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A. Introduction
Greenville College is constantly seeking to improve
the living-learning experience for the students, to encourage and
facilitate student success in academic and co-curricular endeavors,
and to produce graduates who possess an excellent liberal arts education
with a focus in a major area, finely-honed skills in writing, communication,
and other tools of a well-rounded Christian citizen and professional
person, ready for the challenges of character and service which
they will encounter throughout life.
Greenville College has put in place several structures to assess
and generate a cycle of improvement in many campus areas to encourage
this to happen. These include the Retention Task Force, the FIPSE
Strength-Finder Grant program..... These work through administering
and analyzing surveys, setting up and evaluating programs, celebrating
successes, and keeping the goal of improving student success and
the resultant persistence to graduation before the campus community.
In December of 1997, President Smith appointed a campus wide Retention
Task Force (RTF), comprised of representatives from the faculty,
students, and administration. The prescribed role of the RTF is
to collect data on student satisfaction, identify those things which
contribute to early attrition, and lead campus-wide efforts to satisfactorily
address issues which are deemed to be important to students. The
notion that retention is the responsibility of all members of the
campus community is one of the central themes the RTF promotes.
Greenville College is in its fourth year of participating in a
national four-year Quality/Retention Project (Q/R project), sponsored
by the Coalition for Christian Colleges and Universities (CCCU).
Along with 83 other colleges and universities, each year the RTF
administers the Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI) and conducts
student-focus group research. The results have been used to begins
the development of a four-year comprehensive retention plan. Dr.
Laurie Schreiner, co-author of the SSI and professor of Psychology
at Eastern College, served as the project director. At the outset,
she also consented to serve as the consultant to Greenville College.
With her help the composition of the RTF was established, historical
data regarding retention and graduation rates were identified, and
goals were set.
B. Retention Task Force Members:
Academic Divisional Representatives
Richard Huston. - Soc. Science
Tom Stampfli - Fine Arts
Bob Snyder - Science/Math
Doug Faulkner - Education Arts
Dean of College Planning and Assesment - Sharon Alger
Dean of Admissions - Randy Comfort
Student Development - Norm Hall
At-Large - Jane Hopkins
Student - Carl Salz
Student - DeShawna Hollie
Assistant Coordinator of Retention - Lenora Fisher
Strengths Finder Coordinator - Caryl Culumber
Director of Retention (chairman) - Tom Morgan
C. Statistics - Goals
Dr. Schreiner, consultant, recommended that the
retention and graduation rates for the three previous years prior
to the onset of the Q/R project (1997) be identified. The term "retention
rate" refers to the number of first-time freshmen cohorts who
return as sophomores the following fall. Graduation rates are based
upon the number of freshmen cohorts who finish college within six
years. The most current rates/goals as compared to the CCCU appear
below.
1. Retention Rates
a. CCCU average retention rate 75.9%
b. CCCU range of retention rates: 51% to 93%
c. GC range of retention rates (97-2000): 71.6% to 76.5%
d. GC average retention rate (94-2000): 72.6%
e. GC GOAL BY 2003 75%
National Average Retention
Rate for a Four-Year
College with traditional
admissions Standards 71.4%
2. Graduation Rates
a. CCCU average five year graduation rate 46.5%, down from 47.6%
b. CCCU range of graduation rates: 25% to 87.1%
c. GC six year graduation rates: '92 - 45%
'93 - 42.3%
'94 - 41.3%
d. GC range of graduation rates: 39% to 50.9%
e. GC GOAL BY 2003 48%
f. National Average Graduation
Rate for Four-Year Colleges
with Traditional Admissions standards 53.9%
D. Data Gathering Instruments
Once the actual historic retention and graduation
rates were identified, Dr. Shreiner, consultant, assisted the task
force in setting realistic goals. Initially in 1997, the retention
and graduation rate goals were set at 72 and 45 percent respectively.
Given the fact that the retention rates had increased to meet and
exceed the initial goals, the task force revised them in the fall
of 2000.
The chart above indicates that the new goals to be achieved by
2003 are 75 and 48 percent respectively. In spite of the fact that
retention rates have increased over the past three years, there
is still a concern over a slight decline in the graduation rates.
Three instruments have been used to gather data as specified by
the Q/R project agreement. During new student orientation, the College
Student Inventory (CSI) which measures drop-out proneness is administered
to all new students. In early November, the SSI is given to the
entire student body. Finally, three randomly selected student Focus
Groups are assembled during the month of march to further validate
the results of the SSI.
