2014 Action Plan for Retention and Graduation · improved retention and/or graduation. •...

2014 Action Plan forRetention andGraduation

University of MaineOffice of the Executive

Vice President for AcademicAffairs and Provost

5703 Alumni Hall, Room 201Orono, ME 04469-5703

umaine.edu

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Background

Provost Jeffrey Hecker assembled the AdvisoryGroup on Retention and Graduation in fall2013 and charged it with collecting data andevaluating best practices leading to incrementalimprovement of retention rates, graduation rates,and student success at the University of Maine.The Advisory Group met monthly through the2013–14 academic year.

Advisory Group on Retention and Graduationmembership:

• Jeffrey Hecker, Executive Vice President forAcademic Affairs and Provost (chair)

• Dan Capps, Assistant Professor of ScienceEducation

• Ted Coladarci, Director of InstitutionalResearch

• Robert Dana, Vice President for StudentLife and Dean of Students

• Susan Erich, Director of the School of Foodand Agriculture

• Kristina Passman, Associate Professor ofClassical Languages and Literature

• Kirsten Jacobson, Associate Professor ofPhilosophy

• Jimmy Jung, Vice President for EnrollmentManagement

• Jeffrey St. John, Associate Provost forAcademic Affairs

• Lucille Zeph, Associate Provost and Deanfor Lifelong Learning

The Advisory Group was supported by anAssociate Deans’ Working Group, tasked withcollecting additional data and forwardingpreliminary recommendations to the Provost. It convened in October 2013 and completed itswork in April 2014.

Working Group membership:• Jeffrey St. John, Associate Provost forAcademic Affairs (chair)

• Jim Bird, Head of Science and EngineeringCenter, Fogler Library

• Timothy Cole, Associate Dean of LiberalArts and Sciences

• William Ellis, Associate Director of theSchool of Marine Sciences

• Ethel Hill, Director of the Explorations andFoundations Programs

• Alan Kezis, Associate Dean of NaturalSciences, Forestry and Agriculture

• Mary Beth Willett, Director of the TutorProgram

The Advisory Group received further supportfrom the academic colleges, the Division ofLifelong Learning, the Division of Student Life,and Office of Institutional Research. In addition,Provost Hecker and Associate Provost St. Johnparticipated in a February 2014 workshop onretention and enrollment management led byhigher education consulting firm Noel-Levitz.

Foundational assumptions

• This report is focused on undergraduatestudents. Initiatives aimed at improving theeducational experience of graduate studentswill be developed in 2014–15.

• There is no single action, investment orpolicy that will unilaterally solve theretention puzzle. This report identifies andprioritizes a range of actions in response tothe specific needs of various University ofMaine populations.

• This report defines retention primarily asthe percentage of first-time, full-timestudents who return to the university in the

2014 Provost’s Action Plan forRetention and Graduation

“The University of Maine is committedto providing the best academic andinterpersonal experience possible aswe strive to develop engaged, activeand successful students who will make a real difference in Maine, theregion and beyond.”

Jeffrey E. Hecker, Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

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Membership: The Provost’s Committee onRetention and Graduation will have thefollowing members:

Associate Provost for Academic Affairs (chair)

Director of Institutional Research

Coordinator of the Student Retention System

One representative from:Division of Student Life Associate Deans Division of Lifelong Learning Department of Athletics College of Liberal Arts and Sciences facultyCollege of Natural Sciences, Forestry, and Agriculture faculty

College of Engineering faculty Maine Business School faculty College of Education and Human Development faculty

Honors College faculty2

Charge: The Provost’s Committee on Retentionand Student Success will serve an advisory role to the Provost. This is a standing committee.

The Associate Provost for Academic Affairs,Director of Institutional Research andCoordinator of the Student Retention System arepermanent members of the committee. The othermembers are representative of their constituentgroups and serve a three-year term, with theoption to renew for a second consecutive term.The committee is charged with:

• Monitoring measures of retention andgraduation for the university, colleges, unitsand meaningful subsets of students.

• Recommending pilot programs that targetimproved retention and/or graduation.

• Evaluating pilot programs. • Making recommendations aboutorganizational realignments, resourceallocation, policies and procedures as theyrelate to retention and graduation.

