An Adult Success Service Model Shelley Howell, Ed.D. Julie Kelley, J.D. Agenda • Brief Overview of University of Phoenix • Risk Factors and the Non-Traditional.
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An Adult Success Service Model Shelley Howell, Ed.D. Julie Kelley, J.D. Agenda • Brief Overview of University of Phoenix • Risk Factors and the Non-Traditional Student • What Adult Students Need and Want from Higher Education • Creating a Student-Centered Culture • Career Enhancement Activities Why We’re Here 537,154 Oklahomans have earned some college credit but have not completed a degree (Tate, 2009). (474,747 – per Dr. Applegate, 9/16/2010). 469,212 Oklahomans are living in families whose combined incomes are less than a living wage (twice the level of poverty) (Tate, 2009). Institutions of higher learning must come together to close this gap and secure a prosperous future for all Oklahomans. Who We Are Mission Statement The Mission of University of Phoenix is to provide access to higher education opportunities that enable students to develop the knowledge and skills necessary to achieve their professional goals, improve the productivity of their organizations, and provide leadership and service to their communities. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” About UOPX UOPX was founded in 1976 in response to a gradual shift in higher education demographics from a student population dominated by youth to one in which approximately half the students are adults and over 80 percent of whom work full-time. Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission through the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA) since 1978. Subsidiary of Apollo Group, Inc. (Publicly traded under stock symbol APOL) About UOPX Over 450,000 current students and 500,000+ graduates • 21 Associate degree programs • 44 Bachelor degree programs • 11 Master degree programs • 10 Doctorate degree programs Approximately 25,000 faculty Programmatic accreditation • ACBSP (Business) • CCNE (Nursing) • CACREP (Counseling) • TEAC (Teaching) Campus Locations Over 200 locations 44 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Canada, and The Netherlands Calgary, AB Vancouver, BC Alaska Seattle Spokane Billings Minneapolis Portland Grand Rapids Boise Sioux Falls Worcester Milwaukee Cheyenne Detroit Omaha Des Moines Sacramento Chicago Reno Las Vegas Denver St. Louis Kansas City Wichita Colorado Springs San Jose Tulsa So. Cal Albuquerque San Diego Oklahoma City Tucson Santa Teresa Honolulu Maui San Antonio Baltimore Louisville Reston Raleigh Charlotte Columbia Jackson Atlanta Columbus Dallas Austin Wilmington Cincinnati Nashville Memphis Little Rock Phoenix Jersey City Philadelphia Columbus Indianapolis Salt Lake City Boston Pittsburgh Cleveland Guaynabo, PR New Orleans Jacksonville Orlando Houston Tampa Ft Lauderdale Risk Factors and the Non-Traditional Student Risk Factors The risk factors as identified by the Department of Education include the following: • R1 Enrolling part-time • R2 Delaying entry into postsecondary education after high school • R3 Not having a regular high school diploma • R4 Having children • R5 Being a single parent • R6 Being financially independent of parents • R7 Working full-time while enrolled (UOPX Annual Report, 2008) Risk Factors Increased risk factors are part of what defines non-traditional students. These increased risk factors – being parents, working full-time, needing class hours that fit schedule, or distance to campus – are some of the reasons our students cite for enrolling in the University of Phoenix. Overcoming Barriers Non-traditional adult students actually need more support than traditional students. Day-to-day life issues take precedent over degree completion. The more barriers we can remove or help to resolve, the more likely the student is to reach degree completion. Educational success of adults in the household is the greatest indicator of educational success of a child. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” What Adult Students Need and Want from Higher Education What Student Do Not Want Scenario 1: I applied for Financial Aid several weeks ago and I have been checking back with them repeatedly. All anyone ever tells me is “It’s in process,” but I get no further explanation. My classes are starting – I have no money to pay for books – I’m afraid there’s a problem and I certainly have no way to pay for tuition out of my pocket if I start. I am frustrated and wonder if it’s really worth it? Finally, after speaking with five different people for the past five weeks, I spoke with a financial aid rep who tells me the only thing that was holding my disbursement was that I had not signed one institution-specific form and now my funds will be released within 24 hours! © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” What Student Do Not Want Scenario 2: As a student at state university, my instructors expect me to turn in all assignments timely, yet some faculty don’t seem to feel any duty toward me in returning my assignments or providing feedback to help me improve. I think I am an average student but have some doubts since it’s been so long since I last attended college. I’m now in week 12 the semester without a clue whether I’m making an A or an F. Why won’t the university hold its faculty accountable to students regarding grades and feedback? I feel like the university is only concerned with meeting their needs – it’s not about meeting my needs. