DEEP Lessons DEEP Lessons about Student about Student

Success in CollegeSuccess in College

Jillian KinzieJillian KinzieNSSE User WorkshopNSSE User Workshop

October, 2005October, 2005

OverviewOverview

Highlights from Highlights from Project DEEPProject DEEP

Conditions for Conditions for Educational Educational EffectivenessEffectiveness

Lessons LearnedLessons Learned Next StepsNext Steps

Advance OrganizersAdvance Organizers

1.1. How do we get more How do we get more students to take greater students to take greater advantage of educational advantage of educational opportunities? opportunities?

2.2. What can institutions do to What can institutions do to enhance student engagement enhance student engagement

and learning? and learning? increase persistence and increase persistence and

graduation rates?graduation rates? improve educational improve educational

effectiveness?effectiveness?

The Challenges:The Challenges:

To what extent are you willing to To what extent are you willing to increase your investment in increase your investment in student success initiatives?student success initiatives?

Are you willing to question the Are you willing to question the effectiveness of current effectiveness of current practice?practice?

How do you know that what How do you know that what you’re doing enhances student you’re doing enhances student success?success?There’s no growth without some There’s no growth without some

risk!risk!

What What ReallyReally Matters in College: Matters in College:

Student EngagementStudent EngagementBecause iBecause individual effort and ndividual effort and involvement are the critical involvement are the critical determinants of college impact, determinants of college impact, institutions should focus on the institutions should focus on the ways they can shape their ways they can shape their academic, interpersonal, and academic, interpersonal, and extracurricular offeringsextracurricular offerings to to encourage student engagementencourage student engagement..

Pascarella & Terenzini, Pascarella & Terenzini, How College How College Affects StudentsAffects Students, 2005, p. 602, 2005, p. 602

Project DEEPProject DEEP

To discover, To discover, document, and document, and describe what describe what strong strong performing performing institutions do institutions do to achieve their to achieve their notable level of notable level of effectiveness.effectiveness.

DEEP Guiding Questions:DEEP Guiding Questions:

What do strong-performing What do strong-performing colleges and universities do colleges and universities do to promote student success?to promote student success?

What campus features -- What campus features -- policies, programs, and policies, programs, and practices – are related to practices – are related to higher-than-predicted higher-than-predicted graduation rates and graduation rates and student engagement?student engagement?

DEEP Selection CriteriaDEEP Selection Criteria

Controlling for student and Controlling for student and institutional characteristics (i.e., institutional characteristics (i.e., selectivity, diversity, institutional selectivity, diversity, institutional type), DEEP schools have: type), DEEP schools have:

Higher-than-predicted graduation Higher-than-predicted graduation rates rates Higher-than-predicted NSSE Higher-than-predicted NSSE scoresscores

Region and institutional Region and institutional type, special missiontype, special mission

Research ApproachResearch Approach

Case study methodCase study method Team of 24 researchers review Team of 24 researchers review

institutional documents and conduct institutional documents and conduct multiple-day site visits, 2 visits to each multiple-day site visits, 2 visits to each schoolschool

Observe individuals, classes, events, Observe individuals, classes, events, offices, public spaceoffices, public space

Individual and group meetingsIndividual and group meetings•2,700+ people, 60 classes, 30 events,2,700+ people, 60 classes, 30 events,

Discover and describe effective Discover and describe effective practices and programs, campus culturepractices and programs, campus culture

Interim report, debriefings, final reportInterim report, debriefings, final report

Project DEEP SchoolsProject DEEP SchoolsDoctoral ExtensivesDoctoral Extensives

University of KansasUniversity of Kansas

University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan

Doctoral IntensivesDoctoral Intensives

George Mason UniversityGeorge Mason University

Miami University (Ohio)Miami University (Ohio)

