Attrition vs. Retention – Is it a Question of ‘Survival of the Fittest’? Diversity in the Sciences Symposium University of Washington, Seattle October.

Attrition vs. Retention – Attrition vs. Retention – Is it a Question of Is it a Question of

‘Survival of the Fittest’?‘Survival of the Fittest’?

Diversity in the Sciences SymposiumDiversity in the Sciences SymposiumUniversity of Washington, SeattleUniversity of Washington, Seattle

October 28, 2006October 28, 2006Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Ph.D.Tuajuanda C. Jordan, Ph.D.

Howard Hughes Medical InstituteHoward Hughes Medical Institute

10/28/200610/28/2006 UW Diversity Symposium tcjUW Diversity Symposium tcj 22

What does it take for an entering college student to be retained and to persist in science and engineering disciplines?

c Aaron McGruder


Does he need an excellent secondary school education

having AP courses and up-to-date labs?

c Aaron McGruder


Does he need to have high standardized test scores? A high grade point average?

c Aaron McGruder


Or, does he simply need to have money and the right network of associates??

c Aaron McGruder


What is needed is a holistic approach to student development. An approach having many parts, dynamic parts; parts that can stand alone but

must work together.


Key Factors for Student RetentionKey Factors for Student Retention

Having a sense of communityHaving a sense of communityKnowledgeable AdvisingKnowledgeable AdvisingEffective Mentoring Effective Mentoring Curriculum AssessmentCurriculum AssessmentAcademic SupportAcademic SupportFinancial AidFinancial AidDiscipline-specific “Extracurricular” Discipline-specific “Extracurricular” ActivitiesActivities


Sense of Community


Xavier University of Louisiana Xavier University of Louisiana (XULA)(XULA)

XULA isXULA is– a small Catholic and historically Black university having a pre-a small Catholic and historically Black university having a pre-

Katrina enrollment of ~4,100Katrina enrollment of ~4,100– Number one in the nation in placing African Americans into Number one in the nation in placing African Americans into

medical school (since 1993)medical school (since 1993)– First in the nation in graduating students with Bachelors degrees First in the nation in graduating students with Bachelors degrees

in the life sciencesin the life sciences– Ranked first in the country in the number of undergraduate Ranked first in the country in the number of undergraduate

degrees conferred to chemistry majorsdegrees conferred to chemistry majors– Number one in the U.S. for producing students with a Bachelors Number one in the U.S. for producing students with a Bachelors

degree in physicsdegree in physics– The institution from which >25% of the country’s African The institution from which >25% of the country’s African

American pharmacists earned their professional degreeAmerican pharmacists earned their professional degree


Key Factors – Sense of CommunityKey Factors – Sense of CommunitySense of

community? What does that

mean?

It means that the student should feel, from the outset, that she belongs in your program and

that she is in a welcoming and supportive environment.


Key Factors – Sense of CommunityKey Factors – Sense of Community

Frequent and “personal” Frequent and “personal” communications from the communications from the department faculty, students, or department faculty, students, or staff as soon as the student is staff as soon as the student is accepted into the university accepted into the university

A positive group identification or A positive group identification or trademarktrademark

A readily identifiable and A readily identifiable and accessible gathering place that can accessible gathering place that can also serve as a resource roomalso serve as a resource room


Academic

d v i s i n g


Key Factors – Academic AdvisingKey Factors – Academic AdvisingAcademic advising can be done either individually Academic advising can be done either individually or in teams, by faculty or staffor in teams, by faculty or staffThe advising system The advising system should be consistentshould be consistentThe advisor(s) must The advisor(s) must be available, be available, accessible, and accessible, and knowledgeable of the knowledgeable of the academic programs academic programs and career optionsand career optionsMustMust be assigned as soon as the student declares be assigned as soon as the student declares her majorher major


Key Factors – Advising ExampleKey Factors – Advising ExampleXavier’s Biology DepartmentXavier’s Biology Department– Uses a “hands – on” approachUses a “hands – on” approach– Is as consistent as humanly possibleIs as consistent as humanly possible

Has an Has an Advising HandbookAdvising Handbook developed by one of the senior developed by one of the senior faculty members; distributed to faculty members; distributed to all Biology faculty membersall Biology faculty membersFirst year Biology faculty advisors First year Biology faculty advisors are required to attend an advising are required to attend an advising workshop run by the senior faculty workshop run by the senior faculty member member

