Cohort 1,800 1,020 57% Fall 2002 Cohort 1,813 1,083 60% Fall 2001 Cohort 1,875 1,055 56% Fall 2000 Cohort 1,753 987 56% Fall 1999 Cohort 1,655 849 51% Fall 1998 Cohort 1,518 857 56% Fall 1997 Cohort 1,619 890 55% Fall 1996 Cohort 1,419 751 53% Fall 1995 Cohort 1,381 719 52% Fall 1994 Cohort 1,529 700 46% Source: Radford 2013 Fact Book – Graduation in 150 percent of traditional time. Retention and Graduation Rates at Virginia Public Universities Radford University retention and graduation rates, as illustrated in the table below, are lower than several other public universities in Virginia. Institution Retention Rate (Fall 2011 Cohort) Six-Year Graduation Rate (2004 Cohort) University of Virginia—Main Campus 97% 93% College of William and Mary 95% 90% James Madison University 91% 82% Virginia Tech 91% 80% George Mason University 87% 63% Virginia Military Institute 87% 70% Virginia Commonwealth University 86% 50% University of Mary Washington 85% 75% Christopher Newport University 84% 60% Old Dominion University 80% 50% Longwood University 78% 59% Radford University 76% 57% Norfolk State University 73% 34% Virginia State University 71% 41% The University of Virginia’s College at Wise 63% 48% Source: Appendix D of 2012 RU Retention Report to the Provost
Conduct a data analysis to determine salient gaps and need for academic support services. Develop rules of engagement (screening criteria) for support services (face-to-face or virtual) to ensure efficient alignment of student needs with available resources. Hudson Academic Support Offices will gather data supplemented by Student Satisfaction Inventory Summer 2014 Time Goal categories I-VII Create an administrative position with oversight of academic support services, including but not limited to academic advising. Determine the appropriate organizational structure of services. Mike Dunn and Steve Lerch Fall 2014 $100,000 + benefits per year Goal categories I-VII Integrate additional synchronous and asynchronous online approaches to support creative tutoring efforts. Tracey Mattson Online tutoring was initiated in January 2014 Ongoing cost: $26 per hour, or approximately $65,000 per year Goal categories I-VII Identify a centralized, welcoming location for potentially combined academic services. Possibilities: a renovated existing building such as Whitt or Russell or a new Mike Dunn and Steve Lerch Office of Finance and Administration, with from Office of the Provost Fall 2018 $30,000,000 (???) Goal categories I-VII
Provide seamless technology support for advising. Jackie McNabb As soon as a new CRM (Hobsons?) can be purchased Cost of the software package and RU Information Technology support staff Goal categories I-VII Create adherence to an essential list of advising requirements; e.g., every student knows the name of his/her academic and faculty advisors (mentor). Loretta Estes, other advising coordinators, and April Newcomer (keeper of the advising website) Spring and Summer 2014 none Goal categories I-VII Develop a process to increase the course availability on student demand; i.e., wait listing in registration and scheduling courses and sections based on degree audits. Matthew Brunner Spring 2014 Money to fund additional courses if needed. (Wait listing will help us better meet course demand, and trends will identify disciplines in which additional faculty should be hired.) Goal categories I-VII Identify alignment options for increasing uniformity of advising services (i.e., online advising module for all students, advising at Quest, and advising topics in UNIV 100) Marc Jacobsen, Mike Dunn and advising coordinators Summer and fall 2014 Initial cost of $12,500 funded by New Student Programs to compensate Quest Faculty Advisors for participation in the May 15, 2014 Quest Advising Institute Goal categories I-VII Develop increased opportunities for advising prospective (new, admitted) students for success (prior to enrollment). Marc Jacobsen, Mike Dunn, Joel Hanlon Begin in spring 2014 No additional cost; during Quest 2014, will use data from instruments made available through partnership Goal categories I-VII
Provide additional professional development to ensure advisors share best practices including access to needed data and information (professional travel for full-time and faculty advisors, faculty training, incl. an online module). Donna Oliver and Deborah Kitts (assisted by other Advising Coordinators) Research travel budget during summer 2014; create online faculty advising module summer 2014 Cost of travel Goal categories I-VII Define the difference between mentoring and advising, define mentoring standards, and provide for a clear role for faculty mentors and professional advisors – this could be college (or department) based. Assess place of advising in faculty evaluation system and recommend changes to system if/as appropriate Advising coordinators (with input from deans and chairs) and Faculty Senate Begin discussions, and planning, in 2014-2015 academic year Cost of hiring more professional advisors; potentially more incentives for faculty (those who keep advising and those who want to become mentors) – could be monetary or other types of compensation Goal categories I-VII Identify data needs to inform advising conversations (e.g., % of current freshmen advised by professional advisors). Deborah Kitts; Institutional Research Spring 2014 none Goal categories I-VII Increase integration of career advising into advising process (including job shadowing) and integration of career experiences (more involvement with Career Services, review of COED Ellen Taylor and advising coordinators Discussions in 2014-2015 academic year. “Distributed” of career advising by college will begin in fall 2014. Potential cost of additional staff in Career Center; cost of offering additional COED 260 courses and “Intro to Major” courses Goal categories I-VII
