Enrollment Planning Team Year End Report 2004-05
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At-Risk Students Action Team
Charge to Action Team
Discussion Topics
Recommendations
Indicators
Future Plans
Charge to Action Team
The At-Risk Students Action Team was charged in 2004-05 with the following tasks:
- Work independently and with other campus groups in identifying "At Risk" students
- Make recommendations regarding intervention programs/guidelines for each group of students identified as "At Risk." (Early warning: Intrusive Advisors; Mandatory ASUP; Restricted # of hours and courses, etc) .
Discussion Topics
Probation and Suspension Policy
Overview
In Spring 2005, SS&P proposed a number of revisions to the existing policy for academic probation and suspension more rigorous. The current policy sets the initial threshold for probation at a 1.2 USC cumulative GPA for the first 0-14 hours attempted and gradually raises the minimum level to 2.0 after 90 attempted hours; the current policy for probation sets a minimum of 1.0 for 15-30 hours attempted, and gradually raises the minimum level of performance to 2.0 after 106 hours have been attempted. The SS&P recommendations move these minimum thresholds to 2.0 after just a few hours have been attempted.
The Students At Risk Action Team reviewed those recommendations, and encouraged the Scholastic Standing and Petitions (SS&P) Committee to consider an incremented version of the revisions.
Data from USCA
- Degree-Seeking Freshmen on Probation and Suspension
(see Indicators, below) - Degree-Seeking Students below 2.0 at the End of the Fall Semester
(see Indicators, below) - Degree-seeking undergraduates who would be affected by revisions (suggested by SS&P) to the Probation and Suspension policy: 0-60 credits (at the end of the F 04 semester) = 429 (total) Students with more than 60 credits = 52 (total) Degree-seeking students who would be affected by the incremented policy (suggested by Action Team) 0-45 credits (at the end of the F 04 semester) = 365 (total) 45-106+ = 101 (total)
Data from Other Institutions
The Action Team collected probation and suspension policy information from the following South Carolina or regional institutions:
- USC Upstate
- Coastal Carolina University
- College of Charleston
- SC State
- The Citadel
- Lander University
- Francis Marion University
- Augusta State University.
The collected policies were reviewed and discussed in Action Team meetings during the Fall 2004 semester.
Recommendations
The Action Team has not submitted a formal recommendation to EPT, but has submitted the following recommendation to the SS&P Committee:
Proposed Recommendation
SS&P should consider an incremented change to the existing Probation and Suspension policy.
The Action Team’s proposal increments the existing policy by 0.20, and includes the creation of an “Academic Warning” category for any first time freshman earning 1-15 credits with less than a 2.0 (in their first semester at USCA). The incremented policy has been offered as an intermediate step between the existing policy and SS&P’s recommended policy revisions. In recommending this course of action, the Action Team proposes that there would be time to cultivate an academic culture that embraces the 2.0 GPA threshold, and have an opportunity to develop and pilot purposeful interventions that can eventually be mandated for other students in any form of academic jeopardy (probation or suspension). These recommendations were presented to SS&P by Action Team and SS&P member, Mike Ritchie at the group’s April 1, 2005 meeting.
Intended Impact
The recommendations were intended to create opportunities for students to help students reach a 2.0 GPA (through early and purposeful intervention), and decrease the number of students who are suspended each semester; particularly those in their first-year at the university.
Status of Recommendation as of June 30, 2005
After the Action Team’s recommendations were shared at the April 1 SS&P meeting, SS&P revised their recommendations to the policy. The revised recommendations were reviewed by the Action Team on April 21, and the Co-Chairs, Stephanie and Vivian agreed to identify a time to meet with SS&P (either in July or early Fall) to discuss these.
Envisioned Timeline for Implementation
A revised Probation and Suspension policy (preferably an incremented version) would be implemented in Fall 2007. The first step in implementing the policy would take place in Fall 2006 with the creation of the Academic Warning category. Workshops for students on Academic Warning would begin in January 2007.
Indicators and Template Data
Indicators
- Degree-Seeking Students on Probation or Suspension
- Students below 2.0 GPA
- Number of students enrolled in courses with high rate of DFW (30% or greater)
- CIRP data
- First-Year and transfer student retention
Template Data
Degree-Seeking Freshmen on Probation and Suspension
(no data for other class levels)
| Fall 2004 | Spring 2005 | |
| Good Academic Standing | NA | NA |
| Probation | 151 | NA |
| Suspension | 28 | NA |
Degree-Seeking Students below 2.0 at the End of the Fall Semester
| Fall 2004 | ||
| Above 2.0 | Below 2.0 | |
| Freshmen | NA | 257 |
| Sophomores | NA | 104 |
| Juniors | NA | 69 |
| Seniors | NA | 51 |
| Total | NA | 481 |
Freshman CIRP Survey Data
(no data provided - see
Academic
Tracking Report #5, Psychometric Characteristics that Impact
Retention for possible indicators). See also,
Strategic Planning/Survey Action Team
Indicators.
Number of Students Enrolled in Courses with High Rate of DFW
(no data provided)
Additional Indicators
The Action Team is considering the adoption of the following indicators to monitor at-risk students
- Students enrolled in “high risk” courses (those with 30% or greater DFW rate)
- Transfer students (dimension unidentified)
- Transient students (dimension unidentified)
Plans for July 2005 to June 2006
Note: future plans have been prioritized by the Chair and Vice Chair of the Enrollment Planning Team.
Highest Priority
- Define USCA students who are “At Risk”
- Develop programs, services, and interventions for (at risk) students in provisional admissions category
- Receive recommendation from Advising Staff about early warning process
Secondary Priority
- Develop programs, services, and interventions for all other currently enrolled at-risk students
- Probation and Suspension policy revisions
- First-Year Experience programs (mandatory seminar)
- Academic support opportunities for students; particularly those at risk
- First-Year Student motivation
- How to help students enrolled in “high risk” courses
- Supplemental Instruction (SI)