AACRAO 2009 AACRAO 2009
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
INCREASING ACCESSIBILTY: LESSONS LEARNED IN RETAINING SPECIAL POPULATION STUDENTS IN CANADA AACRAO April 14, 2009 Chicago
© Gottheil/Smith
1
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Presenters Susan Gottheil, M.A. Associate ViceVice-President, Enrolment Management Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting sgottheil@mtroyal ca [email protected]
Clayton Smith, Ed.D. Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar ViceUniversity of Windsor, Ontario, Canada Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting [email protected]
© Gottheil/Smith
2
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Agenda • Introduction - Why this topic? - Strategic Enrolment Management • The Political & Economic Context • Barriers to Access • Attrition Factors • Lessons Learned • Student Retention: Best Practice Strategies • Discussion, Questions & Comments
© Gottheil/Smith
3
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Why This Topic? ¾ In Canada, changing demographics & increased competition, as well as social values based on equity, have sharpened efforts to increase PSE participation rates of youth from under-represented/ under-served groups ¾ Provincial governments are funding a variety of targeted initiatives ¾ Holistic retention programs & planning are not well-
developed at most institutions
Access to and success in PSE has become an important public issue © Gottheil/Smith
4
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
If the access movement wants to contribute to greater social justice and help create a genuinely inclusive form of social cohesion, it must seek to influence the nature of the higher education curriculum, approaches to learning and teaching, and definitions of ability, and not focus simply on getting more and different people into the existing system. -Billingham, 2005
© Gottheil/Smith
5
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Strategic Enrolment Management: A Conceptual p Framework
© Gottheil/Smith
6
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Student Success Continuum ¾ Traditional Enrolment Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Orientation
Co-curricular S Support t
Classroom Experience
Student’s College Career Admission
Financial Support
Academic Support
© Gottheil/Smith
Attain Degree/Goal
Retention
7
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Student Success Continuum ¾ The SEM Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Classroom Experience
Orientation
Co-curricular Support
Attain Degree/Goal
Student’s College Career Admission
Financial Support
Academic Support
© Gottheil/Smith
Retention
8
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by… ¾ Establishing clear goals for the number and types of students needed to fulfill the institutional mission ¾ Promoting students’ academic success by improving access, transition, persistence, and graduation ¾ Promoting institutional success by enabling effective strategic and financial planning
© Gottheil/Smith
9
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by… ¾ Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions and evaluate strategies ¾ Improving process, organizational and financial efficiency and outcomes ¾ Strengthening communications and marketing with internal and external stakeholders ¾ Increasing collaboration among departments across the campus to support the enrolment program © Gottheil/Smith
10
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Remember: The Enrolment Funnel is Different for Different Students •New Immigrants •International Students •First Generation Students •Rural Students •Students with Disabilities •Dislocated Workers •Sole Support Mothers •Low-income Students •Minority Students •High-Achieving Students
© Gottheil/Smith
11
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Political & Social Context
© Gottheil/Smith
12
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Low-Income/First Generation Students ¾ One-half of students from low-income families don’t continue past high school vs. one-quarter from highincome families (Baldwin & Parkin, 2007) ¾ 81% of 18 to 24 year olds whose parents have a university education participate in PSE, compared to 53% for young people whose parents didn’t go past high school (CMSF) ¾ Both groups are disproportionately minorities, from rural areas, have less than optimal high school preparation or test scores
© Gottheil/Smith
13
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
First Generation Students: Campus Experience ¾ NSSE (2008): About half not involved in extra curricular activities ¾ College Board: Less likely than peers to earn degrees, even when differences in high-school preparation taken into account
© Gottheil/Smith
14
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Aboriginal Canadians ¾ 1.3 million or 3.3% of the Canadian population • 62% North American Indian, 30% Métis, 5% Inuit • In 2001, 14% of population in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, majority in
Northwest Territories and Yukon • 1,123 communities and close to a dozen language families
¾ More than 70% living off reserves (54% in cities) ¾ Much younger than Canadian population as a whole • 1/3 under the age of 14
¾ Fastest growing segment of Canadian population © Gottheil/Smith
15
