8.1     Student Achievement [CR]

The institution identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered. The institution uses multiple measures to document student success.

Judgment

x   Compliance           o  Non-Compliance           o Partial Compliance

Narrative

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette recognizes the importance of identifying, evaluating, and publishing goals and outcomes related to student achievement. Student success is recorded and documented in a variety of formats for different metrics. The Strategic Plan 2015-2020 and the Louisiana Performance Accountability System (LAPAS) provide student success goals and specific targets. The University’s input into both Strategic Plan and LAPAS student achievement goals and targets informs ongoing assessment of achievement outcomes for the colleges and programs.

Enrollment, Retention, And Graduation

UL Lafayette publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement on its Student Success webpage (https://studentsuccess.louisiana.edu/node/570).

In its efforts to assess student achievement, the University records, examines, and publishes student achievement data for enrollment, retention, and graduation of both undergraduate and graduate students through LAPAS, the public-facing module for Louisiana Board of Regents (BOR) reporting. Student achievement measures embedded in LAPAS reports form the foundational information used to assess the extent to which students within the colleges and their programs are attaining the targets established. Targets were set through the University’s strategic planning process or to establish state-level targets. Both processes involved University personnel determining appropriate targets, thresholds, and/or benchmarks for the identified achievement measures presented below. Targets/benchmarks were generally established based on analysis of historical data and by approximating reasonable future goals that were achievable and could be disaggregated to the program level.

Enrollment

From FY2015 through FY2017, the enrollment goal was to “increase the Fall 14^th class day headcount enrollment in public postsecondary education by 3.9% from the baseline level of 16,361 in Fall 2009 to 17,000 by Fall 2018.” Through LAPAS Objective One, enrollment for the preceding academic year is reported in the following Fiscal Year. In Fall 2014, the 14^th class day headcount was 17,195 students, which surpassed the goal set to have enrollment at 17,000 students by Fall 2018. This trend would continue every year, including FY2016 with 17,508 students and FY2017 with 17,519 students. 

In FY2018, the LAPAS reporting structure changed, and the University consequently identified new goals.  The BOR changed the enrollment reporting date from the 14^th day of classes to the last day of the Fall semester preceding the Fiscal Year. For FY2018, the Fall 2017 enrollment was 17,511 students. This number of students may be lower than that reported on the 14^th class day as students may have withdrawn after the 14^th class day. In FY2018, UL Lafayette established the objective in LAPAS to “increase the Fall headcount enrollment by 1.5% from the baseline level of 17,837 in Fall 2015 to 18,105 by Fall 2020.” This goal is aligned with the Strategic Plan 2015-2020 (SI 1-KPI 1) enrollment goals. Table 8.1 – 1 shows the number of students enrolled on the 14^th class day for FY2015-FY2018.

Table 8.1 – 1:  Number of Students Enrolled on 14^th Class Day

**Enrollment was recorded at the end of Fall 2018 Semester

Retention

For FY2015, FY2016, FY2017, and FY2018, the University defined retention targets for first-time, full-time, and degree-seeking students as illustrated in the LAPAS documents above. The original objectives were based on a final year of FY2018, and the targets for FY2016-2018 remained the same: 78 percent first-to-second-year retention, and 65 percent first-to-third-year retention. In FY2018, the objectives were modified, and new targets were established. Table 8.1 – 2 shows these retention numbers.

Table 8.1 – 2: First-time in College, Full-time, Degree-seeking Students

 

FY2015, 2016, and 2017

Objective Two in LAPAS for first-to-second-year retention in FY2015-2017 was to “increase the percentage of first-time college, full-time, degree-seeking students retained to the second Fall at the same institution of initial enrollment by 2.1 percentage points from the Fall 2008 cohort (to Fall 2009) baseline level of 75.9% to 78%.” In Objective Three for FY2015-2017, the objective for first-to-third-year retention of students was to “increase the percentage of first-time in college, full-time, degree-seeking students retained to the third Fall at the same institution of initial enrollment by 2.6 percentage points from the Fall 2007 cohort (to Fall 2009) baseline level of 62.4% to 65%.” The cohorts change based on the FY being reported in LAPAS. These objectives formed the targets towards which the University worked.

FY2018

This reporting cycle is the first to have the modified objectives in LAPAS. The objective for first-to-second-year retention states, “increase the percentage of first-time in college, full-time, degree-seeking students retained to the second Fall at the same institution of initial enrollment by one percentage point from the Fall 2014 cohort (to Fall 2015) baseline level of 76% to 77%.” For first-to-third-year retention the objective states, “increase the percentage of first-time in college, full-time, degree-seeking students retained to the third Fall at the same four-year institution of initial enrollment by 0.3 percentage points from the Fall 2013 cohort (to Fall 2015) baseline level of 64.”

Graduation

FY2015-2017 graduation rates are based on an institution-level measurement of the cohort rate, while FY2018 (and subsequent) rates are based on a statewide reporting model. The BOR systemic graduation rate report is designed to track a first-time, full-time cohort of students through the first six years of Louisiana public post-secondary education, whether or not the student changed institution. 

Graduation rates for UL Lafayette were reported to LAPAS for FY2015, FY2016, FY2017, and FY2018. For FY2015-2017 the objective was to “increase the Graduation Rate (defined and reported in the National Center of Education Statistics Graduation Rate Survey) baseline year rate (Fall 2002 cohort) of 40.18% to 50% by 2018-19 (Fall 2011 cohort).” For FY2018, the objective was to “increase the institutional statewide graduation rate (defined as a student completing an award within 150% of ‘normal time’) from the baseline rate (Fall 2008 cohort for all institutions) of 54% to 54.5% by AY2019-2020 (fall 2013 cohort).” The graduation rates were as follows: FY2015, 45% graduation rate for the 2007 cohort; FY2016, 48.4% graduation rate for 2008 cohort; FY2017, 45.4% graduation rate for 2009 cohort; and FY2018, 50.73% graduation rate for 2011 cohort. The 2011 cohort was used to calculate FY2018 rates according to instructions from the BOR for graduation rate calculations based on their new tracking methodology, which takes into account all students who have completed a credential at any state public institution.  

