Partnering for Student Success: The University of South Carolina’s Early Intervention Initiative

1. Partnering for Student Success: The University of South Carolina’s Early Intervention Initiative Chrissy Coley, Ph.D. Director of Retention and Planning 2006 Annual Conference on The First-Year Experience – Atlanta, GA

2. Goals of this Session • Review the literature/research on student success and class attendance • Highlight best institutional practices/models as they relate to early warning systems • Discuss the development and implementation of USC’s Early Intervention Initiative • Review the results/assessment findings of the intervention • Share recommendations based on what we have learned this year

3. Review of the Student Success Literature and Research

4. Literature on High-Performing Institutions Student Success in College (2005 AAHE) • Highlights DEEP institutions (Documenting Effective Educational Practices) from National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) • DEEP Institutions clearly mark routes to student success through: • Acculturation – instilling values, articulating what successful students do, and teaching students how to make use of resources (orientation, bridge programs) • Alignment – connecting the institution’s mission and resources with students’ abilities and needs (early warning systems, academic advising systems)

5. Literature on High-Performing Institutions What Works in Student Retention (2004 ACT) • Learning Support • supplemental instruction, comprehensive learning assistance centers, summer bridge programs, tutoring programs, and reading centers • Academic Advising and Monitoring • early interventions with selected student populations, integration of advising with first-year transition programs, academic advising centers – some combined with career/life planning • First-Year Programs • freshman seminars, learning communities, and integration of advising with first-year programs

6. Literature on High-Performing Institutions • Raising the Graduation Rates of Low-Income College Students (2005 Pell Institute) • Intentional, intrusive academic advising • Systems for monitoring student progress and intervening when problems arise • Role of Academic and Non-Academic Factors in Improving College Retention (2004 ACT) • Academic-Related Skills • Academic Self-Confidence • Academic Goals

7. Relationship Between 1st Year Grades and Persistence to Degree Completion • “Borrowers Who Drop Out” (National Center for Public Policy and Higher Education's May 2005 report): • “Regardless of borrowing status, more than half of those who dropped out had a grade point average of less than 2.25 in the first year they were enrolled." This data was based on freshmen enrolling in 4-year institutions in 1995-96.

8. Research on Class Attendance and Academic Performance • Richie and Hargrove (2005) note that “researchers have consistently found a significant negative correlation between absences and grades” (p. 396). • Brocato, J. (1989). How much does coming to class matter? Some evidence of class attendance and grade performance. Educational Research Quarterly, 13, 2-6. • Hammen, C. S., & Kelland, J. L. (1994). Attendance and grades in a human physiology course. Advances in Physiology Education, 12, S105-S108. • Schuman, H., Walsh, E., Olson, C., & Etheridge, B. (1985). Effect and reward: The assumption that college grades are affected by quantify of study. Social Forces, 63, 945-966.

9. Research on Class Attendance and Academic Performance • Friedman, Rodriguez, and McComb (2001) found that “the higher the GPA of the students in our study, the fewer absences they had. Thus our results suggest that students who receive better grades have fewer absences from their classes” (p. 128). From: Why students do and do not attend classes: Myths and realities. College Teaching, 49(4), 124-133.

10. Research on Class Attendance and Academic Performance • Clump, Bauer, and Whiteleather (2003) compared General Psychology students who were present on days in which unannounced quizzes were given with those who were not present. • They found “that attending class significantly increased the number of correct answers on a unit test over the material and on overall test scores, which appears to support this notion that attending class is very influential on a student’s grade” (p. 222). From: To attend or not to attend: Is that a good question? Journal of Instructional Psychology, 30, 220-224.

11. Research on Class Attendance and Academic Performance • Richie and Hargrove (2005) conducted 2 experimental studies with 345 students enrolled in freshman English classes in 2000-2001. (Freshman Academic Performance and Retention project) • Students in the intervention group received telephone calls when they reached an excessive number of absences. • They had significantly fewer absences and higher grades (p<.01) than students in the control groups. They were also retained at higher rates to Fall 2001. From: An analysis of the effectiveness of telephone intervention in reducing absences and improving grades of college freshmen. Journal of College Student Retention, 6(4), 395-412.

