Partnerships with Noel-Levitz to Improve Retention

1. Partnerships with Noel-Levitz to Improve Retention International First-Year Experience ConferenceMaui, 2004 Teresa Farnum, Vice President for Retention Services

2. Session activities • Quick overview of Noel-Levitz • Average retention and graduation rates • Retention myths • An introductory service of Noel-Levitz: Retention Opportunities Analysis

3. About Noel-Levitz • Largest higher education consulting firm in North America; our consultants have worked directly with more than 1,700 colleges and universities • More than 85 full-time staff and 60 associates work from corporate offices in • Guelph, Ontario • Iowa City, IA • Denver, CO (Also remote offices in CA, MA, and OH) • Full-time enrollment consulting staff possesses over 500 years of combined consulting and campus-based experience

4. About Noel-Levitz: Retention • Retention consultants (we have more than 20) are change agents and work directly with faculty and the entire community • Most common and important service is the facilitation of the creation and implementation of a Retention Plan • Measurable goals • Strategies to attain the goals • Action plans to ensure progress (timelines, responsibility, assessment, etc.) • Average increase in first-to-second year retention of client institutions, who retain our services in an ongoing year-long relationship, is five percentage points in the first year

6. Retention and Graduation Rates What can we expect?

7. Types of Preparedness (ACT)

8. First-to-second year retention:Public Institutions (ACT, 2003) First-time, full-time, degree seeking

9. Graduation rates: Public Institutions (ACT, 2003) * Three years for an AA, five years BA

10. First-to-second year retention:Private Institutions (ACT, 2003) First-time, full-time degree seeking

11. Graduation rates: Private Institutions (ACT, 2003) * Three years for an AA, Five years BA

12. Distribution of dropout proneness InfluenceC Will drop out no matter what you do Will persist no matter what you do A B This is an area in which students can be influenced.

13. Let’s talk about retention myths

14. Retention myths that may block efforts • Retention will improve without changing our behavior • Retention means lowering standards • Finances and “personal” are sole reasons students drop out • Students bring a cogent map for success to campus

15. anxious uncertain insecure underprepared overwhelmed confused lost easily distracted terrified What students tell us they feel during first year or after a long stopout …they don’t know where or how to start activating their expectations

16. Retention myths that may block efforts • “Quick fix” strategies are effective

17. Retention myths that may block efforts • Efforts are primarily remedial in character • Dropouts are flunkouts

18. First-year college GPA earned by nearly 1,500 dropouts at 46 institutions GPA Dropouts Percent % <2.00 689 46.1 2.00 - 2.49 248 16.6 2.50 - 2.99 256 17.1 3.00 - 4.00 300 20.1

19. Retention myths that may block efforts • Students are not customers

20. Are students customers? Ways the answer is “NO!” • They are not always right. • They are not “buying” a diploma. • They have a larger responsibility than just paying money for a product or service.

21. An analogy: the customer who joins a health club to get into shape

22. Are Students Customers? YES! They are paying for • Service • Advice • Assistance in Learning • Guidance • Our Knowledge and Wisdom • Encouragement

23. Retention myths frequently believed by faculty And last, but not least, the attitude that retention is not my job!

24. Retention Services Getting Started with Noel-Levitz Retention Opportunities Analysis ™

25. 1. Administer Student Satisfaction Inventory™ Retention Opportunities Analysis: Steps

26. Student Satisfaction Inventory™ • Importance scores How important is it that this expectation is met? • Satisfaction scores How satisfied are you that this expectation is being met on this campus? • Performance gap scores The discrepancy between the expectation (importance score) and the reality (satisfaction score)

27. Surveys • Student Satisfaction Inventory • Two-year • Four-year • Adult • Paper/pencil • Online versions • Canadian versions • Opportunity to insert 10 local items • Comparison to national results • Institutional Priorities Survey • Parallels the SSI

28. Academic Advising Campus Climate Academic Services Campus Support Services Concern for the Individual Instructional Effectiveness Recruitment and Financial Aid Registration Effectiveness Safety and Security Student Centeredness Service Excellence SSI Categories

29. SSI national data sets – April 2004 • Four-year private institutions: • 263,026 students from 365 institutions • Four-year public institutions: • 95,469 students from 106 institutions • Community, junior, and technical colleges: • 240,204 students from 272 institutions • Two-year career and private schools: • 35,816 students from 65 institutions

30. What’s important to students? An Exercise

31. 2. Send material about your campus to your consultant prior to campus visit to ensure “hitting the ground running” Retention Opportunities Analysis: Steps