Doctoral Degrees

The Strategic Plan 2015-2020 goal of increasing the number of doctoral degrees awarded to students by 10 has been met during each academic year. These numbers are represented in Table 8.1 – 3.

Table 8.1 – 3: Doctoral Completer Goals and Results 2015-2019

 

Placement

According to the Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey Report (2017-2018), 74.1% of respondents indicated their post-graduation plan to be employed full-time or part-time immediately after graduation, while 22.3% planned to attend graduate or professional school full-time or part-time. The remaining respondents (3.6%) indicated an intention to either pursue additional coursework, serve in the military, start or raise a family, or volunteer. Additionally, several academic programs administered exit surveys to their graduating seniors:    

·         ITEC Graduate Survey Data

·         Accounting Graduate Survey Data

·         Nursing Graduate Survey Data

Licensure And Accreditation

As mandated by licensing boards, students complete licensure examinations in the following disciplines: Accounting, Architecture, Athletic Training, Curriculum and Instruction, Dietetics (now discontinued), Health Information Management, Nursing, and Speech Language Pathology. The University expects that students completing licensure examinations for their disciplines will meet or exceed the national average pass rate.

The BOR is the official reporting entity for program accreditation information, designating different accreditations as “mandated, recommended, optional, or not applicable.” The University has a total of 115 approved academic programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Of the Bachelor-level programs/options eligible for professional accreditation, 34 of 35 programs are accredited. Of the 36 graduate-level programs eligible for professional accreditation, 31 of the programs are accredited. 

The Louisiana BOR Program Accreditation Summary for UL Lafayette, dated April 14, 2019, provides the following data on the University’s degree programs:

Bachelor’s Degree Programs

·         53 Active Bachelor’s Degree Programs

·         35 Programs/Options Eligible for Professional Accreditation

·         34 Eligible Programs/Options which are Accredited

·         97.1% of Accreditable Programs/Options that are Accredited

·         24 Programs/Options Mandated by the BOR for Professional Accreditation

·         24 Mandated Programs/Options that are Accredited

·         100% of Mandated Programs/Options that are Accredited

Graduate Degree Programs

·         62 Active Graduate-level Certificates and Degree Programs

·         36 Programs/Options Eligible for Professional Accreditation

·         31 Eligible Programs/Options that are Accredited

·         86.1% of Accreditable Programs/Options that are Accredited

·         30 Programs/Options Mandated by the BOR for Professional Accreditation

·         27 Mandated Programs/Options that are Accredited

·         90% of Mandated Programs/Options that are Accredited

Student Portfolios

Students in some academic departments participate in a portfolio process as a means of documenting outcomes for student achievement. Each program requiring a student portfolio establishes the criteria for success and assesses individual portfolios against these expectations (generally rubrics).

The Master of Science in Nursing program uses Typhon Group’s NPST Student Tracking System, which functions as a secure electronic student tracking system that includes comprehensive clinical logs and reports. Faculty using the system assess and evaluate the quality of the portfolios, and monitor the progress of each student’s clinical experiences, to ensure that course objectives are met.

In the Architecture Studies program, the purpose of the portfolio review is to ensure that students have the necessary skills and knowledge after the foundation design sequence to complete the program and enter the competitive fields of architecture, industrial design, and interior design. A review committee evaluates each student's portfolio to evaluate the student’s mastery of the material covered within the first two-year design sequence, with additional consideration given to overall academic and studio performance.

Advertising, Journalism, Broadcasting, and Public Relations students in the department of Communication submit student portfolios as part of the capstone course. Working professionals serving on advisory boards in each concentration assess advertising, broadcasting, and public relations portfolios every semester, and journalism portfolios every Spring semester, using rubrics developed by the department, following the recommendations of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communication. The professionals' feedback on portfolios is used to further effect curriculum changes, as needed, and feedback is also shared with the students so they can improve their portfolios before entering the job market.

Other Means of Measuring Student Achievement

National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE)

UL Lafayette conducts the NSSE every even year. While an indirect measure, the NSSE helps to gauge student perceptions. Through this assessment of students in 2016 and 2018, the top five perceived gains among seniors reflected the mission of the University’s General Education core. Table 8.1 – 4 shows NSSE results for 2016 and 2018.

Table 8.1 – 4: UL Lafayette NSSE Results 2016 & 2018

 

Through these multiple measures, UL Lafayette consistently identifies, evaluates, and publishes goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to its mission, and to the nature of its students and its programs.

 

Supporting Documents

Accounting Graduate Survey Data

Architecture Design Requirements

BOR Program Accreditation Summary for UL Lafayette

Communication Portfolio Rubrics

General Education core

ITEC Graduate Survey Data

LAPAS FY15

LAPAS FY16

LAPAS FY17

LAPAS FY18

Licensure Exam Summary Report

National Center of Education Statistics Graduation Rate Survey

NSSE 2016

NSSE 2018

Nursing Graduate Survey Data

Strategic Plan 2015-2020: Enrollment Goals

Student Achievement Website

Student Satisfaction Inventory (2017)

Typhon Group NPST

Undergraduate Senior Exit Survey (2017-2018)