Sophomores Can Cut Risks by Turning to 'CSI'

One group of current students at the University of Cincinnati runs more retention risk than any other.

They are known by the name of "sophomores."

Despite what many people may recall as an idyllic, stress-free time early in their college careers, research has shown that today’s sophomores are at greater risk of washing out or falling severely off track for graduation than at any other point during their college careers.

University of Cincinnati students who are entering their sophomore year this fall have an opportunity to avoid that pitfall by taking advantage of a new program designed to minimize sophomore risks.

The Cincinnati Sophomore Initiative (CSI), the first program of its kind at one of Ohio’s public, urban universities, seeks to engage sophomore students by getting them involved with advisors and alumni who can help define direction in their college careers and put them on a path where they can see the light at the end of a successful college career. Students in the program will find support and education as to their options at the very time when they are most susceptible to giving up on college.

"We want to eliminate the anxiety (for students) and focus on their success," says Carol Tonge Mack, the assistant academic director of UC’s Center for Exploratory Studies who helped develop the framework that became CSI. "We’re in the beginning stages of the sophomore experience; there’s a lot to learn from students. Hopefully, they’ll teach us better ways to help them."

Tonge Mack was inspired to act after reading an article describing sophomore susceptibility by University of Dayton faculty member Molly Schaller. CSI was devised as a program to address some of the most common risk factors that cause sophomore students to struggle and eventually fail. It received funding from the UC Alumni Association’s Mastercard Affinity Funding program.

Tonge Mack has teamed with academic and exploratory advisors Beth Fisher, Greg Moeller and Yolanda Cooper from UC’s McMicken College of Arts and Sciences to implement CSI, which will begin working with its first sophomore class this fall.

CSI seeks to engage sophomores who need more support with tools such as the Sophomore Checklist, which lays out guideposts of what a student should be doing to ensure sophomore success through each quarter of the academic year, along with increased emphasis on academic advising. The program also includes special programming options, such as aligning with alumni in the student’s desired field of employment, and the "Night of Soph’istication" program, where sophomores and alumni meet for a celebratory dinner. UC’s College of Business and College of Applied Science are also key partners in this initiative.

Absent the strong support systems that mark the freshman year, becoming a sophomore can be disconcerting and even discouraging to students who feel they are losing their way.

"Students have so many options for majors, classes and program requirements," says Tonge Mack. "They need guidance on the ‘right’ courses, internships, alumni shadowing or other experiential opportunities, and intentional academic and career planning for the next two to three years."

Sophomores who haven’t decided on a major should also consider taking the "Discover UC" course this fall.

UC students who are interested in learning more about CSI are encouraged to contact Tonge Mack at 556-6541 or Fisher at 556-1763 or visit the program Web site at www.uc.edu/csi