Curriculum Complexity and Graduation Rates at Utah State University

This study utilizes a curricular analytics framework developed by Heileman et al. (2018) to examine the relationship between curriculum complexity and graduation rates in academic programs at Utah State University. The goal in quantifying the complexity of curricula is to determine whether or not prerequisite courses and other factors of curricula structure impacts graduation from the university. To accomplish this goal, curriculum complexity spreadsheets were developed for 96 degree programs at the university, which facilitated the assignment of curriculum complexity scores to the 6,337 students who qualified for the quasi-experimental study. Logistic regression was then applied to the resulting data to plot graduation trends for students who graduated within four, five, and six years across the spectrum of curriculum complexity scores. The resulting trendlines indicate that increased curriculum complexity at Utah State University is significantly associated with lower graduation rates and calls for program administrators to restructure prerequisite structures to enable increased degree completion

The Impact of Living On Campus on Student Persistence

Making the choice of where to live while in college is frequently acknowledged as one of the most important decisions an undergraduate student makes. Housing decisions influence students\u27 access to campus resources and social integration, elements thought to be key indicators of their progression towards graduation. Interestingly, however, the association between living on-campus and persistence has not been considered thoroughly in the literature. While many studies leverage survey data and retention rates to make direct comparisons between on-campus and off-campus groups, most are unable to account for self-selection bias, i.e. that students who live on-campus may be qualitatively different from students who chose to live off-campus. The present study overcame this challenge by utilizing a matching technique called Prediction-based Propensity Score Matching (PPSM). Using this theoretically-driven and methodologically robust technique, researchers were able to account for self-selection bias and estimate the impact of on-campus living on student persistence. After matching, researchers estimated that students living on-campus experience a 1.19% lift (CI: 0.55% to 1.83%) in persistence. In other words, the model suggests that 46 students (CI: 21 to 71) remain enrolled at the institution simply because they live on-campus. This conclusion indicates that living in university housing is not only important because it provides students with campus proximity and social activities, but ultimately because it helps them persist towards graduation.https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/fsrs2019/1002/thumbnail.jp

Student Nutrition Access Center: Impact Analysis 2019

Introduction: Access to nutritional food items is crucial to student well-being, which in turn is crucial to student success. Student success emerges from “the amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin, 1984). Campus nutrition programs help students eliminate food security issues so that they can devote more energy to the academic experience. However, creating efficient and convenient nutrition programs requires that administrators understand the complexities of their implementation, their effect on specific student segments, and their effect on decisions to either persist at or leave an institution. This report explores the impact of student nutrition services at Utah State University on student persistence. It also disaggregates results to identify which segments of students benefit most and explores the impact by level of use and timing. METHODS: Students who used SNAC were compared to similar students who did not use SNAC. They were compared using prediction-based propensity score matching. This technique matched students who used SNAC with non-users based on their persistence prediction and their propensity to participate. The differences between predicted and actual persistence rates were compared using difference-in-difference testing. FINDINGS: Students were 98% similar following matching. Analysis of the matched group revealed that those who participated in SNAC were significantly more likely to persist at USU than similar students who did not participate in SNAC, (DID = 0.0156, p \u3c .05). The unstandardized effect size can be estimated through student impact. It is estimated that SNAC assisted in retaining 18 (CI: 2 to 34) students each year who were otherwise not expected to persist

Writing Fellows: Impact Analysis Fall 2015 to Spring 2019

The Writing Fellows program strategically places high performing writing mentors in courses with rigorous writing requirements. Writing Fellows work with each student in a course by reviewing their writing and offering mentoring to improve their written communication skills. Persistence is a secondary objective of the Writing Fellow program. As such, an impact evaluation on persistence should only be used as part of an evaluation of the influence of the Writing Fellows program on student wellbeing. This impact evaluation on student persistence found that students in courses with a Writing Fellow experienced a significant increase in persistence to the next term 1.2%

Housing & Residence Life Impact Report: Fall 2017 to Spring 2018

Introduction: Living on campus is considered a high impact practice for student success. Student success is believed to emerge from “the amount of physical and psychological energy that the student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin, 1984), housing and residence life programming facilitates this type of devotion. However, creating this type of living experience requires administrators understand the complexities of how housing can affect specific student groups and their decision to either persist at or leave an institution. This report explores the impact of housing and residence life at Utah State University on students living on campus. It disaggregates results to identify which segments of students benefit most and it explores the impact by living community and dormitory style. METHODS: Students who lived on campus were compared to similar students who did not live on campus. They were compared using prediction-based propensity score matching. This technique matched students who lived on campus with non-users based on their persistence prediction and their propensity to participate. The difference between predicted and actual persistence rates were compared using difference-in-difference testing. FINDINGS: Students were 98% similar following matching. Those who lived on campus were significantly more likely to persist at USU than similar students who did not live on campus, (DID = 0.0119, p \u3c .001). The unstandardized effect size can be estimated through student impact. It is estimated that housing assisted in retaining 46 (CI: 21 – 71) students each year who were otherwise not expected to persist

Library Services: Impact Analysis Spring 2018 to Fall 2018

Libraries are an essential element of learning on university campuses. The content housed within libraries supports academic exploration and growth. Physically, libraries are designed to provide access to materials and spaces that facilitate learning. This report explored the impact of student library resource use on student persistence to the next term. Students\u27 library resource use was captured with EZ Proxy log-ins and library material check-outs. Students who had a record of using library resources were compared to similar students who did not have a record of library resource use. They were compared using prediction-based propensity score matching. Students who used library resources were matched with non-users based on their persistence prediction and their propensity to participate. Students were 98% similar following matching. Participating and com­parison students were compared using difference-in-difference testing. Those who accessed library resources were significantly more likely to persist at USU than similar students who did not use library resources (DID = 0.017, p \u3c .001). The unstandardized effect size can be estimated through student impact. It is estimated that library resources assisted in retaining 278 (CI: 168 – 387) students each year who were otherwise not expected to persist

EVLA Observations Constrain the Environment and Progenitor System of Type Ia Supernova 2011fe

We report unique EVLA observations of SN 2011fe representing the most sensitive radio study of a Type Ia supernova to date. Our data place direct constraints on the density of the surrounding medium at radii ~10^15-10^16 cm, implying an upper limit on the mass loss rate from the progenitor system of Mdot <~ 6 x 10^-10 Msol/yr (assuming a wind speed of 100 km/s), or expansion into a uniform medium with density n_CSM <~ 6 cm^-3. Drawing from the observed properties of non-conservative mass transfer among accreting white dwarfs, we use these limits on the density of the immediate environs to exclude a phase space of possible progenitors systems for SN 2011fe. We rule out a symbiotic progenitor system and also a system characterized by high accretion rate onto the white dwarf that is expected to give rise to optically-thick accretion winds. Assuming that a small fraction, 1%, of the mass accreted is lost from the progenitor system, we also eliminate much of the potential progenitor parameter space for white dwarfs hosting recurrent novae or undergoing stable nuclear burning. Therefore, we rule out the most popular single degenerate progenitor models for SN 2011fe, leaving a limited phase space inhabited by some double degenerate systems and exotic progenitor scenarios.Comment: Accepted to Ap

Playing the Public Lands Game- HONR 3020: Engaging Utah\u27s Public Lands

How to get involved with public land issues and learn what\u27s at stake. Join us as students present a guide that teaches how to locate, navigate, and participate in the various government and public processes for engaging in public lands debates