Texas Southern University
As a traditional and proud Historically Black University, Texas Southern University’s student population is overwhelmingly African American, and as such, the university did not examine longitudinal data along ethnic and/or racial lines. Instead, the university examined success and more importantly, failure rates between developmental and non-developmental students. The university found failure rates to be highest among developmental students in reading-intensive courses; and that non-developmental students have the highest failure rates in the sciences.
Texas Southern University’s student success initiatives are all targeted toward the success of incoming and first-year students. The university’s student success initiatives include Supplemental Instruction (SI) implemented in freshmen level courses; and, various faculty-driven research initiatives, including investigations into:
- The Science Crossover: Does Reading Science Enhance Science Grades?
- Subliminal Messaging
- Collaboration: Learning and Literacy in the Classroom
- An Exploratory Investigation of Wikis as a Collaborative Learning Strategy for Developmental Reading Students
- Teaching Computer Science Through the Introduction of Game Playing in the Course
- Metacognitive Strategies of Concept Mapping and Rehearsal for Entry Level Chemistry Course
Texas Southern University is one of the nation’s largest HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). The university possesses an impressive array of undergraduate and graduate programs, a diverse faculty, and an impressive alumni network.
Nestled upon a sprawling 150-acre campus, Texas Southern University serves as a cornerstone for developing the greatest potential in leaders from various socioeconomic, cultural and racial backgrounds.
Texas Southern University is located in the heart of Houston’s historic Third Ward, which gives students easy access to the Museum District, neighboring educational institutions, the Texas Medical Center, and City Hall.
The university’s student body is characterized by diversity. Texas Southern’s international student population hail from such places as Africa, Canada, the Canal Zone, the Caribbean, Central America, China, Europe, Mexico, South Asia and the West Indies.
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