weeks and once per week for seven weeks. There will be exploration of expanding the course to two credit hours during the 2014-2015 academic year. Develop a credentialing system for UNIV 100 instructors to ensure consistency of delivery, outcomes, and assessment. Mike Dunn; Michele Jenkins Fall 2015 $37,500 for stipend to train instructors (75 x $500) Goal categories I-VII Develop two-hour UNIV 100 sections with particular themes for specific subpopulations of students, possibly linked to introductory courses in disciplines Lauren Hatfield and new NSP position with assistance from appropriate college or department Fall 2015 Additional $16,000 to pilot 10 sections at two credits Goal categories II-VI Examine sub-population success rates of themed sections of UNIV 100. Mike Dunn NSP Fall 2016 none Goal categories II-V Develop SRP 2014 predictive model. Mike Dunn June 1, 2014 Part of Noel-Levitz collaboration Goal categories I-VII Document the ROI that UNIV 100 provides. Institutional Research, in collaboration with New Student Programs Ongoing It currently costs approximately $120,000 to offer UNIV 100. What is the ROI because of the impact of the course on retention rates? Goal categories i-VII Champion: Courtney Bell, Coordinator, Disabilities Resource Office Ad Hoc Committee: Dan Davidson, Chair, Department of Accounting and Finance (Faculty representative) Betty Dore, Professor, School of Teacher Education and Leadership (Faculty representative)
Determine potential access to residential classrooms in the context of safety and security and other areas that are natural places for learning communities to be located; remodel sites if/as needed Lauren Hatfield Mid-march 2014 None, unless building renovations are required Goal categories I-VII Conduct focus group of freshmen to ID learning community preferences. New NSP position Fall 2014 none Goal categories I-VII Redo training for residential life staff who will work in learning communities to emphasize theme-related programming. Mike Dunn and Lauren Hatfield Summer 2014 for staff working with Biology Connections; future summers as new residential communities come online none Goal categories I-VII Promote/market learning communities to encourage student participation. Susan Hudson for Biology Connections; new NSP position for future communities. May 2014 for Biology Connections Minimal for flier development and mailing Goal categories I-VII Identify ways to integrate student life and professional activities into learning communities. New NSP position; Lauren Hatfield and other Residential Life staff May 2015 none Goal categories I-VII Investigate connecting learning community with autobiographical writing class to accelerate personal New NSP position May 2015 none Goal categories I-VII
indicators that are highly correlated to retention. Encourage the University to strategically expand the recruitment market and align growth with appropriate supportive services. Pennix July 2014 Additional names can be purchased for $.34 each. It is estimated a minimum of 50,000 additional names will be needed. Total estimate $17,000. Goal category I Provide special orientation, transition services, and advising support for late commits and at-risk populations. Mike Dunn and Loretta Estes Fall 2014 (pilot) Current resources will be reallocated to accommodate separate sessions for identified populations. Goal category II Investigate the nature of the late commit challenge: Answer the question of why the late commits are leaving and their reasons for departure. Also, investigate the impact of financial considerations on the enrollment of late commits. Damian December 2014 none Goal categories I-VII Refine a communication flow that focuses the attention of late admits on financial aid issues. Allison Pratt and Barb Porter Fall 2014 none Goal categories I-VII Use campus employment as retention strategy for late committing and enrolling students. Ellen Taylor and Barb Porter Plan in by March 2015 none Goal categories I-VII
understanding of the transition process into the student’s major choice Create additional opportunities for students to learn more about majors during the intake process (electronic and otherwise). Review the assignments of advisees to ensure identification of new student assignments. Steve Lerch, and individual advising coordinators or department chairs for each college Fall term 2014 none Goal category I and III. Integrate advising practice issues into (Hobsons) CRM ongoing training and support. Jackie McNabb August 2014 decision anticipated Part of cost of Hobsons contract Goal categories I-VII Development of the career coaching approach, including assignments and development of coaching, résumé prep, alumni bridge development, advisory boards, internships and programming that are college specific. Ellen Taylor in coordination with individual college leadership (college deans, advising coordinators, and leadership teams) Conversations with College Leadership will spring 2014. The implementation strategy is contingent upon new funding request, currently under consideration. Dependent upon level of funding received through new funding initiative. Goal categories III and VII Develop a required career- related experience for all majors to Career). Susan Underwood and Justin Anderson; Nasim Schwab; Patti Williamson Fall 2015 development; fall 2016 Implementation Will vary by college Goal categories II, III and V