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Aboriginal Canadians (cont’d) ¾ Only 61% possess a high school diploma versus 78% of non-Aboriginal population ¾ By age 20, non-Aboriginal youth 3X more likely than Aboriginal youth to be in PSE (Baldwin & Parkin, 2007) ¾ Dropout and attrition 33-56% higher (depending upon age of student) than among general student population (Parkin & Baldwin, 2009) © Gottheil/Smith
16
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access ¾ Financial • Tuition, fees & cost of living • Debt aversion
¾ Academic • Low high school grades grades, wrong course prerequisites prerequisites, high
dropout rate • Lack of preparation (hard & soft skills); quality of local high
schools • Gaps in training and certification
¾ Geographic • Distance, costs of travel
© Gottheil/Smith
17
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access (cont’d) ¾ Language & literacy ¾ Family & community: Lack of role models • Note: Some ethnic groups have considerably higher
educational aspirations for their children than others
¾ Enforced cultural assimilation and legacy of residential school system for Aboriginal students
© Gottheil/Smith
18
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access (cont’d) ¾ Aspirational • Lack of interest/motivation • PSE not considered necessary (for job, life) • Lack of information about PSE benefits
¾ Self-esteem and self-confidence ¾ Institutional • Programs don’t respond to needs, interests • Unknown environment • Admission criteria and complexity of admission procedures • Lack of information • Counseling structure
© Gottheil/Smith
19
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Attrition Factors ¾ Academic preparation and performance • Contributes to lack of engagement, motivation • Questioning of abilities, confidence
¾ Financial support ¾ Family and work responsibilities ¾ Language proficiency
© Gottheil/Smith
20
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Attrition Factors (cont’d) ¾ Low level of educational aspiration/motivation ¾ Well-being • Isolation • Stress • Lack of understanding of culture, racist attitudes on campus
¾ Social/Family/Community support ¾ Engagement
© Gottheil/Smith
21
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Conclusion ¾ Web of barriers to access & success interact with & compound one another • Unmet financial need • Inadequate academic preparation, motivation &
direction • Insufficient information, guidance & encouragement
© Gottheil/Smith
22
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lessons Learned: Increasing Retention within the SEM Framework
© Gottheil/Smith
23
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #1 ¾ Access and success should not be targeted in isolation: the barriers/obstacles are the same • Placing too much emphasis on access can be
problematic if it results in too little focus on student success • Similarly, Si il l ffocusing i primarily i il on policies li i which hi h supportt
persistence could result in failure to meet access goals
¾ Remember the comprehensive SEM framework • Essential tool to meet institutional goals
© Gottheil/Smith
24
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #2 ¾ Special population students have different needs from traditional students – the funnel & student life cycle experience is different for different students ¾ Each group has unique needs ¾ Retention strategies need to be customized to meet the needs of each special population group
© Gottheil/Smith
25
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #3 ¾ There’s a need for both specialized/targeted programs & integration of under-represented groups into regular programming • The latter requires outreach, cultural sensitivity & awareness
of specific historical, economic & social barriers faced by special spec a populations popu at o s
¾ We need to create connectivity between our FYE programs & campus programs/services targeted to specific groups – e.g., holistic first-year experience programs • Importance of entire campus community working together to
support under-served populations & make them feel part of our communities © Gottheil/Smith
26
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #4 ¾ Need longer term resource commitment/strategies to have impact on both access and retention/student success ¾ Need to work with communities communities, provide role models & mentorship opportunities, ensure adequate information
© Gottheil/Smith
27
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #5 ¾ Assessment is key but … data is often difficult to come by • Targeted communities sometimes are reluctant to self-
identify - Makes it hard to set goals g • Difficult to assess what barriers may be and whether
targeted programs and initiatives are successful
© Gottheil/Smith
28
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Student Retention: Best Practice Strategies
© Gottheil/Smith
29
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Programs ¾ Establish specialized academic programs/ courses • Trent University: 1st Native Studies program in North America • • • • •
(1969) Lakehead University: honours program in Aboriginal Ed cation Education University of Manitoba: Aboriginal Business program University of British Columbia: program in Aboriginal Forestry & Fisheries Confederation College: applied degree in Indigenous Leadership & Community Development University of Winnipeg: Indigenous Police Preparation Diploma
© Gottheil/Smith
30
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Programs (cont’d) ¾ Offer courses in communities • Dual credit programming (Red River College with
