How to increase graduation rates is a constant challenge at most universities.
Typically, about half of the students who start a four-year degree program graduate within six years. I know…there were many days during my years in college that I thought I might become one of those statistics!
An article in the September issue of ISE Magazine presents an interesting case study about how Indiana-based Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology, one of the top ranked engineering colleges in the nation, used Six Sigma tools to improve student retention. They did it by using Six Sigma, a set of tools often used in manufacturing, and successfully adapting it to their academic setting.
Director of Institutional Research Timothy Chow and Engineering Management Department Head Craig Downing describe how, about six years ago, Rose-Hulman administrators noticed a slight increase in the number of its first-year students dropping out. They took a proactive approach. A project team conducted a study to find out why these students were leaving. Leaders hoped the study would uncover cost-effective ways to reverse this trend.
The team used Six Sigma’s standardized define, measure, analyze, improve and control (DMAIC) process for the project. This approach gave the team a structured framework to document its work, organize information, review current processes, and summarize and share process improvement activities and operational results.
The team used data analysis to identify potential root causes for students dropping out. They identified three groups of first-year students with increased risk of attrition. The first group was identified according to their mathematics background and preparation for college. The second group was identified based on students’ academic probation status during their first college year. The third group was identified through observers, such as coaches and instructors, who had frequent contact with the students and could report any observed at-risk behaviors.
Targeted interventions were carried out for each of the three at-risk student groups. While the overall student attrition rate dropped only slightly at first, from 8.57% to 8.52%, it was enough to spur the team’s efforts. With the successful pilot results for determining attrition risk factors, new processes were established to help identify potentially at-risk students early and offer tailored interventions according to their needs.
What’s the lesson learned here? Six Sigma isn’t just for manufacturing. By adapting Six Sigma to their needs, universities and other service organizations can reap benefits of the data-driven, process-oriented framework to improve their processes. Give it a try!
How are you helping your employees to work smarter by reducing the amount of time they spend on non-productive activities and correcting errors? If your business processes need a “check-up,” please email me at michael@leadingchangeforgood.com! I’d love to help you get back to a
healthy, productive workplace.
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