This document summarizes a presentation given at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation Selection Summit in 2015 on access and success at Stellenbosch University. It discusses:
1) Factors that affect student access and success such as articulation gaps, lack of information, and under-preparedness.
2) Participation and throughput rates which show disparities along racial lines.
3) Initiatives to increase the application pool and support first-year students through guidance, monitoring, and academic support programs.
4) The role of the First-Year Academy and coordinator in facilitating student transition and success through communication, orientation, monitoring progress, and collaborating with other divisions.
1. Allan Gray Orbis Foundation: Selection Summit 2015
29 September 2015
Access with Success: the case
of Stellenbosch University
2. Presenters
Dr Celeste Nel
Deputy Director and head: Admissions and Residence Placement
Prospective Student Services
Visiting head: Equité Private Student Organisation
Dr Natasja Brown
Coordinator: Academic and Student Support
Faculty of AgriSciences
Residence head: Nemesia residence
3. Access and success
Access is not simply providing a place for a student to study,
but allows students to participate fully and effective in higher
education.
Equally, success is not merely about graduating from an
academic programme, but also relates to the quality of the
programmes, and the teaching of those programmes, the kind of
skills and attributes with which students leave university,
including their preparedness for the world of work and their
ability to enter employment as successful graduates
Lewin and Mawoyo, 2014
5. Articulation gap
The disparity between the learning requirements of higher education programmes
and the knowledge and competencies of students entering universities
Lack of /
access
information
and career
guidance
Trends in
International
Mathematics
and Science
Study
(TIMMS)
National
Benchmark
Test (NBT)
Central
Application
System (CAS)
Under-
preparedness,
school
background,
first
generation
status
Race and
disadvantage
(Admission
policy)
6. Participation rates (Access)
Participation in higher education enrolment expressed as a percentage of the 20 – 24
year-old national population group
14%
15%
46%
57%
African
Coloured
Indian
White
7. Throughput (Success)
50%
38%
12% Students who graduated
after 5 years (excluding
UNISA)
Students who have left
the institution without
completing
Students who are still in
the system
2000
DoE, 2005; Scott et al, 2007; CHE, 2010
13. Subject choice
guidance
Parent evenings
Career exhibition
Study skills
workshops
Career counselling
Careers@Maties
Open day
Schools visits
Career exhibitions
Information
evenings
Faculty outreaches
Campus visits
Career counselling
School visits
Career exhibitions
Campus visits
Social media
Web
CRM
Information
evenings
Information
evenings
Faculty visits
Social media
CRM
Recruitment
bursary project
Parent evening
Personal follow up
Campus visits
Residence
placement
First generation
camp
Personal follow up
when matric results
become available
Making
contact
(Grade 9
and 10)
Preparation
(Grade 11)
Initiating
relationship
(Applicants)
Increasing the
application
pool
(Grade 12)
Nurturing and
supporting
(Enrolment
target)
Registration
Recruiting for excellence and diversity
14. Enrolment funnel
Information & Advice
Study Career Assessment
Identify & recruit
Apply & Admit
Enrolment Targets
Residence
Placements
Financial
Aid
Registration
15. Role of the First-Year Academy
- Address first years’ success
- Effective communication with prospective students
- Transition from school to university
- Regular monitoring of students’ progress
- Support to lecturers, students and other role-players
17. Role of the ASS Coordinator (AgriSciences)
- Communication with prospective students
- @AgriMaties programme
- Academic orientation
- Transition period
- Monitoring of students’ progress
- Training of mentors and tutors
- Teaching and Learning Coordination Points
- Support to lecturers, students and other role-players
- Collaboration with other support divisions
18. Communication with prospective students
FACULTIES ResEd PROGRAMME
- Letters / emails
- Sms
- @AgriMaties programme
- Letters / emails
- Sms
19. 1st Years Arrive
FACULTIES ResEd PROGRAMME
Welcoming programme
Introduction to role-players
Transition into academic environment
20. During academic year
FACULTIES ResEd PROGRAMME
- Groups arranged according to clusters
- Academic monitoring (EA & June)
- Individual conversations
- Support programmes
- Informal study groups
- Wellness monitoring
- Group & individual conversations
- Support programmes
21. Challenges & Opportunities
- Inadequate preparation for university
- Student engagement
- Language
- Residence vs commuting students
- Academic expectations
1) TIMMS: South Africa performs far worse than other African countries; massive difference in former privileged white schools and disadvantage former African schools
UNISA included: 30% graduation; 56% non complete; 14% still in system
Black completion rate is less than half the white completion rate
Similar patterns in 2006 cohort analysis done by Council on HE