Peguis and Fisher River First Nations)
¾ Reserve seats in programs p g • Ensures a cohort • Provides peer support
¾ Establish access programs • Assists students who would not otherwise qualify for
university with entrance into professional programs like engineering, nursing, social work, medicine
© Gottheil/Smith
31
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Preparation ¾ Create summer camps, bridging & transition programs to help students overcome the academic, financial & motivational barriers to their success • Fisher Ri River er First Nation (Manitoba) implemented a 99
month transition program for all students who want band to fund PSE - Aim is to reduce drop-out rate - Course focuses on life skills, academic upgrading & career counseling - Students spend time in Winnipeg to prepare for transition to urban living © Gottheil/Smith
32
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Bridging & Transition Programs • Lethbridge College: First Nations, Métis and Inuit
(FNMI) Transition Program - Provides 12 students with a $12,000 scholarship to aid with finances - Provides 3 steps to aid in transition • Course on introduction to college life (August) • Additional course in 1st term on skills and attitudes needed for college success • Class on leadership skills (January)
- Spiritual support from elders; help from mentors and advisors
© Gottheil/Smith
33
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Bridging & Transition Programs (cont’d) • Centennial College offers first generation students
summer workshops on time management and financial planning - Connects students with learning resource centre, tutoring, financial counseling and centre for students with disabilities
© Gottheil/Smith
34
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships ¾ School boards, churches, First Nations ¾ “LE,NONET” program (Salish for “success after many hardships”) at University of Victoria • Preparation seminar • Peer mentoring • Research apprenticeships • Bursaries • Community internships • Cultural training for staff and faculty
© Gottheil/Smith
35
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships (cont’d) ¾ Westview Partnership: between York University and 22 public schools to encourage First Generation students to attend PSE ¾ The Leadership Experience for Academic Directors (LEAD) program: joint effort of University of Windsor and Windsor-Essex Windsor Essex Catholic School Board, Board connects at-risk students entering secondary school with 2 university student mentors ¾ U of T’s junior track team partnered with Toronto Community Housing to provide “scholarships” to housing project youth to practice on campus
© Gottheil/Smith
36
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships (cont’d) ¾ Pathways to Education project started in Toronto’s Regent Park, now in 6 Canadian communities •
Tackles low ambition and low marks
• Provides mentors and tutors from Grade 9 on and
$4,000 bursary on high school graduation (“learning accounts”) - Dropout rates fell from 23%-58% in different sites - Teen pregnancies and crime rate plummeted - College and university enrolment almost doubled •
80% of graduates from Pathway’s original site in Regent’s Park have gone on to PSE (2009)
© Gottheil/Smith
37
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Outreach ¾ Build family/community support for attending PSE • Work with church communities in low-income areas • Place articles about programs, success stories in
community & ethnic-based publications • Create targeted web microsites - e.g., Carleton U for Aboriginal students
¾ Offer a family orientation program
© Gottheil/Smith
38
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Financial Aid ¾ Low-income students think they can’t afford tuition & rule themselves out before graduating from high school • Educate prospective students and their families on
costs/benefits of PSE • Simplify financial aid & make it more transparent • Create financial aid workshops for families of middle & high school students to build expectations for attending PSE
© Gottheil/Smith
39
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Financial Aid (cont’d) ¾ On-campus work-study programs • Shift institutional student aid to those with the
greatest financial need (need-based bursaries vs. merit scholarships) • Targeted aid/scholarships
© Gottheil/Smith
40
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Student & Academic Support Programs ¾ Create learning communities for peer support ¾ Foundations for Success project (funded by CMSF) offers case-managed support services & financial incentives to students at 3 Ontario colleges (Seneca, Mohawk & Confederation) • Assesses students after admission but before begin, identifying
those that would benefit from academic tutoring, mentorship & career counselling
¾ The First Generation Program at Brock University provides both academic and personal support, which includes 1:1 help with school-related issues © Gottheil/Smith
41
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Supportive Campus Environment ¾ Foster a welcoming campus climate to increase comfort, skills & connections among special population students & make campuses more receptive to traditionally underrepresented groups • Establish lounges, g , centres,, student space p
© Gottheil/Smith
42
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Discussion, Comments & Questions
