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Wednesday Wire: November 13, 2019

  1. What can I do?

    Submitted by Carri Gerber, gerber.140@osu.edu

    Since the first meeting of the Retention Task Force (RTF) on September 19th, I realized I knew very little about retention. I mean, it’s just a number, right? Data are a scientist’s best friend, so I of course started pulling out some stats to wrap my head around retention. Ohio State ATI’s retention rate is 71.1% (2019)*, which is well above 62%**, the national average for 2-year institutions. Ohio State ATI ranks #2* as compared to the regional campuses in retention rate. So, we must retention ROCKSTARS! Well … if we look at retention from the standpoint of loss, we lost 86 students (28.9%) that started in 2018*. Eighty-six students vanishing into thin air might make us magicians, but not retention rockstars. ☹

    The million-dollar questions are: Where did they go? Why did they leave Ohio State ATI?

    The RTF is working to answer these questions. However, the data collection and analysis, institutional plan development, and campus-wide implementation will not happen overnight. Which lead me to this question:

    What can I do right now to aid in student retention?

    After a bit of Googling and database searching, a low cost, high impact strategy emerged:

    Develop a psychologically attuned academic probation letter

    A psychologically attuned probation notification letter “takes into consideration students’ experiences of these notifications in an attempt to reduce feelings of shame, stigma and guilt. This innovative approach was developed by Shannon Brady, her colleagues at Stanford University and the College Transition Collaborative in order to decrease the likelihood of students who are placed on probation from dropping out of their program.”+

    “An attuned letter directly addresses the psychological worries on students’ minds, using four Core Principles:

     1. Frame probation as a process of learning and growth—not a label

     2. Communicate that it is not uncommon to experience difficulties

     3. Acknowledge a variety of specific reasons for academic difficulty

     4. Offer hope of returning to good standing.”++

    The Mohawk college study found those students who received the psychologically attuned probation letter had a statistically significantly higher subsequent term GPA as compared to those who received the standard probation letter.+

    I plan to revise our current probation letter following Brady’s principles of “psychological attunement” for the Dec 17, 2019 academic actions with the hopes of reducing the dropout rate and increasing the subsequent term GPAs. Fingers crossed!

    Retention rates

    *https://nces.ed.gov/collegenavigator/?s=all&zc=44691&zd=0&of=3&id=204662#enrolmt

    **https://nscresearchcenter.org/snapshotreport33-first-year-persistence-and-retention/

    Approach to the academic probation letter

    +http://www.heqco.ca/SiteCollectionDocuments/Formatted_ARC_Mohawk.pdf

    ++http://collegetransitioncollaborative.org/content/sass_toolkit_researchbrief_final.pdf

    What can you to do aid in retention?? Have you heard of Nudging? Check out:

    https://www.chronicle.com/article/How-One-Email-From-You-Could/244223

  2. Staff Book Club

    Submitted by Kathy Yoder, yoder.332@osu.edu

    Read along with the book club. We will be discussing Island of Sea Women by Lisa See on January 8, Olive Kitteridge on Feb 26, My Sister the Serial Killer on April 1, and Lady in the Lake on May 13. All meetings are from noon to 1:00 in the ATI Library. Contact Kathy Yoder for more info at yoder.332@osu.edu
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  3. myWW™ is the most customized program ever

    Submitted by Cindy Shelly, shelly.12@osu.edu

    When it comes to losing weight, everyone’s needs are different. That’s why WW is now offering its most customized program ever: myWW which launches TODAY!

    On myWW™, there are three different plans for members: Green, Blue and Purple. 

    Here’s how it works:

    ●       New members will take an assessment that matches them with the plan that best aligns with their lifestyle. 

    ●       Current members are experts on the WW program, so they have the option to stay on their current plan or switch to a new one. WW Coaches are trained in all three and can help members who have any questions.

    ●       Our science-backed SmartPoints® system will remain at the core of all three plans, but each plan has a different balance of SmartPoints® Budget and ZeroPoint™ foods list. This customized approach is sure to give your members confidence that they’re on the wellness path that’s right for them. 

    ●       If a member decides that they prefer a different plan, they have the option to switch at any time.

    See the linked fact sheet about the new program and the starter kit promotion:

    New! November Starter Kit Promotion

    WW will be offering a FREE Starter Kit for all new members to redeem, that sign-up between November 11, 2019 through November 29, 2019. The FREE Starter Kit is packed with exciting tools (over $70 value) that can help members start their wellness journey!

    To receive the Starter Kit, employees must purchase a WW membership during the promotion period and redeem their kit by December 1, 2019. The sign-up and redemption steps outlined on the linked marketing flyer.

    If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me.

  4. United Way forms

    Submitted by Jane Douglas, douglas.170@osu.edu

    You should have received a United Way contribution form in your campus mailbox. Please return forms via campus mail to Jane Douglas.

  5. 2019 Study of Undergraduate Students and Information Technology

    Submitted by Subbu Kumarappan, kumarappan.1@osu.edu

    This study presents important findings from EDUCAUSE's 2019 research on students and information technology. It also provides technology and higher education leaders with recommendations for addressing students' most pressing technology support and solution needs, with the goal of enriching students' learning experiences on campus and helping to advance student success. 
        
    Read full report is available in PDF and HTML 
    https://library.educause.edu/resources/2019/10/2019-study-of-undergraduate-students-and-information-technology 

       Submitted on behalf of Teaching Committee 

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