– The advisor is assigned as soon asThe advisor is assigned as soon as the student is accepted as a the student is accepted as a Biology major Biology major

– The student is The student is required to meet with the advisor before she is allowed to register required to meet with the advisor before she is allowed to register for coursesfor coursesenticed to meet with the advisor on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to enticed to meet with the advisor on a weekly or bi-weekly basis to discuss progress in courses during the freshman and sophomore discuss progress in courses during the freshman and sophomore yearsyears


MentoringMentoring


Key Factors - MentoringKey Factors - Mentoring

Effective mentoring requires Effective mentoring requires – that an individual establishes a relationship with the “mentee”that an individual establishes a relationship with the “mentee”– the very basic, yet essential, understanding that the relationship is the very basic, yet essential, understanding that the relationship is

a humanistic experience and thus every experience will be a humanistic experience and thus every experience will be differentdifferent

– guidanceguidance– a certain amount of nurturinga certain amount of nurturing– cultivation towards independencecultivation towards independence– empowermentempowerment

Two typesTwo types– Peer mentoringPeer mentoring– Faculty mentoringFaculty mentoring



Peer mentorPeer mentor– isis

successful upperclassmansuccessful upperclassman

knowledgeable of knowledgeable of – the academic programthe academic program– the institutionthe institution– potential career pathspotential career paths

– has has career aspirationscareer aspirations

similar life experiences . . . a bonussimilar life experiences . . . a bonus



Faculty mentorFaculty mentor– Consummate professional at all timesConsummate professional at all times– Good listenerGood listener– Accessible and availableAccessible and available– Sensitive to issues of Sensitive to issues of

diversitydiversity– Team playerTeam player– Character builderCharacter builder– EmpowersEmpowers


Curriculum ReformCurriculum Reform


Some Thoughts about CurriculumSome Thoughts about Curriculum

You/Committee must be You/Committee must be REFLECTIVEREFLECTIVE– What should the student know when he What should the student know when he completescompletes

the course?the course?

Course information must Course information must contain contain DIVERSEDIVERSE methods of presentationmethods of presentationIt must be It must be SELF LESSSELF LESSAssessment should Assessment should begin with the begin with the discipline-specific discipline-specific INTRODUCTORY COURSESINTRODUCTORY COURSES


Introductory Course DilemmaIntroductory Course DilemmaWill the introductory

course sequence be a gatekeeper for or a

gateway to the discipline?


Gatekeeper Courses and AttritionGatekeeper Courses and AttritionIf the course is meant to be a gatekeeper, then most of the

department’s attrition will happen during that first year. If a student

gets through that course, the chances are good that she will

persist in the major and graduate.


Gatekeeper CoursesGatekeeper Courses

When the introductory course is a gatekeeper, we are describing survival of

the fittest in its most basic form.



The student was adequately prepared to succeed when she entered into the

institution.


The important point here is that she entered into the institution with virtually everything she required for success.



Gateway CoursesGateway CoursesIf, on the other hand, consensus is reached that the intro course will be the gateway to the discipline, the concept of first year attrition is almost a non-entity as the phenomenon is better described as one of retention.

… the Xavier story


How did this small school in New Orleans gain national recognition for its programs in science?

No, the standardized test results suggest that XULA’s students have scores that are pretty close to the national

averages

Did it focus its recruitment efforts

on high-ability students?

XULA – Curriculum ReformXULA – Curriculum Reform


SAT Scores of Incoming FreshmenSAT Scores of Incoming FreshmenS

core

904 902

979

1026

840

860

880

900

920

940

960

980

1000

1020

1040

1994 2004Score

Avg. SAT XU Avg. SAT National


If the university didn’t recruit high-ability students, how did it become a

national leader in the science education of underrepresented

minorities.

Much of XULA’s success in the sciences is due to the faculty and their desire to increase a student’s chance of success in the STEM

disciplines.


Consequently, they implemented several features in most of the entry-level courses that have

significantly contributed to XULA’s success in graduating under-represented minorities in the

STEM disciplines.


