Academic Mentor Program Report
2017-18
Prepared by Stephanie Bernier, July 2018
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SUMMARY:
The Academic Mentor program is the core service provided by the Center for Academic
Resources (CFAR), whose stated mission is to “holistically support students in their quest
to achieve their best academically, by teaching the skills, strategies, and behaviors that
promote deep learning”.
The program has fulfilled this mission since its inception in 1980 by providing study
skills training to thousands of students through 1:1 meetings with peer mentors who
receive specialized training in the pedagogy of behaviors that promote academic success.
The objectives of the program are stated as:
Students will learn appropriate study strategies
Students will become more confident in their study skills
Students will express satisfaction with outcomes- expectations
Student will earn higher GPAs because of working with academic mentors
Overall, the 2017-18 academic year was a successful one for CFAR and its academic
mentors. The program saw an increase in demand from students and continued to yield
exceptional outcomes for the students served.
EVALUATION PLAN
Measurability of the program’s objectives are achieved through analysis of data gathered
from UNH information systems, an internal relational database, online surveys, and staff
observation. In addition, ongoing formative assessment is attained through weekly
supervision meetings with mentors and director.
Hard data related to numbers served, demographics, and GPA outcomes are analyzed and
reported at the end of each semester. A comprehensive report providing holistic analysis
of quantitative, qualitative, and observational data will be released after the end of each
academic year.
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PRIOR EVALUATION
A comprehensive evaluability assessment of CFAR was performed in 2017, at which
point the program was deemed evaluation- ready. Access to data and staff resources
allocated to evaluation, combined with an increased demand for evaluative data were
revealed as strengths that should be exploited in the coming years. This report also
brought to light some areas for development in the program’s implementation:
1. Formalize and evaluate policies, procedures, and practices that will engage
professional staff in their consistent implementation of the program and conduct
regular “mini-audits” to assess fidelity.
2. Fine-tune the process for data collection and analysis by fully leveraging the
reporting capabilities of technology available to the program.
3. Examine the balance of time and effort resources dedicated to SSS to ensure that
adequate time and energy is invested in CFAR programming.
In addition, the 2017 report included a SWOT analysis that revealed the threat of reduced
funding and uncertainty about the program’s future, threats that were mitigated by an
effective reorganization that was realized in the spring of 2018.
“The ability to provide evidence of the program’s efficacy is vital to
ensuring CFAR’s future in a campus environment that is adjusting to the
ever-present threat of competition in the higher education market.”
~Keller Magenau, former CFAR Director
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OUTCOMES 2017-18
OPERATIONS OVERVIEW:
In 2017-18, CFAR employed 16 academic mentors who worked an average of 6 hours
per week. Supervision and training sessions were mandatory and consisted of weekly
large group training and small group supervision
meetings. During supervision, mentors bring
specific concerns forward about work with
individual students. Large group trainings focus
on continual skills improvement. Topics include
study skills development, interpersonal
communication skills, disability awareness and
academic impact.
Total student payroll cost for the program was $10,046. As a cost saving measure, mentor
payroll cost was divided between university and TRIO grant funding, depending upon the
eligibility of the student served. While this saved nearly $3,400 in university funds, it
added a complexity to the payroll approval process, resulting in an inordinate amount of
time spent managing and auditing grant expenditures. Additional funds devoted to
student labor in FY19 will allow for full university funding of the program, alleviating
the cumbersome process.
Professional staff include four, 50% time, educational counselors (ECs) including the
director, who share 16 hours of drop-in coverage each week. In 2017-18, they met with
approximately 322 students seeking academic support through drop-in hours. In addition,
ECs meet individually with students whose needs are beyond those that can be met
through peer mentoring. In 2017-18, CFAR enjoyed the luxury of an adjunct educational
counselor who provided four hours of drop-in coverage per week and maintained a
caseload of TRIO SSS students. The additional staff resources were made available with
surplus payroll dollars that were left by the resignation of former CFAR/TRIO director,
Keller Magenau. Associate Director and Academic Mentor program coordinator, Dani
Cost:
$48.76 per
student served
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Adler assumed the role of interim director of CFAR/TRIO during the period of October
2017-January 2018, during which she oversaw a successful search for the new Executive
Director of Academic Success. The newly formed division of Academic Success is the
result of a hierarchical restructuring that left seven like-minded programs under the
supervision of the new Executive Director, Dr. Dawna Perez.
The reorganization included some staff reclassifications and redistribution of
responsibilities. Notably, Dani Adler was reclassified to Director of CFAR, Megan
Brabec and Paula DiNardo will now devote 50% time to CFAR activities, and additional
resources were devoted to the TRIO SSS leadership structure. As a result, CFAR is in a
good position to grow and strengthen its impact on student success at UNH.
An organizational chart and program logic model are included in the Appendix.
