Early Warning System Works at Student Retention
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Early
Warning System Works at Student Retention
by John Applebee
Faculty
involvement is the key to a successful retention program, especially
at a commuter campus like UMass Boston, where a student's most significant
contact with the university takes place in the classroom. Recognizing
this, the University Advising Center began the Student Referral Program
in 1997.
The main idea of the Student Referral Program is to ask faculty to
refer students to a designated advisor in the University Advising Center.
Referrals are made by faculty for many reasons but most commonly when
the student is experiencing academic difficulties, attending class sporadically
or not at all, or when the student is experiencing personal difficulties.
Elsa Casas is the advisor who coordinates the Student Referral Program.
Each semester Casas distributes Student Referral Forms to all departments
in the College of Arts and Sciences. Faculty may make referrals by filling
out the form and mailing it or by calling Casas' office. Within
twenty-four hours of receiving a referral, the student is contacted
and an appointment is made with Casas.
During the appointment, an assessment of the student's situation is made. This may include an examination of the student's academic record, discussion of progress in the course from which the student is being referred, assessment of the student's adjustment to the demands of college life, and any personal issues the student raises which may affect his or her performance. Depending on the situation, the student may be referred to campus resources such as tutoring, the Counseling Center, the Reading and Writing Workshop, or the Ross Center for Students with Disabilities. Some students may be seen once; others may be seen periodically. The goal of the intervention is to address the concerns raised by the faculty member who made the referral and thereby help the student achieve academic success. Casas also will follow up with the faculty member to provide feedback.
In its first two years the Student Referral Forms were given only to faculty teaching English composition courses and introductory courses. In 1999, Casas decided to expand the program to all departments, and the response by our faculty has been impressive. From academic years 1998/99 to 1999/2000, referrals rose by 64 percent, from 115 to 189 referrals. In the fall 2000 semester, faculty at all course levels and involving all levels of students made ninety-five referrals. It is anticipated that the program will continue to grow as faculty become more aware of it.
The Student Referral Program sends a clear message to our students that we care about them and their success. Faculty members are encouraged to utilize this service provided by the University Advising Center. If you have questions about the program you are invited to contact Elsa Casas at extension 7-5509.
This column is part of a new monthly series featuring Best Practices at UMass Boston. Interested in highlighting your best practices? Submit your ideas to Leigh DuPuy at news@umb.edu.