University of Texas El PasoUniversity of Texas El Paso

Master’s Granting Master’s Granting

Fayetteville State UniversityFayetteville State University

Gonzaga UniversityGonzaga University

Longwood UniversityLongwood University

Liberal ArtsLiberal Arts California State, Monterey BayCalifornia State, Monterey Bay Macalester CollegeMacalester College Sweet Briar CollegeSweet Briar College The Evergreen State CollegeThe Evergreen State College Sewanee: University of the Sewanee: University of the SouthSouth Ursinus CollegeUrsinus College Wabash College Wabash College Wheaton College (MA)Wheaton College (MA) Wofford College Wofford College

Baccalaureate GeneralBaccalaureate General Alverno College Alverno College University of Maine at University of Maine at FarmingtonFarmington Winston-Salem State UniversityWinston-Salem State University

To Ponder:To Ponder: What challenge/question related to What challenge/question related to

student success do you face on your student success do you face on your campus?campus?

As you learn about DEEP lessons:As you learn about DEEP lessons: Which of these practices are Which of these practices are

transferable and adaptable to other transferable and adaptable to other institutions? institutions?

What are the implications of DEEP What are the implications of DEEP for: for: academic administratorsacademic administratorsstudent affairs staff?student affairs staff?faculty members?faculty members?others (e.g., governing boards, others (e.g., governing boards,

librarians, etc.)?librarians, etc.)?

What does What does an an

educationally educationally effective effective

college look college look like at the like at the turn of the turn of the

2121stst century? century?

Jossey-Bass Jossey-Bass March 2005March 2005

NSSE Clusters of Effective NSSE Clusters of Effective Educational PracticesEducational Practices

Level of Level of Academic Academic ChallengeChallenge

Active & Active & Collaborative Collaborative

LearningLearning

EnrichingEnrichingEducational Educational ExperiencesExperiences

SupportiveSupportiveCampusCampus

EnvironmentEnvironment

StudentStudentFaculty Faculty

InteractionInteraction

Six Shared ConditionsSix Shared Conditions

1.1. ““Living” Mission and “Lived” Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

2.2. Unshakeable Focus on Unshakeable Focus on Student Learning Student Learning

3.3. Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational EnrichmentEducational Enrichment

4.4. Clear Pathways to Student Clear Pathways to Student SuccessSuccess

5.5. Improvement-Oriented EthosImprovement-Oriented Ethos6.6. Shared Responsibility for Shared Responsibility for

Educational Quality Educational Quality

Worth NotingWorth Noting

Many roads to an engaging Many roads to an engaging institutioninstitution

No one best modelNo one best model Different combinations of Different combinations of

complementary, complementary, interactive, synergistic interactive, synergistic conditionsconditions

Anything worth doing is Anything worth doing is worth doing well at scaleworth doing well at scale

Lessons from Project DEEPLessons from Project DEEP

1.1. ““Living” Mission and Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational “Lived” Educational PhilosophyPhilosophy

Some deviate little from Some deviate little from original mission; others have original mission; others have new missions and expanded new missions and expanded educational purposes. educational purposes.

Missions, values, and Missions, values, and aspirations are transparent aspirations are transparent and understandable. and understandable.

Widespread understanding Widespread understanding and endorsement of and endorsement of educational purposes.educational purposes.

Mission and CultureMission and Culture

CSUMB is a public liberal arts CSUMB is a public liberal arts institution with a distinctive institution with a distinctive curriculum and outcomes- curriculum and outcomes- based education model. Its based education model. Its “Vision Statement” is the “Vision Statement” is the driving force behind all driving force behind all decisions and actions taken decisions and actions taken at the institution. at the institution.

Mission and CultureMission and Culture

Macalester College students, Macalester College students, faculty and staff understand faculty and staff understand and articulate the College’s and articulate the College’s core values of academic core values of academic excellence, service, excellence, service, multiculturalism and multiculturalism and internationalism. These values internationalism. These values are enacted in the curriculum are enacted in the curriculum and co-curriculum.and co-curriculum.

1.1. ““Living” Mission and “Lived” Living” Mission and “Lived” Educational PhilosophyEducational Philosophy

Operating philosophy focuses on Operating philosophy focuses on students and their success.students and their success.

