undergraduate academic success...

NEWCOMB-TULANE COLLEGE

2014-2015

UNDERGRADUATE ACADEMIC SUCCESS CENTER

Year-End Review

Newcomb-Tulane Undergraduate College employs new and innovative ways to ensure that every student reaches their full potential. The Tulane Academic Success Center has created a culture on campus that makes seeking guidance for academic success a core part of a Tulane education. Instead of being stigmatized, Tulane’s services, such as tutoring and success coaching, are increasingly seen as standard and important parts of the Tulane experience.

OUR VISION

Because of your generosity, the Tulane Academic Success Center broadened its groundbreaking efforts to bring academic success guidance to more students during the 2014-2015 academic year.

The center started the Tulane Resilience Cooperative, integrating exciting programming based on Stanford professor Carol Dweck’s work, featuring a growth mindset vs. a fixed mindset. The Tulane Resilience Cooperative operates on the idea that intelligence and skills are not fixed. Rather, people can become smarter and more talented through hard work and dedication. Therefore, the program teaches students to overcome challenges, to go from “I’m not good at this” to “I don’t know how to do this yet.” The program’s goal is to create a culture of growth in which students understand and learn from their failures. This program is part of a larger campus-wide focus on resiliency.

The peer educator helped me get better grades, which are necessary for both

academic and personal success!

THE IMPACT OF YOUR SUPPORTOVERVIEW>>>

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To emphasize that rebounding from failure is something to be celebrated not stigmatized, the center produced videos of prominent Tulane students, staff and faculty explaining times they overcame adversity.

PROFESSIONAL SUCCESS COACHING

Full-time success coaches met with students in one-on-one regularly-scheduled meetings. In the meetings—held either weekly, biweekly or monthly—coaches discussed each student’s needs, goals, interests, values and unique learning styles. The Tulane Academic Success Center hired a third success coach in 2014-15, allowing the center to increase its impact by holding more meetings.

Success Coaching Works Coaches discovered that students who attended five or more success meetings had a higher increase in GPA than those who attended four or fewer meetings. This data shows that students who actively engage in the process have better academic outcomes.

Most-discussed Topics Coaches collected data on the 15 topics students discuss most frequently during success coaching appointments. The five most popular topics are the following: time management, grades, stress management, social issues, and academic processing.

Professional Development Two success coaches received rigorous and prestigious International Coaching Federation credentials: Michele Oelking became a Professional Certified Coach, and Karen Hochheiser became an Associate Certified Coach. In addition, Hochheiser was accepted into the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers. The thorough training that Tulane coaches receive is reflected in the high quality of coaching available to Tulane students, setting Tulane apart and ahead of peer institutions; most colleges don’t require coaches to be certified at all.

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Screenshot of one of the videos

Professor Carrie Wyland discusses changing career paths close to graduation

Tulane’s coaches also received training in how to advise students with ADHD. Every-one learns in a different way, and coaches’ strategies are based on a student’s unique learning needs. Because of their advanced knowledge of ADHD, Tulane’s coaches have been selected to present at both national and international conferences during 2015. Success coaches also provided professional development sessions for Tulane staff on how best to support student development and academic achievement, highlighting neurodiversity and resiliency as themes.

SUCCESS COACHING IMPACT

1,256 appointments 120 students

(My success coach has) given me a clear sense in regard to what I want to accomplish. I feel as if I am on the right path now.

She has helped me schedule assignments, stay organized, manage stress and keep perspective.

My grades have increased profoundly since last semester.

Student Testimonials

SCHOOL YEAR SUCCESS COACHING

2013 - 2014

2014 - 2015

STUDENTS SERVED

57% increase to 1,969 appointments

62% increase to 316 students


Whether one-on-one tutoring, group tutoring, support sessions, career development sessions, peer coaching or group supplemental instruction, Tulane’s peer education program is becoming ever more popular among a wider number of students. For example, in the spring semester, 45 percent of students using the supplemental instruction program had a cumulative GPA of 3.5 or above. And 83 percent had a GPA above 3.0, which is about the average GPA for a Tulane undergraduate. This shows that the Tulane Academic Success Center serves a very representative range of students, that students are starting to integrate success services into their Tulane experience and that these support services are no longer just for students who are struggling academically.

PEER EDUCATOR SERVICES

2014 - 2015 PEER EDUCATION APPOINTMENT ATTENDANCE SUMMARY REPORT

TOTAL: 8,750 (increased from 8,261 appointments and sessions the year before)

54 appointmentsTASC WORKSHOPS**:

2,704 appointmentsTUTORING:

867 appointmentsWRITING:

1,168 attendance recordingsTASC STUDY CHECK-INS*:

*In study check-ins, students come to the Student Success space to study and sit quietly at an empty table or one of the computer cubicles if working on a project. **Peer educators collaborate with campus departments such as Greek Life, Residential Life, TIDES, other student organizations and faculty to hold workshops on a variety of set topics, such as internships, time management and surviving Mardi Gras. Students can also create a new workshop on a requested topic. In addition to typical workshops about the freshman transition, the most popular topics tend to be those focusing on New Orleans or study skills. For example, there were large turnouts for “Things to Do in NOLA,” “Best Places to Study,” and “Use Your Unique Learning Style.”