12. Research on Factors Related to Class Attendance • Wyatt, G. (1992) found that: • Time spent studying was associated negatively with absenteeism • Frequency of alcohol consumption was associated positively with absenteeism from disliked courses • Being female was associated positively with absenteeism from liked and disliked courses • The previous semester’s gpa was associated negatively with absenteeism from disliked courses From: Skipping class: An analysis of absenteeism among first-year college students. Teaching Sociology, 20, 201-207.

13. Why Students Do Attend ClassFriedman, Rodriguez, and McComb (2001) • Attendance Reasons Related to Behavior (p<.001) in Descending Order • I believe I should attend (not going makes me feel guilty). • The teacher notices and cares when I am there. • Absences above a minimum affect my grade. • I like participating in this class. • I want to ask questions in class. • We work on assignments or projects in class. • The amount of my class participation affects my grade. • I am interested in the course content.

14. Why Students Miss Class Friedman, Rodriguez, and McComb (2001) • Absence Reasons Related to Attendance Behavior (p<.001) in Descending Order: • Attendance is not taken or does not influence my grade. • The teacher doesn’t notice or care whether I am there. • Course content is available from another source. • I felt tired or overslept because I had fun the night before. • The teacher is repetitious, confusing, or boring. • I dislike the subject matter. • I did an assignment/studied for another class. • It is my first or last class of the day.

15. Development of The University of South Carolina’s Early Intervention Initiative

16. January – February 2005 • Hiring of Director of Retention and Planning • Review of the literature/research • Identification of institutional models for early intervention initiatives

17. Primary Model: Mississippi State University’s Pathfinders Program • Mississippi State University's research indicated that students missing excessive class sessions in any one course during their first semester earned significantly lower gpas and were less likely to be retained than students who did not miss class excessively. • MSU’s Pathfinders Program started in 1998 in response to this data. • The program coordinates Resident Assistant interventions with first year students reported by faculty members as missing 2+ classes. • Retention and graduation rates have increased since the implementation of this initiative. • For more information, visit: http://www.ssrc.msstate.edu/fresh/

18. Other Institutional Models • University of Florida -- Tracking program • Clemson University -- Freshman Academic Success Program – 4th-5th weeks of class • Mercer University – Advising sessions at the 4th & 8th weeks of class • University of Connecticut – Mid-term interventions with 1st year students earning Ds and Fs • University of Louisville – Early Warning Alert system • Columbia College – First Year Student Success Team

19. March – April 2005 • Identification of key academic and student affairs partners • Facilitation of discussion and planning meetings to review the literature/best practices, prioritize issues, establish goals, and develop a USC-specific model through consensus-building • Key players: Retention and Planning, University 101, Counseling and Human Development, Residence Life, Student Disability Services, Financial Aid

20. Rationale for Implementing an Early Intervention Program at USC • Early intervention programs help students address issues and get to important campus resources before problems become too overwhelming to overcome. • Millennial students are accustomed to receiving clear directions for success and frequent monitoring of and feedback on their progress. • “First-year students may need more explicit guidance with respect to the expectations and demands of college courses.” (2003 YFCY)

21. Rationale for Using Class Absences as USC’s Early Intervention “Red Flags” • Absences give the instructor an objective, tangible point at which to intervene. • Absences can be an early indicator that a student is experiencing issues with academic-related skills, academic self-confidence, or academic goals. • Absences can be an early indicator that a student is experiencing serious emotional, mental, or physical health issues. • Absences are usually an earlier measure of progress than grades on tests or assignments.

22. Class Absence Early Intervention Initiative • Purpose: To intervene with students who are excessively absent from class so that they can overcome obstacles that prevent them from meeting their academic responsibilities and to connect them with helpful campus resources before their problems become too overwhelming • Overall Goal: Enhance student success through early interventions, campus partnerships, and data collection and analysis

23. Class Absence Early Intervention Initiative • Target population: Students enrolled in University 101 and English 101/102 • Small class sizes (manageable for monitoring attendance) • High percentage of first year students enrolled in at least one or both of these courses • Student success focus • Support of the directors of these programs • “What we are trying to do here is offer help and guidance to our students before they find themselves facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties.” (Dan Berman, Director of University 101)

24. Components of Class Absence Early Intervention Initiative • Beginning of semester: Clear and positive articulation of attendance expectation by instructor • At 2nd absence: Instructor intervenes with student • At 3rd absence: Instructor refers name of student to Retention and Planning through the Excessive Absence Report Form (on website) • Excessive Absence Responders (Residence Life, Multicultural Student Affairs, Greek Life, Student Disability Services, and Athletics) intervene with student • At 4th absence: Instructor refers student to the Class Absence Reflection (CAR) Group sponsored by Counseling and Human Development

