2008 Woodie Awards
CSA initiatives of aiding student retention rates
By: Brandon Thomas
Issue date: 2/5/07 Section: News
- Page 1 of 1
The 'Plan for Success' parented three programs from the Center for Student Achievement office. The CSA programs are PUC's combatant to low student retention rates.
The 'Plan for Success' was an initiative onset by the Richard Day Research Project, a survey of students who stay or leave the university after one year. The survey identified PUC students by high school and other categories to assess which students were more or less likely to return after their freshman year.
The Achievement Academy and Transition Program is intended to give students zero-level courses in the subject in which they show deficiency. GPA's for incoming freshmen are compiled by major subjects; math, english and science. If a student has a considerably low GPA in one of these subjects then they are admitted to the program.
"We look at subjects that really do impact student success," said Manager of Student Retention Initiatives Lee Willis.
By state mandate, university professors are not allowed to teach students non-credit classes. Instructors from Ivy Tech come to PUC to teach these subjects for up to two years before a student declares a major.
The Academic Recovery Program identifies courses a student on academic probation should retake. Some of these classes may be vital and others are not. GNS 292, part of the ARP, teaches student success strategies.
"The wise student is the one who seeks help," said Ron Kovach, assistant vice chancellor of academic affairs.
First-Year Experience programs have also been developed since the introduction of the 'Plan for Success'. These programs are offered to incoming freshmen. They are required for some majors and are aimed to make a student's first year easier by introducing strategies to aid college survival. These classes usually do not require tests but give homework and projects.
Willis said she'd like to have faculty members who only teach upper-level courses instruct some of these zero-level programs to get an even flow of responsibility on students and life on campus.
"There needs to be ownership by all of the campus," said Willis.
The 'Plan for Success' was an initiative onset by the Richard Day Research Project, a survey of students who stay or leave the university after one year. The survey identified PUC students by high school and other categories to assess which students were more or less likely to return after their freshman year.
The Achievement Academy and Transition Program is intended to give students zero-level courses in the subject in which they show deficiency. GPA's for incoming freshmen are compiled by major subjects; math, english and science. If a student has a considerably low GPA in one of these subjects then they are admitted to the program.
"We look at subjects that really do impact student success," said Manager of Student Retention Initiatives Lee Willis.
By state mandate, university professors are not allowed to teach students non-credit classes. Instructors from Ivy Tech come to PUC to teach these subjects for up to two years before a student declares a major.
The Academic Recovery Program identifies courses a student on academic probation should retake. Some of these classes may be vital and others are not. GNS 292, part of the ARP, teaches student success strategies.
"The wise student is the one who seeks help," said Ron Kovach, assistant vice chancellor of academic affairs.
First-Year Experience programs have also been developed since the introduction of the 'Plan for Success'. These programs are offered to incoming freshmen. They are required for some majors and are aimed to make a student's first year easier by introducing strategies to aid college survival. These classes usually do not require tests but give homework and projects.
Willis said she'd like to have faculty members who only teach upper-level courses instruct some of these zero-level programs to get an even flow of responsibility on students and life on campus.
"There needs to be ownership by all of the campus," said Willis.
Be the first to comment on this story