nsf-step center for achievement, retention and student ... carss... · research analysis llc...

The Center for Achievement, Retention, and Student Success (CARSS) is a

comprehensive program that addresses retention of freshmen and transfer

students in STEM fields at the University at Albany-State University of New

York (UAlbany).

We utilize a holistic model reliant on the creation of learning communities

through group study and support. We have met the original program goals

of: sustainability, institutionalization, provision of peer tutoring and

peer/staff mentoring, ongoing project evaluation, and dissemination.

The program continues to grow as evidenced by stakeholder driven

increases in the number of tutoring sessions from 109 in year one to 645

by the end of year three. To accommodate UAlbany STEM student

population needs, the CARSS program has made >110 appointments of

STEM tutors who offer tutoring assistance to STEM tutees. As a result, pass

rates in key gateway courses have steadily improved. For example, the pass

rate in Organic Chemistry I increased by 9% in year one and by 18% in year

two, while the year one pass rate in General Chemistry I increased by 7%.

Features of CARSS project sustainability include the following:

I. It has a dedicated permanent fully furnished space from which to

operate

II. UAlbany has committed to continuing the CARSS program coordinator

staff line

III. UAlbany has committed $150,000.00 annually in support of the CARSS

program at the termination of the grant funding period

Goals

Increasing the 4-year graduation rates of a cohort of freshman with

declared STEM majors

Increasing the 2-3 year graduation rates of transfer students entering

into UAlbany in their junior year

Institutionalizing the Center for Achievement, Retention and Student

Success (CARSS)

Increasing retention of historically underrepresented students in STEM

majors

Creating and supporting learning communities

Strategies

Provision of free tutoring in STEM gateway courses

Provision of review/recitation sessions

Creation of an on-campus home

Establishment of a STEM Tutors training course

Aggressive dissemination: website (www.albany.edu/carss); brochure;

faculty in-class support; participation in new student orientations

Establishment of a bona fide, furnished, dedicated center space

Securing financial commitment from the University Administration to

permanently support tutor and coordinator salaries

In the course of implementing the Center’s various programmatic elements, the necessity of early identification of STEM students who were “at-risk” of not being retained in their major became very apparent. To investigate this, we sought to:

1. Evaluate various early indicators that could be used to identify “at-risk” STEM majors at UAlbany

2. Determine the correlation between student course grades and their use of CARSS services (i.e. frequency of visit, duration of each visit and time in the semester of first visit)

3. Determine the extent to which CARSS has served “at-risk” students.

NOTE: The data used in this study were derived from students enrolled in General Chemistry I and II, and Organic Chemistry I and II, over the course of two academic years. These are critical gateway courses in the majors under study.

Lack of instructor buy-in can be a significant roadblock to early intervention

Although the data indicates that student participation in CARSS could be

increased through incentivization, poor instructor buy-in stymied the

effectiveness of this approach

Lack of incentivization of instructor involvement limits the ability to exploit

the findings towards the goal of enhancing “at-risk” student performance.

DUE-0756985

Principal Investigator

Rabi A. Musah

Co-Investigators

Denise M. McKeon

Hua Shi

Project Evaluator

Patrice Lancey—Market

Research Analysis LLC

Project Program Coordinator

Dianne E. Jester

CARSS

Center for Achievement,

Retention, and Student

Success

CARSS Investigators, Program Coordinator

and Tutor Staff—Spring 2011

CARSS website

Before the semester begins

• Identify STEM majors enrolled in General Chemistry I (CHM120) and Organic

Chemistry I (CHM220) with a cumulative GPA of <2.5.

• Work with faculty to incentivize CARSS tutoring participation at the start of

the semester for students with a GPA of <2.5. For optimal impact, this

should occur during the first half of the semester.

• Require at-risk students to attend 5 or more tutoring sessions at CARSS per

semester.

• Closely monitor the academic progress of “at-risk” students enrolled in

General Chemistry I (CHM120) and Organic Chemistry I (CHM220).

After the first exam

Use a first exam cut-off of B- or below to identify “at-risk” students. This will

flag those who may not have met the <2.5 GPA “at-risk” criterion, but who

would benefit from CARSS tutoring early in the semester.