Complementary policies and Complementary policies and practices tailored to the school’s practices tailored to the school’s mission and students’ needs and mission and students’ needs and abilities. abilities.

Institutional values really Institutional values really dodo guide guide many important policy and many important policy and operation decisionsoperation decisions..

Living the MissionLiving the Mission

““Sea change” at KU to Sea change” at KU to emphasize undergraduate emphasize undergraduate instructioninstruction

1.1. Experienced instructors teach lower Experienced instructors teach lower division and introductory coursesdivision and introductory courses

2.2. Faculty members from each Faculty members from each academic unit serve as “Faculty academic unit serve as “Faculty Ambassadors” to the Center for Ambassadors” to the Center for Teaching Excellence Teaching Excellence

3.3. Course enrollments kept low in many Course enrollments kept low in many undergraduate courses; 80% have undergraduate courses; 80% have 30 or fewer students; 93% 50 or 30 or fewer students; 93% 50 or fewer students. fewer students.

2.2. Unshakeable Focus on Student Unshakeable Focus on Student LearningLearning

Student learning and personal Student learning and personal development are high priorities. development are high priorities.

Bent toward engaging Bent toward engaging pedagogies pedagogies

““Cool passion” for talent Cool passion” for talent development (students, faculty, development (students, faculty, staff)staff)

Making time for studentsMaking time for students Accommodate students’ Accommodate students’

preferred learning styles preferred learning styles

Valuing UndergraduatesValuing Undergraduates

Capital priorities communicate values. Capital priorities communicate values. UTEP lobbied for state funds to UTEP lobbied for state funds to construct Undergraduate Learning construct Undergraduate Learning Center (ULC) and created University Center (ULC) and created University College – a hybrid of student and College – a hybrid of student and academic affairs – to coordinate academic affairs – to coordinate admissions, financial aid, orientation, admissions, financial aid, orientation, registrar functions, academic advising, registrar functions, academic advising, and learning communities. University and learning communities. University 1301: Seminar in Critical Inquiry, 1301: Seminar in Critical Inquiry, connects the courses and helps connects the courses and helps students transition to the institution.students transition to the institution.

Unshakeable Focus on Unshakeable Focus on Student LearningStudent Learning

Recruit and reward faculty Recruit and reward faculty and staff committed to and staff committed to pedagogical experimentationpedagogical experimentation

Faculty and administrators Faculty and administrators challenge students with high challenge students with high standards standards

““Work with the students we Work with the students we have,” in contrast to focusing have,” in contrast to focusing only on the best and the only on the best and the brightestbrightest

Reinforce academic Reinforce academic engagement outside the engagement outside the

classroomclassroom

Fayetteville State academic Fayetteville State academic departments sponsor academic departments sponsor academic clubs with faculty advisors. clubs with faculty advisors. College of Education sponsors College of Education sponsors 10 student organizations that 10 student organizations that connect classroom content with connect classroom content with co-curricular experiences. co-curricular experiences. Some organizations provide Some organizations provide tutoring services.tutoring services.

Cross-cultural experiencesCross-cultural experiences

Alverno and George Mason Alverno and George Mason intentionally craft shorter intentionally craft shorter study abroad experiences study abroad experiences that meet the needs of their that meet the needs of their large non-traditional large non-traditional population. Similarly, Kansas population. Similarly, Kansas and UMF arrange class-based and UMF arrange class-based trips that are more accessible trips that are more accessible to their first generation to their first generation studentsstudents

3.3. Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational AdvantageEducational Advantage

DEEP schools make wherever DEEP schools make wherever they are “a good place for a they are “a good place for a college!” college!”

Connected to the local Connected to the local community in mutually community in mutually beneficial, educationally beneficial, educationally purposeful ways. purposeful ways.

““Place conscious.” Place conscious.”

