The Fayetteville State University campus community is embracing the institution’s newer, more stringent student academic requirements. While the new standards have taken their toll on freshman enrollment, students and faculty are in support of an expectation-driven learning culture. From the Fayetteville Observer:

By ratcheting up the standards, administrators hope the four-year graduation rate will increase. Currently, about 11 percent of FSU students graduate in four years, Young said.

In the short term, more students could drop out because they can’t meet the higher standards, (Fayetteville State University Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Jon) Young said. About 75 percent of students return to FSU after freshman year, Young said.

“Having a 2.0 at the end of the freshman year does not predict whether they will be successful,” Young said. “But under a 2.0, there is very little chance that they will.”

An analysis by the provost found that about 10 percent of FSU students who have a 2.0 GPA or less will eventually receive a degree, he said.

Young said it is “immoral” to allow students who are not progressing toward a college degree to continue to take out student loans.

“How many people take out a car loan and don’t get a car? That’s what it comes down to,” Young said.

In an email interview with the Digest, Dr. Young elaborated on maintaining the university’s commitment of serving underserved populations through unique and focused programming.

“We are not compromising our commitment to serving underserved populations.  We have significantly enhanced academic support to help students meet the new standards. We have expanded Supplemental Instruction, developed a required advisement program for students below 2.0, a comprehensive early alert system, and a policy that permits students an additional semester to earn a C or better in a class IF they complete a structured academic support program.”

“Moreover, we have a summer bridge program that serves approximately 150 students each summer. These are students who do not meet our admissions standards, but through rigorous instruction and academic support in the summer enhance their preparation for college academic demands, including the new standards.  We provide ongoing assistance to the summer bridge students throughout their academic career. The program, CHEER (Creating Higher Expectations for Educational Readiness), will be awarded a Retention Award this month at the Noel-Levitz conference because students in CHEER do as well or better than non-CHEER participants.”

Dr. Young said that alumni in executive positions with university have expressed favor for the program, and while the student body is largely receptive to the changes, there is no standard on what ancillary effects higher standards could create for the campus community.

“We believe that the higher academic expectations will have a positive impact on overall campus culture, though we do not have any empirical evidence to support it yet.”

Dr. Young will present a case study on the FSU program at the Association of American State Colleges and Universities  on July 30, 2010 in Chicago.

  Copyright secured by Digiprove © 2010 HBCUDigest.com