Coaching program sets struggling students up for success

BOSTON — When student affairs staff at Texas State University wanted to boost student retention and graduation rates, they decided to focus on students on academic probation and in developmental education courses. Knowing that 20% of first year students find themselves on academic probation, and 75% of those students don’t get into good academic standing, and so they lose their financial aid and have to leave the institution, according to Victoria Black, Associate Dean for Student Services at Texas State University. To set those struggling students on a path to success, staff developed a success coaching program, resulting in improved GPAs for at least 50% of students who received success coaching at least three times. And about 75% of students who received coaching at least two times described the program as helpful, Black said during a presentation at the annual conference for NASPA — Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education.