25. Role of Excessive Absence Responders • Make personal contact with the student • Inform the student they have been made aware of his/her class absences through official capacity with USC’s EII (FERPA allows disclosure to university officials with legitimate educational interests) • Emphasize that they and the instructor care about the student’s academic success and personal well-being • Explain that attending class is essential for succeeding academically at USC • Explore the situation with the student to see if it would be helpful to refer him/her to other campus resources • Document intervention with Dir. of Retention/Planning

26. Role of the Class Absence Reflection (CAR) Group • “The goal is for you to have an opportunity to ‘think out loud’ about your specific circumstances, academic goals, priorities, and habits in order to improve your performance at USC.” • “The professional staff at the Counseling Center is trained to help people think about issues in their lives that are somehow impeding their personal goals or satisfaction. If you are missing classes your risk of failure at USC will increase. The group participants will share problems and strategies for dealing with college life.”

27. May – June 2005 • May • University 101 Instructor Training • June • E-mail to U101 instructors with letter of support from Dan Berman (Director U101) • Website developed http://www.sa.sc.edu/retention/eii.htm • Instructor Guidelines • Excessive Absence Report Form • CAR Brochure and Optional Essay Questions

28. August - November 2005 • August • English 101 Instructor Training • Letter to U101/English 101 instructors from Russ Haber (Director of CHDC) and Chrissy Coley (Director of Retention and Planning) • Follow-up e-mail with website link • Training of Excessive Absence Responders • September - November: • Phone call reminders to U101 instructors (Sept.) • Instructor interventions and referrals • Excessive Absence Responder interventions • Class Absence Reflection Group sessions

29. Role of the Director of Retention and Planning • Serve as primary coordinator of the EII’s implementation (communication with partners, instructor/responder training, PR, assessment, etc) • Create and maintain case file for each referred student • Forward names of referred students to excessive absence responders • Intervene with students not falling in an excessive absence responder’s functional area • Monitor interventions and follow up with instructors • Serve as a support/resource to instructors

30. Fall 2005 Assessment of the Early Intervention Initiative

31. Statistical Analyses • Currently analyzing following data using SPSS: • Referring Instructors’ End of the Semester Progress Reports (total absences in course, final grade in course, perceived reasons for absences) • Director of Retention and Planning’s Case Files (excessive absence report forms, type of interventions, feedback following responder interventions) • Data from University Data Management System (fall semester gpa, spring semester enrollment status, state of residency) • Class Absence Reflection Group Attendance

32. End of Semester Student Progress Reports • 110 referrals (for 101 students) were made through Excessive Absence Reports • 48 instructors (47 U101 and 1 English 101) referred students through this process • Represented approximately 1/3 of U101 instructors • Received 92 End of Semester Progress Reports for the 101 students referred • Data on total absences, reasons for absences, types of interventions, perceived impact of intervention, and class grade

33. Preliminary Findings of the End of Semester Progress Reports • Absences • 50% had 4 or fewer absences • 30% had 5-9 absences • 20% had 10 or more absences • Reasons for Absences (instructor perceptions) • 1/2 for poor time management/lack of focus • 1/3 for medical or health issues • 1/3 for oversleeping • Interventions • 100% received an instructor intervention • 75% received a responder intervention • 10% attended the CAR Group

34. Preliminary Findings of the End of Semester Progress Reports • Perceived Impact of Interventions on Student Attendance • Yes = 57% • Somewhat = 15% • No = 28% • Student End of Semester Grades • A = 32% • B = 22% • C = 7% • D = 9% • F = 18% • W = 12%

35. End of Semester Evaluation of Referring Instructors • % of instructors who responded that the following aspects of the Early Intervention Initiative were “excellent” or “good” • Timeliness of Communication = 93% • Clarity of the Guidelines = 89% • Ease of the Form = 71% • Helpfulness of Correspondence = 61% • Assistance in Identifying Solutions = 43% • Connecting with Needed Support = 39% • Improving Attendance Patterns = 36%

36. End of Semester Evaluation of Referring Instructors • 93% of participants responded that they would recommend the Early Intervention Initiative to another instructor. • “Participating in the EII really changed my behavior more than that of my students. I think I talked about attendance more and from a positive stance rather than a punitive stance.” • “The program lets the student know that people on this campus care about them. Also, the program makes a very big point about attending classes.”

