It Takes a Village:

1. It Takes a Village: Campus-Wide Initiatives for Improving Retention Carrie Heller Executive Director, University College Interim Dean of Students

2. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Overview • Institutional profile • Institutional makeover • Creating a culture of retention • Strategies • Results • Assessment

3. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Indiana University East • Public, 4-year, regional campus of Indiana University • 4,100 undergraduate students • Non-residential • Share campus property with Ivy Tech Community College and Purdue College of Technology

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5. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience IU East Prior to 2007 • Associate, some bachelor degrees • Large population of non-traditional students • High remedial need • Significant evening class offerings • Minimal selectivity • Declining enrollments (2,194 in 2006, a 13% drop from 2003) • 1st to 2nd Year Retention Rate: 57.7%

6. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Catalyst for Change • Ivy Tech Richmond campus surpasses IU East in enrollment • Two institutions offer competing degree programs • Review Committee assessed viability of IU East campus; recommends radical changes • Interim chancellor appointed to replace retiring chancellor

7. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Institutional Makeover • Change in institutional mission • Eliminate associate degrees, expand bachelor degree offerings to reflect local economic needs • Eliminate remedial courses • Restructure academic and administrative units • Noel-Levitz Assessment • Academic Advising • Campus Life

8. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Creating a Culture of Retention • New chancellor provided directive to entire campus • Changes to: • Retention plan • Budgetary structure of campus • Admissions standards • Marketing strategies • Academic supports for students • Campus activities and student life

9. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Retention Plan • Initially developed by committee who identified strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (obstacles) in retention efforts • Identifies gaps in services/policies/programs • Addresses key strategies for improvement • Action plans identify steps, individuals responsible, and deadlines • Part of campus strategic plan • Maintained by Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Support • Reviewed yearly

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12. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Budgetary Changes • Changed to Responsibility Center Management • Tuition revenue enters through academic schools • Schools pay “taxes” for support units • Resulted in vested interest in both recruitment and retention efforts • Each school hired professional academic advisors

13. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Admissions Standards • Gradually increased over several years • Current standards: • Indiana Core 40 diploma • 4 years English, College Prep Courses • 3 years Social Science, Math (Algebra 1 & 2) , Lab Science • Must pass End of Course Assessments • Change in GED score • 520 • 50 sub-score in math and English

14. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Marketing • Life cycle marketing approach directed at traditional-aged population • Extensive use of social media • Heavily involved in promoting campus events, even at department level • Essential in keeping students engaged • Lots of swag!

15. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Academic Support • Creation of University College • Student Coach-Counselors • Mandatory New Student Orientation • Mandatory First Year Seminar • Exploratory Advising • Early Alert Program • Summer programs • Math Bridge • Extreme Jump Start

16. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Academic Support • Advising • Decentralized advising • Mandatory placement testing • Mandatory academic advising • Use of advising holds • Development of 4-year plans • Increased use of Supplemental Instruction • Decentralized math/writing support

17. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Early Alert Program • Several products used since 2009 • Currently utilize IU developed program, IU-FLAGS • Serves as roster verification and early warning system • Faculty can report on attendance, trends, and actions • Contact made after first week of class through mid-term

18. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Early Alert Program

19. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Campus Activities and Student Life • Creation of campus traditions • Activities offered during the day to maximize participation • Graf Center offers ping-pong, pool, Xbox, etc. • Growth in student clubs and organizations • NAIA Athletics • New mascot – Rufus the Red Wolf • Campus dining services

20. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Results *Full-time beginners http://www.indiana.edu/~uirr/reports/standard/retention/index.shtml

21. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Assessment • Program level assessment for many initiatives (First Year Seminar, University College, New Student Orientation, Advising, Extreme Jump Start, etc.) • Yearly review of Retention Plan • Overall effectiveness determined by retention numbers

22. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Continuing Challenges • Persistence to second year • Financial aid and bursar policies • Probation students • Transfer students • Online • Intercampus

23. Annual Conference on the First Year Experience Thank you! Contact information: Carrie Heller 765-973-8235 hellerc@iue.edu www.iue.edu/ucollege