© Gottheil/Smith
43
INCREASING ACCESSIBILTY: LESSONS LEARNED IN RETAINING SPECIAL POPULATION STUDENTS IN CANADA AACRAO April 14, 2009 Chicago
© Gottheil/Smith
1
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Presenters Susan Gottheil, M.A. Associate ViceVice-President, Enrolment Management Mount Royal College, Calgary, Alberta, Canada Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting sgottheil@mtroyal ca [email protected]
Clayton Smith, Ed.D. Vice-Provost, Students & Registrar ViceUniversity of Windsor, Ontario, Canada Senior Consultant, AACRAO Consulting [email protected]
© Gottheil/Smith
2
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Agenda • Introduction - Why this topic? - Strategic Enrolment Management • The Political & Economic Context • Barriers to Access • Attrition Factors • Lessons Learned • Student Retention: Best Practice Strategies • Discussion, Questions & Comments
© Gottheil/Smith
3
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Why This Topic? ¾ In Canada, changing demographics & increased competition, as well as social values based on equity, have sharpened efforts to increase PSE participation rates of youth from under-represented/ under-served groups ¾ Provincial governments are funding a variety of targeted initiatives ¾ Holistic retention programs & planning are not well-
developed at most institutions
Access to and success in PSE has become an important public issue © Gottheil/Smith
4
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
If the access movement wants to contribute to greater social justice and help create a genuinely inclusive form of social cohesion, it must seek to influence the nature of the higher education curriculum, approaches to learning and teaching, and definitions of ability, and not focus simply on getting more and different people into the existing system. -Billingham, 2005
© Gottheil/Smith
5
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Strategic Enrolment Management: A Conceptual p Framework
© Gottheil/Smith
6
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Student Success Continuum ¾ Traditional Enrolment Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Orientation
Co-curricular S Support t
Classroom Experience
Student’s College Career Admission
Financial Support
Academic Support
© Gottheil/Smith
Attain Degree/Goal
Retention
7
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Student Success Continuum ¾ The SEM Perspective
Recruitment/ Marketing
Classroom Experience
Orientation
Co-curricular Support
Attain Degree/Goal
Student’s College Career Admission
Financial Support
Academic Support
© Gottheil/Smith
Retention
8
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by… ¾ Establishing clear goals for the number and types of students needed to fulfill the institutional mission ¾ Promoting students’ academic success by improving access, transition, persistence, and graduation ¾ Promoting institutional success by enabling effective strategic and financial planning
© Gottheil/Smith
9
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Purposes of SEM are Achieved by… ¾ Creating a data-rich environment to inform decisions and evaluate strategies ¾ Improving process, organizational and financial efficiency and outcomes ¾ Strengthening communications and marketing with internal and external stakeholders ¾ Increasing collaboration among departments across the campus to support the enrolment program © Gottheil/Smith
10
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Remember: The Enrolment Funnel is Different for Different Students •New Immigrants •International Students •First Generation Students •Rural Students •Students with Disabilities •Dislocated Workers •Sole Support Mothers •Low-income Students •Minority Students •High-Achieving Students
© Gottheil/Smith
11
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
The Political & Social Context
© Gottheil/Smith
12
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Low-Income/First Generation Students ¾ One-half of students from low-income families don’t continue past high school vs. one-quarter from highincome families (Baldwin & Parkin, 2007) ¾ 81% of 18 to 24 year olds whose parents have a university education participate in PSE, compared to 53% for young people whose parents didn’t go past high school (CMSF) ¾ Both groups are disproportionately minorities, from rural areas, have less than optimal high school preparation or test scores
© Gottheil/Smith
13
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
First Generation Students: Campus Experience ¾ NSSE (2008): About half not involved in extra curricular activities ¾ College Board: Less likely than peers to earn degrees, even when differences in high-school preparation taken into account
© Gottheil/Smith
14
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Aboriginal Canadians ¾ 1.3 million or 3.3% of the Canadian population • 62% North American Indian, 30% Métis, 5% Inuit • In 2001, 14% of population in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, majority in
Northwest Territories and Yukon • 1,123 communities and close to a dozen language families
¾ More than 70% living off reserves (54% in cities) ¾ Much younger than Canadian population as a whole • 1/3 under the age of 14
¾ Fastest growing segment of Canadian population © Gottheil/Smith
15
