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FORWARD!

A Quality Enhancement Plan

for

Integrated Advising

at Centenary College of Louisiana

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Integrated Advising QEP

Centenary’s Integrated Advising QEP

employs a networked, proactive advising

model with a case management

approach to assist underprepared,

prepared, and high-achieving under-

graduate students to be successful in

their first year of college.

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Input & Development Timeline

Spring 2015 – Spring 2016: Data Collection and Solicitation of Ideas

Fall 2016 – Spring 2017: Strategic Planning

Fall 2017 – Spring 2018: Data-Driven Topic Selection

Fall 2018 – Present: Program Development

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• A review of student learning outcomes, retention, and graduation

rates, as part of regular reporting to the Board of Trustees in

Academic Year 2014-2015 indicated room for improvement in the

area of advising.

• Conversations began in earnest in the summer of 2015 and a new

advising program was named a key goal by the Provost Council and

approved for inclusion in the annual Program Plan.

• QEP Topic Ideas were solicited from faculty, staff, and students.

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Data Collection and Solicitation of IdeasSpring 2015 – Spring 2016

Planning Process

The QEP is derived

from an institution’s

ongoing comprehensive

planning and evaluation

processes.

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Strategic PlanningFall 2016 – Spring 2017

• President Holoman initiated a campus-wide strategic planning

process. The standing Planning Committee was augmented with an

ad hoc group of additional constituency representatives, and this

joint task force developed a new strategic plan.

• The strategic plan “Forward!” was introduced in late spring of 2017,

and included “Integrated Advising” as a key initiative.

Committed to Student Success

The QEP reflects and affirms a commitment

to enhance overall institutional quality and

effectiveness by focusing on an issue the

institution considers important to improving

student learning outcomes and/or student

success.

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Data-Driven Topic SelectionFall 2017 – Spring 2018

• Retention and advising consultant Dr. Charles Schroeder visited

campus and conducted an audit of the College’s retention factors

and advising ecosystem in the fall of 2017.

• Dr. Schroeder’s report was shared with faculty, administration,

Trustees, and the QEP Topic Selection Committee.

• A successful pilot study was conducted during the spring of 2018.

• “Integrated Advising” was proposed and adopted as the next

QEP topic.

QEP Topic Selection Committee

Member Position

Dr. Amy Hammond Associate Professor of Psychology (Social Sciences)

Dr. Joshua Lawrence Associate Professor of Chemistry (Natural Sciences)

Dr. Steve Shelburne Professor of English (Humanities)

Mr. Harrison Folse Student Representative

Mr. Patrick Cole Alumni Representative

Dr. Edward Ragan Assistant Provost for Student Support

Dr. Karen Soul Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

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Broad-Based

Involvement and Support

Centenary College ensured input from all

relevant institutional constituencies in the topic

selection and development of the Quality

Enhancement Plan and is ensuring continued

involvement during the implementation phase.

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QEP Steering CommitteeMember Position

Mr. Harrison Folse Student Representative

Mr. Mark Miller Dean of Students

Dr. Becki Murphy Associate Professor of Biology

Mr. David Orr Assistant Director of Athletics

Ms. Kate Pedrotty Senior Director of Marketing & Communication

Dr. Edward Ragan Assistant Provost for Student Support

Dr. Karen Soul Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Mr. Chris Stevens Student Representative

Dr. Jenifer Ward Provost and Dean of the College

Dr. Cory Wikan Assistant Professor of Music

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• The QEP Steering Committee met weekly and formed

subcommittees to address specific topics.

• Additional input was requested from faculty, staff, and students.

• Forward! was selected as the name of our new QEP in a campus-

wide vote.

Program DevelopmentFall 2018 - Present

Focus on Student Success

Centenary College’s

Quality Enhancement Plan

promotes student success

through the implementation

of a comprehensive

integrated advising

program.

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Integrated Advising

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1. Predict who is likely to face challenges before they ever set foot on

campus rather than waiting until someone is already in trouble to get

them extra support.

2. Customize our approach to individual student needs instead of a

"one-size fits all" approach.

3. Integrate the advising process as faculty and staff communicate and

work together as a team to support students, developing strategic and

targeted interventions as needed.

4. Assess students on an ongoing basis, readjusting

support category assignments as appropriate.

Integrated Advising Process

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Pre-College

Assessment

(Quantitative and

Qualitative Input,

Predictive

Modeling)

Assignment to

Support

Category

Individualized

Support

Institutional

Support

Institutional

Access

Individual

Needs

Assessment

Referral to

Student

Support

Team

Access to All

Current

Services

Creation of

Student-Centered

Team

Strategic

Targeted

Support,

Intervention,

Assessment

Strategic Targeted

Support,

Intervention,

Assessment, &

Tracking

Ongoing Evaluation

(New Quantitative &

Qualitative Data

used to Reassess

Risk/Challenge)

Support Matrix

*Standard – Support is provided through existing organizational structures and/or services that are available to all students.

