NODA Educational Session

2015 Presentation Submission

Orientation & Special Populations
Presentations Title
Assessment to Programming: Orientation & Special Populations

Presentation Abstract
Orientation programs like Welcome Weekend, Welcome Week and Welcome Back
Week can be overwhelming to new students and in some instances, fail to meet the
needs of specific populations due to a one size fits all approach. At Kent State
University, we have identified through our longitudinal assessment of Welcome
Weekend, specific student populations that were not connecting with our current
program layout. It is in this realization that we developed a partnership model that
includes: assessment, data, campus/community partner identification, identification
of a mutual activity/investment, repeated assessment and data review. Through the
use of assessment, intentional campus constituent partnerships and student input
we have implemented a pilot program that offers programming tracks for three
specific student groups. The tracks provide population specific resources as well as
holistic university connection.

Description & Outline

Welcome:
Who we are, where we are from, learning outcomes for the session
Overview
Discuss how Kent State Universitys August Welcome Weekend Orientation
has developed over the past 8 Years.
Explain what precipitated our need for programmatic change.
Discussion of our new partnership model for Welcome Weekend
programming.
The results of our pilot orientation program track will be reviewed.
Assessment Process:
Will provide an in-depth view of our assessment process
Will provide our methodology for data analysis including timing and sampling
experiences
Partnership Identification & Mutual Investment:
We will give an overview of how we developed partnership buy-in from
different campus departments.
An overview will be given on how to use assessment, data and a mutual
desire for student success to develop student specific programming within
orientation programs.

Closing the loop:

Discussion of reassessment process and how to use it for program
improvement
Empirical evidence will be provided to participants
Satisfaction survey and focus group results
In Review:
Active learning strategy to review ideas generated through presentation
Guided conversation with audience on best practices across all campus types
Connecting our ideas to other institutions

Mission & Core Values

As a result of this presentation, participants will walk away with a renewed sense of
programmatic innovation in regard to transition and retention when working with
specific student populations. At Kent State University, we value our diverse student
body and their specific needs and want to ingrain this same core value with our
peers within the field of orientation, transition, and retention. Though our campus
constituent programming model and our pilot track program are new, we believe our
assessment process and subsequent programmatic changes will aid in the
development of an orientation culture where all students are able to identify and
connect to our campus. It is through the sharing of knowledge and best practices
that we, as NODA, continue to be on the cutting edge of student success. At Kent
State University, we are enthused to help contribute to the ongoing conversation.

Learning Outcomes
After attending this session, participants will gain:
1. An understanding of the focus of Kent States orientation program and its
importance to student transition and retention through our partnership model.
a. Session will include an overview of Kent States orientation program.
b. Review of the newly developed partnership model.
2. An understanding of the impact of orientation programming for different
student populations.
Session will include a review of the longitudinal assessment data from
orientation.
3. An understanding of how to use assessment to 1) identify unique population
needs 2) facilitate cross campus partnerships and 3) identify specific
programmatic deficiencies.
Step by step process will be presented to participants.
4. Information will be given on the benefit of a continual learning model in a
students holistic development.
5. The opportunity will be given to participants to engage in group discussion to
aid in idea generation for respective orientation goals.

Assessment & Outcome Data

Multi year welcome weekend assessment
Retention and graduation rates for Kent States special populations
Persistence rates for incoming first year students participating in Welcome Weekend
Satisfaction of Welcome Weekend Participants
NSSE

Institutions
Kent State University is a mid-sized, Midwestern state institution with an incoming
first year class of more than 4,000 students. While we see all 4,000 students during
our Welcome Weekend Orientation program, we seek to make the big institution
small by developing programs that address diversity on our campus. No matter the
size of the institution, there are many different types of students that need to be
considered when developing a comprehensive orientation program. Whether a small
or large institution, the importance of accurately utilizing assessment for program
development is universal. This presentation is applicable to all institutions that are
looking for data driven ways to enhance their orientation programs. Therefore,
institutions of any size or profile will benefit from the information shared.

Presentation Backing
Three theoretical models that have guided our program development are:
Leadership Identity Development Model
Schlossbergs Transition Theory
Kuhs High impact practices