Dear Colleagues:
I want to send everyone off to Spring Break with some very positive news. As many of you know, ACAD 1100 has undergone some changes over the past couple of years in hopes of improving student outcomes. We now have evidence that these changes are resulting in measurable impacts. Congratulations and thanks to our ACAD instructors for enthusiastically embracing change—you are making a difference!
First-Time Freshmen
|
Metrics |
Fall 2012 |
Fall 2013 |
| Average ACT Score |
20.71 |
20.68 |
| Average HS GPA |
3.21 |
3.20 |
| 1st Semester GPA |
2.60 |
2.65 |
| Earned Hours |
12.83 |
13.10 |
| Dean’s List |
20% |
22% |
| Fall-to-spring retain |
89% |
91% |
The table above shows an increase in every retention factor we assess…and that’s not even the best news. Let’s take a look at Fall 2013 numbers. When we look at students who took ACAD versus those who didn’t, we can see that the ACAD group fares better than the non-ACAD group in EVERY variable we assess, with some of these being significantly better!
First-Time Freshman, Fall 2013
|
Metrics |
ACAD1100 |
non-ACAD 1100 |
| 1st Semester GPA |
2.65 |
2.53 |
| Earned Hours |
13.10 |
12.27 |
| Dean’s List |
22% |
20% |
| Fall to Spring Retention |
91% |
89% |
When we look at Honors students who took ACAD versus Honors students who chose not to take ACAD 1100, we see that the ACAD students had stronger outcomes than the non-ACAD students.
First-Time Freshman Honors Students, Fall 2013
|
Metrics |
ACAD1100 |
non-ACAD 1100 |
| 1st Semester GPA |
3.48 |
3.23 |
| Earned Hours |
16.33 |
15.26 |
| Dean’s List |
65% |
48% |
| Fall to Spring Retention |
98% |
95% |
These numbers clearly show that we are on the right track with ACAD and that we have some incredible instructors who are making a real impact on students’ lives. Thank you!
Enjoy Spring Break and don’t forget to cheer for the Tigers at the conference tournament!
M. David Rudd, Provost