• Periodically reviewing and summarizingbest practices in student retention andsuccess.

II. Early Action

Best Practice: Ensure strategic early action sofirst-year students are well positioned tosucceed academically, socially and emotionally.

All First-Year Students

Actions:

1. Develop an early-alert system to identifystudents at risk for failure in their firstsemester. System will include a high-qualityearly-alert software program, training for staffin Student Records, college offices, and thevarious instructional support units to managecommunications and track student progress.

Implementation: Fall 2015

2. Establish three points of contact for everyfirst-year student in the first three weeks oncampus; six to nine total contacts over the first

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fall of their second year, and secondarily asthe percentage of students who return ineach succeeding year through year six(excluding transfers). Four- and six-yeargraduation rates reflect the percentage offirst-time, full-time students who ultimatelygraduate (in either four or six years).

• Faculty and instructional support staff mustbe engaged partners in this work. Efforts toimprove retention and graduation ratesrequire the active participation of thefaculty and others who serve as instructorsor advisors.

• The Provost’s continued leadership andsupport of retention, graduation andstudent success initiatives are essential tothe success of this work.

• UMaine’s first-year retention rate (79percent)1 and four- and six-year graduaterates (36 percent and 58 percent,respectively)1 are on par with peerinstitutions. Through the Blue Sky Project,UMaine aspires to “improve annual studentretention by 5 percent and improve four-and six-year graduation rates by 10 percent.”

Implementation

The Action Plan will be implemented over twoacademic years (2014–15 through 2015–16).Evaluation and modification will be ongoingthroughout this period. There are sixcomponents to the plan: I. Oversight andResponsibility; II. Early Action; III. UMaineConnection; IV. Learning Communities; V.Academic Support; VI. Graduation and Beyond.

I. Oversight andResponsibility

Best Practice: Universities establishmultidisciplinary committees to ensureappropriate shared leadership of studentretention and success programs and initiatives.

Provost Hecker will form the Provost’sCommittee on Retention and Graduation, andtask it with implementing this Action Plan inpartnership with faculty, deans and campusinstructional support staff beginning in fall 2014.

2014 Provost’s Action Plan

2 Faculty representatives from each college will be selected in collaboration with the Faculty Senate.1 Mean rate for 2010–14.

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3. Assign students who are undecided amongtwo or more majors in different colleges to theExplorations Program upon arrival.


B. First-Year Students who are redirected(Note: A “redirected” student is one who isnot admitted to a major due to academicstanding or program capacity, and who eitherremains in his or her current major or gainsentry to another one.)

• Redirected students eligible for entry intoone of the colleges, but not the onerequested.

• Redirected students not currently eligiblefor entry into any of the colleges.

Action:

1. Redirected students in the two groups abovewill be assigned to the Explorations Program.


C. Students in Transition

Students in one college (or in Explorations)

who are not currently eligible to move into adifferent college.

Actions:

1. Assign students who are uncertain about whatmajor (or new major) they’re seeking toLiberal Arts and Sciences under theadvisement of the CLAS Advising Center.


2. Give students who know what major (or newmajor) they want, but are not currentlyeligible, the opportunity to pursue a degreethrough a revised version of the Bachelor ofUniversity Studies.


III. UMaine Connection

Best Practice: Provide ongoing opportunities forintensive campus- and community-focusedactivities (both academic- and student life-related).

Actions:

1. Establish a Student Information Office in theMemorial Union, staffed by Academic Affairsand Student Affairs personnel, to serve as aresource hub — answering questions anddirecting students to appropriate academicand student-life resources across the campus.

Implementation: Spring 2015

2. Each college will review advising resources andstructures, in light of best practices, anddevelop improvement plans as needed.

Implementation: Summer 2015

3. All new faculty and adjunct instructors willreceive a copy and orientation to UMaine’sAdvisor’s Handbook.


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semester; and six to nine further contactsthrough the end of the first year.


3. Working with the Academic AffairsCommittee of the Faculty Senate, ensure thatevery student has the opportunity toparticipate in a high-quality first-year successcourse. Some units already offer courses of thistype and other units will need to develop bestpractices, and assemble a tool kit of resourcesfor first-year success courses. Whether a newcourse is developed or an existing course iscontinued, all first-year success courses willinclude elements that have been identified asbest practices, including:

• Basic study skills.

