Since being named president of Chicago State University last year Wayne Watson has instituted many changes that focus on freshman recruitment and retention.
Since being named president of Chicago State University last year Wayne Watson has instituted many changes that focus on freshman recruitment and retention. CSU spent $45,000 this year to purchase Apple iPads for every full-time incoming freshman, and for the first time ever the school is offering U-passes from the Chicago Transit Authority to most of the full-time students, Watson said. The U-pass provides unlimited rides on CTA buses and trains. So far those efforts seem to be paying off. According to Cheryl Green, newly appointed Dean of Freshman Experience, the freshman retention rate at CSU increased this fall to 61.1 percent from 57.7 percent, even though its enrollment for first-time, full-time freshmen this fall dropped to 513 from 589 last fall. And most freshmen not returning had financial difficulty, Green said. Total enrollment for the South Side state university this fall is 7,362. “I contacted every freshman who did not return this fall and 34 percent said they were experiencing financial problems,” said Green, who previously was the director of the Counseling Department. In her new role Green helps students transition from high school to college. “Another 18 percent had some kind of family issue and others had job demands and health problems,” she said. By retaining students Watson said it would ultimately help CSU produce more graduates. “It seems as though we are pointed in the right direction when it comes to freshman recruitment and retention,” Watson told the Defender. “If we can retain students after their freshman year, we are half way home when it comes to producing more graduates.” Prior to Watson taking the helm at CSU its graduation rate was very low. In 2003, the last year graduation rates were available, CSU stood at 14 percent, according to Felicia Horton, a spokeswoman for CSU. A new graduation rate will be determined in 2011. “They (freshman students) completed their degree in six years. This was reported in April 2010,” Horton said. “There is no graduation rate for the 2008-2009 academic year because the fall 2008 first time, full-time freshmen have not graduated (yet). Some are just starting their junior year (this year).” But Watson was quick to point out that the standard formula used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine college graduation rates is not feasible for CSU. “The formula used to calculate graduation statistics used in various college assessments is based only on the number of first time, full-time freshmen,” he explained. “We have a number of two-year programs where the typical path is to transfer from our institution to another to complete the degree. (And) those students, and nearly 75 percent of our student population, are not counted in this outdated formula that tries to be a ‘one-size-fits-all,’ which simply does not fit CSU.” He added that CSU’s student population is predominately Black and 70 percent are women with children and more than half of the undergraduates are at least 25 years old. Housing is also a big need at CSU and Watson said more on-campus housing could improve its student retention rate. Currently 324 students occupy its on-campus housing and 105 are freshmen. So to address this need Watson said CSU plans to build additional residence halls to accommodate 1,000 more students. One of the many positive programs at CSU that helps retain students is the Honors College, which was started seven years ago and serves talented, highly motivated students with a challenging general education curriculum and an academic and social learning community, said Richard Milo, dean of the Honors College. And since its inception the program has contributed to improving CSU’s overall student retention and graduation rates, Milo added. “By keeping its students challenged, engaged and supported, the Honors College pursues its goals of increasing the retention and graduation rates of the university’s most promising freshmen,” he said. The Honors College admitted 19 students this semester and now has 63 in total. It has produced 22 graduates since its inception and to be admitted into the Honors College Milo said students must have a 3.5 grade point average and maintain at least a 3.25 GPA. The program predominately admits freshmen but has admitted sophomores and high school seniors with an ACT score of 23 or above or if they graduated in the top 10 percent of their high school class. But the school found that the prevailing reason freshmen don’t return boils down to money, Watson said. Annual tuition and fees for in-state, full-time undergraduate students at CSU is $10,366 and room and board is an additional $7,830 a year. CSU’s tuition and fees are in line with other urban universities, such as Harris-Stowe State University, a traditionally Black university in St. Louis. Annual tuition at Harris-Stowe for Missouri residents is $4,336 but room and board is an additional $8,080 a year. Total enrollment is 1,886 and 411 freshmen were enrolled fall 2009 (fall 2010 freshman numbers were unavailable). Other state universities, such as Eastern Illinois University where annual tuition, fees and room and board for a full-time student is $18,240, annual costs are roughly the same as CSU. Watson offers that the university’s education offering is also comparable to other states schools. “CSU has excellent academic programs,” Watson stated. “Many students start off attending other colleges but end up graduating from Chicago State.” Copyright 2010 Chicago Defender
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