SAVANNAH STATE UNIVERSITY

Retention & Graduation Rate Planning

Presentation for USG Board of Regents

April 14, 2010Dr. Earl Yarbrough, President

SSU’s Mission Statement

Savannah State University, the oldest public historically black university in the State of Georgia, develops productive members of a global society through high quality instruction, scholarship, research, service and community involvement. The University fosters engaged learning and personal growth in a student-centered environment that celebrates the African American legacy while nurturing a diverse student body. Savannah State University offers graduate and undergraduate studies including nationally accredited programs in the liberal arts, the sciences and the professions.

Adopted USG BOR, 14 Oct 2009

However…

“No single course accounts for

attrition and no single silver bullet will mitigate it.”

“Track differences that make a difference.”

“Without data, you’re just another person

with an opinion.”

SSU & State University 6 yr. Graduation Rates

1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002

State U. Inst. Specific 25.58 25.89 24.2 25.25 25.28 26.97 28.88 30.26 32.18 33.51 34.87 34.27

SSU: Inst. Specific 26.09 20.57 18.76 17.11 16.57 17.65 17.62 30.53 27.76 31.71 40.45 34.48

2.5

7.5

12.5

17.5

22.5

27.5

32.5

37.5

42.5

Graduation Rates: SSU & USG State Universities

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Recently, SSU’s graduation rates have risen in concert with those of State Universities, increasing by about 10 percentage points (or 16%) over the past 18 years.

1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

State U. Inst. Spe-cific

64.93 62.27 62.99 63.12 65.91 66.95 67.81 68.76 69.84 71.77 72.6 73.01 71.28 71.87 73.08 74.43 73.28

SSU: Inst. Specific 62.48 60.9 58.56 53.85 64.71 54.63 65.11 68.68 71.82 76.14 79.03 70.68 70.07 72.08 74.18 72.79 70.9

5.015.025.035.045.055.065.075.085.0

Retention Rates: SSU & USG State Universities%

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In recent years, SSU’s retention rates have hovered around those of State Universities, having increased by 10 percentage points (or 16%) over the past 18 years.

SSU & State University 1st yr. Retention Rates

Most SSU Freshmen come from outside the Savannah/Chatham area

Recruiting and Retention

SSU is first choicefor 29% of freshmen

SSU is not first choicefor 71% of freshmen

SSU Faces An Overarching Issue...

• Most SSU students don’t want to be at SSU first– 62% of nation’s frosh at 1st choice institution. 29% at SSU.

(Findings stable (1995—2009); CIRP Freshman Study)

• AND…– 72% of nation’s frosh applied to other schools; 85% at SSU.

– 42% of nation’s frosh list “academic reputation” as important in college choice; 25% at SSU.

– 31% of nation’s frosh list “financial aid offer” as important reason to attend; 41% at SSU.

– 22% of nation’s frosh list “to get away from home” as an important reason to attend; 32% at SSU.

“Ali” framed the issue in a focus group:

There are only four reasons anyone would be at SSU: to get grades up, to save money, to be close to home, or to take a program not available anywhere else.

-- African-American Homeland Security Sophomore, in good standing

“

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Yet, 71 % Return A 2nd Year…And 60% Stay For 2 years

“Bucket Theory” From any “bucket” full of entering freshmen, various groups depart prematurely through one of three types of fissures in the bucket:transfer, stop out, or dropout.

Each fissure represents a distinctive response to the interaction of college and life experiences; each departure behavior is motivated by a different mix of influences or factors.

--M. Crow

• Negative perception—Historic Problem– 16% report “parent’s wish” important to selection– 13% report “relative’s wish” important for selection– 6% report “teacher’s advice” an important consideration.– 9% report “HS counselor’s advice an important consideration

• Uninviting campus—Historic Problem– Diverse buildings boarded up, unusable, dysfunctional– Buildings without AC; pool won’t hold water– Water-front overgrown w/ trash weeds and trees– Peeling paint; lack preventative maintenance plan– Science labs archaic—in contrast to feeder high schools!– Negative alumni letters/dysfunctional foundation

I wanted my girl friend to come here with me; her family objected—they didn’t want her going to school with Blacks. They’re farming folks.

