Impact of the West Virginia University Student Support Services/TRIO Program from 1998 - 2006

1. Impact of the West Virginia University Student Support Services/TRIO Program from 1998 - 2006 By Dr. Barbara Copenhaver Bailey, Director West Virginia University Student Support Services/TRIO

2. Historical Overview of Student Support Services/TRIO (SSS) Facts on LI/FG college students National Data on LI/FG college students WVU SSS Research & Data Best Practices of WVU SSS Conclusion Overview of Workshop

3. Introduction

4. Historical Context of SSS and TRIO programs.1 • 4 year federal TRIO grant funded by the United States Department of Education • Started as a part of the War on Poverty by the Johnson Administration • Created in the same legislation as the federal financial aid program • Created to assist with access to higher education for first-generation, poor, disabled, and the under-represented

5. Historical Context of SSS and TRIO programs.2 • TRIO refers to the original 3 grants established – Upward Bound, Student Support Services, & Talent Search (now 7 grants under TRIO umbrella) • 930 SSS program across the United States and its territories

6. Facts • LI/FG less likely to attend college • LI/FG more likely to drop out if they do attend • As income levels increase, so do graduation rates (Kennedy, 2003; London, 1989; Mortenson, 1997; Quinn, 2004; Thayer, 2000)

7. Data.1 Nationally • 74% of college students from the top income quartile completed baccalaureate degrees • 5% of college students from the bottom income quartile completed baccalaureate degrees • The gap between degree completion of top & bottom quartiles is widening (Mortenson,1997)

8. Data.2 Nationally • 51.4% of children from families with incomes exceeding $90,000 graduated with 4 year degrees • 12.4% of children from families with incomes between $35,000-$65,000 graduated with 4 year degrees • 4.5% of children from families with incomes lower than $35,000 graduated with 4 year degrees (Quinn, 2004)

9. Data.3 Nationally • 77% of high income students enroll in post-secondary education • 47% of middle-income students enroll • 33% of low-income students enroll (United States Department of Education, 2000)

10. West Virginia UniversityStudent Support Services

11. West Virginia University Student Support Services • 200 undergraduate participants per year • first-generation, income-eligible, OR registered with WVU Disabilities Services • Recruitment to SSS program begins when students are accepted to WVU • New participants are accepted in May • New participants are met with at New Student Orientation (NS0) in summer

12. WVU SSS Mission Statement The Student Support Services/TRIO program (SSS) supports WVU and Student Affairs as a student-centered environment by providing individualized services to students who are either first-generation, income eligible, or have a learning or physical disability. Based on their needs and goals, SSS assists participants with academic support and social and cultural enrichment so they may successfully complete baccalaureate degrees.

13. WVU SSS Philosophy Statement The Student Support Services/TRIO program at West Virginia University provides high quality programs and services while holding to the values of honesty, integrity, compassion, fairness, and Love. We encourage growth of our students through personal responsibility and respecting the dignity of all people.

14. Upon Acceptance to SSS • Meet with students at New Student Orientation • Review financial aid packages • Provide academic advising for general studies & pre-majors • Enroll in ORIN 293E for 1st semester • Answer questions and provide general information about WVU • Intake Assessment Meeting • Individual Success Plan (ISP) each semester • Beyond ISP, students may participate to whatever extent they choose

15. Tutoring Advising Academic Support Study Groups Math Review Cultural Events Computer Usage Study Skills Financial Aid Information Academic Programs Social Activities Orientation Class Leadership Development Referrals Services - free to participants

16. Research & Data Collection

17. Need for Research • Call for more accountability at many levels • Reports for US Department of Education • Grant renewal process • Wanted to be able to show the contributions SSS is making to our institution

18. Need for Research • College recruitment has become more competitive • Services provided by an institution are becoming selling points for recruiters • Identify special programs and services that are successful in assisting in the retention and graduation of students

19. Literature Review • Little consensus on the factors that influence success in college • student: faculty ratio; ethnicity; first language; birthplace; standardized test scores; housing arrangements; income; alcohol or drug use; self-image; gender; age; disability; size of institution; average class size; high school GPA; community service; level of extracurricular involvement

20. Literature Review • One of the most important ways for an institution of higher education to increase retention is by providing support services • First-generation, low-income college students are less likely to attend college and less likely to graduation if they do attend • First-generation, low-income college students are often ill prepared academically and enter college with lower high school GPAs and standardized test scores