Linking campus and Linking campus and communitycommunity

George Mason’s Century Club: George Mason’s Century Club: Business, professional, and Business, professional, and government organizations government organizations promote partnerships between promote partnerships between the University and the metro the University and the metro area business community. area business community. Members volunteer to work Members volunteer to work with faculty and students in with faculty and students in job and internship fairs, resume job and internship fairs, resume and interviewing workshops, and interviewing workshops, and networking opportunities.and networking opportunities.

3.3. Environments Adapted for Environments Adapted for Educational AdvantageEducational Advantage

Buildings, classrooms, and Buildings, classrooms, and other physical structures are other physical structures are adapted to “human scale.” adapted to “human scale.”

Psychological size fosters Psychological size fosters engagement with peers, engagement with peers, faculty and staff.faculty and staff.

Physical space promotes Physical space promotes collaborationcollaboration

Wofford’s Milliken Building -- Wofford’s Milliken Building -- its science center -- was its science center -- was intentionally designed with intentionally designed with plenty of “fishbowls” and plenty of “fishbowls” and other areas for group work other areas for group work space. “Homework space. “Homework lounges,” adjacent to faculty lounges,” adjacent to faculty offices, also promote offices, also promote interactive learning.interactive learning.

GMU Digital Environments: GMU Digital Environments: Technology enriched learningTechnology enriched learning

Internet access in all dorm roomsInternet access in all dorm rooms Staffed, open-access computer labs Staffed, open-access computer labs State-of-the-art electronic classroomsState-of-the-art electronic classrooms On-line mentoring and advising.On-line mentoring and advising. Technology Across the Curriculum Technology Across the Curriculum

initiative: initiative: 100+ courses redesigned affecting 12,000 100+ courses redesigned affecting 12,000

students. students. STAR (Student Technology Assistance STAR (Student Technology Assistance

and Resource) Center serves both and Resource) Center serves both students and faculty. students and faculty.

4.4. Clear Pathways to Student Clear Pathways to Student SuccessSuccess

Make plain to students the Make plain to students the resources and services resources and services available to help them available to help them succeed.succeed.

Some guideposts tied directly Some guideposts tied directly to the academic program; to the academic program; others related to student and others related to student and campus culture. campus culture.

Institutional publications Institutional publications accurately describe what accurately describe what students experience.students experience.

SSocialization to academic ocialization to academic expectationsexpectations

Wofford first-year students Wofford first-year students read a common novel and read a common novel and write a short essay write a short essay connecting it to their own connecting it to their own lives. The eight best essays lives. The eight best essays are published and distributed are published and distributed to all new students, creating to all new students, creating the first class celebrities.the first class celebrities.

Intentional acculturationIntentional acculturation

Miami’s First Year Experience Miami’s First Year Experience (FYE) Committee designed a (FYE) Committee designed a way to bring more coherence way to bring more coherence to the first-year by linking: (1) to the first-year by linking: (1) Miami Plan Foundation courses Miami Plan Foundation courses taught by full-time faculty; (2) taught by full-time faculty; (2) optional first-year seminars; optional first-year seminars; (3) community living options (3) community living options that emphasize leadership and that emphasize leadership and service; and (4) cultural, service; and (4) cultural, intellectual, and arts events. intellectual, and arts events.

Intentional acculturationIntentional acculturation

KU’s “Traditions Night.” KU’s “Traditions Night.” 3,000 + students gather in 3,000 + students gather in the football stadium to the football stadium to rehearse the Rock Chalk rehearse the Rock Chalk Chant, listen to stories Chant, listen to stories about the Jayhawk, learn about the Jayhawk, learn the “I’m a Jayhawk” school the “I’m a Jayhawk” school song, and hear stories song, and hear stories intended to instill intended to instill students’ commitment to students’ commitment to graduationgraduation

Rituals and traditions connect Rituals and traditions connect students to each other and the students to each other and the institutioninstitution

4.4. Clearly Marked Pathways Clearly Marked Pathways to Student Success to Student Success

Efforts tailored to student Efforts tailored to student needs. needs.

