Morgan State University

Morgan State University Office of Residence Life Academic Enrichment Program (AEP) Scholars Group : Academic Success for Students At-Risk Written by Khadijah Ali-Coleman Data Compiled by Rhonda Auguste & Khadijah Ali-Coleman Presented by Susan O’Hara, Rhonda Auguste, Emmanuel Manu and Enimini Ekong

Today Our Goals are:

To share why we began the MSU AEP Scholars Group

To share the format of the MSU AEP Scholars Group

To share the challenges when implementing the program

To share why we believe this is a successful program

To share how to get started developing and implementing this program on your campus

First, Let’s Learn A Little About Morgan State University

Morgan State University was founded in 1867 as the Centenary Biblical Institute by the Baltimore Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The institution's original mission was to train young men in ministry.

Morgan remained a private institution until 1939. That year, the state of Maryland purchased the school in response to a state study that determined that Maryland needed to provide more opportunities for its black citizens.

Until the mid-1960s, when the state's teachers colleges began their transition to liberal arts campuses, Morgan and the University of Maryland College Park were the only two public campuses in the state with comprehensive missions.

While Morgan is a historically black institution, it has served students of all racial and ethnic backgrounds. Its mission today is to enroll a student body that is diverse in its socioeconomic and academic status and to provide the full-range of experiences and services that permits it to successfully serve students with a wide variety of goals and needs.

Morgan awards more bachelor's degrees to African-American students than any campus in Maryland. Historically, the University has ranked among the top public campuses nationally in the number of black graduates receiving doctorates.

In the Fall 2006, 5955 students were enrolled as undergraduates at Morgan State University. Eighty percent of these students were 25 years-old or younger.

2, 036 of these students lived in the residence halls on campus

More than half of those students were first-year students…

The campus collectively was experiencing, for the first time, an explosion in student enrollment which had almost doubled completely from the year before. Campus housing was overwhelmingly occupied by majority first-year students

Eventually, it was realized that traditional programming was not sufficient to meet the academic and social needs of the students living on campus

Particularly, the programming offered by the Academic Enrichment Program (AEP)

In 2006, the AEP’s Basic Services Included:

Operating computer labs in four of the six on-campus residence hall communities

Providing free drop-in tutoring services to resident students in these computer labs from 12pm-12am

Tracking resident student grades to detect low GPAs and red flags indicating academic referral

By the end of 2006, after surveying students and evaluating grades… we found that our AEP services needed to be expanded and directed to meet the needs of struggling first-year students

We had found that more than half of the young men living in our all-male freshman residence hall had earned below a 2.0 by the end of their first semester. More than 60% of that group had earned below a 1.0 grade point average.

The AEP Scholars Group Was Born…

All First-Year Students Were Mandated to Participate

Before returning for the Spring, they received a letter stating that their housing is in “jeopardy” because they did not reach the 2.0 minimum

They had to sign up for a one-on-one meeting with the Program Manager of the AEP

They had to sign up for one academic seminar a month and one personal seminar for the semester.

They also had to complete an Academic Success Plan where they developed a personal study schedule.

During these one-on-ones, students reported…

They didn’t know how to study

They barely passed high-school, so college was a big eye-opener

Their friends thought smart people were geeks/nerds/etc.

They were commuting back home to care for a parent, child or other significant relative

All Spring 2007 Participants Were Given the Opportunity to Receive Free Housing if they registered for Summer Classes

Out of the over 400 first-year students who were mandated to be in the program and participate, only 60 came to an interest meeting about learning how to stay on campus for free. Only 20 submitted the necessary request for approval authorizing to stay the summer.

Less than 1/3 of the students enrolled by Spring 2007 brought their GPAs up from their dismal Fall 2006 grades. A new plan was order.

AEP Re-Loaded

Data Collection Methods

- Academic Enrichment Program Academic Success Plan

- Academic Enrichment Program In-Take Form

Bi-Monthly Group Sessions

Bi-Monthly Study Group Sessions

Monthly Academic and Personal Development Seminars

Resident Director Involvement

AEP Re-Loaded Components

Improved Data Collection Methods

Academic Enrichment Program Academic Success Plan:

5 Components

- Part A - Your Current Status

- Part B - Your Goals

- Part C - Developing a Study Schedule

- Part D - Identifying Safe Spaces and Resources

- Part E – Identifying Behavior Changes for the Semester

- Academic Enrichment Program In-Take Form

AEP Re-Loaded Components

Bi-Monthly Group Sessions

- Support Group for AEP Scholars

- Each group consisted of approximately 30 students

- Facilitated by Resident Director

Bi-Monthly Study Group Sessions

- Location: AEP computer/tutorial labs in various dorms

- Mandated 2 hour study period

- AEP tutors were available if needed

AEP Re-Loaded Seminars

Monthly Academic & Personal Development Seminars

*The items highlighted in orange were the preferred seminars based on survey results

Academic Development Personal Development How to Study for Math Party and Pass How to Study for Science Healthy Relationships Internship Prep It Is What and Who You Know How to Write a Research Paper Time Management Note Taking 101

New Criteria for AEP Re-Loaded

Student Grade Evaluation Process For Housing Consideration

- Grade Point Average of 2.0 or above

- 50% attendance of monthly seminars – 2 seminars

- 70% attendance of study hall sessions – 5 sessions

- 50% attendance of support group facilitated by RD

Challenges to Implementing Scholars Group

Working with other departments

Communicating to students/students

Budget

Buy-In

Consequences

Challenges to Implementing AEP Scholars Group

Communication between student and staff

Telephone calls Emails Snail mail Word of Mouth

The Data Says That…

AEP Scholars Fall 2007 – 121 students

AEP Scholars Fall 2007 – 121 students AEP Scholars Spring 2008 -188 students Cum. GPA 2.0 & above 15% Term GPA 2.0 & above 20% Did not meet program’s criteria 65% AEP Scholars Spring 2008 -188 students Cum. GPA 2.0 & above 19% Term GPA 2.0 & above 31% Did not meet program’s criteria 49% Given the opportunity to appeal housing decision Given the opportunity to appeal housing decision

But There Were Successes…

More students equipped to navigate the campus– higher numbers of students reporting to their advisors than in past years

More students establishing academic-based relationships (relationships that support their academic ambitions)

More students aware of services at their disposal

Students requesting to be a part of the AEP Scholars Group

More students received a 2.0 or higher overall due to consistent messaging to the entire residence community regarding the AEP Scholars Group

The Data Says That… Cum. GPA 2.0 & above 15% Term GPA 2.0 & above 20% AEP Scholars Spring 2008 Did not appeal decision 19% Appealed decision 46% Represents the 65% of students who did not meet the program’s criteria As a result of GPA and/or program participation these students automatically received housing accommodations for Fall 2008

Questions & Answers