Influence of CARSS participation on performance in General Chemistry II and Organic Chemistry II

Performance in first semester of a two semester course as an “at-risk” indicator

Cumulative GPA as an “at-risk” indicator of student performance in General Chemistry I & II

Cumulative GPA as an “at risk” indicator of student performance in Organic Chemistry I & II

SAT math scores are not a good identifier of “at-risk “status in General Chemistry & Organic Chemistry

Early participation in CARSS positively impacts final grades in General Chemistry & Organic Chemistry

98%

71%

30% 27% 13%

2%

29%

70% 73% 87%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=51) (n=144) (n=66) (n=37) (n=38)

General Chemistry II grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in General Chemistry II

Indicator: Introductory Course Performance

At-risk** (n=149) Not At-risk (n=187)

**At-risk students are identified as those who get a B- or worse grade in General Chemistry I.

Aggregate data from Spring 2009, Fall 2009 and Spring 2010.

NOTE: We found that the final course grade in General Chemistry I was a good predictor of final course grade

in General Chemistry II. As there is no prior course for General Chemistry I that can be used as a predictor,

our working hypothesis is that the grade in the first exam will be a good indicator of the final grade in General

Chemistry I.

88%

49% 36%

26%

9%

12%

51% 64%

74%

91%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=92) (n=91) (n=97) (n=38) (n=32)

Organic Chemistry II grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in Organic Chemistry II

Indicator: Introductory Course Performance


** At-risk students are identified as those who get a B- or worse grade in Organic Chemistry I.


NOTE: We found that the final course grade in Organic Chemistry I was a good predictor of final course grade in

Organic Chemistry II. As there is no prior course for Organic Chemistry I that can be used as a predictor, our working

hypothesis is that the grade in the first exam will be a good indicator of the final grade in Organic Chemistry I.

99%

84%

54%

28%

2%

1%

16%

46%

73%

98%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=87) (n=202) (n=170) (n=40) (n=49)

Chemistry I grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in General Chemistry I

Indicator: Cumulative GPA


** At-risk students are identified as those who have a cumulative UAlbany GPA less than 2.5.


99% 94%

57% 44%

15%

1%

6%

43% 56%

85%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=115) (n=250) (n=117) (n=45) (n=48)

Chemistry II grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in General Chemistry II





100% 98%

76%

57%

35%

2%

24%

43%

65%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=26) (n=93) (n=55) (n=21) (n=40)

Organic Chemistry I grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in Organic Chemistry I





87%

73% 67%

54%

40%

13%

27% 33%

46%

60%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=76) (n=174) (n=147) (n=35) (n=40)



Indicator: SAT Math Score


** At-risk students are identified as those who have a SAT math score less than 550.


87%

73% 67%

54%

40%

13%

27% 33%

46%

60%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=76) (n=174) (n=147) (n=35) (n=40)







80% 74% 70%

50%

70%

20% 26% 30%

50%

30%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=25) (n=78) (n=43) (n=18) (n=37)

Organic Chemistry I grade distribution

Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in Organic Chemistry I





78% 76% 62%

70%

48%

22% 24% 38%

30%

52%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=85) (n=74) (n=79) (n=27) (n=23)


Distribution of At-risk Students by Performance in Organic Chemistry II





27% 16%

32%

40%

34% 31%

5%

2%

2%

11%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

(n = 41) (n = 45)

First half of the semester Second half of the semester

General Chemistry I Course Performance by Time of First Visit to CARSS

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E


18% 10%

49% 58%

14% 24%

10%

6% 8%

3%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

(n = 71) (n = 71)


General Chemistry II Course Performance by Time of First Visit to CARSS

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E


18% 9%

38% 46%

25% 26%

13% 7%

8% 13%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

(n = 40) (n = 46)


Organic Chemistry I Course Performance by Time of First Visit to CARSS

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E


32%

19%

32%

31%

27%

34%

5%

6%

4% 9%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

(n = 97) (n = 32)


Organic Chemistry II Course Performance by Time of First Visit to CARSS

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E


Overall Project Implementation:

Identification of At-Risk Students

Recommendations

Challenges

100% 94% 91%

68%

48%

6% 9%

32%

52%

0%

25%

50%

75%

100%

A, A- B+, B, B- C+, C, C- D+, D, D- E

(n=96) (n=90) (n=93) (n=34) (n=31)


Distribution of At-risk students by Peformance in Organic Chemistry II





http://www.albany.edu/carss





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