Mapping for Success

With a plan and the help of the faculty, Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, Dr. Jon Young, intends to improve retention rates and increase graduation expectancy. The student body of FSU can expect change this year and for years to come. Young has watched the campus grow immensely over his 29 years of dedication here at Fayetteville State University, but this year Dr. Young felt change was essential. With only 2,000 students in attendance when he first began working for the university, Dr Young said, "The school now has over 6,000 students. So much has changed since then; enrollment; and our programs have become more comprehensive. The university has also become much more engaged with community and organizations."

In a recent meeting with the faculty, Dr. Young proposed the outline for modification. "There are two things we have to focus on: admission and progression. It's all about what you have to do to get in and what you do to stay in," said Young. Dr. Young went on to say, "by raising the standards, we will be making steps to see to it that students are likely to a get a degree." Dr. Young also said the faculty will provide even more academic support and availability, making sure support is sufficient. "We've recognized that students that attend programs like CHEER have a head start and are more likely to graduate on time. With the new action, we are promoting being successful early. The university will now start to take a closer look at SAT scores and High School GPA's," said Young. Students who wish to attend FSU in the future should expect the university to become stricter on deadlines, as Dr. Young explains, "students that apply late aren't as successful. Students that admit after August first risk a drop out variable."

Not only will admission be monitored closely, so will the progression of continuing students. Prior to the Fall of 2009, students who earned 1-30 hours were considered in satisfactory standing with a 1.5 GPA; students with 30-59 hours were safe with a GPA of 1.8; students with 60+ hours were deemed satisfactory with a 2.0 GPA. That has all changed. In his presentation Dr. Young said, "first time freshman who finish their first year with a GPA below 2.0 are very unlikely to earn a degree; the likelihood decreases further if they do not earn a 2.0 by the third semester. With the revised standards, freshmen will have two semesters to earn a 2.0 (previously 1.5); the appeal provides students an opportunity to enroll for a third semester."

Other findings have further led Dr. Young to believe students with too many 'W' grades, risk the chance for a delayed graduation or no graduation at all. "Excessive 'W's are major causes of students failing to earn degrees," said the Vice Chancellor. Currently, students are limited to five withdraws during their entirety at FSU. Dr. Young said, "Raised standards, mean improved performance." As of fall 2009 , 73.8% of students were in the ABC grade percentile. In addition, 2.0% of students fell into the category of 'W' grades. This change has been recorded as the best over the past three years. Junior, Sociology major, Sonya Worthington feels the new withdraw method is a good thing. "It will make students choose their classes wisely. The more classes they withdraw from, the greater the chance they have of not graduating," said Worthington.

The new-fangled adjustments aren't scare tactics for first time freshmen or continuing students; instead Dr. Young feels they're a means to a successful ending. "I hate to see students not do well, and succumb to dropping out. A lot of students take out loans for tuition; dropping out and still being faced with the repayment of loans, makes it harder without a degree. Although loans will still have to be repaid after graduation, earning a degree and seeking a career cushions the payment and gives graduates assurance," said the Vice Chancellor.

Dr. Young wants new and current students to know, "we aren't just going to enroll students to help our budget; we are enrolling students to be successful. We want to make sure that students we admit and we allow to continue to enroll have a good chance of earning a degree.