NASS First Year Retention Study: Executive Summary

Major Findings

1.) No Duplication
In terms of working with both first time full time (FTFT) and first time part time (FTPT) students, NASS successfully collaborates with SSS so that services are not duplicated. Native students may also self-select NASS over SSS. Both of these actions result in the avoidance of wasting university resources and less student frustration related to navigating through multiple offices offering similar support.

2.) On-Campus Residency = Persistence And On-Campus Residency = Attrition
Although living on-campus is often positively linked to retention, most FTFT and FTPT NASS students live on-campus regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year. Thus, living on-campus for this population does not appear to be highly linked to retention, or for that matter to non-persistence. (It is important to note that due to the fact that so few individuals in these populations live off-campus, it’s hard to assess the positive or negative impact of living on-campus versus not doing so.)

3.) Academic Preparedness Matters for Full Timers
FTFT NASS students, regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year, are less academically prepared (as evidenced by ACT scores) than the overall NAU population. However, FTFT NASS students who persist are slightly more prepared (higher ACT and less often conditionally admitted) than those who do not persist.

4.) ACT Scores Alone ≠ Part Timers’ Persistence or Attrition
In terms of academics, NASS’s first time part timers are less prepared than their full timers. However, while academic preparedness (as evidenced by ACT scores) differs for full time persisters and non-persisters, it does not differ for part time persisters and non-persisters. Thus for part timers, ACT scores alone do not predict retention.

5.) Tutoring Matters for All New Freshmen
For new freshmen students (both part timers and full timers) served by NASS, receiving tutoring seems to contribute to persistence. This is particularly true for part timers, as part timers who persist to their second year at NAU are four times more likely than non-persisters to have been tutored at a Learning Assistance Center.

6.) Conditional Admittance, Placement, and Persistence: Connected?
In contrast to FTFT NASS students, a conditional admittance seems to be positively related to retention for FTPT NASS students. One potential explanation is that these part time students who are conditionally admitted are more successful because they take remedial coursework that more closely aligns with their academic ability. This idea seems particularly plausible and worthy of further investigation because both FTPT persisters and non-persisters enter the university with equal academic ability (as evidenced by equal ACT scores).

(Please see the following sections for data that supports these findings
as well as additional facts regarding Native American students at NAU.)

Basic Facts
1999-2001 Fall Native American Student Cohorts

· NASS serves approximately 500 students each year.
· 27% (135) of these students are new to NAU each year.
· New includes first time freshmen and transfer students.
· NAU has 250 new Native American students each year.
· NASS serves over 50% (135/250) each year.

· Each year, the groups that make up the majority of new Native American students who NASS serves are:
      o First time full time freshmen (FTFT)
         67% or 60 of NAU’s 90 FTFT Native students are served by NASS

      o First time part time freshmen (FTPT)
        77% or 30 of NAU’s 40 FTPT Native students are served by NASS

1999-2001 First Time Full Time Cohorts: NASS v. Non-NASS Students
· FTFT NASS students have a similar first year retention rate to Native students not served by NASS:
      o NASS students’ first year rate = 59%
      o Non-NASS students’ first year rate = 60%

· FTPT NASS students have much higher first year retention rates than Native students     who do not use NASS services
      o NASS students’ first year rate = 60%
      o Non-NASS students’ first year rate = 32%
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Comparisons of Persisters and Non-Persisters served by NASS
Data from 2001 Cohorts

First Time Full Time Students
· Similarities of FTFT NASS Students: Both persisters and non-persisters…

      o are likely to use NASS rather than Student Support Services (SSS).

