Lourdes University

Academy for Persistence and Completion

Lourdes is grounded in the Franciscan values of community, learning, reverence and service and is known for its quality academic programs and the personalized attention afforded to students.

In fall 2016, Lourdes University enrolled:

  • 1,429 students
  • 79% were undergraduates
  • 64% undergraduate were female
  • Average undergraduate age was 24
  • 26% came from minority populations for undergraduates
  • 212 new first time/ full time traditional age students

1. Premises

Focusing on Student Success

  • Researching our Completer Population
  • Fostering Campus Collaboration

Empowering departments to envision and implement their own persistence initiatives

 

2. Development

First year: Campus focus group selected 4 topics; Campus provided feedback to finalize choice.

  • BEGINNING MARCH 2014: Campus representatives attended Academy Information and Planning Workshop.
  • Academy Mentor visited campus, providing focus and data guidance. Refocused project on 3 groups of students: First Time/Full Time, At-Risk, Advanced.
  • The Institutional Planning and Retention Offices reviewed data sets on these populations with each incoming class. Academy team members met weekly for analysis of findings.
  • Team held first workshops with stakeholders to share findings from Academy round table discussions and emphasize campus agency in devising and implementing department persistence strategies.
  • Quality Initiative Director shared campus report and initiative reporting system.
  • Faculty assumed academic advising roles with accountability for first to second-year persistence. Retention Director encouraged greater participation in Early Warning System by improving communication.

BEGINNING JANUARY 2015: AVP of Institutional Planning re-engaged faculty and staff with new data.

Team members presented project progress at HLC Conference Academy session and reviewed data analytics with Mentor.

Team identified the characteristics of our most recent completers through updated databook.

The Dean of Arts and Sciences and the AVP for Institutional Planning presented project efforts at the Assessment Institute at IUPUI.

 

3. Year One Results

CHALLENGES:

  • Staying on task with our ambitious project
  • Building in stronger accountability
  • Not always clear what Academy assignments are

SUCCESSES:

  • Fall 15 to Fall 16: 8% increase
  • Fall 14 to Fall 15: 4% increase
  • 67 Department Strategies implemented
  • Clear growth in awareness of Persistence

 

4. Promising Strategy Highlights

  • ACT/SAT and HS GPA applied to admission criteria; Number of students needing developmental courses reduced
  • ARCHES summer developmental bridge program created
  • Probation policy revised
  • Website rebuilt; Parent newsletter unveiled
  • Athletic camps started
  • S2F (Start to Finish) launched for Pre-Nursing Learning Community
  • Faculty advising model adopted
  • Dean’s Scholars/Honors programs inaugurated

Fall to Spring Cohort Retention

STUDENT COHORT DESCRIPTION RETENTION PERIOD
(Sequential)		 RETENTION RATE
(Sequential)
First time/Full time Fall 2015 Cohort Fall 2015 to Spring 2016 90.54%
First time/Full time Fall 2014 Cohort Fall 2014 to Spring 2015 88.74%
First time/Full time Fall 2013 Cohort Fall 2013 to Spring 2014 85.65%

 

Sub Cohort Initiatives

STUDENT COHORT DESCRIPTION RETENTION PERIOD
(Sequential)		 RETENTION RATE
(Sequential)
ARCHES Program 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 77.78%
Learning Community Nursing 1516 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 84.62%
Dean’s Scholar College of Arts & Science Fall 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 64.71%
Dean’s Scholar College of Business and Leadership Fall 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 85.71%
Dean’s Scholar College of Nursing Fall 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 100.00%
Honors Fall 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 90.91%
Right to Know 2015 Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 71.62%

 

Fall to Fall Cohort Retention

STUDENT COHORT DESCRIPTION RETENTION PERIOD
(Like)		 RETENTION RATE
(Like)
First time/Full time Fall 2013 Cohort Fall 2013 to Fall 2014 59.33%
First time/Full time Fall 2014 Cohort Fall 2014 to Fall 2015 63.58%
First time/Full time Fall 2015 Cohort Fall 2015 to Fall 2016 71.62%