Identifying at-risk freshmen and providing enhanced advising support through intrusive academic advising interventions

Abstract

This work in progress describes an effort to identify at-risk freshmen and provide enhanced advising support through intrusive academic advising interventions. In the report Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future, the National Academy of Sciences, National Academy of Engineering, and Institute of Medicine of the National Academies identified the key roles innovation and competitiveness play in ensuring the prosperity of the United States (U.S.) economy within the world. Both innovation and competitiveness depend upon the knowledge capital of highly qualified and diverse college graduates to work in STEM fields. However, the U.S. education system is failing to produce sufficient college graduates to fulfill the emerging, rapidly growing job demands within STEM fields. Our institution provides a breadth and depth of student support resources designed to improve freshman retention, yet retention rates of freshmen in engineering remained flat, year over year. New approaches for addressing retention are needed. Data was gathered on engineering students not retained to the university after one year from the past three years (2014, 2015, and 2016) first-time freshman cohorts. Analysis of the data indicated certain academic and engagement measures were predictors of attrition. Furthermore, the analysis uncovered the opportunity to refine intrusive advising principles. Research on the impact of intrusive advising reflects a connection between successful academic advising and an increase in student retention and graduation rates. Through the requirement of mandatory advising for freshmen, advisors and students can collaboratively develop strategies for engagement with resources that will promote academic success. Theories and research focusing on academic advising approaches and student engagement guide advising discussions. Alexander Astin [1], [2] developed the Theory of Student Involvement (TSI) model. With respect to academic advising effectiveness, Astin suggests "⋯that a particular curriculum, to achieve the effects intended, must elicit sufficient student effort and investment of energy to bring about the desired learning and development [1]". From TSI emerged the "I-E-O Model", which describes the influence of inputs and environment on outputs. The inputs include a student's high school GPA, SAT or ACT score, and his/her demographics. These inputs are useful in making admissions decisions. The environment describes the institutional policies, engagement opportunities, and student body. A student's involvement in purposeful and appropriate activities in his/her environment is a key factor in degree completion. The outputs are the institutional measures of retention and graduation rates. An academic advisor can serve as the communication channel for identifying appropriate and purposeful activities in which a student may engage. This study explores quantitative data on student behaviors, actions, and engagement. Data points include course enrollment or withdrawal, participation in certain programs (such as tutoring, orientation, pre-college activities), and receipt of academic warnings from faculty. Appropriate descriptive and inferential statistical analysis will be conducted during the semester in relation to the number of students enrolled from fall 2017 to spring 2018 as well as fall 2017 to fall 2018. Additionally, data from the students enrolled as freshmen in fall 2015 and fall 2016 will be considered. Ultimately, the goal of the intrusive outreach is to realize a significant improvement in freshmen retention after one year as a result of intrusive academic advising interventions. Data from the previous and current freshman classes will be used to determine where intervention should occur in future terms.