21. Literature Review First-generation, low-income college students often face obstacles that other student do not • Work longer hours • Lack of mentors and role models • Little family support – emotionally and financially • Family pressure • Feelings of isolation • Lack of knowledge of college life

22. Literature Review • Limit research specifically on Student Support Services/TRIO programs • Research shows support services or specific variables can not be linked to college graduation

23. SELECTED ATTRIBUTES

24. ETHNICITY

25. GENDER

26. HIGH SCHOOL GPA

27. RESIDENCY

28. ACT/SAT SCORE

29. GRADUATION RATES

30. 4 Year Graduation Rates

31. 5 Year Graduation Rates

32. 6 Year Graduation Rates

33. Best Practices ofWVU Student Support Services

34. Best Practices • New Student Orientation Component* • ORIN 293E course* • Individual Success Plan (ISP) Meeting • Academic Advising • Event Programming • Mid-term Intervention • Campus Collaboration • PERSONALIZED ATTENTION

35. New Student Orientation (NSO).1 Prior to NSO - • Admit students prior to NSO in June • Make contact to let them know we will be meeting them and their family/guests at NSO • Familiarize ourselves with student’s information (housing, financial aid, major, course schedule, etc.) • Trouble shoot any problems that can be identified • Prepare file (financial aid review, advising info, etc)

36. New Student Orientation (NSO).2 During NSO Meetings - • Meet students and family/guests in person • Introduce SSS staff • Explain SSS program • Register for ORIN 293E course • Review financial aid package!!! • Register for Fall courses • Answer questions

37. ORIENTATION 293E (ORIN).1 • Required for all participants • Team taught by all three SSS counselor/advisors • Once a week for entire semester • Is equivalent to UNIV 101 requirement • Course requires attendance at four SSS events

38. ORIENTATION 293E (ORIN).2 Content of Course - Fall 2006 • Introduction to Computer Lab • Noel-Levitz Assessment (College Student Inventory) • Study Skills & Time Management • Understanding Your Financial Aid • Getting to Know the System • Selecting a Major • Registering for Classes • On-Line Communities • Library Tour • Getting Acquainted with the Campus & Community • Character Counts • Service Learning • Making Healthy Choices

39. Fall 2006 Programming • Welcome to the Semester – pizza & bowling • Ronald McDonald House dinner • Football Tailgate vs. Maryland • Financial Responsibility program • Utilizing the Library • Study Abroad • Mid-term preparation • Moving on & moving out • Soup Kitchen Preparation • Sundale Nursing Home Visit • Rosenbaum Family House dinner • Movie Night – diversity week • Graduation banquet

40. Conclusion

41. Summary • Many different approaches to increasing retention • Data can be collected and analyzed and analyzed and collected with many different outcomes to try to find the best approach or the variable that makes the biggest impact

42. GET TO THEM EARLY AND GET TO THEM OFTEN • Build a relationship as early as possible so the student doesn’t feel like they are floundering around on their own – if they encounter a problem, they are more likely to ask for assistance • The personalized contact you have with them before they get on campus and in the early weeks of the term are critical

43. Current Research Project • Collecting data on graduation rates of SSS participants and comparing them to WVU students who are eligible but not in the program as well as to the non-eligible students • Variables included in the study are age, ethnicity, gender, high school GPA, residency, and ACT/SAT scores

44. Limitations Of Study • Can not identify to what extent those not in SSS are seeking out and receiving support services across campus • Utilize the FAFSA to identify income levels • SSS participants self-select

45. Data Analysis of Current Research • Quisi-experimental control group time series – full control of study groups is not possible, study over a long period of time, does not report cause of change in dependent variable (grad rate) but can reports trends • Utilizing the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for data analysis • Chi-square analysis used to determine differences in graduation rates among the three groups • Discriminant Analysis used to determine the impact of identified attributes on graduation rates

46. Current Research Project-Preliminary Findings • Non-eligible students have higher graduation rates than overall WVU population • SSS graduation rates are higher than the students who are eligible but not-enrolled in SSS • High school GPA appears to be best indicator of persistence towards graduation

47. Future Research • Qualitative study of WVU SSS to identify the participants’ perception of the extent to which they feel SSS has assisted them • Impact of the WV PROMISE scholarship on the SSS program • Continue collecting six-year graduation rates

48. Impact of the West Virginia University Student Support Services/TRIO Program from 1998 - 2006 By Dr. Barbara Copenhaver Bailey Thank you. QUESTIONS?