Communication Strategies to Assist

Students in PerilKatie J. Spencer, M.F.A.St. Lawrence University

June 5, 2013

To consider strategies of communication,

specifically the procedures of the A-Team at St. Lawrence University.

To examine scenarios of students in crisis and problem solve using your own methods and eventually integrate other methods.

To conceptualize challenges and rewards. To assess how the A-Team methods can be utilized

at your own institutions.

Objectives:

Introductions Small groups to discuss strategies and first scenario Discussion History and Communication Strategies of the A-Team Q&A Scenarios in groups Discussion How to implement A-Team methods at your own

institution Q&A

Communication Strategies to Assist Students in Peril

Which faculty and staff members have most to offer in

terms of student accountability? With which faculty and staff members do you have direct

communication about students? How do you communicate (one-on-one, meetings, phone,

email). Is it consistent communication? Discuss confidentiality and communication about student

situations amongst your colleagues. Is there a policy in place?

With this in mind, how do we maintain our communication and rapport with students?

What challenges do you face?

How do you communicate?

A usually level-headed and well liked football

player is currently failing his classes. After a big game, he drinks too much alcohol, gets in a fight, trashes a dorm room and is then transported to a hospital.

What would you do at your school? Would you even find out? Would the coach? How much information is shared?

Scenario 1

Saint Lawrence Retention Rates

Class of Initial Size Adjusted Cohort Fresh-Soph Retention

1994 534 534 87.1%

1995 423 423 88.7%

1996 601 601 85.9%

1997 505 505 84.2%

1998 574 574 81.0%

1999 572 572 84.8%

2000 593 593 82.4%

2001 476 476 82.1%

2002 478 478 82.6%

2003 575 575 85.5%

2004 612 612 84.2%

2005 510 510 87.5%

2006 619 618 86.5%

2007 566 565 90.3%

2008 566 566 89.9%

2009 535 534 89.3%

2010 611 609 88.2%

2011 627 627 87.9%

2012 616 616 91.7%

2013 580 580 92.2%

2014 609 609 90.0%

2015 647 647 92.6%

How and why did it start? What is it? Who is part of it? What is its purpose and goals? Is it adaptable to my institution?

A-Team History2006-present

Began as an extension of a retention

project Low retention rates due to:

Isolation/transportation Social/residential issues Academically unsuccessful students

How and Why did it Start?

Improved Advising

created position: Associate Dean of Advising Implementation of a multi-level early warning system Increased academic support for at-risk students (A-

Team) Half-unit sophomore courses Recruiting students who fit St. Lawrence better Improved transportation to and from the airport, major bus station

and in-town Addressing students’ financial concerns Other social/residential improvements Added assessment instruments

On-Campus Retention Efforts

A group of faculty and staff who have direct contact

with students. We are not private contractors! We do not work in

silos! We must collaborate to see the whole picture. We connect students with the right resources or

suggest they meet the right professional to deal with the problem.

We “keep tabs” on troubled students. Most of us work in the same building, in close proximity. It is about more than retention, but to do better for our

students.

What is the A-Team?

This group represents ALL places students intersect

Academic Advising Support Services Tutors

Athletics Student Life

Residence Life Judicial Board

Health and Counseling Special Needs Opportunity Programs (HEOP, C-Step, McNair)

Who is the A-Team?

Meet face-to-face, once a week Identify Problems Find Solutions Streamline Communication between

students/faculty/staff Parents and students get consistent answers, not three answers from three different places. Some students are not academically, socially or mentally

prepared for college. We can identify this right away. Examine Early and Mid-Term Warnings. Discover who will be the most effective point person to

reach out to the student? No generic emails!

A-Team Purpose & Goals

Academic Support reaches out to faculty during week three to

encourage them to identify struggling students.

Official warnings are turned in at the midterm mark.

The early warnings help to “catch” students and put them on the path to recovery before they receive a midterm warning.

A-Team goes through a list of “students of concern” and a point person from the team will reach out to the student. Coaches will reach out to athletes Coordinator of Academic Development (me) reaches out to students on

academic probation Special Needs staff reach out to those with whom they work closely Opportunity Programs staff reaches out to their students, etc.

Early and Mid-Term Warnings

TRUST Members must have similar perspectives on how to

retain and support students. Agree on how much and what information can be

shared. Find the balance between letting them be college

students that make mistakes and preventing them from slipping through the cracks.

Build relationships with students. Consistent communication: Weekly meetings and follow

up. Added bonus: proximity of members in one building.

Key Points for Success

Must work in good faith. Must communicate with point person/people: advisor,

special needs advisor, professor, academic support, coach, counseling staff.

Be willing to make extra appointments for tutoring, study skills, time management, organization, writing or math centers, counseling, or one-on-ones with professors.

In some cases, be willing to sign a waiver that allows sharing of information amongst specific A-Team members.

Students

Saint Lawrence Retention Rates

Class of Initial Size Adjusted Cohort Fresh-Soph Retention

1994 534 534 87.1%

1995 423 423 88.7%

1996 601 601 85.9%

1997 505 505 84.2%

1998 574 574 81.0%

1999 572 572 84.8%

2000 593 593 82.4%

2001 476 476 82.1%

2002 478 478 82.6%

2003 575 575 85.5%

2004 612 612 84.2%

2005 510 510 87.5%

2006 619 618 86.5%

2007 566 565 90.3%

2008 566 566 89.9%

2009 535 534 89.3%

2010 611 609 88.2%

2011 627 627 87.9%

2012 616 616 91.7%

2013 580 580 92.2%

2014 609 609 90.0%

2015 647 647 92.6%

Scenarios

A student is readmitted to the university after a semester in which she took a medical withdrawal in all her courses.

The counselor is the only one who knows the details of why she left.

The Special Needs Director is the only one who knows details about her learning disability and medications.

Upon her return, she is inattentive and doing poorly in class. Her professors say she is likely to fail.

Scenarios

A student lashes out violently at baseball practice. His coach recommends counseling, as he needs a certain GPA to play.

His academics are average and suddenly take a nosedive. He sleeps through class and seems agitated when awake.

Is this an emotional problem? A drug/alcohol problem? A learning problem?

Create an assessment

Graduation rates

Retention rates (specifically first year-sophomore)

Populations (race, gender, international students, at-risk students, special needs, etc.)

What faculty/staff perspectives do you need to provide a full picture?

It is adaptable…Where do I start?

TRUST Members must have similar perspectives on how to retain

and support students. Agree on how much and what information can be shared.

What do you need to know? Find the balance between letting them be college students

that make mistakes and preventing them from slipping through the cracks.

Build relationships with students Consistent communication: weekly meetings and follow

up. Added bonus: proximity of members in one building.

Key Points for Success

A special thanks to current and previous A-Team members for contributing to this

project.

http://www.stlawu.edu/ir/grad_retention/effortshttp://www.stlawu.edu/ir/grad_retention/retention_rates

Thank you