CONCLUSION: NASS successfully collaborates with SSS so that services are not duplicated, thus avoiding wasted resources and student frustration from being contacted by staff members from multiple offices offering similar support.

      o are extremely likely to live on campus

CONCLUSION: Although living on-campus is positively linked to retention, most NASS students live on-campus regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year. Thus, living on-campus for this population does not appear to be highly linked to retention.
· Differences between FTFT NASS Students:
      o Persisters (20) have slightly higher ACT scores than NASS students who do not persist to their second year (18).
However, both groups have lower ACT scores than the ACT average for NAU (22).
      o Persisters are twice as likely as non-persisters to have been tutored at an LAC.
      o Non-persisters are twice as likely to have been conditionally admitted to NAU.

CONCLUSION: NASS students regardless of whether they persist to their second year or not are less academically prepared than the overall NAU population. However, students who persist are slightly more prepared (higher ACT and less often conditionally admitted) than those who do not persist. Receiving tutoring also seems to contribute to persistence.

First Time Part Time Students
· Similarities of FTPT NASS Students: Both persisters and non-persisters…
      o are likely to use NASS rather than Student Support Services (SSS).
      o are very likely to live on campus.
      o have an average ACT score of 17.

CONCLUSION: Regarding on-campus residency and duplication/collaboration, FTPT and FTFT students served by NASS are similar (see above conclusion). In terms of academics though, part timers are less prepared than full timers. However, while academic preparedness (as evidence by ACT scores) differs for full time persisters and non-persisters, it does not differ for part time persisters and non-persisters. Thus, academic preparedness at entry to the university may not contribute to part timers’ retention as much as some other factors. Please see below.

· Differences between NASS Students: Persisters are…
      o four times more likely than non-persisters to have been tutored at an LAC.
      o three times more likely than non-persisters to have been conditionally admitted to NAU.

CONCLUSION: As is similar with FTFT NASS students, tutoring at an LAC has a positive affect of the first year retention of FTPT NASS students. In contrast to FTFT NASS students, a conditional admittance seems to be connected to retention for FTPT NASS students. One explanation is that these part time students who are conditionally admitted are more successful because they take remedial coursework that matches their ability. This idea seems particularly plausible and worthy of further investigation because both FTPT persisters and non-persisters enter the university with equal academic ability (as evidenced by equal ACT scores).