Features of “Standardized” Entry-Features of “Standardized” Entry-level Courseslevel Courses

Inquiry-based laboratory experimentsInquiry-based laboratory experimentsExercises to improve Exercises to improve critical-thinking and test-taking critical-thinking and test-taking skillsskillsEfforts to improve Efforts to improve generalgeneral, not , not scientific, vocabularyscientific, vocabularyEfforts to help students learn to visualizeEfforts to help students learn to visualize in three dimensions in three dimensionsEffort to get students to form study Effort to get students to form study groupsgroupsEncouraging students to meet frequently with their Encouraging students to meet frequently with their academic advisoracademic advisor


How do the faculty know that the modified entry-level courses are

more effective than the traditional courses they offered in the past?


35

20

60

20

75

21.1

66

20.7

68

20.8

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

1977 1987 1997 2000 2003

% Students Passing Avg. ACT

General Chemistry Pass RateGeneral Chemistry Pass Rate

Pre-reformation


The change in philosophy of how best to train students, in

general, and underrepresented minority students, in

particular, in the sciences has had a significant impact on

XULA STEM student matriculation.


Impact: STEM Student MatriculationImpact: STEM Student Matriculation

75

36

209

124

249

140

0

50

100

150

200

250

Num

ber of

Stu

dent

s

1990 1997 2003

XU STEM graduates Graduate school enrolledGrad & Prof school enrolled


Changing how the introductory-level courses are taught is just one aspect of the program XULA has in place that has served to

increase retention and persistence in the sciences.


XULA – Additional Support XULA – Additional Support MechanismsMechanisms

Various programs offering tuition assistanceVarious programs offering tuition assistanceExtensive student support servicesExtensive student support services– Tutoring and counseling centersTutoring and counseling centers– Pre-med OfficePre-med Office– Center for Undergraduate ResearchCenter for Undergraduate Research– Graduate Placement OfficeGraduate Placement Office– Career Placement and Counseling OfficeCareer Placement and Counseling Office

Faculty development activitiesFaculty development activities– Center for the Advancement of TeachingCenter for the Advancement of Teaching– Center for Undergraduate ResearchCenter for Undergraduate Research

A growing cadre of faculty actively engaged in A growing cadre of faculty actively engaged in research activities with undergraduatesresearch activities with undergraduates


Xavier is a special place and this type of thing can only work at a place like Xavier!

No. There are many examples out there where people are making a major impact on diversifying science, a task that calls for one to focus on retention rather than on attrition. Case in point, the University of Texas at El Paso.


The University of Texas, El PasoThe University of Texas, El Paso

Unlike XULA, UTEP is •Public•Hispanic-serving•Large•Research-intensive


UTEP: Undergraduate ProfileUTEP: Undergraduate Profile

Average age of an undergraduate: 24Average age of an undergraduate: 24~16,000 enrolled~16,000 enrolled72% Hispanic72% Hispanic10% Mexican (International)10% Mexican (International)82% from El Paso Community82% from El Paso Community98% Commuter98% Commuter81% Employed81% Employed96% Financial Assistance96% Financial Assistance54% First-generation college students54% First-generation college students

Dr. Benjamin Flores, UTEP. Taken from a presentation made at the NSF JAM 2006. Used by permission


The UTEP ModelThe UTEP Model

CirCLES – an entering student program for 1CirCLES – an entering student program for 1stst-time -time science and engineering students; cohorts are formedscience and engineering students; cohorts are formedACES (Academic Center for Engineers and Scientists); a ACES (Academic Center for Engineers and Scientists); a place for commuter students to work on science & place for commuter students to work on science & engineering academic and professional development engineering academic and professional development activitiesactivitiesCETaL (Center for Effective Teaching and Learning)CETaL (Center for Effective Teaching and Learning)REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates)REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates)CCLI (Curriculum, Course, Laboratory, and Instruction CCLI (Curriculum, Course, Laboratory, and Instruction improvement projects)improvement projects)WISE (Women in Science and Engineering)WISE (Women in Science and Engineering)

SENSE of COMMUNITY CURRICULUM REFORMDISCIPLINE-SPECIFIC, EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITY



UTEPUTEP

STEM STUDENT RETENTIONONE-YEAR RETENTION RATE

BY STUDENT COHORT AND ETHNICITY

7577818179808169 737080797582

7666

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

80

90

1997 (n=276) 1998 (n=389) 1999 (n=357) 2000 (n=330) 2001 (n=356) 2002 (n=437) 2003 (n=395) 2004 (n=400)

Student Cohort

Ret

entio

n R

ate

(%)