Mutually reinforcing student Mutually reinforcing student expectations and behavior, expectations and behavior, institutional expectations, and institutional expectations, and institutional reward systems. institutional reward systems.

Redundant early warning Redundant early warning systems and safety netssystems and safety nets

Redundant early warning Redundant early warning systemsystem

FSU’s Early Alert program FSU’s Early Alert program enables faculty to contact first-enables faculty to contact first-year student mentors and year student mentors and University College to alert them University College to alert them about students experiencing about students experiencing difficulty during the first two difficulty during the first two weeks of the semester. Mentors weeks of the semester. Mentors contact students to advise and contact students to advise and refer as appropriate. refer as appropriate.

Redundant early warning Redundant early warning systems: “Tag Teaming”systems: “Tag Teaming”

Wheaton first-year student Wheaton first-year student advising team includes faculty, advising team includes faculty, student preceptors, librarians student preceptors, librarians and administrative staff. and administrative staff.

At Ursinus, Miami, and Wheaton At Ursinus, Miami, and Wheaton representatives from both representatives from both academic affairs and student academic affairs and student affairs serve as academic affairs serve as academic advisors. advisors.

5.5. Improvement oriented Improvement oriented ethosethos

Positive restlessnessPositive restlessnessSelf-correcting orientationSelf-correcting orientationContinually question, “are we Continually question, “are we

performing as well as we can?” performing as well as we can?” Confident, responsive, but Confident, responsive, but

never quite satisfied… never quite satisfied… ““We know who we are and what We know who we are and what

we aspire to.”we aspire to.”

Assessment supports learningAssessment supports learning

CSUMB’s Center for Teaching, CSUMB’s Center for Teaching, Learning & Assessment assists Learning & Assessment assists faculty ins assessing student faculty ins assessing student performance at the start of performance at the start of classes so that instructors classes so that instructors have a starting point by which have a starting point by which to gauge progress. to gauge progress.

““Assessment is a major form of Assessment is a major form of pedagogy. The only kind of pedagogy. The only kind of assessment we want is one assessment we want is one that promotes learning.”that promotes learning.”

Self-correcting orientationSelf-correcting orientation

FSU Chancellor concerned FSU Chancellor concerned about first-to-second year about first-to-second year retention ratesretention rates

Chancellor launches Freshman Chancellor launches Freshman Year InitiativeYear Initiative

Vision of holistic student Vision of holistic student development engaged all FSU development engaged all FSU community memberscommunity members

Expanded facilities to support Expanded facilities to support studentsstudents

6.6. Shared responsibility for Shared responsibility for educational qualityeducational quality

Leaders articulate and use core Leaders articulate and use core operating principles in decision operating principles in decision makingmaking

Supportive educators are Supportive educators are everywhereeverywhere

Student and academic affairs Student and academic affairs collaborationcollaboration

Student ownership Student ownership A caring, supportive A caring, supportive

communitycommunity

Organized Learning SupportOrganized Learning Support

POSSE (Pathways to Student POSSE (Pathways to Student Success and Excellence) students Success and Excellence) students at U of Michigan are assigned to at U of Michigan are assigned to a counselor and learn the a counselor and learn the importance of faculty office importance of faculty office hours, study tips and how to hours, study tips and how to connect to tutoring services. connect to tutoring services.

““POSSE taught me how to survive POSSE taught me how to survive the University of Michigan.”the University of Michigan.”

The Power of OneThe Power of One

Every DEEP school has people Every DEEP school has people who add a special dimension to who add a special dimension to the student experience. They the student experience. They make people around them make people around them better as they routinely better as they routinely energize all with whom they energize all with whom they interact – students, faculty, interact – students, faculty, staff and others. staff and others.