NUMBERS AND DEMOGRAPHICS
Academic mentors were assigned to 206 students in the 2017-18 academic year, nearly
a 25% increase from the previous year. As the chart 1.1 illustrates, the number of students
served has recovered from the impact of CFAR’s move to Smith Hall in 2011.
Correspondingly, drop-in traffic at CFAR increased substantially, along with a 45%
increase in faculty referrals. 63% of students seen during drop-in hours chose to meet
weekly with a peer mentor, others may feel satisfied with information received during the
drop-in meeting, and in some instances, ECs will choose to continue working with a
student individually.
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The majority (62%) of 2017-
18 mentees were first year
students who accessed the
program through CFAR drop-
in hours. All indicated their
reason for coming to CFAR
was to seek help with study
skills. However, it is worth
noting that nearly half of these
students also mentioned they
wanted course-specific support.
Only 17 students received course
content tutoring from the TRIO
SSS program in addition to peer
mentoring.
Students assigned to academic mentors had an average GPA of 2.84 (median= 2.91,
mode=4.0). Only 19% of students seeking academic support were not in good academic
standing (GPA < 2.0) at the time of their assignment. This information contradicts the
widespread impression that CFAR services are only for students with poor academic
performance.
There is, however a complexity to the issues that students are facing. CFAR Director,
Dani Adler describes some of the challenges that students bring to drop-in hours and
subsequent mentor meetings: “Each year, there is an increase in the number of students
accessing higher education who bring with them complex issues. Students are coping
with significant family issues, personal stressors, and medical, psychiatric, and cognitive
disabilities. These issues are compounded by the skill set needed to be a successful
student in today’s academic environment.” This outlook is supported by survey responses
Chart 1.1
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from students. A qualitative analysis of survey responses reveal themes around stress,
anxiety, or feelings of being overwhelmed were common among mentees.
As chart 1.2 shows, there are significant numbers of students seeking CFAR
support with identified risk factors such as documented or self-reported
disabilities, low-income
backgrounds, or first generation
college students.
“Acknowledging students’
strengths is another area I feel
strong in, especially when working
with SAS (students). We talk about
accessibility and inclusivity.”
~CFAR Academic Mentor
OBJECTIVE ONE: Students will learn appropriate study strategies
“I found most helpful how we went over my schedule and assignments for
classes and we assigned certain days and time for studying for each one.
This broke up the studying process into smaller pieces that made it less
overwhelming and more effective.” ~ Mentee
The acquisition of appropriate study skills is assessed through mentee self-reporting and overall
GPA. CFAR employs a variety of tools to capture this data.
Formative assessment is administered three ways: a course information sheet where ECs and
mentors record individual course progress; a Likert-scaled skills assessment that is administered
by the mentor pre and post assignment; and through weekly mentor/director supervision
meetings. Summative assessment is achieved through an anonymous electronic survey and CUM
GPA data derived from the university information system.
Chart 1.2
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For evaluative purposes, study skills are broken down into five main areas: exam preparation,
organization, time management, reading skills, note-taking skills, and use of course resources.
Mentees are asked to
report the specific skills
they worked on with
their mentor, and to
self-report their
progress. Data from the
survey reveals that
exam preparation and
time management were
commonly covered in
mentoring sessions;
while reading skills
were less frequently
observed (Appendix B).
Correspondingly, students reported higher percentages of improvement in the skills that were
most frequently listed as topics covered in mentor meetings (Chart 1.2). Overall, the data reveals
positive outcomes for the first objective.
OBJECTIVE TWO: Students will become more confident in their study skills
“I am glad to gain new study skills from Ali during my mentor meetings. I did not feel confident
about studying going into college, but after going to my CFAR sessions, I feel much more
confident and ready to do well on exams.” ~CFAR Mentee
Undeniably, academic self-efficacy is a
reliable predictor of academic
performance. CFAR peer mentors work
with students to develop confidence in
their own ability by teaching them tools
they will use throughout their academic
career. Self-reported feelings of
68%78% 80%
89% 91%99%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
120%
Readingskills
Note-taking Use ofCourse
Resources
Organization Exam Prep TimeManagement
Percentage of students who saw improvement in areas worked in with Academic Mentor
Chart 1.3
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confidence were overwhelmingly positive, according to the online survey (chart 1.2).
OBJECTIVE THREE: Students will express satisfaction with outcomes- expectations
Student satisfaction is quantified through student survey responses to questions about mentor
performance, helpfulness, and the likelihood they would recommend CFAR to a friend (Chart
1.4). In addition, we looked at numbers of student referrals. In 2017-18, student referrals
accounted for nearly 25% of new program participants, second only to web/social media and
closely followed by faculty referrals (26% and 24% respectively).
Formative assessment of mentor performance is
achieved through weekly group supervision
meetings with the director. In addition, mentee
feedback is collected and reviewed during
individual supervision meetings at the end of each
semester.
