Assessment Projects - Multicultural Student Center

STAR Retention and Graduation Study
Staff will update the existing STAR retention study in order to determine if the STAR program continues to have a dramatic and positive impact on retention, as it has in the past. This year staff will also compile graduation rates for STAR students. Conducting analysis of both retention and graduation by ethnicity and gender, staff will identify populations experiencing particular success or attrition. With this information, the STAR program will be strengthen identified areas to better serve students.

STAR Peer Advisor Report
Additionally, staff will examine the STAR peer advisor program to better understand the impact of peer advising upon student retention. The relationship between peer advisor visits, GPA, and retention will be investigated. Results will be used to reinforce successful program components, make changes in weak areas, and generally increase the effectiveness of peer advisors as they work to assist STAR students in succeeding academically and progressing toward graduation.

STAR Majors and Retention
Also, reports on the majors chosen by STAR students will be compiled. This information will be useful in expanding academic funding partnerships (some of these already exist). Specifically, if there are high concentrations of STAR students within particular majors, STAR staff will pursue partnerships with academic departments that offer these particular majors.

STAR Focus Group
Finally, on November 20 a focus group of 20 STAR students from the summer of 2003 will be conducted. The students were selected in order to have a diverse group, including high, average, and low academic performance at the end of mid-terms. The group will also have gender, ethnicity, and socioeconomic diversity. At the start of the session, students will answer a qualitative questionnaire. Each question will be discussed during the session, but not every student will be able to answer verbally due to time restrictions. At the end of the session, all questionnaires will be collected. A content analysis will be done to determine students’ perceptions of STAR particularly how prepared they felt to handle their first semester. Results will be used refine the STAR program.