University of Southern Maine Thinking Outside the Box: Student Success Center

Student Success Center

University of Southern Maine

Thinking Outside the Box: Student Success Center

Charlie Nutt, Executive Director, NACADARodney Mondor, Coordinator, Student Success Center University of Southern Maine

NACADAInternational Conference 2013


University of Southern Maine

• 9,600 undergraduate/graduate students • 115 areas major options

• 3 campus locations• Average age undergraduate: 27.5 years

• Residential Housing: 1,400 students

Portland Lewiston Gorham


The Way We WerePrior to 2009

• Advising Services (Academic Affairs) • 3 Locations

• Early Student Success (Student and University Life)• 2 Locations

• Career Services (Student and University Life)• 2 Locations

• Student Services (Lewiston-Auburn College)

This “silo-ing” led to lack of coordination and duplication of services to students.


Why Students Leave

Involuntary Leaving– Academic Difficulty

Voluntary Leaving– Adjustment Difficulties– Goals & Uncertainty– Commitments– Finances– Integration & Community Membership

• Fit, Involvement, Learning

Tinto, Vincent, “Rethinking the First Year of College”


Institutional Conditions for Student Success

Expectations - clear and high

Support - academic, social, financial

Feedback - ongoing and immediate

Involvement - time on task, contact with faculty/staff, active learning

Tinto, Vincent, “Taking Student Retention Seriously”


What Matters Most…

What matters most is what students do, not who they are!

– The more students engage in ‘educationally purposeful activities’ the more they learn and the more likely they are to persist and graduate from college.

Dr. George Kuh, Indiana University, Center for Postsecondary Research


Student Engagement Trinity

What students What students dodo -- time and energy devoted -- time and energy devoted to educationally purposeful activitiesto educationally purposeful activities

What institutions What institutions dodo -- using effective -- using effective educational practices to induce students to educational practices to induce students to do the right thingsdo the right things

Educationally effective institutions channel Educationally effective institutions channel student energy toward student energy toward the right activitiesthe right activities

The “Student Engagement Trinity” as described by Dr. George KuhThe “Student Engagement Trinity” as described by Dr. George Kuh


Benchmark: Supportive Campus Environments

“Students perform better and are more satisfied at colleges that are committed to their success, and cultivate positive working and social relations among different groups on campus.”

nsse.iub.edu/


Supportive Campus Environments

Those campuses:– Help students succeed academically– Help students cope with non-academic

responsibilities– Help students thrive socially– Promote supportive relations between

students and their peers, faculty members, and administrative personnel & offices


NACADA Consultant Visit

• Two Consultants on Campus• NACADA - Consultant and Speaker Service

• Three Day Process• Reviewed Missions and Operations• Interviews

• Students – Staff – Faculty – Community Members

• Produced Final Report


NACADA Consultant VisitSummary

• Students were bounced around• 3 campuses• 3 offices on 3 campuses

• Incomplete referrals• Inability to track student progress• “Students succeed despite us rather than

because of us” -USM Community Member


NACADA Consultant Visit

“The recommendations of the external review team included integrating the offices of Academic Advising, Career Services and Professional Life Development, and Early Student Success and reframing the processes through which students are engaged in academic and career planning and supported throughout their educational experience at USM. “

-NACADA Consultant Report



What We Do

…focus on the development of an intentional pathway from the point of acceptance through graduation that engages students in conversations and learning experiences that will assist them and maximize their persistence and success.


MISSION

To guide and support students in the discovery process, and the achievement of their academic,

career and related life goals.


STUDENT SUCCESS

• Student Success Advisors:• Academic Advising• Academic Support• Career and Personal Exploration• Financial Literacy


Academic Advising

• New Student Orientation

• Undeclared

• Primary Advisor

• Caseload – 200-250

• Registration

• Course selection

• Transfer course review

• Walk-In Services: All Students

• Classroom Presentations


College of Arts, Humanities & Social Science

• Started 2011

• Student Success Advisor (SSA)

• Primary Advisor• Students under 54 credits

• Strong connection with departments

• Major Advisor Coordinator (MACs)

• Point person for Department• Contract and compensation

• Transitions all students

• Junior Check – Degree Audit Review

• Art• Classical Languages• Communication and Media Studies• Creative Writing • Criminology• Economics• English• Foreign Languages• General Science• Hispanic Studies• History• Liberal Studies, Humanities• Music• Philosophy• Political Science• Social Science• Sociology• Theatre


Career Exploration• Resume / Cover Letter Writing• Interviewing Skills• E-Recruiting• CHOICES• Formal/Informal Assessments

• MBTI• Strong Interest Inventory• Skills Card Sort

• Online Resources• O-Net• Occupational Outlook Handbook

• Job Fair


Basic Academic Support

• Time management• Reading college textbooks• Note taking• Academic Alert

• A student intervention initiative intended to identify students who may be having difficulty in their course work (i.e. low grades, performance or attendance problems, financial concerns, or behavioral issues).


Financial Literacy


Assessment


• 1st Appointment• Why in school?• Review Core and Major Requirements• Graduation Planner• Explanation of the Advising Relationship• Review MaineStreet system and how to utilize features

Assessment



• Priority Registration• Review Requirements• Understand Prerequisites• Review Wish List and approve courses• Provide options to meet career/academic goals.

Assessment


• Career Exploration• What are their interests?• Utilize Assessment tools.• Review major/minor options to meet interests

Assessment


• Transition• Declaration of major/minor• Help connect student with major advisor• Have updated graduation planner

Assessment


Initial Data


Initial Data• 1st to 2nd Semester Retention: Fall to Spring

2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012• UND - 77% / 79% / 80% / 86%• CAHS - >60% / >60% / 97% / 95%

• 1st to 2nd Year Retention: 65-68%• Informal Survey Results

• Feel Valued as a student– Satisfied/Extremely Satisfied (95%)• Issued resolved - Satisfied/Extremely Satisfied (94%)• Overall satisfaction - Satisfied/Extremely Satisfied (95%)

• Increased Walk In and Evening Hours• Points of Contact Numbers


RELATIONSHIPS• Academics

• CAHS Program

• Point of contact for faculty for questions/referrals

• Expanding advising model to other majors

• Residence Life• Expanding advising into residence hall

• Utilizing Res Hall staff for outreach

• Increased programming in residence halls

• Student Life• Expanding outreach efforts to commuters

• Co-sponsored programming efforts

• Admissions• Provide a stronger presence

• Referring agent for transfer students exploring options


Professional Development

• Bi-weekly sessions• Academic and Student Support Departments• Common Readings• Develop new resources• Staff presentations

• Career Development Facilitator class and certification (GCDF)

• Surveying of faculty regarding dual advising relationships


Wrap Up

• Staff report out• Better connections/conversations with students• Relationship with students is more purposeful

• Students• Career exploration appointments have increase• Exposure to Student Success through entry level course and

senior seminars

• Faculty• Referrals for a variety of support services have increased

Documents

University of Southern Maine Thinking Outside the Box: Student Success Center