*Custom – The support team and/or support plan and interventions are individualized to meet the needs of that student.

Support Team Support Plan

Individualized Support Custom Custom

Institutional Support Standard Custom

Institutional Access Standard Standard

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Pilot Study Case Summaries

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Pilot Study Case Summaries

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Pilot Study Case Summaries

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Pilot Study Case Summaries

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Pilot Study Case Summaries

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QEP Goal

To promote student

success among

first-year students.

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Student Success Outcomes

1. Increase the percentage of students who

persist until their second year at Centenary.

2. Improve first year student GPA.

3. Increase first year student engagement.

4. Increase first year student self-efficacy.

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Assessment

Centenary College has

created a plan to assess

the achievement of the

Quality Enhancement

Plan goal and student

success outcomes.

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Outcome #1: Increase the percentage of

students who persist until their second year.

Measurement: Persistence Rate

The persistence rate is the percentage of students who are enrolled at Centenary as of the fall census date of the following year.

Benchmark: Ten-year average persistence rate, which is currently 74 percent.

Objective: Increase the persistence rate for first year students to 76 percent.

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Outcome #2: Improve first year student GPA.

Measurement: Grade Point Average (GPA)

The Grade Point Average is the student cumulative GPA at the

end of the first year.

Benchmark: The ten-year historical average GPA for first

year students at the end of the first year is 2.85.

Objective: Raise the average first-year cumulative GPA to

3.0.

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Outcome #3: Increase first year student

engagement.

Measurement: Student Engagement (NSSE)

Student engagement is a measure of the time and effort students

put into educationally purposeful activities during college.

Benchmark: The average benchmark scores for first year students

from the past three NSSE implementations (2014, 2016, and 2017).

Objective: Increase the average benchmark scores for first year

students.

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Outcome #4: Increase student self-efficacy.

Measurement: Self-Efficacy (Survey)

Efficacy is a person’s view of their own ability to achieve desired

goals. Efficacy will be measured at the beginning and near the

end of students’ first year using a self-efficacy survey.

Benchmark: Scores established by pre-test given early in

each fall semester.

Objective: Increase efficacy scores over the course of the

first year of college.

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Five-Year Program Assessment Plan

Phase 1

TESTPhase 2

REFINEPhase 3

SYNTHESIZE

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Program-level Assessment Plan (years 1-2)

Test – Quantitative Focus

• Measure student success outcomes.

• Compare to predicted outcomes and control

group.

• Update predictive model and processes based

on data collected.

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Program-level Assessment Plan (years 2-4)

Refine – Qualitative Focus

• Analyze the efficacy of our interventions and

support services to determine which are most

effective and why they work.

• Share information and provide training for faculty

and staff to incorporate best practices.

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Program-level Assessment Plan (years 4-5)

Synthesize – Quantitative Focus

• Determine whether program changes impacted

outcomes.

• Compare to outcome benchmarks.

• Assess the overall success of the program.

• Develop a plan for subsequent years.

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Resources

Centenary College has

committed resources to

initiate, implement, and

complete the Quality

Enhancement Plan.

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Budget Overview

• The institutional commitment of funds includes:▪ Three Personnel Positions

➢ Director of Integrated Advising

➢ Administrative Coordinator for Counseling and Disability Services and Integrated Advising

➢ Assistant Provost for Student Support

▪ Professional Development

▪ External Assessment Instruments

▪ Operating Budget

▪ Educational Materials

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Budget DetailItem

Personnel Positions

• 100% of the salary and benefits for the Director of Integrated Advising

• 33% of the salary and benefits for the Administrative Coordinator for Counseling

and Disability Services and Integrated Advising

• 25% of the salary and benefits for the Assistant Provost for Student Support

External Assessment Instruments: NSSE, self-efficacy instrument

Operating Budget

• Office supplies

• Printing and copying

• Miscellaneous

Educational Materials and Activities

Professional Development

• Faculty/Staff Development

• Webinars

• Conferences

• Memberships in Professional Organizations

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Organizational Structure

Provost and Dean of the College

Academic Affairs

Vice Provost for Academic Affairs

Assistant Provost for Student Support

Student Development

Dean of Students

Director of Integrated Advising

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Integrated Advising

• Related to institutional planning and vision

• Driven by data

• Focused on student success

• Engaged all relevant constituencies

• Supported by College resources

• Planned assessment to facilitate ongoing

improvement

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