37. End of Semester Evaluation of Referring Instructors • “It was nice having another person outside of my class reinforce the importance of attendance.” • “It is helpful just to have the support for addressing the issue with students.” • “For 2 of the 3 students I referred, it did improve their attendance and class participation. One student was very grateful that USC cared enough about him to follow up on the absences.” • “For students who care, it works wonders. For those with no respect, it’s just a way to get absences excused.”

38. End of Semester Evaluation of Non-Referring Instructors • Why didn’t some instructors refer students through the Excessive Absence Reporting process? • “Instructor met with the student about the absences and assessed an outside intervention was not needed at that time.” • Anecdotally, instructors are reporting that this is the first year they haven’t had students miss excessive classes…gut reaction is the impact of their proactive and positive articulation of and attention to attendance. • Recommendations? • “More training with the instructors about how to use the program will help instructors feel more confident about explaining to students why it’s important.”

39. Class Absence Reflection Group Student Self Assessment • 30 students attended CAR group sessions in Fall 2005 (9 of these had also been referred through excessive absence reporting process) • Top reasons students note for their absences (% responding “often” or “sometimes”): • Out too late = 41% • Partying = 41% • Alcohol/drug use = 37% • Feel class is not worthwhile = 27% • Illness = 23% • Feel I’m over my head = 19% • Professor is uninteresting = 19%

40. Class Absence Reflection Group Student Evaluation • (% responding “absolutely” or “somewhat true”): • I have a better understanding of issues preventing me from getting to class = 88% • I have a plan that I think will help me attend class more regularly = 80% • I think knowing the university staff is interested in me helps me be more motivated = 65% • I found the group helpful in clarifying my educational goals = 61%

41. Class Absence Reflection Group Student Post-Evaluation, cont. • (% responding “absolutely” or “somewhat true”): • I could benefit from continuing personal exploration with some individual counseling = 61% • I think I will use some of the other campus services if I find I need them = 57% • I could benefit from academic tutoring = 56% • I need to make some adjustments to my social life = 49% • I feel more motivated to attend classes because of what was discussed in this group = 41%

42. Insights and Recommendations Based on First Semester’s Experience

43. Challenges in Implementing a Class Absence Early Intervention Initiative • Philosophical Concerns • “Students are adults and should know and accept the consequences of their choices.” • Faculty autonomy in course decision-making • Reluctance to “turn in” a student for absences (don’t want to violate confidentiality or trust) • Logistical Challenges • Time intensive for instructors, responders, and coordinators • Monitoring attendance in large lecture classes

44. Recommendations for Implementing a Class Absence Early Intervention • Identify and partner with key players and allies – involve in the planning process • Take time to dialogue and incorporate different positions and needs • Be flexible and open • Listen • Start where you can • Convince faculty and administrators through data reporting (body of literature, campus research) – use persuasion, not force

45. Changes For Spring 2006 and Fall 2006 • Emphasize the positive nature of the interventions – the purpose is to support students in becoming successful at USC • Changing language from “report” to “referral” • Encourage instructors to use their discernment and judgment in referring students • Provide quicker, more consistent, and more specific communication with and support for instructors • Improve content of training session with instructors • Make the referral form shorter and easier to use • Advertise CAR Group to all faculty and students

46. Noted Impact of the Early Intervention Initiative at USC • “My students said that the intervention really drove some issues home, made them feel less like a number, and provided the push they so desperately needed. It also made me feel good knowing your office was there to help!” (U101 Instructor) • “This program…is a fantastic idea! It’s another way to save some kids who can do the work but have other issues time management, health, etc.” (U101 Instructor) • “The instructors appreciated having a sense there was a network of resources available to help them address some serious issues.” (Coordinator of the Freshman English Program)

47. Noted Impact of the Early Intervention Initiative at USC • Faculty and academic administrators are approaching us about attendance issues and how we can incorporate this effort in other courses. • promoting awareness and dialogue • It is fostering conversations and collaborations between academic and student affairs units. • “It is really about how we guide students throughout their Carolina experience.” (Associate VP for Student Development)

48. For Questions or More Information, Please Call • Chrissy Coley, Ph.D. • Director of Retention and Planning • Division of Student Affairs • University of South Carolina • ccoley@gwm.sc.edu • (803) 777-9307