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” What Student Do Not Want Scenario 3: I would really love to earn my degree from a state university. However, I’ve looked at the catalogues and many of the classes I will need are offered at 4:30 in the afternoon, or it costs an additional $500 to take anything offered as an online course. I also hear that the online classes are difficult to navigate and I have doubts if I could be successful. Some classes are only offered every other year and will cancel if not enough enrolled students; some classes are held during a dedicated two-week block in the summer. I wonder what other school can meet my needs? © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” What Adult Learners Want from Higher Education • Multiple entry, exit, and re-entry points • Flexibility in course scheduling • Convenience of location & time • Accelerated (not abbreviated) curriculum with tailored choice • Curriculum focused on job-related content to aid students in entering or advancing professional careers • Availability of course materials and support services United States Dept. of Labor (2007). Adult Students EXPECT a Return on Their investment Do I feel supported by the University? My advisors contact me regularly. I am clear on my plan of study and financial status. I receive a timely response if I have a question or concern. Am I getting what I am paying for? Technology is readily available. Required textbooks are effectively utilized. The facilities and parking are adequate. Do I feel supported academically? Faculty members are available between class sessions. Academic support is available at the campus. Electronic learning platforms and resources are adequate. What our students think is critical. It is necessary to conduct meaningful surveys and be responsive to outcomes. +/- 0% + 8% + 10% + 5% + 9% + 14% + 13% + 4% + 8% + 9% (UOPX 2009 Academic Annual Report) Creating A Student-Centered Culture Today’s Adult Student Students who have a good experience in the first few courses have a better chance of doing well and remaining at your institution. They need to feel valued and appreciated for their prior life/work experience, as well as their current life circumstance. They need to know where to go for information and that they will receive consistent, accurate information. They need instruction which will lead to mastery of the material, as well as immediately relevant to real-world application. They need to know they have a voice. Who is Serving Whom? Imagine if you had a team built around your individual success. Imagine if you had a personal relationship with your advisors. Imagine if every time you walked in and asked for help, you received those services. Imagine if you had access to your instructor 7-days-a-week. Imagine if you had a support network 24-hours-a day. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” Personal Graduation Team Student Support Network – Social Media Student Support Specialist Campus College Chairs and Faculty of the Day Non-Academic Support Call them first - don’t wait for a problem. Your students love to hear from you! Invent an “Early Alert” system for faculty to notify someone when a student is struggling. Listen to what your students are saying • About the staff • About the faculty • About THEIR experience – not YOUR perceptions A Network of Support • Specific connections with staff Build relationships with graduation team members • Faculty Mentors Build relationships with professionals in the field • Peer Mentors Social networking, study groups, shared support • Community Mentors Build relationships with others who have gone before (alumni) It Begins with Orientation Today’s student requires engagement. NSO should be interactive, informative, and interesting. Orientation is your first opportunity to set the tone and make clear that it is about degree completion. Setting the Right Expectations Orientation should focus on Accessibility Do I have choice in my schedule/campus/modality? What if I have to take a break? Affordability How does financial aid work and how much will I owe? Am I really going to use all of these expensive books? Accountability Do I understand what you expect of me? Do I understand what can I expect from you? UNIV/101 & Project Progress Effective November 1, 2010 – any student entering with less than 24 credits will attend a mandatory three-week orientation workshop. Students must successfully complete seven tasks or must repeat UNIV/101 prior to entering credit-bearing course. The purpose is to assess the student’s personal readiness not academic readiness. All staff will be evaluated by qualitative measures – not by quantitative measures. The goal is not to get them in the door – it is to get them to the degree. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” Academic Support Don’t assume that just because a student has accumulated 72 or more college credit hours that he or she has acquired or retained all the base academic skills to be successful in core classes. The gap between date of last attendance and re-entry date could be significant. © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” Electronic Instructional Platforms Electronic learning platforms must be user-friendly. Faculty must be committed to responding to electronic postings in a timely fashion. Electronic course materials should be available at the students’ fingertips: • Syllabus and instructor-specific materials • Textbooks and additional readings • Academic Support Systems: Center for Writing Excellence and Center for Math Excellence Campus Level Academic Support Student Support Specialists Computer basics, use of electronic platforms, student help information Faculty of the Day General education course concepts Writing Support • Grammar Groomer • Writing Support (Citation, Thesis/Paragraph Development, Revision) Math & Statistics Labs (dedicated to current course students) Individual Assistance • Maximum 20 hours per calendar year • Not to substitute for missed class period • Assists with course concepts only, not specific homework Faculty in the Classroom Whether face-to-face or asynchronous, faculty have the greatest opportunity to impact a student. I want to do what is expected of me, but I must be clear on what is expected of me. The institution must have written faculty standards concerning syllabi, feedback, grading criteria, student contact, and classroom conduct. Support of Faculty: Initial Training and Continuous Faculty Development Mentorship Lead Faculty Academic Administrative Staff Peer Relationships © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.” Conclusion The number of bachelor's degrees awarded by public institutions and private not-for-profit institutions grew by 27 percent between1997/88 and 2007/08. The number of bachelor's degrees conferred by private forprofit institutions quadrupled during this same period. (United States Department of Education, 2010). A partnership between all institutions of higher learning is needed to better serve our students, ultimately serving the State of Oklahoma by increasing the number of college graduates. Questions? University of Phoenix – “Reinventing education . . . again.” © 2010 University of Phoenix, Inc. All rights reserved.”