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Aboriginal Canadians (cont’d) ¾ Only 61% possess a high school diploma versus 78% of non-Aboriginal population ¾ By age 20, non-Aboriginal youth 3X more likely than Aboriginal youth to be in PSE (Baldwin & Parkin, 2007) ¾ Dropout and attrition 33-56% higher (depending upon age of student) than among general student population (Parkin & Baldwin, 2009) © Gottheil/Smith
16
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access ¾ Financial • Tuition, fees & cost of living • Debt aversion
¾ Academic • Low high school grades grades, wrong course prerequisites prerequisites, high
dropout rate • Lack of preparation (hard & soft skills); quality of local high
schools • Gaps in training and certification
¾ Geographic • Distance, costs of travel
© Gottheil/Smith
17
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access (cont’d) ¾ Language & literacy ¾ Family & community: Lack of role models • Note: Some ethnic groups have considerably higher
educational aspirations for their children than others
¾ Enforced cultural assimilation and legacy of residential school system for Aboriginal students
© Gottheil/Smith
18
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Barriers to Access (cont’d) ¾ Aspirational • Lack of interest/motivation • PSE not considered necessary (for job, life) • Lack of information about PSE benefits
¾ Self-esteem and self-confidence ¾ Institutional • Programs don’t respond to needs, interests • Unknown environment • Admission criteria and complexity of admission procedures • Lack of information • Counseling structure
© Gottheil/Smith
19
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Attrition Factors ¾ Academic preparation and performance • Contributes to lack of engagement, motivation • Questioning of abilities, confidence
¾ Financial support ¾ Family and work responsibilities ¾ Language proficiency
© Gottheil/Smith
20
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Attrition Factors (cont’d) ¾ Low level of educational aspiration/motivation ¾ Well-being • Isolation • Stress • Lack of understanding of culture, racist attitudes on campus
¾ Social/Family/Community support ¾ Engagement
© Gottheil/Smith
21
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Conclusion ¾ Web of barriers to access & success interact with & compound one another • Unmet financial need • Inadequate academic preparation, motivation &
direction • Insufficient information, guidance & encouragement
© Gottheil/Smith
22
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lessons Learned: Increasing Retention within the SEM Framework
© Gottheil/Smith
23
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #1 ¾ Access and success should not be targeted in isolation: the barriers/obstacles are the same • Placing too much emphasis on access can be
problematic if it results in too little focus on student success • Similarly, Si il l ffocusing i primarily i il on policies li i which hi h supportt
persistence could result in failure to meet access goals
¾ Remember the comprehensive SEM framework • Essential tool to meet institutional goals
© Gottheil/Smith
24
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #2 ¾ Special population students have different needs from traditional students – the funnel & student life cycle experience is different for different students ¾ Each group has unique needs ¾ Retention strategies need to be customized to meet the needs of each special population group
© Gottheil/Smith
25
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #3 ¾ There’s a need for both specialized/targeted programs & integration of under-represented groups into regular programming • The latter requires outreach, cultural sensitivity & awareness
of specific historical, economic & social barriers faced by special spec a populations popu at o s
¾ We need to create connectivity between our FYE programs & campus programs/services targeted to specific groups – e.g., holistic first-year experience programs • Importance of entire campus community working together to
support under-served populations & make them feel part of our communities © Gottheil/Smith
26
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #4 ¾ Need longer term resource commitment/strategies to have impact on both access and retention/student success ¾ Need to work with communities communities, provide role models & mentorship opportunities, ensure adequate information
© Gottheil/Smith
27
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Lesson #5 ¾ Assessment is key but … data is often difficult to come by • Targeted communities sometimes are reluctant to self-
identify - Makes it hard to set goals g • Difficult to assess what barriers may be and whether
targeted programs and initiatives are successful
© Gottheil/Smith
28
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Student Retention: Best Practice Strategies
© Gottheil/Smith
29
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Programs ¾ Establish specialized academic programs/ courses • Trent University: 1st Native Studies program in North America • • • • •
(1969) Lakehead University: honours program in Aboriginal Ed cation Education University of Manitoba: Aboriginal Business program University of British Columbia: program in Aboriginal Forestry & Fisheries Confederation College: applied degree in Indigenous Leadership & Community Development University of Winnipeg: Indigenous Police Preparation Diploma
© Gottheil/Smith
30
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Programs (cont’d) ¾ Offer courses in communities • Dual credit programming (Red River College with
