Student Achievement and Institutional Performance Indicators

Students often report that their first term in college is the most difficult, especially for those who are returning to school after an extended absence, who work full-time, and who are supporting families. Hodges University reaches out to students with services designed to help them be successful – especially during that critical first term.

The Term Persistence Rate is defined as the percentage of undergraduate, degree-seeking students enrolled in a fall term who are still enrolled in the following winter term. Term persistence rates are calculated separately for the first time at Hodges and all enrolled students.

Below are the term-to-term persistence rates for the undergraduate, degree-seeking students; the true freshmen (first term in college); and the veteran students, with each cohort reaching or exceeding Hodges University’s 60% target for the first time at Hodges and 70% target for the all enrolled students. The data shows that a large majority of students succeed in their first term and re-enroll at Hodges University for their second term in college.

Hodges University measures career outcomes of student achievement in accordance with the national standards provided by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). NACE developed standards and protocols to help colleges assess the value and effectiveness of higher education as it relates to preparing the next generation workforce. These standards and protocols allow colleges to measure outcomes in order to improve higher education performance and achieve institutional and academic program accreditation standards. NACE defines the Career Outcomes Rate as the percentage of graduates who fall into the following categories: employed full time, employed part-time, participating in a program of voluntary service, serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, or enrolled in a program of continuing education. Hodges University continues to meet or exceed its target of 80%.

2016-2017 Career Outcomes Success Rate is 93% (68% Employed and 25% Continuing Education). Review the Office of Career Services Infographic and Annual Report for more information.

External statistics are used to validate internal employment statistics. The data source is the Florida Education and Training Placement Information Program (FETPIP), which collects data on the Independent Colleges & Universities of Florida (ICUF) institutions. In the most recent published data, Hodges University ranks very high in comparison with its ICUF peers, with Hodges students ranking first or second in most years for percent of baccalaureate graduates employed between 2008 and 2016. Hodges University’s target for students reported by FETPIP who have earned a bachelor’s degree and who are employed is 65%.

Because of the difficulties with graduation rate comparisons across diverse institutions, one valid accountability measure Hodges University uses to demonstrate student achievement is degree productivity. Degree productivity is an expression of the total number of degrees awarded in an academic year as a percentage of full-time equivalent (FTE) enrollment. Therefore, degree productivity is a reflection of student achievement overall, rather than for a small segment of a university’s student body, and provides a valid measure of achievement across multiple institutions. Although Hodges has experienced lower enrollment numbers in recent years, the table shows an increase in degree productivity, with 30 degrees awarded per 100 FTE in 2016-2017, exceeding the current target of 20 degrees per 100 FTE.

To better represent Hodges University, the new IPEDS outcome measure was recently selected as our SACSCOC key completion indicator. Although this measure has only been collected for three years (2015-2016 for 2007 cohort, 2016-2017 for 2008 cohort, 2017-2018 for 2009 cohort), the trend analysis shows that, with the inclusion of the transfer-in and part-time students, which more accurately captures working adults returning to school, the overall 8-year award rate falls within our established target of 35%.