HIGH RISK, HIGH REWARD Supporting Perseverance and Achievement of At-Risk Matriculates at UC Merced December 1, 2011 Shani Keller ◦ Anne Zanzucchi ◦ Elizabeth.

High Risk, High reward

Supporting Perseverance and Achievement of At-Risk Matriculates at UC Merced

December 1, 2011

Shani Keller ◦ Anne Zanzucchi ◦ Elizabeth Boretz

-36% Hispanic; 28% Asian; 20% White; 7% African-American; 3% Non-resident alien-56% First Generation-58% Speak a language other than English at home-48% received federal Pell Grants (Fall 2009)

University of California, Merced is the first UC campus in the San Joaquin Valley

UC Merced Profile Institutional Planning & Analysis Enrollment Table, www.ipa.ucmerced.edu

Fall 2011:

Who are “At-Risk” Students?

UC Merced Profile Institutional Planning & Analysis, Retention & Graduation Rates, www.ipa.ucmerced.edu

Hispanic and Pell Grant-Eligible students at UC Merced have the lowest 5-year graduation rates

Who are “At-Risk” Students?

University of California Statfinder, www.ucop.edu

Hispanic students and students with the lowest parental income levels at UC Merced have the lowest 2-year cumulative GPA

Who are “At-Risk” Students?

First Generation, Pell Grant Eligible, and Hispanic students are disproportionately represented among dismissed students

Grant-funded Programs Supporting At-Risk Students

Summer Bridge Most at-risk 4 years Faculty contact Summer prep in

ELA & Math Connections with

campus services

Textbook Rental Most at-risk (EOP) 2 years Staff & peer-to-

peer contact 2/3 Reduction in

price of textbooks

Institutional Support for At-Risk Students

Institutionally funded supports to most at-risk students

Mid-Semester Academic Interventions All lower-division classes report

grades at mid-semester All first-year students with at

least 1 D+ required to attend Success Workshop

Incentives for participation; excellent outcomes; average 50% of freshmen struggle

Institutional Support for At-Risk Students, cont.

Institutionally funded supports to most at-risk students

USTU 010 Freshman Success Course Life skills

Skills Workshops (optional) Reading strategies, time

management, stress management, note-taking, exam preparation, learning preferences

Institutional Support for At-Risk Students, cont.

Institutionally funded supports to most at-risk students

Excel Program (Natural Sciences)

Service Learning (Engineering) Calvin E. Bright Success Center

Summer Bridge Program

“In college we are treated as adults, and I understand professors’ expectations now.”

Student Selection First generation Hispanic, at first, then de facto

Summer Preparation English Math Academic Discourse

School Year Advising Mentoring

Summer Bridge Program, cont. Feedback Received

Faculty feedback Evaluation/Data Student feedback

From Input to Output Student selection School year offerings Follow-up Building Community

Bridge Student Year 1 Achievement

Bridge students did well on required intro courses

Cohorts Entering UCM as First Time Freshmen 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Bridge Student Retention

Bridge students persisted in their undergrad education

Cohorts Entering UCM 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010

Bridge Student Comparative Achievement

Bridge students made progress towards closing the gap in GPA

Textbook Rental Program

Student Quote on program

FIPSE Grant Participation (new participants):

Spring 2010: 29 Fall 2010: 58 Spring 2011: 7

Additional Components: Workshops Advising Mentoring Social support/networking

Textbook Rental Program, cont. Feedback Received

Evaluation/Data Student feedback

From Input to Output Student selection School year offerings Follow-up Building Community

Achievement by Program Utilization

Students taking full advantage of the textbook rental program earned a Higher GPA than other rental-eligible students

Spring 2010 Rental-Eligible Students

Rental Participant Year 1 Achievement

Renters performed comparably to their peers in Freshman Writing Courses

2010-11 School Year

Program Side by Side

Summer Bridge & Most at-risk 4 years Faculty contact Connections with

campus services Students

persisted, closed achievement gap

Textbook Rental Most at-risk 2 years Staff & peer-to-

peer contact Students

maintained good academic standing

Secrets of Success

Courageous conversations Rigorous, insightful evaluation Passion for students Supportive institutional audience

Lessons Learned

Support is available! University is not impersonal – faculty is

passionate about student success, like K-12 Courageous conversations are necessary

for personal and institutional change Building community among at-risk students

promotes success There is no substitute for the impact of

high-touch programs : low staff: student ratios, aggressive intervention, mandatory engagement with campus staff and resources. It’s demanding, but it works.

Contact Information

Shani Keller, Evaluation [email protected](530) 752-2781

Anne Zanzucchi, Associate DirectorMerritt Writing Program, UC [email protected](209) 228-4173

Elizabeth Boretz, DirectorCalvin E. Bright Success Center, UC [email protected](209) 228-2993