Student Achievement

Nicholls State University is focused on student achievement as its primary mission as expressed through the Nicholls State University Strategic Plan 2011-2016.  Nicholls is a “student-centered, regional institution dedicated to the education of a diverse student body in a culturally rich and engaging learning environment through quality teaching, research, and service.  Nicholls supports the educational, cultural and economic needs of its service region and cultivates productive, responsible and engaged citizens.”

To gauge the attainment of the strategic mission, the university monitors measurable objectives that are directly related to the university’s mission.  These objectives are reported in various campus publications and presentations, as well as annually in the Louisiana GRAD Act report, described below.

Louisiana GRAD Act Annual Report
The GRAD Act was approved by the legislature and signed into law by Governor Bobby Jindal in June, 2010.  As a result, the Board of Regents has entered into six-year performance agreements with each of the participating institutions.  In the agreements, the institution commits to meeting specific performance objectives in exchange for increased tuition authority and eligibility to participate in certain autonomies.  This report outlines both targets and measures for: Student Success, Articulation & Transfer, Workforce and Economic Development, and Institutional Efficiency & Accountability.

SAM – Student Achievement Measure Publication
Comprehensive measure of student progress and completion containing retention, graduation, and transfer-out information.

 

Objectives:

  1. Retention of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students, 1st to 2nd year Retention Rate (LA GRAD Act 1.a.i, Strategic Plan, Goal 1)
  2. Progression Rate of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students to 2nd year sophomores (Strategic Plan, Goal 3)
  3. Retention of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students, 1st to 3rd year Retention Rate (LA GRAD Act 1.a.ii)
  4. Graduation Rate: Same institution graduation rate as defined and reported by the NCES Graduation Rate Survey (LA GRAD Act 1.a.iv., Strategic Plan, Goal 1)
  5. Academic Award Productivity (LA GRAD Act 1.a.vi.)
  6. Graduation Rate: Statewide graduation rate utilizing the Board of Regents BRGRATERPT (LA GRAD Act 1.a.vii)
  7. Percentage change in number of completers all award levels (LA GRAD Act 1.b.i.)
  8. Passage rates on licensure exams (LA GRAD Act 1.d.i.)
  9. Retention of baccalaureate degree-seeking transfer students, 1st to 2nd year Retention Rate (LA GRAD Act 2.a.i.a)
  10. Number of programs offered through 100% distance education by award level (LA GRAD Act 3.b.iii., Strategic Plan, Goal 3)
  11. Percent of completers found employed. Number of students completing an undergraduate award identified in Board of Regents CRINPROG, by award level. (LA GRAD Act 3.d.i.)

RESULTS

1st to 2nd Year Retention

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data Fall 08 to
Fall 09
Fall 09 to
Fall 10
Fall 10 to
Fall 11
Fall 11 to
Fall 12
Fall 12 to
Fall 13
Fall 13 to
Fall 14
Fall 14 to
Fall 15
# in Fall
Cohort
1219 1213 1050 983 1035 1055
# Retained
to 2nd Fall
semester
824 853 748 698 702  733
Rate 67.6% 70.3% 71.2% 71.0% 67.8%  69.5%
Target 68.1%
(66.1%-
70.1%)
68.6%
(66.6%-
70.6%)
69.1%
(67.1%-
71.1%)
69.6%
(67.6%-
71.6%)
70.1%
(68.1%-
72.1%)
70.6%
(68.6%-
72.6%)
Target Met? YES YES YES YES  YES

 

Progression Rates of 1st Year Students to 2nd Year Sophomores

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Year 7
Year 8
Cohort Year Fall 05 Fall 06 Fall 07 Fall 08 Fall 09 Fall 10 Fall 11 Fall 12 Fall 13
# in Cohort 1171 1069 1156 1217 1213 1050 983 1035 1055
# Progressed to
Sophomore Level
2nd Fall
semester
343 322 394 464 497 462 448 439 493
Progression Rate 29.3% 30.1% 34.1% 38.1% 41.0% 44.0% 45.6% 42.4% 46.7%

 

1st to 3rd Year Retention

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data Fall 07 to
Fall 09
Fall 08 to
Fall 10
Fall 09 to
Fall 11
Fall 10 to
Fall 12
Fall 11 to
Fall 13
Fall 12 to
Fall 14
Fall 13 to
Fall 15
# in Fall
Cohort
1161 1219 1213 1050 983 1035
# Retained
to 3rd Fall
semester
657 657 709 608 581  565
Rate 56.6% 53.9% 58.5% 57.9% 59.1%  54.6%
Target 56.1%
(54.1%-
58.1%)
57.6%
(55.6%-
59.6%)
58.1%
(56.1%-
60.1%)
58.6%
(56.6%-
60.6%)
59.1%
(57.1%-
61.1%)
59.6%
(57.6%-
61.6%)
Target Met? NO YES YES YES  YES*

* As per GRAD Act, if the retention rate falls under the lowest value for the targeted range, the institution can still meet the 1st to 3rd Year Retention requirement if the average rate of the most recent 2 years exceeds the average of the prior 3 years.  In the case of Year 5, the target was met because the average (56.9%) of Year 4, and Year 5 exceeded the average (56.8%) of Year 1, Year 2, and Year 3.

