Student Success Initiatives

A focus on student success and the student experience to increase graduation rates and retention

 

Ocho Ocho. That’s the condensed way that University of Guam celebrated two major accomplishments. The first “ocho” represents the eight years of accreditation that UOG earned in 2017. The second represents the eight percentage-point increase in the graduation rate.

Of the students who enrolled at UOG in 2011, 35% completed bachelor’s degrees by 2017, or within the six-year timeframe U.S. law requires colleges to report graduation rates. This is compared to only 27% of enrollees from 2009 who completed their degrees in six years.

“That is a significant increase in the span of just two years and demonstrates that the initiatives toward supporting students’ academic achievement, along with student experiences, are working,” said Dr. Anita B. Enriquez, Senior Vice President of UOG.

Furthermore, the student retention rate after the first year is 72%, which is approaching the national average of 75%. 

The improved rates are the result of UOG prioritizing student support services—financial and academic—as well as building a University community where students from all backgrounds and situations can feel they belong.

And the momentum is continuing through more than two dozen tasks being carried out through UOG’s “Good to Great” (G2G) initiative and new goals: a 75% retention rate from freshman to sophomore years and a 50% six-year graduation rate by 2026.

IMPROVEMENTS TO THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

G2G identified the student experience —to include student life activities, but more importantly, engagement with their field of study, the University, and the community—as a central component to student success.

The most important issue that G2G addressed on this front was the streamlining of credit requirements across all degree programs. Bachelor’s degree programs require no more than 124 credits for graduation, and master’s degrees require no more than 33 credit hours.

“This brought degree completion within a reasonable reach while not compromising the competency or competitiveness of the graduates,” Enriquez said.

The level of student engagement is being addressed through the requirements of capstone courses,  community service projects, and academic-related travel — all of which are intended to broaden students’ experiences, plug them into the local and global communities, and expand their understanding of how their education is applicable to the real world.

The School of Nursing & Health Sciences, for one, has engaged its students in the Guam homeless count, allowing them to see first-hand the need and practicality of the skills they are learning. 

A FOCUS GROUP ON STUDENT CHALLENGES

Another outcome of G2G toward enhancing the student experience was the creation of the Student Success Innovation Team — a team of faculty, administrators, and student affairs staff who study the challenges facing UOG students and make recommendations for improvement. 

“Having someone at the table from a coursework perspective, an enrollment and advisement perspective, and a campus life perspective has allowed us to look at barriers to student success from all angles,” said Troy McVey, Interim Assistant Vice President for Academic Excellence and chairman of the team.

As a result of the team’s findings, much energy has been invested into transforming the student advisement experience through several Advising Forums and the creation of an Academic Advising Committee.

UOG’s counseling unit, Enrollment Management & Student Success, has also expanded its advisement services to specifically assist struggling students and those with unique needs, including veterans, students with psychological disorders, and those with registered disabilities.

INCREASED SUPPORT IN DEVELOPMENTAL COURSES

A long-standing issue at the University has been the high number of students who need developmental courses. UOG faculty in English and math have been actively reaching out to high school teachers across the island, building relationships and clarifying expectations.

This has resulted in the Triton Summer Bridge and the Triton Transition programs, which both provide some level of developmental instruction as well as a first-year seminar and peer support.   

“The goal is to bridge any knowledge gaps between high school and college in order to start students out on solid footing to get ahead of their college goals,” said Dr. Sharleen Santos-Bamba, Associate Dean of the College of Liberal Arts & Social Sciences and an Associate Professor of English.

Placement in developmental English and math classes has decreased since these programs were implemented.

ENHANCEMENTS TO STUDENT LIFE

University life is being transformed as well, bringing students more on- and off-campus social opportunities.

The athletics department relaunched in 2016 giving athletes and students the opportunity to get together outside of class and build the Triton school spirit.

Residence life has been actively providing financial literacy workshops, bringing job recruiters to campus, and promoting ways for students to engage in community service.

Campus tours are also now available through the Triton Ambassador program, and a re-designed new-student orientation is on the way.

AN EVEN STRONGER ECOSYSTEM FOR STUDENT SUCCESS

The University’s efforts toward student success have been fruitful, and its momentum going forward will be driven by goals of even higher graduation and retention rates.

“A student success ecosystem of support has been institutionalized and embraced by members of the University community, but we have further opportunity to strengthen this,” Enriquez said.

 

EIGHT MORE YEARS G2G takes center stage in reaccreditation

Ambitious. Progressive. Successful. These words were used by the Western Association of Schools & Colleges Senior College & University Commission (WASC-SCUC) after evaluating the University of Guam’s “Good to Great” (G2G) initiative. The sentiments were part of the WASC-SCUC April 2016 evaluation of UOG, which subsequently led to an additional eight-years of accreditation until 2024. UOG had previously earned eight years of accreditation in 2009.   “This accomplishment marks an unprecedented 16 years of continuous accreditation for UOG,” said Dr. Robert Underwood, UOG President. An evaluation by WASC-SCUC, one of six regional agencies of accreditation in the United States, assures that an institution is fulfilling its missions of service to its students and for the public good. It also establishes a school as a reputable institution.   “Reaffirmation of eight years of regional accreditation by the Commission signals UOG’s strong commitment to high-quality standards and public accountability,” said Dr. Anita Borja Enriquez, Senior Vice President of Academic & Student Affairs, who also served as the University’s Accreditation Liaison Officer. Following the Commission’s evaluation of the University, which included a three-day on-site review, it noted that it was particularly impressed with the University’s G2G initiative, calling the process “ambitious, progressive, comprehensive, and successful.”   The Commission praised the University’s “deep commitment to regional needs and the public good through education, research, and service” as well as its Board of Regents, which it characterized as “independent and engaged.” Accreditation and the University’s achievements through G2G are something the whole community can be proud of, Underwood said.   For more information and to view the WASC Senior College and University Commission action letter and report, visit www.uog.edu/accreditation or the WASC website at www.wascsenior.org.