An Engaged CAO and CBO on How They Collaboratively Moved the Needle in Student Retention and Graduation

The Wayne State University Perspective

August 2014

Wayne State University Profile

• Location: In the “D”!• Enrollment: 28,000 (2/3 Undergrad; 1/3 Grad)• Schools / Colleges: 13• Faculty: 1,750 FT & 1,030 PT• Current Funds Budget: $930 M– General Fund Budget: $580 M

• Research Expenditures: $250 M

Challenges WSU is facing• Demographics:

– Enrollment increased steadily 2000 to 2010; decreased over last four years– Have relied relatively small geographic area for enrollment– Declining 12-18 year old population in Detroit and loss of over all Detroit population

• Competition:– Everyone wants Detroit students– Aggressive Financial Aid Packages offered at undergrad, grad and professional– Campus Encroachment—Other institutions adding locations in Detroit

• Students:– Significant amount of students require financial aid– Majority of student are commuters---making it challenging for living / learning communities– Retention & Graduation—1st year retention “OK”, but 4-Year and 6-Year graduation rates are not good

• Funding– State Performance funding factors are student related, but they are historically based upon factors

from initiatives 4 to 8 years ago• These indicators do not reflect and do not incorporate all the recent initiatives. WSU Student mix has changed

drastically– Pressure to limit tuition increases, but State Appropriations (per student) are at FY 1993 levels– Have pressures to funds both the academic and research enterprises

• Workforce:– Aging Faculty– Heavily Unionized Environment

Recruitment Initiatives• Financial Aid Packages

– Providing merit based financial aid packages to more students

• Expansion of Social Media• Getting Students to Campus

– The “Detroit” image• Community College Dual enrollment programs• International Recruitment• Student Surveys

– Of the students who were admitted and did NOT come

Curr

icul

um

• Mathematics Enhancements

• Gen Education Curriculum Review

Advi

sing

• Additional Advisors

• Proactive Advising• Advisor Training

• Advising Tools Teac

hing • Expansion of the

Office for Teaching and Learning

Read

ines

s • Admission Standards• Develop Summer

Bridge Program• Supplemental

Instruction• Success Courses Firs

t Yea

r • Learning Communities

• Enhanced Orientation

Fina

ncia

l • Finishing Line Scholarships

• Promote Financial Literacy

5

Retention Initiatives

Other Student Success Initiatives are Underway without Breaking the Bank?

• Examining various tuition structures to enhance academic performance or time to degree– To Plateau or not to Plateau– Summer Incentives

• Redistributing Financial Aid Allocations to enhance Net Tuition Revenue and ROI

• Development of “One Stop Shop” for Student Services