Survey of Entering Student Engagement

2. Courtney Adkins, Ph.D. CCSSE/SENSE Survey Operations Coordinator Community College Survey of Student Engagement The University of Texas at Austin Angela Oriano-Darnall, Ph.D. SENSE Project Coordinator Community College Survey of Student Engagement The University of Texas at Austin Survey of Entering Student Engagement Survey of Entering Student Engagement

3. High-Risk Students • First generation • Low-income • Minority • One or more developmental education needs • Exhibit higher levels of engagement on CCSSE

4. Why? What’s going on? • Compensatory Effect • High-risk students start the race behind the starting line. • They have to run further and faster just to stay in the race, much less to finish or win it. • Timing of CCSSE Survey Administration • Preponderance of students start in the fall term. • Administered during the spring term, CCSSE essentially surveys “survivors.”

5. Why focus on entering students? • The Entering Student Hemorrhage Achieving the Dream Round One college data (fall 2002 cohort): Of 41, 008 students, 14% did not complete ANY college credits during their first academic term.

6. Why focus on entering students? • The Entering Student Hemorrhage Achieving the Dream Round One college data (fall 2002 cohort): • Part-time students – 17.5% • Male students – 15.9% • Native American students – 15.3% • Black, non-Hispanic students – 13.9% • Hispanic students – 19.0%

7. Why focus on entering students? • There is hope. • Emerging evidence suggests… If students can be helped to earn the equivalent of one academic term (12-15 hours), their chances of achieving their educational goals are greatly increased. Students who successfully complete a developmental course (C or better) in their first term are from that point forward MORE likely to persist and succeed than other student groups.

8. How can we help? • We need a systematic way to understand the earliest student experiences. • SENSE, the Survey of Entering Student Engagement • Starting Right,a MetLife Foundation Initiative

9. SENSE Overview

10. Instrument Overview • ~90 Items (30% fewer than CCSSE) • 7th Grade Reading Level • Eight Topical Areas

11. Instrument Overview • Topical Areas: • Demographic/Student Characteristics • Classroom/Learning • Admissions, Orientation & Registration • Academic Advising & Planning • Financial Aid • Relationships • Academic Assessment & Placement • High School Experience/Preparedness

12. Sampling • Sample Created from Fall Course Schedule File (CSF) • Course Parameters: • All levels of developmental reading, writing, and math courses (excluding ESL courses) • First college-level English courses • First college-level math courses

13. SENSE Survey Pilot / Fall 2007 • 22 Colleges • Including 13 Texas Colleges Alvin Community College Brazosport College College of the Mainland El Paso Community College Houston Community College Lee College Lone Star College District(formerly NHMCCD) Northwest Vista College Palo Alto College Richland College San Antonio College St. Philip’s College Wharton County Junior College

14. SENSE Happenings • SENSE First Look Report / Spring 2008 • Entering Student Success Institute / Spring 2008 • National Field Test with 94 colleges / Fall 2008 • First National Administration / Fall 2009 Registration opens November 2008

15. Administration & Timelines • Surveys arrive at colleges first day of fall academic term. • College’s survey administrator prepares for administration during weeks 1-3. • SENSE is administered during weeks 4-5. • Surveys are returned to SENSE/CCSSE offices by mid-October. • SENSE reports are available early February.

16. Institutional Reports • All reports will be provided online. • Pilot results will be provided via the members-only section of the SENSE website: www.enteringstudent.org • Field test and all subsequent national administration results will be posted in the public section of the SENSE website.

17. CCSSE/SENSE Compare & Contrast • CCSSE administered during spring academic term. SENSE administered during weeks 4-5 of fall academic term. • CCSSE samples drawn from all credit courses. SENSE samples drawn from courses in which first-time students are most likely to enroll. • CCSSE assesses overall quality and institution-wide use of effective educational practice, predominantly through the eyes of “experienced” students. SENSE assesses effective practice in areas strongly affecting entering student success.

18. Fonda Vera Dean, Research and Planning Richland College Dallas Community College District Georgia Sinclair Statistical Research Associate Office of Institutional Research El Paso Community College Survey of Entering Student Engagement Survey of Entering Student Engagement

19. “They need to remember that they hold this person's future in their hands — and with one wrong action or one wrong word, you can totally turn them off and they'll turn around, walk out the door and never come back.” Female student SENSE focus group Survey of Entering Student Engagement Survey of Entering Student Engagement

20. Q & ADiscussion