Hispanic Non-Hispanic

*



UTEPUTEP

FIRST SEMESTER AVERAGE CUMULATIVE GPA BY STUDENT COHORT

2.64

3.123.25

3.4 3.363.24

3.35 3.31

2.06

2.612.76

2.9 2.84 2.752.88 2.81

1.48

2.12.27

2.4 2.32 2.262.4 2.31

0

0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

4

1997 (n=276) 1998 (n=389) 1999 (n=357) 2000 (n=330) 2001 (n=356) 2002 (n=437) 2003 (n=395) 2004 (n=400)

CircLES COHORTS

GP

A

*



UTEPUTEPAVERAGE YEARS TO GRADUATION

5.15.1

6.06.1

6.46.3

6.56.6

4

4.5

5

5.5

6

6.5

7

97-98 98-99 99-00 00-01 01-02 02-03 03-04 04-05

ACADEMIC YEAR

NU

MB

ER

OF

YE

AR

S

*



Review – Keys to Developing Review – Keys to Developing Successful Retention PracticesSuccessful Retention Practices

CommunityCommunity

AdvisingAdvising

Mentoring Mentoring

AssessmentAssessment

Academic SupportAcademic Support

Financial AidFinancial Aid

ExtracurricularsExtracurriculars


ConclusionConclusion

Diversifying the sciences requires a multi-Diversifying the sciences requires a multi-faceted approach that includesfaceted approach that includes– Student developmentStudent development– Student academic, social, and financial supportStudent academic, social, and financial support– Faculty developmentFaculty development– Curriculum enhancementCurriculum enhancement

Attentive coordination of these efforts will result Attentive coordination of these efforts will result in significant improvement in student retention in significant improvement in student retention and persistence in science and engineeringand persistence in science and engineering


EpilogueEpilogueThe answer to this question is Yes, but there

are more relevant questions.

Is the matter of diversifying science a question of ‘survival of

the fittest’?

c Aaron McGruder

c Aaron McGruder


How does one define “fittest”?

Whose responsibility is it to see to it that students are “fit” for success in the STEM disciplines?

EpilogueEpilogue

c Aaron McGruder


EpilogueEpilogueThere are others who believe that if an entering student has the will and desire to be a scientist or engineer, the onus is on the institution to provide the resources for that student to try to achieve that goal.

There are some who believe that high attrition

rates are due to inadequate preparation of entering college freshmen

and that the onus lies within the K-12 system.

c Aaron McGruder


EpilogueEpilogueA college educator can positively and significantly impact science diversity in a relatively short period of time. Go ahead, be a change agent. Others will surely follow.


ReferencesReferencesCarmichael JW, Labat DD, Hunter JT, Privett JA, and Carmichael JW, Labat DD, Hunter JT, Privett JA, and Sevenair JP (1993) “Minorities in the Biological Sevenair JP (1993) “Minorities in the Biological Sciences: The Xavier success story and some Sciences: The Xavier success story and some implications.” implications.” BioScienceBioScience 4343 (8), 564 – 70. (8), 564 – 70.Carmichael JW, Bauer JD, Hunter JT, Labat DD, and Carmichael JW, Bauer JD, Hunter JT, Labat DD, and Sevenair JP (1988) “An Assessment of a Premedical Sevenair JP (1988) “An Assessment of a Premedical Program in Terms of Its Ability to Serve Black Students.” Program in Terms of Its Ability to Serve Black Students.” J. Nat’l Medical Assoc.J. Nat’l Medical Assoc. 8080, 1094 -1104., 1094 -1104.Xavier University Profile. 1987, 1997, 2000, 2004.Xavier University Profile. 1987, 1997, 2000, 2004.Jordan TC (2005) “The Impact of the MIE Program on Jordan TC (2005) “The Impact of the MIE Program on Xavier University of Louisiana.” Xavier University of Louisiana.” Unpublished.Unpublished.Flores, Benjamin (2006) “UTEP MIE: Eleven Years Flores, Benjamin (2006) “UTEP MIE: Eleven Years Later” a presentation made at the NSF’s Joint Annual Later” a presentation made at the NSF’s Joint Annual Meeting, March 2006.Meeting, March 2006.

Attrition vs. Retention – Is it a Question of ‘Survival of the Fittest’? Diversity in the Sciences Symposium University of Washington, Seattle October.

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