SERVICES AND SUPPORT FOR NONTRADITIONAL COLLEGE STUDENTS: A HISTORICAL INVESTIGATION Lauren Remenick Maroon PhD Student, Higher Education & Policy Studies College of Education & Human Performance University of Central Florida
[email protected]
Nontraditional Students • Aged 25+ • Enrolled part-time • Work full-time • Financially independent • Have dependents • Delayed college 1+ years • Did not obtain diploma • Commute • Single parent
Graduation Rates
National Student Clearinghouse Research Center, 2016
UCF’s Nontraditional Knight Project To bring together student service departments and resources in order to better serve the needs of nontraditional students. 2008-2012 What else can we do?
Nontraditional Students Throughout History
1940s and on Mid 1800s – Mid 1900s
1980s and on 1960s and on
Normal Schools Students • Adults • Low SES • Family obligations • Worked to support themselves • Enrolled part-time Programs • Small • Inclusive communities • Leadership opportunities • Societies held late Friday & Saturday • Credit for “society work” San Francisco State Normal School. Class of 1903
Florida State Normal School, DeFuniak Springs
Established 1887 Florida State Normal School Florida Normal School for Negro Students • Coeducational
Florida Normal Institute, Madison
Buckman Act 1905 • Women to Florida State College for Women • Men to University of the State of Florida • African Americans to Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University Discontinued in 1947 following WWII
Florida Normal School for Negro Students, Tallahassee
GI Bill Originally for veterans to finish school. 1945 Congress • Ages 25+ • Increased time to obtain a degree Class of 1949 • 70% veterans
Vassar College welcomes veterans and its first male students. 1946.
Veteran Students • Older than peers • Family • Flavet Village • $28/month • $5 refrigerator • No A/C
What will we do with married students on the campus? How will we house them? Will we be embarrassed by the prospect of babies and their arrival? -
University of Chicago Dean of Students
If there is a baby, college is almost out of the question for any reasonable man… even with sufficient outside income. - Columbia University Professor
Hailed for stability and maturity • Grades • Academic success Proving 1. Nontraditional students can succeed in college 2. Federal funding to cover tuition would increase enrollment Colleges adjusted • Credit for military experience • More remedial courses • Flexibility in courses and policies • More services • Veteran counselors
A Penn State student veteran with his family in their home, mid- to late-1940s.
Federal Financial Aid & Community Colleges Truman’s 1947 Commission on Higher Education Report Higher Education Act of 1965 -- Pell Grant • $ to the student • 600 community colleges 1960-1984
President Lyndon Johnson signing the Higher Education Act of 1965 Master’s Gymnasium, Texas State University, November 8, 1965
20 air-conditioned portables on a the property of Mid-Florida Tech in 1967. “Shoebox U”. Competition 1. Location • Satellite campuses • Evening classes • Military bases 2. Services • Formal departments West Campus Dedication ceremony
Tinto’s (1975) Theoretical Model of Persistence Bean & Metzner’s (1985) Conceptual Model of Nontraditional Undergraduate Student Attrition Take-away Many have the ability but not the means
Online Learning First Online… 1981: course 1984: undergraduate course 1985: graduate course Platform for students who have a desire and means but not ability • Access • Community • Convenience • Flexibility Attrition rates 10-20% higher than face-to-face classes 1. Pre-entry factors 2. External factors 3. Course design
Researchers suggest • Forego online courses • Alter courses • Foster community • Increase e-services Faculty (main connection) • Assess technology & learning style needs • Universal design • Foster community • Connect to resources Is there more we can do?
Lessons Learned 1. Flexibility • Normal Schools • Community Colleges • Online Learning 2. Credit for out-of-school experiences • Normal Schools • GI Bills
3. Access • Community Colleges • Online Learning 4. Small and remedial courses • Normal Schools • GI Bill • Community Colleges
Spirit Truman’s 1947 Commission on Higher Education Report
Means Higher Education Act of 1965
Ability Online Education
Open Discussion • Do you know any nontraditional students? • Do they face similar challenges? • What might help them through their academic career? • Are there bits of wisdom from history we can use today? • How is your school ‘set up’ for traditional students? (class
times, office hours, events, leadership opportunities) • How does your school serve nontraditional students?
References • National Student Clearinghouse Research Center https://nscresearchcenter.org/signaturereport10/ • NTK Project 2008 https://today.ucf.edu/non-traditional-student-i-am-a-knight/ • Albion Idaho Normal School http://magicvalley.com/news/local/hidden-history-the-albion-normal• • • • • • • •
school/article_f3acd545-ac95-50a3-a3fe-ca987ce64477.html GI Bill http://afflictor.com/2017/02/21/throughout-history-only-massive-violent-shocks-provedpowerful-enough-to-flatten-disparities-in-income-and-wealth/04-army-homecoming-gi-bill-rights/ Community Colleges http://www.tri-c.edu/about/index.html Online Learning https://www.eitdigital.eu/eit-digital-academy/online-education/ San Fran State Normal School Class of 1903 http://www.sfcityguides.org/public_guidelines.html?article=592&submitted=.. Vassar Veteran Students 1946 https://www.legion.org/education/237800/share-your-story-how-gibill-helped-you President Lyndon Johnson signing the Higher Education Act of 1965, Master’s Gymnasium, Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, November 8, 1965. http://smmercury.com/. In public domain. https://decollins1969.files.wordpress.com/2015/04/854-2a-wh65_med.jpg Online ed http://solymaronline.hu/2017/12/29/elektronikus-ugyintezes-januar-1-tol-solymaron/