The RTF studies the combined results of the SSI and Focus Groups
and identifies three to five items or areas which are critical to
achieving enhanced student success. The SSI measures both "importance"
and "satisfaction" of all aspects of their college experience
as they (the students) perceive it. The numeric difference between
the importance and satisfaction score is called the performance
gap (PG). All items are scores on a seven (7) point scale. For example,
if the importance and satisfaction score on a specific item is 6.5
and 5.0 respectively, the performance gap is 1.50. Items with a
performance gap of 1.50 or greater become candidates for making
their way onto the "priorities for intervention" list
which is finally determined by the Retention Task Force. Items with
a low or no numeric performance gap appear on the "strengths
of Greenville College" list and are celebrated among community
constituents. A list of strengths identified on the most recent
SSI (fall 2000) appear below.
Strengths of Greenville College
(listed in order of importance)
- Valuable course content in the major
- Excellent Instruction in my major
- Knowledgeable faculty
- Able to experience intellectual growth
- Approachable advisors
- Knowledgeable advisors
- Enjoyable experience to be a student here
- Safe and secure campus
- Caring and helpful campus staff
- Advisors concerned about student success
- Caring faculty
- Students are made to feel welcome on campus
- Institutional concern for the individual student
- Commitment to academic excellence
- Males and females treated with equal respect
- Campus is well maintained
- Library resources and services are adequate
On the contrary, the SSI also yields what students think are the
most significant challenges for Greenville College. The most recently
acquired list (fall 2000) appears below.
Current Challenges for Greenville College
(listed in order of importance)
- Tuition paid is a worthwhile investment
- I am able to register for classes I need with few conflicts
- Adequate financial aid is available for most students
- Student handbook provides helpful information
- Being on this campus is contributing to my spiritual growth
- Living conditions in the residence halls are comfortable
- Staff in health services competent
- Financial aid awards are announced to students in time to be
helpful in college planning
- Financial aid counselors are helpful
- Faculty provide timely feedback about student progress in a course
- There is an adequate selection of food available in the cafeteria
- Computer labs are adequate and accessible
- Billing policies are reasonable
E. Funding for the Improvement of Post Secondary
Education Grant (FIPSE)
Another enhancement to the development of a campus
wide comprehensive retention program came in the form of winning
a FIPSE grant. Greenville College (IL) and Eastern College (PA)
sought and were successful in being awarded a FIPSE grant amounting
to $465,000 to support the development, implementation and evaluation
of a model program that will identify and nurture students' strengths
over their four-year progress toward graduation.
FIPSE Steering Committe
The FIPSE steering Committee's role is to conceive, promote, and
implement a four-year comprehensive strength-based student success
plan over the next two and a half years. The Steering Committee
consists of:
Strength's Finder Coordinator - Caryl Culumber
Director of Career Services Dawn Mulholland
Cross-Cultural Coordinator Jessica Estevez
Dean of Academic Affairs Karen Longman
Assistant Coordinator of Retention Julie Walton
Director of Retention Tom Morgan
Dean of Students Norm Hall
Representative Resident Director Brandon Hill
F. COR 101: Cornerstone Seminar, Foundations in
the Liberal Arts Tradition
In the spring of 2000, a revised General Education
program was approved. Beginning the fall of 2001, a three-credit
course known on most campuses as the Freshmen Year Experience (FYE)
was implemented. Student evaluations were used to select the top
16 professors to teach a section of FYE, which was named Core 101.
First-time freshmen are encouraged to select a FYE course and an
instructor that interests them. This person became their advisor
until the middle of the spring semester.
Core 101 instructors participated in a weekend
introduction to the "Strengths Finder." After accessing
their personal results by use of a web-based instrument, they participated
in a week-long orientation program. During that week they spent
two days focusing on strengths development, further assessing their
own strengths, and planning the freshmen seminar class sessions
focusing on strength development of their students. During the first
week of classes every first-time freshmen took the web-based Strength
Finder instrument designed by the Gallup organization. In addition
to content presented in the course, instructors assisted their students
in deciphering what their strengths were and linked these to advising
them in the selection of a major, career and other life affecting
decisions. Other college adjustment skills and information on how
to succeed in college are also included in the course.
Instructors/Advisors and Departments
Dr. Greg Sanders - Sociology
Professor Brian Hartley - Religion
Dr. Bob Snyder - Science
Dr. Cecilia Keener - Theater/Communication
Professor Guy Chase - Art
Dr. John Wright - Education
Dr. William Ahern - Science
Dr. Karen Longman & Professor Emeritus Jim Reinhard - Jewish
Studies
Dr. Brad Shaw - English/Literature
Dr. Richard Huston - History
Professor Sandra Salguero-Schmidt - Education
Professor Georgann Kurtz Shaw and Chaplain Lori Gaffner - Women's
Issues
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