Why SSU Is Not A 1st Choice College?

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Selected Opinions, Assumptions & Perceptions

Indicators To Consider

• “The facility stinks: my high school football field is better than this.”

• “Teachers are easier here; you show up for class; they read the text book to you; you get a ‘B.’ No sweat.”

• “I got a nice financial aid package. That’s the only reason I came here. The place I wanted to go wouldn’t give me enough money.”

• “An alumni wearing an alumni pen accosted me at a football game and demanded ‘what are you doing here’, obviously referring to my color.”

• “The financial aid lady never answers your questions. If she talks, she’s rude.”• “Campus security is a joke. They sit in their gate huts hassling students while

strangers climb over fences & rob you in the dorm at gunpoint.”• “I don’t like that certain classes are only offered certain semesters; that could

possibly keep me here an extra semester due to late declaration of major… quite unfair.” (Student Attitude Survey, Fall, 2009)

Perceptions and concerns vary…greatly.

• “I’m disappointed in the faculty member that … [only] read[s] from the text book.”

• “Why is ‘education’ not offered …here …? Because of this I’ll be transferring ...”

• “Health center is not very helpful; we should have an on-call doctor 24/7.”

• “I have a problem with the dysfunction of shower heads in Bostic Hall.”

• “The [limited] visitation hours [in dorm rooms] are ridiculous.”

• “SSU students are very to themselves and not very sociable.”

• “When you speak of Savannah you only hear of SCAD and AASU? …a major problem.”

• “School is much unorganized. Phones are never answered and directions never clear.”

• “My financial aid situation is a big disaster…[it’s always] the Financial Aid office fault.”

Selected Opinions, Assumptions & Perceptions

Indicators To Consider

Surveys & Focus Groups Isolate “Causal Influences” Underlying The “Indicators”

• Campus Influences:– Grades, pedagogy, and scheduling– Racism and diversity– Staff “attitudes” and service – Facilities, parking and safety

• Extramural Influences:– Campus “reputation” and image– Family, health, and childcare– Legal complications– Finance and employment– Program availability

(medical/educational)

“Micro-Indicators” For Campus Sub-Groups Are The “Shadows” Forming

Clues... *

• 80% of freshmen w/ 3.0+ HS GPA return; when GPA < 2.0, only 65% return.

• 73% of full-time freshmen return while 49% of part-timers return.

• 75% of campus residents return; 63% of off-campus residents return.

• 73% of Black freshmen return; 51% of non-Blacks return.

• 67% of 19-yr old frosh return; 50% of 18-year olds do.

• 76% of Science/Tech majors return; 70% of liberal arts majors do.

• 75% of Atlanta frosh return; 67% of Savannah frosh return.

• Out-of-state freshmen return less frequently than in-state freshmen.

* Indicators are not “causes”, but clues guiding where to look for causes.

Factor/Logistic Regression Study* By Dr. Michael Crow

“Factors” Explaining Attrition

• Student Assets– Home neighborhood, capital and culture, HS Academic

Culture, & academic preparation

• Student Mentality– Achievement, self-image, social engagement, thoughtful

college choice, hedonism, other-directed

• Student Experience– Value added, cognition required, quality relationships,

scholarly emphasis, interactive learning, informal dialogs, literature focus, academic work focus, extramural demands

*Available at: Crow, M. (2007), Stayers & Leavers Among Newbies: Influences on the Early Departures of HBCU Freshmen. http://www.mgcrow.com/crowmatter/SSU_NEWBIES.pdf

Factors Affect Different Types

Of Students Differently

• Types of students:– Participation level (FT/PT)– Sex– Ethnic Group (Black/non-Black)– Age Group (minors/adults)– Residence Status (on/off-campus)

• Types of attrition (in 2 yrs):– Transfer (6%)– Dropout (31%)– Stopout (4%)

Rocket Science: Different influences cause different behaviors in different kinds of people. There is no single “silver bullet” to “fix” varieties of human choice and action.

