Student Success Update
The College-wide student success team has been pursuing several initiatives aimed at better management of enrollments while improving outcomes for our students. Our undergraduate headcount is now growing at a slower pace than in years past, and we are doing a better job of yielding students at the top end of the applicant pool. Several of our most important metrics are improving, slowly but surely, including our six-year graduation rate.
New Math-Placement Process
We know that many very good high school students discover that they are not quite prepared for university math and science. Over the past 18 months, we have instituted a new math-placement process aimed at improving pass rates in Calculus I, a course highly predictive of success or failure in earning NSM degrees. The results are promising:
- Compared to Fall 2017, about 400 more first-term freshmen started their careers with us in Pre-calculus.
- Compared to Fall 2017, about 200 fewer first-term freshmen started their careers with us in Calculus I.
- The proportion of students who dropped Calculus I with a W decreased by 76% compared to Fall 2017, while the proportion of students who completed the course with grades of D or F decreased by nearly 50%.
- Grade performance in Pre-calculus in Fall 2018 term also improved.
We’ve seen a lower proportion of freshmen on Academic Warning in the spring term compared to the last five spring terms, and higher fall to spring retention for the cohort. These improvements are likely attributable, at least in part, to better math placement.
The Department of Mathematics, the team from UH Admissions, advising offices all over campus, the STEM Center, and CASA all made significant contributions to this effort.
Creating a Stronger Community for Students
The Student Success team has also invested significant effort in creating a stronger community for NSM students. Examples are the annual NSM Block party, the NSMeet recruiting event, Friday kickball games outside SR1 and SEC, and The Last Stand talk series, where faculty and alums are invited by students to present answers to the question: If you had only one chance to tell the world something important, what would you say? If you’d like to present in the fall 2019 series, contact Hannah Ford at hrford@central.uh.edu.
NSM Hosting SACNAS Chapter
NSM now hosts a chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), a national organization that fosters diversity of all kinds in science. The UH chapter is focused on assisting undergraduate and graduate students with opportunities and funding for mentored research, as well as career development. The group is working to submit research and travel-grant proposals for about two dozen students to attend the SACNAS annual Diversity in STEM Conference in the fall. Please think of these enthusiastic and committed students as you write the Broader Impacts sections of your grants.