“I have been working at CFAR for three years and with each semester I feel more
confident in my ability. This is through excellent supervision and support from
CFAR staff. Asking open-ended questions, asking for help, and using a learner’s
stance approach when working with students is crucial. ”~CFAR Academic
Mentor
Performance data is quantified and displayed below, along with supporting narrative collected from open-
ended survey questions.
Chart 1.4
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21
125
Agree Strongly Agree
My academic mentor was prepared for our meetings
126
19
1
0 50 100 150
Strongly Agree
Agree
Disagree
My academic mentor listended to my concerns
“… she listened to me with what
I was having trouble with and
really tried to help me fix those
problems or work to improve
them.”
.
“My mentor always came prepared with
a plan to help me.”
“She showed me online resources such
as dynamic study modules for anatomy,
and also introduced me to new studying
techniques such as placing a sticky note
over parts in anatomy to try and
remember them.”
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OBJECTIVE FOUR: Student will earn higher GPAs because of working with
academic mentors
A statistical analysis of the GPAs of mentored students who had reported GPAs in the term
previous, during, and after the mentoring assignment showed a (Appendix B) significant
improvement (p= <.001). This information corresponds to similar results in the previous year.
125
20
1
0 50 100 150
Strongly Agree
Agree
Neither Agree nor Disagree
My academic mentor responded to my questions
”She was able to answer every one of my
questions and was able to help me with
anything that I came to her for. She was
also able to help me stay on track with my
work and I hope to be able to work with
her again.”
“We also worked through
some practice test and
problems my professors have
available, which I most likely
wouldn't have found or tried
by myself.”
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EMERGING THEMES:
Analysis of the qualitative data derived from the online survey revealed some important
information about what students valued in their
mentor relationship. As expected, mentees
appreciated the help with managing their time,
getting organized and preparing for exams.
Emotional support in the form of feeling
understood, having someone to talk to, and be
accountable to, were just as valuable. Quotes
obtained from students surveyed are included in
Appendix B
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
The value of CFAR’s Academic Mentor program is evidenced by its longevity and
supported by evaluative data. The program is experiencing increased demand and
generating outstanding results that have a broad impact on the success and subsequent
retention and graduation rates of students at UNH.
2.81
2.91
3.01
PRE DURING POST
CUM GPAs of Mentored Students 2017-18
36
16
26
15
10
0 10 20 30 40
Time Mangement
Organization
Understanding
Exam Preparation
Accountability
What Did Mentees Value?
Chart 1.5
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Lack of space will present a serious challenge for the program in 2018-19. Additional
staff resources, while welcome, now occupy space that was once available for mentor
meetings.
Consistent implementation of the program was identified as a weakness in prior
evaluations. This year’s data confirms that only 2/3 of students who visit CFAR seeking
academic support are subsequently working with a peer mentor. Lack of time in a
student’s schedule, not wanting to commit to a weekly meeting, or simply feeling like
they got what they needed during their initial EC meeting are plausible explanations for
the low conversion rate. Further investigation may reveal barriers that exist for students
or staff that are preventing them from referring or receiving mentor services.
Now in its thirty-eighth year of supporting students at UNH, CFAR’s future looks
promising. A successful restructuring of reporting structures, additional staff resources
and existing intellectual capital combine to provide new opportunities for growth in
2018-19.
INITIATIVES FOR 2018-19
1. COLLABORATION WITH RESIDENTIAL LIFE
Director will present two workshops during RA training in August. CFAR
mentors will be providing time management and study skills workshops in
the halls. The HD newsletters will continue to have CFAR messaging
provided for each edition.
2. EXPANDING SUPPORT
CFAR will PROVIDE weekly time management workshops for students in
the conduct system.
3. INVESTMENT IN THE GUARANTEE
In collaboration with the University Advising Center, 65 COLA
undeclared, Granite Guarantee students will be bundled into three COLA
401 classes. Megan Brabec, CFAR staff and PROVES coordinator, will
supplement the course curriculum for these sections with targeted CFAR
academic support resources with a goal of supporting these students toward
matriculation into their major of choice.
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In addition, CFAR will explore data and targeted outreach to Granite
Guarantee second-year students to provide similar academic support
through peer mentoring.
4. STEM
CFAR will provide targeted academic support to students supported under
the STEAM Ahead grant as they transition to UNH in STEM disciplines
5. INCLUSION
CFAR will collaborate with Student Accessibility Services (SAS),
Psychological, and Counseling Services (PACS) to meet the needs of
students with executive functioning weaknesses through the formation of a
support group for students experiencing ADHD.
6. TECHNOLOGY
CFAR, along with other units in the division of Academic Success, will
pilot the new Student Success Collaborative software deemed “My
Wildcat Success” in the Fall of 2018, furthering the department’s ability to
leverage technology for improved data collection, communication, and
collaboration across campus.