A look at two innovative programs:A look at two innovative programs:First-Year ExperienceFirst-Year ExperienceSecond-Year OutreachSecond-Year Outreach

Northeastern State UniversityNortheastern State UniversityTahlequah, OklahomaTahlequah, Oklahoma

PresentersPresentersMr. Bill Nowlin, Mr. Bill Nowlin, Dean of Enrollment ManagementDean of Enrollment Management

Mr. Jeff Walker, Mr. Jeff Walker, Director of First-Year ExperienceDirector of First-Year Experience

Mrs. Kelly Lacey, Mrs. Kelly Lacey, Academic Commitment SpecialistAcademic Commitment Specialist

Mr. Brian Searcy, Mr. Brian Searcy, Academic Commitment SpecialistAcademic Commitment Specialist

ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT

Admissions and Records Student Support Services/Educational Talent Search

Student Financial Services International Student Services and Programs

High School and College Relations First-Year Experience/Second-Year Outreach

Career Services Scholarships

875900

8241036

9001049 1115

1240 1250 1258

0

200

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004

All First-Time Freshmen

One Year Retention RatesOne Year Retention Rates78

6060

82

6867

83

6765

81

6664

82

6666

0102030405060708090

1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04

FT/FT State FT/FT NSU All NSU

The First-Year Experience The First-Year Experience ProgramProgram

At NSU (Tahlequah)At NSU (Tahlequah) The first point of contact for new students once The first point of contact for new students once

admitted. admitted.

Process enrollment for new freshmen, transfer Process enrollment for new freshmen, transfer students and continuing students.students and continuing students.

Provide testing, academic advisement, tutoring, Provide testing, academic advisement, tutoring, enrollment, orientation, freshman success enrollment, orientation, freshman success class, intervention for at-risk students, transfer class, intervention for at-risk students, transfer student recruiting/advisement, and student student recruiting/advisement, and student success counseling to first-year students.success counseling to first-year students.

The FYE TeamThe FYE Team Accomplish this with four Student Success Accomplish this with four Student Success

Specialists, one Testing Specialist, one Specialists, one Testing Specialist, one Transfer Coordinator, and a support staff of Transfer Coordinator, and a support staff of two secretaries and six student employees.two secretaries and six student employees.

TestingTesting CLEPCLEP

Residual ACTResidual ACT

CPT placement CPT placement (pre and post test)(pre and post test)

TUTORINGTUTORING

Tutoring for general education courses Tutoring for general education courses (mostly math) in the residence halls on (mostly math) in the residence halls on week nights from 7:00pm – 12:00am.week nights from 7:00pm – 12:00am.

Central contact point for other tutoring Central contact point for other tutoring services on campus such as SSS, math services on campus such as SSS, math lab, writing lab, etc.lab, writing lab, etc.

ACADEMIC ADVISEMENTACADEMIC ADVISEMENT

Advise all undeclared continuing first-Advise all undeclared continuing first-year students (approx. 2,500).year students (approx. 2,500).

Advise and enroll all new freshmen Advise and enroll all new freshmen (1,200 each summer) individually with (1,200 each summer) individually with Student Success Specialists.Student Success Specialists.

EnrollmentEnrollment Provide enrollment services to all Provide enrollment services to all

studentsstudents

New Student OrientationNew Student Orientation Orchestrate a campus wide orientation Orchestrate a campus wide orientation

called Campus Connection for first-year called Campus Connection for first-year students in late summer. Connect students students in late summer. Connect students to success tools and campus culture. to success tools and campus culture.

Residents students Residents students (over night session)(over night session)

Commuter students Commuter students (half day session)(half day session)

College StrategiesCollege Strategies FRESHMAN SUCCESS COURSEFRESHMAN SUCCESS COURSE

College Strategies is required for all new College Strategies is required for all new freshmen.freshmen.

Curriculum is standard and delivered Curriculum is standard and delivered through Black Board computer system.through Black Board computer system.

Web based for resident students (still must Web based for resident students (still must keep appointments with advisor/instructor at keep appointments with advisor/instructor at key points in the semester).key points in the semester).