 

Graduation Rate Same Institution (IPEDS)

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data Fall 2002
cohort
through
Fall 2008
Fall 2003
cohort
through
Fall 2009
Fall 2004
cohort
through
Fall 2010
Fall 2005
cohort
through
Fall 2011
Fall 2006
cohort
through
Fall 2012
Fall 2007
cohort
through
Fall 2013
Fall 2008
cohort
through
Fall 2014
# in Fall
Cohort
1404 1391 1574 1171 1069 1156
# Graduated
within 150%
of time
374 406 451 450 421  477
Rate 26.6% 29.2% 28.7% 38.4% 39.4%  41.3%
Target 28.0%
(26.0%-
30.0%)
30.0%
(28.0%-
32.0%)
35.0%
(33.0%-
37.0%)
35.5%
(33.5%-
37.5%)
36.0%
(34.0%-
38.0%)
36.5%
(34.5%-
38.5%)
Target Met? YES YES YES YES  YES

 

Award Productivity

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data AY 08-09 AY 09-10 AY 10-11 AY 11-12 AY 12-13 AY 13-14 AY 14-15
FTE UG
Enrollment
5957.6 6064.8 5907.6 5653.2 5432.5 5314.8
Expected # of
Awards
1489.4 1516.2 1476.9 1413.3 1358.1  1328.69
# Awards 1036 1091 1111 1067 1169  1195
Ratio of
Awards/FTE
.1739 .1799 .1881 .1887 .2152  .2248
Award
Productivity
69.6% 72.0% 75.2% 75.5% 86.1%  89.9%
Target 70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
70.0%
(68.0%-
72.0%)
Target Met? YES YES YES YES  YES

 

Statewide Graduation Rates

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data Fall 2002
cohort
through
Fall 2008
Fall 2003
cohort
through
Fall 2009
Fall 2004
cohort
through
Fall 2010
Fall 2005
cohort
through
Fall 2011
Fall 2006
cohort
through
Fall 2012
Fall 2007
cohort
through
Fall 2013
Fall 2008
cohort
through
Fall 2014
# in Fall
Cohort
1411 1395 1582 1170 1057  1161
# Graduated
within 150%
of time
424 445 508 490 458  541
Rate 30.0% 31.9% 32.1% 41.9% 43.3%  46.6%
Target 31.0%
(29.0%-
33.0%)
32.0%
(30.0%-
34.0%)
36.5%
(34.5%-
38.5%)
37.0%
(35.0%-
39.0%)
37.5%
(35.5%-
39.5%)
38.0%
(36.0%-
40.0%)
Target Met? YES YES YES YES  YES

 

Percent Change in Number of Completers

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data AY 08-09 AY 09-10 AY 10-11 AY 11-12 AY 12-13 AY 13-14 AY 14-15
# of
Completers,
TOTAL All
Degrees
967 1079 1073 1097 1070 1126
% Change
from baseline
11.6% 11.0% 13.4% 10.7%  16.4%

 

Passage Rates on Licensure Exams

PRAXIS

Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data 2010-2011 2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014
Number of students
who took exams
182 177  139
Number of students who
met standards for passage
182 177  139
Rate 100% 100%  100%
Target 98.0% (96.0%-
100.0%)
98.0% (96.0%-
100.0%)
98.0% (96.0%-
100.0%)
98.0% (96.0%-
100.0%)
Target Met? YES YES  YES

 

NCLEX-RN

Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data  CY 2011 CY 2012 CY 2013 CY 2014
Number of students
who took exams
73 93  112
Number of students who
met standards for passage
68 91  96
Calculated Passage Rate 93.2% 97.85%  85.7%
Target 87.0% (85.0%-
89.0%)
87.3% (85.3%-
89.3%)
87.6% (85.6%-
89.6%)
88.0% (86.0%-
90.0%)
Target Met? YES YES  YES

 

Retention of Transfer Students

Baseline
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data AY 08-09 AY 09-10 AY 10-11 AY 11-12 AY 12-13 AY 13-14 AY 14-15
# enrolled 474 518 497 434 396 416
# retained to
next Fall
semester
343 363 341 287 278  262
Rate 72.4% 70.1% 68.5% 66.1% 70.2%  63.0%

 

Number of Programs Offered 100% Online

Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data AY 12-13 AY 13-14 AY 14-15 AY 15-16
Associate 0 1  2
Baccalaureate 1 0  0
Post-
Baccalaureate
0 2  1
Grad Cert 1  2
Masters 2 2  2
PMC 2 3  3
Specialist 0 0  0
TOTAL 5 9  10
Target (Total
Programs)
1 (0-2) 4 (3-5) 5 (4-6) 6 (5-7)
Target Met? YES YES  YES

 

Percent of Completers Found Employed by Award Level

Year 3
Year 4
Year 5
Year 6
Term of Data 2010-11
Graduates
2011-12
Graduates
2011-12
Graduates*
2013-14
Graduates
# of Associate Degrees Awarded 107 123 123
# of Associate Degree Completers found
Employed in Q2
78 91  91
Percent Associate Degree Completers
Employed Q2
72.9% 74.0%  74.0%
# of Baccalaureate Degrees Awarded 953 904  904
# of Baccalaureate Degree Completers found
Employed Q2
667 683  683
Percent Baccalaureate Degree Completers
Employed Q2
70.0% 74.4%  74.4%
# of Masters Degrees Awarded 119 189  189
# of Masters Degree Completers found
Employed Q2
83 144  144
Percent Masters Degree Completers
Employed Q2
69.7% 76.2%  76.2%
# of Total Degrees Awarded 1,179 1,216  1,216
# of Total Degree Completers found
Employed Q2
828 918  918
Percent Total Degree Completers Employed Q2 70.2% 75.5%  75.5%

*There was no update to the Employment Outcomes Report for the 2012-13 graduates from LWC through the BOR.

 

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