• An introduction to responsible publicconduct at the University of Maine,including how to interact appropriatelywith faculty and professional staff.

• Importance of attendance,accountability, perseverance andproactive engagement in academicplanning/management for success.

• An introduction to the full spectrum ofcampus academic resources (e.g., TutorProgram, Writing Center, Fogler Library).


Targeted Populations

A. First-year students who meet collegestandards but are:

• Completely undecided about a major.

• Undecided among majors in the samecollege.

• Undecided among majors in differentcolleges.

Actions:

1. Assign completely undecided students to theCollege of Liberal Arts and Sciences under theadvisement of the CLAS Advising Center.


2. Admit qualified students who are undecidedamong two or more majors in the samecollege into that college upon arrival.



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appeals process and the reduced course load policy to lessen the number of dropped courses.


2. Participate in SAM (the national StudentAchievement Measure) under the direction ofthe Office of Institutional Research to providedata and perspective to improve theexperience for current students.


3. Academic Affairs will develop and deliver anannual workshop for new faculty andinstructors — How Advising Works atUMaine — led by faculty and staff membersfrom Academic Affairs and EnrollmentManagement (including Student Records andFinancial Aid).


VI. Graduation and Beyond

Best Practice: Develop and sustain goodrelationships with students through the totalityof their careers and into their post-graduatelives.

Actions:

1.a. Analyze four- and six-year graduation ratesfor students who have earned 65 credithours and have a declared major by unit.


b. Those units with graduation rates in thelowest quartile will be charged withevaluating impediments to graduation anddeveloping improvement plans.


2. Create a short exit survey and require itscompletion on MaineStreet as part of astudent’s application for graduation. Addressdegrees of satisfaction with academicexperiences, progress and outcomes, and invite

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4. Provost’s Office will make funds available on acompetitive basis for units to pilot intensivecampus- and community-focused activities(akin to those experienced in orientationprograms).


IV. Learning Communities

Best Practice: Provide students regularopportunities to learn together in peer cohorts,especially during their first year of study.

Actions:

1. Support expanded use of Maine LearningAssistants (MLAs) for supplementalinstructional support in high-demand courses.Assign MLAs and Tutor Program tutors toassist students in critical undergraduatecourses. Coordinate these efforts and usebaseline data for comparison in evaluating theeffectiveness of this support.


2. Provost’s Office will make funds available on acompetitive basis for units to support studentclubs and peer-driven, peer-focused writing/study groups in majors or departments.


3. Each unit will evaluate activities related toacademic progress, internship opportunities,undergraduate research, and advising with thegoal of expanding and integrating theseopportunities.


V. Academic Support

Best Practice: Support classroom teaching witha strategic array of supplemental instructionalresources and improved academic policies.

Actions:

1. Charge the Associate Provost and theAssociate Deans’ group with reviewing andrevising the withdrawal policies, the financial


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suggestions for new or modified ways to fosterstudent success.


3. Provost’s Committee will review the report onthe Flagship Internship program and makerecommendations about implementation.


4. The Division of Lifelong Learning willdevelop a retention plan focused on adultlearners, including distance learners and part-time students, in alignment with the work ofthe Provost’s Committee.


5. Launch the Engaged Black Bear Initiative, inwhich students can earn e-badges forparticipating in a range of activities inclustered areas of the academic/student lifeexperience (e.g. Service Learning andCommunity-Based Research; Leadership andCivic Engagement; Service and Volunteerism)under the direction of the Associate Dean forCommunity Engagement in the College ofLiberal Arts and Sciences, in partnership withthe Bodwell Center for Service andVolunteerism, and related campus resources.



The University of Maine does not discriminate on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, including transgender status andgender expression, national origin, citizenship status, age, disability, genetic information or veteran status in employment, education, and allother programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies: Director,Office of Equal Opportunity, 101 North Stevens Hall, 207.581.1226.

2014 Action Plan forRetention andGraduation

University of MaineOffice of the Executive

Vice President for AcademicAffairs and Provost

5703 Alumni Hall, Room 201Orono, ME 04469-5703

umaine.edu

2014 Action Plan for Retention and Graduation · improved retention and/or graduation. •...

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