“Nothing is as effective as MAP-Works in helping us identify student issues.”
MAP-Works®, the leading student success and retention program from EBI MAP-Works, partnered with Buffalo State College to increase first-year student retention, EBI MAP-Works announced today.
In the first year using the MAP-Works program, Buffalo State College saw student retention rise an impressive 2.5%, from 72.2% in 2009 to 74.7% in 2010. In 2011, the program’s second full year, student retention rose an additional 1.6% for an overall retention rate of 76.3%. Notably, students who participated in MAP-Works persisted at a 5% higher rate than non-participants from 2009 to 2010 (77.3% compared to 72.3%) and at an 11% higher rate in 2011.
“We are certainly heading in the right direction and hoping to repeat this success for the current group of first year students,” says Eileen N. Merberg, Retention and Leadership Specialist at Buffalo State. According to Merberg, MAP-Works was able to identify the issues students were struggling with on-campus and enable targeted outreach.
The MAP-Works platform identifies students who have financial worries and those who are homesick and having feelings of not belonging. Buffalo State College was able to learn more about their students and create targeted outreach efforts with the financial aid office and with other departments on campus. Said Merberg, “Of all the other surveys we conduct on campus, none are able to address individual student concerns. Doing outreach to individual students, knowing exactly who they are… that’s been invaluable.”
“Buffalo State College’s experience shows how MAP-Works can make a sizable, positive impact on retention by arming schools with the right information,” said Joseph Pica, Ed.D., former CEO and designer of MAP-Works. “Our proven system has been successful because it enhances a campus culture committed to student success and provides a comprehensive platform that empowers faculty/staff to become an integral part of the solution.”
During the second year with MAP-Works, Buffalo State increased efforts to encourage student participation. MAP-Works is available to all first-year students on campus but is not required. “We visited freshman courses and went into each class with a brief presentation and worked with faculty to encourage participation,” states Merberg. Through these efforts, Buffalo State College saw an increase in participation from 49% in 2009 to 70% in 2010 and to an impressive 81% for 2011.
Continued Merberg, “MAP-Works implementation is very much a collaborative process between Student Affairs and Academic Affairs. In particular, University College, the academic home of undeclared students and first-year students, is a partner in the implementation, and plays a key role in the outreach and support of student success.”
With the benefit of MAP-Works, Buffalo State is poised to hone its financial aid, campus life, and early-warning systems to improve the student experience on campus. “Nothing is as effective as MAP-Works in helping us identify student issues – it’s been a key tool for my role.”
About MAP-Works
MAP-Works is a comprehensive program that enables colleges and universities to improve student retention. Designed for two-year and four-year institutions, MAP-Works offers a suite of management tools that capture and report on student satisfaction and other issues throughout the school year. It provides an “early warning system” for students who are at risk for a variety of reasons beyond academic difficulty. The program was developed over two decades by Ball State University and has been refined by EBI MAP-Works, which owns and administers the program nationwide.
More information on MAP-Works is available at www.map-works.com or by calling (417) 429-0081.
About EBI MAP-Works
EBI MAP-Works provides comparative assessment instruments and analyses to support improvement of program quality in many areas of higher education. In addition, EBI MAP-Works also offers comprehensive assessments of academic programs, student affairs programs, and custom assessments tailored to the needs of educational institutions.
More information on EBI MAP-Works is available at EBI MAP-Works' website or by calling (417) 429-0081.
About Buffalo State College
Buffalo State, SUNY’s largest comprehensive college, offers degrees in education, the arts, sciences, and professional studies. Each year, more than 12,000 students choose Buffalo State for its broad array of high-quality and distinctive academic programs, diverse and creative environment, hands-on learning opportunities, affordable SUNY tuition, and location in the heart of Buffalo’s cultural corridor.
More information on Buffalo State College is available at Buffalo State's website.