32. Examples of Requested Materials • Completed Retention Fact Finder (blank provided) • Enrollment data from the past three years • Academic and demographic profile of student body • Short/long-term planning goals • Enrollment projections • Faculty/staff attitude surveys and reports • Administrative organizational charts • Any other documents or reports that will provide insights about strengths, opportunities or controversial issues on your campus

33. 3. Facilitate an on-site schedule of meetings with faculty, administrators, and students Retention Opportunities Analysis: Steps

34. 7:30 a.m. 8:30 a.m. 9:00 a.m. 10:00 a.m. 10:30 a.m. 11:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. Campus Contact President Cabinet/Senior Staff Vice President for Academic Affairs Student Life Staff Faculty Focus Group Lunch with Retention Committee Day One: Morning

35. 1:00 p.m. 2:00 p.m. 3:00 p.m. 3:45 p.m. 4:30 p.m. Student Focus Group Deans and Department Chairs Staff Focus Group Advising Staff Registrar, Billing, Financial Aid Offices Day One: Afternoon

36. 9:00 a.m. 10:45 a.m. 11:00 a.m. Exit Briefing with Cabinet Partnership possibilities Depart Day Two

37. 4. Receive written executive summary and proposal Retention Opportunities Analysis: Steps

38. Deliverables • 300 Student Satisfaction Inventories • Forty+ page report on the results • Analysis of strengths and challenges • PowerPoint Presentation • Observed strengths and challenges • Realistic retention goals • Top five recommendations for the greatest impact on retention and completion rates • Written Summary/Proposal for a Retention Partnership • Summary of recommendations • Proposed services tailored to the findings

39. Some Possible Partnership Components • Ongoing retention consulting • Create and implement a retention plan • Mobilize the entire community, including faculty • ForecastPlus for Retention™:Predictive Modeling • Academic Advising for Student Success and Retention™ • Video-based training program • Training workshop • Connections ™:Quality Service Training • Video-based training program • Training workshop

40. Some Possible Partnership Components • Retention Management System™: Early-Alert and Intervention Program • Advising Audit • Quality Service Audit • Marketing/Recruitment Opportunities Analysis • And…Enablearning: a service to improve success rates in mathematics that costs the campus almost nothing

41. Advising and Retention Opportunities Analysis • Similar, but focus is on advising effectiveness, as well as other institutional successes and challenges in a retention initiative

42. Fee is $4,500 plus actual travel expenses International FYE Conference Special for Participants: $3,500

43. What’s important to students?Four-year US institutions • The content of the courses in my major is valuable. • The quality of instruction is excellent. • I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts. • Faculty are knowledgeable in their fields. • My academic advisor knows the requirements in my major.

44. What’s Important to Students at Two-year Institutions? • Classes are scheduled at times that are convenient for me. • The quality of instruction in most of my classes is excellent. • I am able to register for classes with few conflicts. • Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable in their field. • There is a good variety of courses provided on this campus.

45. Strengths Content of courses within my major is valuable Instruction in the major field is excellent Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable Quality of instruction is excellent Advisor is knowledgeable about requirements Challenges Able to register for classes with few conflicts Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment Adequate financial aid is available Faculty fair/unbiased Good variety of courses provided 4-year private – top five

46. Strengths Content of courses within my major is valuable Instruction in the major field is excellent Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable Advisor is knowledgeable about requirements Quality of instruction is excellent Challenges Able to register for classes with few conflicts Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment Faculty fair/unbiased Amount of student parking Adequate financial aid is available 4-year public – top five

47. Strengths Quality of instruction is excellent Nearly all faculty are knowledgeable Good variety of courses Able to experience intellectual growth here Campus is safe and secure Challenges Classes are scheduled at convenient times Able to register for classes with few conflicts Advisor knowledgeable about program requirements Amount of student parking Adequate financial aid is available Community college – top five

48. You are invited to a special discussion and reception for educators concerned about attrition resulting from "killer courses"—specifically, Algebra and developmental math. Time: Wednesday, June 16, 5:30-6:30 p.m.Place: Harpoon Room Mezzanine, Beach Tower Join me for wine, cheese, and discussion

49. 5161 East Arapahoe Road Suite 100 Littleton CO 80122-2383 P. Teresa FarnumVice President for Retention Services 800-628-7216 • FAX 303-741-5620 teresa-farnum@noellevitz.com www.noellevitz.com