SACS Reaffirmation
| Objective | Attract Quality Undergraduate Students | |
| To improve the academic reputation of the institution, it is imperative that a higher quality of student be recruited and retained. The higher quality students will also the University to recruit and retain a higher quality faculty. Associated Goals: Promote Academic Quality |
| Indicator | Enrollment Rates If the University is successful in targeting and enrolling quality undergraduate students, there should be an increase in SAT scores for entering students, an increase in the number of honor students and international students. |
| Criteria | Increase in Honors Program To the extent that the Honors Program increases in size without lowering its standards, it can be assumed that growth of the Honors Program is correlated with the University''s ability to attract and enroll higher quality students. |
| Finding | Increase in Honors Program In the Fall of 2006, the honors program had 350 students at the start of the year. This represented a 11.8% increase from the previous year. |
| Criteria | Increased SAT Scores It is assumed that the increased SAT scores of incoming freshmen is indicative of an overall higher quality student body. |
| Finding | Increased SAT Scores The average SAT score of an entering freshman in the fall of 2006 was 1031. This represents a seven point drop from the previous year. This trend matched the trend across the country. The SHSU average of 1031 exceeded both the state and national average. |
| Criteria | Increased number of International Students It is assumed that any increase in enrollment by international students is associated with an increase in the academic reputation of SHSU. |
| Finding | Increase number of International Students In the Fall of 2006, SHSU has 240 international students from 53 nations. This represented an increase in both number (+31) and countries (+3). |
| Action | Recruiting/Attracting Good Students SHSU must continue to attract quality students. Although special populations like Honors Students, are a priority, the overall quality of students need to addresses. Emphasis will be placed on recruiting international students from the area community colleges. |
| Objective | Increase Access To SHSU | |
| As the college market becomes more competitive, it is necessary to be proactive in recruiting students. This may entail examining and reducing some of the difficulties potential students face in the admission process. Associated Goals: Promote Academic Quality |
| Indicator | Articulation Agreements With competition increasing between universities, efforts need to be made to make the transition from either high school or community college easier. Thus the university has been active in developing articulation agreements with potential feeder schools or institutions. |
| Criteria | Access to Advisors SHSU needs to support to feeder community colleges in the form of regularly scheduled advisement sessions. |
| Finding | Access to Advisors SHSU, through the SAM Center assigns an advisor to the five campuses of Lone Star College and the three colleges associated with Blinn Community College. In addition, SHSU offers annual advising workshops for advisors from SHSU''s feeder schools. |
| Criteria | Articulation Agreements SHSU will maintain and expand articulation agreements with community colleges across Texas. |
| Finding | Articulation Agreements SHSU has one person assigned to develop articulation agreements. This person has made weekly contacts with community colleges and has presented at state conventions to increase awareness of articulation opportunities. |
| Action | Articulation Agreements SHSU has been proactive in developing articulation agreements to ease the transition from community college to SHSU. These efforts need to continue. |
| Objective | Promote Effective Academic Support | |
| Students are best served by having a variety of support centers. Associated Goals: Promote Academic Quality |
| Indicator | Graduation Rates If the academic support programs are successful, it should result in increased graduation rates. |
| Criteria | Increased graduation rates If the graduation rates increase, it is reasonable to assume that the Academic Support Centers have been effective. |
| Finding | Increased Graduation Rates SHSU experienced a 3% decrease in the 2006-2007 graduation rate (41%) over the 2005-2006 graduation rate of 44%. |
| Indicator | Retention Rates If the academic support programs are successful, it should result in increased retention rates. |
| Criteria | Increase retention rates If the retention rates increase, it is reasonable to assume that the Academic Support Centers have been effective. |
| Finding | Increased Retention Rates The retention rates for the 2006-2007 academic year (72%) increased slightly from the previous year (70%). |
| Action | Support Programs SHSU continues to develop programs to assist our students in succeeding. The SAM Center will be charged with identifying problem areas and developing programs to meet these needs. |
| Objective | Promote Communication Between University Components | |
| The division of Academic Affairs must coordinate its efforts with other components of the University to be effective and consistent. By examining how a decision in one component affects other components is essential to the functioning of the University. Associated Goals: Promote Effective Administrative Support For Provost |
| Indicator | Communication Within University The Division of Academic Affairs must work with the other divisions within the University to make sure that each other's responsibilities are understood and supported. Cooperative efforts will increase the likelihood that the objectives of Academic Affairs are met. |
| Criteria | Regularly scheduled meetings To facilitate communicate effectively with the other divisions, there will be regularly scheduled meetings with other divisional personnel to discuss any ongoing issues or future initiatives. |
| Finding | Intradivisional Meetings During Academic 2005-2006, The Office of Academic Affairs had monthly meetings with personnel from finance, financial aid, the registrar''s office, and computer services. Weekly meetings were held with the Vice President for Enrollment management. |
| Action | Communication Regularly scheduled meetings between divisional representatives have proven to be effective and will be continued. |
| Objective | Represent SHSU At The University Center | |
| SHSU is one of six partners that operate a muti-institute teaching center in The Woodlands. To promote the smooth operation of this MITC, representatives from all six schools meet at regular intervals to discuss problems, policies, and finances. Associated Goals: Promote Effective Administrative Support For Provost |
| Indicator | Presence At The University Center Given that a large percentage of SHSU students come from the north Houston area, the University's presence at The University Center is vital to the vitality of the University. Thus, maintaing a high enrollment at the Center is indicative that SHSU interests are being served. |
| Criteria | Largest number of Degree Offerings Compared to the other partner institutions, SHSU will have the largest number of degree programs offered at TUC. |
| Finding | Percentage of Degree Offerings SHSU offers 24 of the 61 degree programs (39%) at The University Center. This is nearly three times the number of programs offered by any of the other five partners. |
| Criteria | Largest number of scholarships SHSU will provide the greatest amount and number of scholarships to its students at TUC. |
| Finding | Largest Number of Scholarships Outside of Lone Star College, SHSU is the only partner to offer scholarships to its students. In Academic Year 2006-2007, SHSU provided $14,000 in scholarships. In total, $21,000 of scholarships were available to TUC students. |
| Criteria | Largest support staff Compared to the other partner institutions, SHSU will have the largest on-site support staff. |
| Finding | Largest Support Staff SHSU was the first partner institution to have a full-time employee dedicated to The University Center. In 2006, a second full-time employee was hired. |
| Criteria | Majority student enrollment SHSU will have at least 50% of the student credit hours at TUC. |
| Finding | Majority Student Enrollment Since the inception of The University Center, SHSU has maintained approximately two-third of all enrollments. In Fall 2006, SHSU had 68% of all student credit hours. |
| Action | TUC Involvement SHSU continues to be the dominant partner at The University Center. New Programs will be introduced at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. |