““Miss Rita” at Wofford CollegeMiss Rita” at Wofford College

RecommendationRecommendation

1.1. Lay out the path to student Lay out the path to student successsuccess

a.a. Draw a map for student success Draw a map for student success b.b. Front load resources to smooth the Front load resources to smooth the

transition transition c.c. Teach newcomers about the campus Teach newcomers about the campus

cultureculture d.d. Create a sense of specialnessCreate a sense of specialnessd.d. Emphasize student initiative Emphasize student initiative e.e. If something works, consider If something works, consider

requiring it requiring it f.f. Focus on underengaged studentsFocus on underengaged students

RecommendationRecommendation

2.2. Attract, socialize and reward Attract, socialize and reward competent people competent people

a.a. Pick institutional leaders who are Pick institutional leaders who are right for the times, campus culture, right for the times, campus culture, and institutional trajectory and institutional trajectory

b.b. Recruit faculty and staff committed Recruit faculty and staff committed to student learning to student learning

c.c. Emphasize student centeredness in Emphasize student centeredness in faculty and staff orientationfaculty and staff orientation

d.d. Make room for differences Make room for differences e.e. Hire and support competent staff to Hire and support competent staff to

insure high quality student support insure high quality student support services services

RecommendationRecommendation

3.3. Promote and reward Promote and reward collaboration – across collaboration – across functional lines and between functional lines and between the campus and community the campus and community

a.a. Tighten the philosophical and Tighten the philosophical and operational linkages between operational linkages between academic and student affairs academic and student affairs

Peer tutoring and mentoring Peer tutoring and mentoring First year seminarsFirst year seminars Learning communities Learning communities

RecommendationRecommendation

3.3. Promote and reward Promote and reward collaboration – across collaboration – across functional lines and between functional lines and between the campus and community the campus and community

b.b. Harness the expertise of Harness the expertise of available resources available resources

c.c. Make governance a shared Make governance a shared responsibility responsibility

d.d. Form partnerships with the Form partnerships with the local communitylocal community

RecommendationRecommendation

4.4. Put money where it will Put money where it will make a difference in make a difference in student engagementstudent engagement

“…in professional baseball it still matters less how much you have than how well you spend it”

RecommendationRecommendation

4.4. Put money where it will make a Put money where it will make a difference in student difference in student engagementengagement

a.a. Align the reward system with the Align the reward system with the institutional mission, values, and institutional mission, values, and prioritiespriorities

b.b. Invest in student learning and activities Invest in student learning and activities that contribute to student success that contribute to student success

c.c. Invest in faculty members who are doing Invest in faculty members who are doing the right things the right things

d.d. Invest in teaching and learning centersInvest in teaching and learning centers

e.e. Adopt a zero based budgeting system Adopt a zero based budgeting system that focuses on student learning that focuses on student learning processes and outcomesprocesses and outcomes

RecommendationRecommendation

5.5. Sunset redundant and Sunset redundant and ineffective programs; scale up ineffective programs; scale up those that are demonstrably those that are demonstrably effective effective

a.a. Rethink resource investmentsRethink resource investments

b.b. Review and revise time Review and revise time commitments and prioritiescommitments and priorities

c.c. Find ways to get low performers Find ways to get low performers “off the bus”“off the bus”

Using NSSE & DEEP FindingsUsing NSSE & DEEP Findings

How well do our programs work How well do our programs work and and how do we know?how do we know?

How many students do our efforts How many students do our efforts reach in meaningful ways reach in meaningful ways

and how do and how do we know? we know? To what degree are our programs To what degree are our programs

and and practices complementary and practices complementary and synergistic? synergistic?

What are we doing that is not What are we doing that is not represented among the represented among the

DEEP DEEP practices? practices? Should we continue to do it?Should we continue to do it?

What are we not doing that we What are we not doing that we should? should?

Assessing Assessing Conditions Conditions To Enhance To Enhance Educational Educational

Effectiveness:Effectiveness: The Inventory for The Inventory for

Student Engagement Student Engagement and Successand Success

Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Kuh, Kinzie, Schuh, & Whitt, 2005Whitt, 2005

Jossey-BassJossey-Bass

Questions & Questions & DiscussionDiscussion