College StrategiesCollege Strategies Once per week in high tech classroom Once per week in high tech classroom

for commuter students.for commuter students.

Taught by faculty or staff instructor with Taught by faculty or staff instructor with a student “peer leader” for each class.a student “peer leader” for each class.

Instructors are given data sheets for Instructors are given data sheets for each student with information about each student with information about their risk factors.their risk factors.

INTERVENTIONS INTERVENTIONS and other SUCCESS TOOLSand other SUCCESS TOOLS

Early Alert SystemEarly Alert System

Mid-term grade checksMid-term grade checks

Partnership with housingPartnership with housing

Course clusteringCourse clustering

Success ContractsSuccess Contracts

Second Year OutreachSecond Year Outreach…reaching out to students through academic …reaching out to students through academic

intervention…intervention…

This program works directly with This program works directly with continuing freshmen and sophomore continuing freshmen and sophomore students who are on academic notice or students who are on academic notice or probation by providing early, intensive, probation by providing early, intensive, and continuous intervention. and continuous intervention.

Academic Commitment Academic Commitment SpecialistsSpecialists

Academic Commitment Specialists stress Academic Commitment Specialists stress the importance of students making the importance of students making ““commitmentscommitments” to their education.” to their education.

Early InterventionEarly Intervention Students are identified early in the Students are identified early in the

semester and contacted through letter, semester and contacted through letter, phone call, or email. We request and phone call, or email. We request and schedule an initial meeting at this point.schedule an initial meeting at this point.

Every student receives a folder with Every student receives a folder with information about probation, academic information about probation, academic success tips, general education success tips, general education requirements, and tutoring information. requirements, and tutoring information. This information will be used in each This information will be used in each meeting.meeting.

Intensive InterventionIntensive Intervention Specialists check in with students through Specialists check in with students through

phone call or email every 2-3 weeks. phone call or email every 2-3 weeks.

Mid-term grade checkMid-term grade check

Specialists help students enroll, give Specialists help students enroll, give academic advisement, declare majors academic advisement, declare majors when qualified, and refer students to the when qualified, and refer students to the many campus resources available.many campus resources available.

Continuous InterventionContinuous Intervention Students will meet with Specialists every Students will meet with Specialists every

semester they continue on academic semester they continue on academic probation.probation.

Students who are removed from probation Students who are removed from probation will continue to be monitored in later will continue to be monitored in later semesters.semesters.

Spring 2005 resultsSpring 2005 resultsAverage GPA by Number of Visits

1.551.601.651.701.751.801.851.901.952.00

Grade Begin Grade End

Spring 2005

Ave

rage

GPA 0

123

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

How does your institution help students How does your institution help students feel welcome and connected?feel welcome and connected?

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

How does your institution help studentsHow does your institution help studentsunderstand and cope with the new foundunderstand and cope with the new found

freedoms college provides them?freedoms college provides them?

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

How does your institution identify at-How does your institution identify at-risk students and what do you do risk students and what do you do

with that information?with that information?

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

How does your institution respond to How does your institution respond to students who do not attend class?students who do not attend class?

Questions for DiscussionQuestions for Discussion

How does your institution assist studentsHow does your institution assist students who are experiencing academic difficulty?who are experiencing academic difficulty?

Contact InformationContact InformationMr. Bill Nowlin – (918) 456-5511, Ext. 2200Mr. Bill Nowlin – (918) 456-5511, Ext. 2200

nowlin@nsuok.edunowlin@nsuok.edu

Mr. Jeff Walker (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3253Mr. Jeff Walker (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3253walkerj@nsuok.eduwalkerj@nsuok.edu

Mrs. Kelly Lacey - (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3268Mrs. Kelly Lacey - (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3268rasmusse@nsuok.edurasmusse@nsuok.edu

Mr. Brian Searcy - (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3269Mr. Brian Searcy - (918) 456-5511, Ext. 3269searcy@nsuok.edusearcy@nsuok.edu