An Emergent Understanding

• Stop Out students are heavily motivated by finances. They run out of money, go off to work, and return later for a few more classes. This behavior is more frequent among older students.

• Transfer students are most heavily motivated by curriculum or pedagogy. They want a major we can’t offer or they want easier or more rigorous academic setting. So they move away. This behavior is most frequent among younger students lacking local community ties & commitments.

• Drop Out students are heavily motivated by extramural factors. This is the largest and most diversely motivated attrition group and we continue to study it intensively.

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Predicted Outcomes for Females

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Predicted Outcomes for Blacks

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Predicted Outcomes for Minorities

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Predicted Outcomes for Adults (20+)

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Predicted Outcomes for Minors (Teens)

Figure 7.5: Influence of Quality Relationson Demographic Types

Stayer Stopout Transfer Dropout

One sees here, by way of example, that perceived “quality of relations” has a huge effect on probability of retention, especially on males, adults, and minorities, controlling for other factors.

This is one of the ideas lying at the heart of the National Survey of Student Engagement —proven critical here for SSU freshmen.

*See: Crow, M. (2007), Stayers & Leavers Among Newbies: Influences on the Early Departures of HBCU Freshmen.http://www.mgcrow.com/crowmatter/SSU_NEWBIES.pdf

SSU Planning: Long-Term Goals Attack

Retention-Related “Barriers”

• Goal 1: Enhance “comparative advantage”

• Goal 2: Enhance institutional capacity

• Goal 3: Recruitment and retention

• Goal 4: Image and Communication

• Goal 5: Professional development

Recent stakeholder survey found all planning goals continue to be important and incompletely attained

• Campus capital improvements:– In 2000, 244 residents; by 2008, 686; an 81% increase– Social Science building; gymnasium– Master Planning

• Academic “Centers of Excellence” & target programs:– Marine Science, Homeland Security, and Education Proposal, others

• Curriculum and pedagogy development:– Lower-division “university college”– Writing across the curriculum: “The Write Attitude”– Professional accreditation for all programs– Restructuring majors and class schedules– Revise Freshman Orientation course/pedagogy

• Staff development:– Post-tenure review/publishing-professional currency/professional meetings– Customer service/cross training/technical training– Diversity training/workshops

SSU Has Undertaken Long-Term Interventions In Response

SSU Is Undertaking Further Interventions In Response

• New Residence Hall• New Student Center• New WiFi/Dinner/Coffee Shop• New Diversity Officer (Human Resources)• New Recruiting/Admissions Counselor• New Athletic Facilities

Future Student Center

Other Interventions

• Academic Success Center• Professional Accreditations• Clubs/Organizations/Honor Societies• Motivational Speakers (Dr. Cornell West, etc.)• Campus Beautification (grass, marsh, etc.)• Workout Center• Athletic Conference• Dress/Crimestoppers Program• Student Forums

• Administration with Faculty Senate• Transparency• Mentorships• Freshman Orientation• Administration’s Interaction On Campus• Enhanced Fundraising Organization• Community Involvement/Organizations• Marketing/Paper and TV Coverage• International Travel Opportunities

Considering New Planning Ideas (?)

• Employ “Minority Student Advisor”– Advise admissions, track student success, integrate students

• Underachiever’s Academic/Social Mentor– For all part-time and <2.0 HS grade freshmen

• Diversity appreciation training– For alumni and staff

• Replace Basic Skills with AA degree academy• Revise Freshman Experience Classes

– Faculty designed

• Increase Scholarship Endowment

Further studies now underway…

• Rinelli & Crow, non-returning freshman study– Senior sociology class phone interviews

• Rukmana & Crow, excess credit senior study– Analysis of course-taking & major shifting

• Goldman & Crow, enrolled non-Black students– Focus group interviews on the SSU experience

• Anderson & Crow, self-image & attainment– Inquiry into student’s referent group identity

• Crow, positive attractors to SSU?– What factors attract first-choice students?