Senate
focuses on graduation
By Tina Page
On-line Forty-Niner
A
low graduation rate was one focus of the
Academic Senate’s Thursday meeting. There
was little disagreement between senate members
that graduation rates could be improved.
The Senate Committee on Retention and Graduation
Rates reported that 12.2 percent of freshman
enrolled last year did not return this fall
and that, through the years, 20 percent
of transfer students do not graduate.
Despite a small drop in the average time
to graduation, from 6.3 years for first-time
freshmen graduating in 1996-1997 to 5.96
years for those graduating in 2000-2001,
the committee acknowledges that the graduation
rate is not where it should be.
“There are some things we don’t have in
place here yet that are proven to be successful
in retaining students through graduation,”
Associate Vice President and Dean of Students
Michael Hostetler said at Thursday’s meeting.
The committee has identified several target
areas that are in need of improvement, including
the need to find better ways to recognize
at-risk students, the need to pay more attention
to transfer students and the need for major
advising for sophomores.
“We need to find better ways to identify
at-risk students, to track their progress,
and to intervene where needed,” the committee
reported.
The committee said it believes that early
intervention is the key.
It proposed a two-part intervention program
to help students make a successful transition
to college, though it would also require
additional resources.
The first part of the program would provide
a systematic way for faculty to report on
students who are showing early signs of
academic difficulty. The second part is
to design a follow-up program and to assign
responsibility for contacting these students
to assist them.
The committee’s report also admitted that
“Even though about half of our students
(even more in past years) enter as transfers,
little attention has been paid to transfer
students in general.”
The most prominent problem for sophomores
is assistance in the choice of a major.
The committee agreed that students may or
may not be able to get the help they seek.
Not all major advisers will work with lower
division students.
The committee’s recommendations to remedy
these problems are to examine advising practices,
establish an early warning system for at-risk
students and to conduct research to identify
factors at Cal State Long Beach that affect
retention.
In other news, the Senate heard the first
reading for several other proposals including:
•
The departmentalization of women’s studies.
•
A name change: Intensive Learning Experience
Program to Pre-Baccalaureate.
•
Advising and Support Services.
•
Implementation of a bachelor’s in Asian
American studies.
•
Implementation of an master’s in education
with an option in school librarianship.
•
Implementation of an master’s in education
with an option in educational technology.
•
Fast Track implementation of an master’s
in science in Emergency Services Administration.
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