Papers by Colleen O'Brien
Pell Institute For the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, 2011
We heartily acknowledge the efforts of these individuals and recognize that they are not responsi... more We heartily acknowledge the efforts of these individuals and recognize that they are not responsible for any errors of omission or interpretation contained in this report.
Pell Institute For the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education, 2007
The 14 institutions that participated in this study represent a diverse group of public four-year... more The 14 institutions that participated in this study represent a diverse group of public four-year universities in terms of geographic location, institutional mission, and student body characteristics. Ten of the institutions graduate students at higher than expected rates, and four at lower than expected rates, after controlling for student and institutional characteristics through regression analysis. To more fully capture and contextualize the differences between the institutions, we developed a typology with four categories that generally correspond to the relationships between institutions' actual and predicted graduation rates and between their actual rates and the national average. By describing our findings in this manner, we hope that practitioners and policymakers will be able to more readily see their institutions reflected in the study and be able to use its findings in ways that make sense given the realities on their own campuses. High-Highs have higher-than-expected graduation rates and high graduation rates relative to the national average. High-Highs a.k.a. "The Traditionalists" are large research-extensive institutions with selective admissions that serve traditional student bodies. However, their students are graduating at better than expected rates, even after taking their strong academic backgrounds into account. High-Highs offer a wide range of support programs and services; but they place a high degree of responsibility on the students themselves by operating on a "self-service model." Improving retention is important at the High-Highs, although it is not necessarily their most pressing concern since graduation rates have been high and stable for years. Faculty support for retention initiatives was described as low, though, because they feel they are not provided with adequate resources or rewards for focusing on improving undergraduate success. This reflects the tension observed between the multiple and conflicting missions (i.e. research vs. teaching) at the High-Highs. High-Averages have higher-than-expected graduation rates that are near the national average. High-Averages a.k.a. "The True Believers" are medium-sized institutions with moderately selective admissions that serve mostly traditional student bodies. Despite their size, High-Averages have a "small school feel" with high levels of student engagement on campus and student-faculty interaction. A student-centered culture is the result of intentional retention policies and practices that aim to institutionalize a "holistic approach to student development and the campus experience." High-Averages take a large degree of responsibility for student success by communicating expectations to students early through first-year programs, systematically monitoring student progress through "intrusive" advising and early warning systems, and providing students with ample support services. Improving graduation rates is a high priority for top administrators, who are "true believers" in the retention literature. Administrators create an institutional culture that promotes student success by providing adequate resources to fund programs, and offering rewards to faculty and staff for getting involved in retention efforts. High-Lows have higher-than-expected graduation rates given their incoming student characteristics, but are lower than national averages. High-Lows a.k.a. "The Strivers" are medium to small-sized institutions with the least selective admissions in the sample that serve largely non-traditional students. Given such challenges, High-Lows may seem unlikely to include as "higher-performing" institutions. However, they can offer useful insights given their "relative" success. To improve retention, High-Lows are integrating traditional freshmen programming with 3 curricular and instructional reforms in general education and remedial courses in order to transform the first-year experience. There is also high participation in special programs for at-risk populations that provide structured and intensive support to students through bridge programs, advising and mentoring, tutoring, and financial aid. Campus-wide expansion of special programs could result in higher overall graduation rates, although doing so is constrained by both the scale of the retention problem and inadequate resources at these institutions. Low-Lows have lower-than-expected graduation rates that are lower than national averages. Low-Lows a.k.a. "The Underperformers" are medium-to large-sized institutions with moderately selective admissions that serve mostly, but not exclusively, traditional student populations. Compared to High-Lows, students at Low-Lows are somewhat more prepared for college and generally have fewer risk factors, but have similar or lower persistence rates. Thus, factors beyond student demographics related to institutional resources, policies, and leadership limit the effectiveness of retention efforts. Like High-Lows, Low-Lows face barriers to campus-wide implementation of effective retention programs for special populations, such as lack of resources and "turf wars." Administration-led retention efforts are underway, but there are also barriers to implementation such as a history of "failed" retention efforts, heavy turnover among top leaders responsible for retention, lack of coordination of retention efforts, and lack of commitment to retention by administrators and faculty.
Education Resources Institute, 330 Stuart St., Suite 500, Boston, MA 02116-5237. Tel: 800-255-TER... more Education Resources Institute, 330 Stuart St., Suite 500, Boston, MA 02116-5237. Tel: 800-255-TERI, Ext. 4762; Fax: 617-451-9425. Web site: http://www.teri.org. ... Institute for Higher Education Policy, Washington, DC.; Education Resources Inst., Boston, MA.; Council for ...
This report examines the roles that minority serving institutions (MSIs) play and the challenges ... more This report examines the roles that minority serving institutions (MSIs) play and the challenges they face in educating students of color. The U.S. Census Bureau projects that students of color will become the majority in K-12 classrooms by the middle of the 21st century. Despite this shift, classroom teachers are not broadly representative of the students they teach; 9 of 10 U.S. teachers are white. Data from MSIs that make up the Alliance for Equity in Higher Education as well as profiles of teacher education programs at some MSIs show some of the ways that institutions are preparing qualified teachers of color. MSIs produce a large number of teacher education graduates in areas of high national need, such as mathematics and science. The diversity of teacher education graduates from Alliance member institutions is in stark contrast to that of non-Alliance institutions. The analyses in this report demonstrate the critical role of MSIs in preparing teachers of color. Some specific recommendations are made to support MSI, including increased federal resources, broader public investments, higher teacher salaries, and public awareness campaigns. The report also calls for partnerships among institutions that serve large numbers of students of color and increased study of minority teacher supply. (Contains 14 figures and 66 references.) (SLD) Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made from the original document. Educating the Emerging Majority: The Role of Minority-Serving Colleges & Universities in Confronting America's Teacher Crisis The report examines the unique and vital roles that MSIs play and the challenges they face in educating teachers of color. In order to highlight the performance of these institutions, original data analyses of the minority-serving institutions that make up the Alliance are presented. Specific teacher education programs at HBCUs, HSIs, and TCUs are profiled to demonstrate some of the different approaches these institutions have used to prepare qualified teachers of color. Finally, public policy recommendations are offered, proposing solutions targeted on the needs of MSIs that may have widespread application to other institutions as they attempt to address the teacher shortage.
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Papers by Colleen O'Brien