Native American Student Services (NASS) First Year Retention Study of New Native American Students Executive Summary of Findings
Major Findings 1.) No Duplication In terms of working with both first time full time (FTFT) and first time part time (FTPT) students, NASS successfully collaborates with SSS so that services are not duplicated. Native students may also self-select NASS over SSS. Both of these actions result in the avoidance of wasting university resources and less student frustration related to navigating through multiple offices offering similar support. 2.) On-Campus Residency = Persistence And On-Campus Residency = Attrition Although living on-campus is often positively linked to retention, most FTFT and FTPT NASS students live on-campus regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year. Thus, living on-campus for this population does not appear to be highly linked to retention, or for that matter to non-persistence. (It is important to note that due to the fact that so few individuals in these populations live off-campus, it’s hard to assess the positive or negative impact of living on-campus versus not doing so.) 3.) Academic Preparedness Matters for Full Timers FTFT NASS students, regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year, are less academically prepared (as evidenced by ACT scores) than the overall NAU population. However, FTFT NASS students who persist are slightly more prepared (higher ACT and less often conditionally admitted) than those who do not persist. 4.) ACT Scores Alone ≠ Part Timers’ Persistence or Attrition In terms of academics, NASS’s first time part timers are less prepared than their full timers. However, while academic preparedness (as evidenced by ACT scores) differs for full time persisters and non-persisters, it does not differ for part time persisters and non-persisters. Thus for part timers, ACT scores alone do not predict retention. 5.) Tutoring Matters for All New Freshmen For new freshmen students (both part timers and full timers) served by NASS, receiving tutoring seems to contribute to persistence. This is particularly true for part timers, as part timers who persist to their second year at NAU are four times more likely than non-persisters to have been tutored at a Learning Assistance Center. 6.) Conditional Admittance, Placement, and Persistence: Connected? In contrast to FTFT NASS students, a conditional admittance seems to be positively related to retention for FTPT NASS students. One potential explanation is that these part time students who are conditionally admitted are more successful because they take remedial coursework that more closely aligns with their academic ability. This idea seems particularly plausible and worthy of further investigation because both FTPT persisters and non-persisters enter the university with equal academic ability (as evidenced by equal ACT scores). (Please see the following sections for data that supports these findings as well as additional facts regarding Native American students at NAU.) Basic Facts 1999-2001 Fall Native American Student Cohorts · NASS serves approximately 500 students each year. · 27% (135) of these students are new to NAU each year. · New includes first time freshmen and transfer students. · NAU has 250 new Native American students each year. · NASS serves over 50% (135/250) each year. · Each year, the groups that make up the majority of new Native American students who NASS serves are: o First time full time freshmen (FTFT) 67% or 60 of NAU’s 90 FTFT Native students are served by NASS o First time part time freshmen (FTPT) 77% or 30 of NAU’s 40 FTPT Native students are served by NASS 1999-2001 First Time Full Time Cohorts: NASS v. Non-NASS Students · FTFT NASS students have a similar first year retention rate to Native students not served by NASS: o NASS students’ first year rate = 59% o Non-NASS students’ first year rate = 60% · FTPT NASS students have much higher first year retention rates than Native students who do not use NASS services o NASS students’ first year rate = 60% o Non-NASS students’ first year rate = 32% __________________________________________________________________ Comparisons of Persisters and Non-Persisters served by NASS Data from 2001 Cohorts First Time Full Time Students · Similarities of FTFT NASS Students: Both persisters and non-persisters… o are likely to use NASS rather than Student Support Services (SSS). CONCLUSION: NASS successfully collaborates with SSS so that services are not duplicated, thus avoiding wasted resources and student frustration from being contacted by staff members from multiple offices offering similar support. o are extremely likely to live on campus CONCLUSION: Although living on-campus is positively linked to retention, most NASS students live on-campus regardless of whether or not they persist to their second year. Thus, living on-campus for this population does not appear to be highly linked to retention. · Differences between FTFT NASS Students: o Persisters (20) have slightly higher ACT scores than NASS students who do not persist to their second year (18). However, both groups have lower ACT scores than the ACT average for NAU (22). o Persisters are twice as likely as non-persisters to have been tutored at an LAC. o Non-persisters are twice as likely to have been conditionally admitted to NAU. CONCLUSION: NASS students regardless of whether they persist to their second year or not are less academically prepared than the overall NAU population. However, students who persist are slightly more prepared (higher ACT and less often conditionally admitted) than those who do not persist. Receiving tutoring also seems to contribute to persistence. First Time Part Time Students · Similarities of FTPT NASS Students: Both persisters and non-persisters… o are likely to use NASS rather than Student Support Services (SSS). o are very likely to live on campus. o have an average ACT score of 17. CONCLUSION: Regarding on-campus residency and duplication/collaboration, FTPT and FTFT students served by NASS are similar (see above conclusion). In terms of academics though, part timers are less prepared than full timers. However, while academic preparedness (as evidence by ACT scores) differs for full time persisters and non-persisters, it does not differ for part time persisters and non-persisters. Thus, academic preparedness at entry to the university may not contribute to part timers’ retention as much as some other factors. Please see below. · Differences between NASS Students: Persisters are… o four times more likely than non-persisters to have been tutored at an LAC. o three times more likely than non-persisters to have been conditionally admitted to NAU. CONCLUSION: As is similar with FTFT NASS students, tutoring at an LAC has a positive affect of the first year retention of FTPT NASS students. In contrast to FTFT NASS students, a conditional admittance seems to be connected to retention for FTPT NASS students. One explanation is that these part time students who are conditionally admitted are more successful because they take remedial coursework that matches their ability. This idea seems particularly plausible and worthy of further investigation because both FTPT persisters and non-persisters enter the university with equal academic ability (as evidenced by equal ACT scores).