Integrated Career Advising into Academic Success Advising All professional and student success staff members are now trained to work with undergraduates on career needs and goals. As such, career development is becoming a standard and important part of the undergraduate student experience from the very first time students step foot on Tulane’s campus. Giving peer educators the capabilities to give career advice complements the guidance that students can receive from the Tulane Career Center and has many possible advantages. For example, working with their peers instead of professionals can remove some of the stigma for those students who either think it’s too early in their timeline to meet with a professional about their career goals or who are more comfortable interacting with their peers. Also, peer educators can offer more flexibility than professional career advisors, making appointments after-hours or in locations such as residence halls.

Expanded Writing Support For the first time, Tulane students received expanded help with writing. In the past, students approached tutors in the Writing Center for help only with academic papers or group projects and presentations, but in 2014-15 students received assistance with professional documents such as graduate school applications and resume and cover letters. This is part of a larger effort to establish Career Development Initiatives as a component of peer educator services.

Launched Making a Path In October 2014, the Success Center launched Making a Path: a career education/advice program. In this peer-led, 10-week workshop series, students helped other students navigate the job search process. The program included such services as help preparing resumes and creating marketing materials. Last year’s program was based on a national model, but in the 2015-16 year, the center plans to grow the program and gear it to highlight the resources available on Tulane’s campus and in the Tulane alumni and parent network.


3,792 sessions. General Chemistry and General Biology were the most utilized courses.

SUPPLEMENTAL INSTRUCTION:

Expanded Marketing Peer educators marketed success services at tables, workshops, classroom visits and in collaboration with campus partners. The Success Center offered “bring a friend” appointments to reach students who might be reluctant to meet with a tutor by themselves. Outreach efforts encouraged more students to schedule appointments in advance rather than the night before the test.

The Tulane Academic Success Center is also included in the Parent Orientation program during the “Academic and Career Planning Resources” panel presentation during new student orientation. More than 1,100 parents attended these workshops during the 2014-2015 year.

Peer educators help students find success in their studies.

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Students from across campus learn more about the Tulane Academic Success Center through outreach events, such as Puppy Days and the Rowdy Rascals Petting Zoo stress relievers, which are held at exam time.

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(My peer educator) pushes me to succeed and genuinely wants me to achieve all my personal goals.

(He) made confusing ideas clear, provided additional insights, and taught useful tricks.

Student Testimonials


Moving forward, the Success Center will ensure more programs are tailored to Tulane. For many programs, the center follows best practices nationwide or bases the programs on a national model, but the staff wants to make sure all services are Tulane-specific and speak to the unique needs of the Tulane student population.

The center will also expand the Tulane Resilience Cooperative. The staff is in the process of adding alumni videos to its repertoire and plans to add more videos of students, alumni and staff. The center will bring speakers to campus and integrate its work in resilience into the university-wide initiative being established as part of Forum Tulane. This year, resilience is the theme for Forum Tulane, an initiative designed to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and intellectual exploration through an annual university-wide conversation around a common theme. Forum Tulane will incorporate resilience-related programming and resources from a wide variety of academic and student support units across the university.

The Success Center is also developing a Public Speaking Lab. Verbal communication is a vital aspect of success both socially and professionally, and the undergraduate college is committed to establishing a place on campus where students can record their public speaking and get feedback afterwards.

This summer, the center hired a new Tutoring Manager, Alex Kasik, who has a strong background in higher education. She will work with peer educators during the 2015-2016 academic year to implement a new training system. Tutoring for courses will be customized so that peer educators are closely connected to Tulane faculty and specific schools. In the future, the staff envisions being able to offer students web tutorials on certain classes—not just General Chemistry but Professor Heiko Jacobsen’s Section 1.

The center aims to reach 10 percent of all undergraduate students through Success Coaching, up from the current 3 to 4 percent reached by its three coaches. The center also plans to continue adding more peer educator services, with additional one-on-one tutoring, writing assistance and supplemental instruction.

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE


Appendix A: New Wave

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Appendix B: Pinterest

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Appendix C: Stress Relief Dog Days Flyer

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11:30am to 1:30pm

outside TASC building #14

stress relief dog days with tasc

Free petting & doggie kisses!

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Appendix C: Puppy and Petting Zoo Flyer

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Located on the Academic Quad outside of TASC, Building #14

Aenean a magna vel pede vestibulum rhoncus. Nulla cursus orci quis tortor.

ROWDY RASCALS PETTING ZOO!

Oct 1 Dec 3

TASC PRESENTS: PUPPY DAYS & PETTING ZOO

STRESS RELIEF!

PUPPY DAYS!

11 AM to

1 PM

11 AM to

1 PM

Oct 1 Dec 3

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Appendix D: Sample of Tutoring Schedule

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Appendix E : TASC Infographic on Growth Mindset vs. Fixed Mindset

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Appendix F: Parents as Partners

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IT’S EASY TO GIVEPHONE 888.265.7576 ONLINE giving.tulane.edu/NTC

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