Peguis and Fisher River First Nations)
¾ Reserve seats in programs p g • Ensures a cohort • Provides peer support
¾ Establish access programs • Assists students who would not otherwise qualify for
university with entrance into professional programs like engineering, nursing, social work, medicine
© Gottheil/Smith
31
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Academic Preparation ¾ Create summer camps, bridging & transition programs to help students overcome the academic, financial & motivational barriers to their success • Fisher Ri River er First Nation (Manitoba) implemented a 99
month transition program for all students who want band to fund PSE - Aim is to reduce drop-out rate - Course focuses on life skills, academic upgrading & career counseling - Students spend time in Winnipeg to prepare for transition to urban living © Gottheil/Smith
32
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Bridging & Transition Programs • Lethbridge College: First Nations, Métis and Inuit
(FNMI) Transition Program - Provides 12 students with a $12,000 scholarship to aid with finances - Provides 3 steps to aid in transition • Course on introduction to college life (August) • Additional course in 1st term on skills and attitudes needed for college success • Class on leadership skills (January)
- Spiritual support from elders; help from mentors and advisors
© Gottheil/Smith
33
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Bridging & Transition Programs (cont’d) • Centennial College offers first generation students
summer workshops on time management and financial planning - Connects students with learning resource centre, tutoring, financial counseling and centre for students with disabilities
© Gottheil/Smith
34
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships ¾ School boards, churches, First Nations ¾ “LE,NONET” program (Salish for “success after many hardships”) at University of Victoria • Preparation seminar • Peer mentoring • Research apprenticeships • Bursaries • Community internships • Cultural training for staff and faculty
© Gottheil/Smith
35
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships (cont’d) ¾ Westview Partnership: between York University and 22 public schools to encourage First Generation students to attend PSE ¾ The Leadership Experience for Academic Directors (LEAD) program: joint effort of University of Windsor and Windsor-Essex Windsor Essex Catholic School Board, Board connects at-risk students entering secondary school with 2 university student mentors ¾ U of T’s junior track team partnered with Toronto Community Housing to provide “scholarships” to housing project youth to practice on campus
© Gottheil/Smith
36
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Partnerships (cont’d) ¾ Pathways to Education project started in Toronto’s Regent Park, now in 6 Canadian communities •
Tackles low ambition and low marks
• Provides mentors and tutors from Grade 9 on and
$4,000 bursary on high school graduation (“learning accounts”) - Dropout rates fell from 23%-58% in different sites - Teen pregnancies and crime rate plummeted - College and university enrolment almost doubled •
80% of graduates from Pathway’s original site in Regent’s Park have gone on to PSE (2009)
© Gottheil/Smith
37
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Community Outreach ¾ Build family/community support for attending PSE • Work with church communities in low-income areas • Place articles about programs, success stories in
community & ethnic-based publications • Create targeted web microsites - e.g., Carleton U for Aboriginal students
¾ Offer a family orientation program
© Gottheil/Smith
38
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Financial Aid ¾ Low-income students think they can’t afford tuition & rule themselves out before graduating from high school • Educate prospective students and their families on
costs/benefits of PSE • Simplify financial aid & make it more transparent • Create financial aid workshops for families of middle & high school students to build expectations for attending PSE
© Gottheil/Smith
39
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Financial Aid (cont’d) ¾ On-campus work-study programs • Shift institutional student aid to those with the
greatest financial need (need-based bursaries vs. merit scholarships) • Targeted aid/scholarships
© Gottheil/Smith
40
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Student & Academic Support Programs ¾ Create learning communities for peer support ¾ Foundations for Success project (funded by CMSF) offers case-managed support services & financial incentives to students at 3 Ontario colleges (Seneca, Mohawk & Confederation) • Assesses students after admission but before begin, identifying
those that would benefit from academic tutoring, mentorship & career counselling
¾ The First Generation Program at Brock University provides both academic and personal support, which includes 1:1 help with school-related issues © Gottheil/Smith
41
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Supportive Campus Environment ¾ Foster a welcoming campus climate to increase comfort, skills & connections among special population students & make campuses more receptive to traditionally underrepresented groups • Establish lounges, g , centres,, student space p
© Gottheil/Smith
42
AACRAO 2009 – Chicago
Discussion, Comments & Questions
© Gottheil/Smith
43
