COKER AT A GLANCE
Coker’s Student Population
Fall 2019 Enrollment and Student Characteristics as reported to IPEDS
Student Enrollment
| Total Enrollment | 1113 |
| Undergraduate | 977 |
| Graduate | 136 |
| Student-to-faculty ratio | 12 to 1 |
Student Characteristics (All Students)
By gender:
| Percent of undergraduates who are female | 59% |
By race/ethnicity:
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1% |
| Asian | 1% |
| Black or African American | 30% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 5% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 57% |
| Two or More Races | 0% |
| Race and ethnicity unknown | 5% |
| Nonresident | 2% |
Undergraduate Student Characteristics
| Percent of undergraduates who are female | 59% |
| Percent of undergraduates who are full-time | 94% |
| Percent of undergraduates who receive a PELL grant | 55% |
| Percent of undergraduate students who are first-generation college students. (not reported to IPEDS) | 39% |
By race/ethnicity:
| American Indian or Alaska Native | 1% |
| Asian | 1% |
| Black or African American | 31% |
| Hispanic/Latino | 5% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 0% |
| White | 55% |
| Two or More Races | 0% |
| Race and ethnicity unknown | 6% |
| Nonresident | 2% |
Graduate Student Characteristics
| Percent of graduate students who are female | 59% |
| Percent of graduate students who are full-time | 89% |
Retention
Criteria: First to second-year retention for first-time bachelor’s degree-seeking undergraduates
Target Level of Performance: 61%
The first to second-year retention rate for first-time bachelor’s degree-seeking undergraduates at Coker has ranged from 51% – 83% over the last 10 years. For the incoming class of Fall 2019, the retention rate was 69%.
After reviewing Coker’s historical data for the last 10 yrs as well as data from institutions in our IPEDS peer group (Southeast region), we have decided to use a three-year rolling average of retention rates at Coker as our target level of performance. The current three-year rolling average for first-year to second-year retention is 61%. This threshold is comparable to the retention rate for our peer institutions (IPEDS peer group; institutions in the Southeast region). Five institutions in our peer group reported retention rates lower than 61% for the Fall 2016 cohort and 6 institutions reported retention rates above 61%.
We think this threshold is appropriate for us to measure our overall progress on improving retention at Coker; however, we also recognize the importance of disaggregating retention data to identify areas where the University is under and overperforming. The Executive Leadership Team at Coker reviews disaggregated retention data on an annual basis to identify student populations that may need additional support.
Graduation Rates
Criteria: IPEDS Outcome Measures – 8-yr graduation rate
Target Level of Performance: 51%
Coker University has chosen the IPEDS Outcome Measures – 8-yr graduation rate as our chosen SACSCOC indicator. We feel this indicator is the most accurate tool for our institution because we have a significant portion of transfer students (~25% of our undergraduate student population) as well as students who enter the institution during non-standard reporting terms. The Outcome Measures survey includes students who enter the institution throughout the entire academic year (not just the Fall semester) and includes transfer students.
Coker’s IPEDS Outcome Measures 8-yr graduation rate for the 2012-2013 cohort was 46%.
Again, we have chosen to use a 3-yr rolling average as our target level of performance. The current 3-yr rolling average is 51%. This target level of performance is comparable to the graduation rate at peer institutions.
Detailed information regarding retention and graduation rates for undergraduate students can be found here.
Course Completion
Criteria: DFWI rate
Target Level of Performance: no courses with a DFWI rate above 30%
Each semester, a summary of course grades for all classes is provided to the Provost. The Provost reviews the DFWI rates annually and discusses these data with the academic deans.
The target level of performance is based upon the John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence in Undergraduate Education, notes from roundtable discussion led by Betsy Barefoot and Betsy Griffin titled: “Killer Courses: Understanding and Overcoming Roadblocks to First-Year Academic Success.”
State Licensing Exams
Criteria: State Licensing Exam pass rate
Target Level of Performance: > 90% of students will pass the state licensing exam
The Wiggins School of Education evaluates state licensing examination results for their respective majors. Results of these examinations and feedback from the students who complete them are used to improve the curricular programming. The results of these examinations are reported annually to the South Carolina Department of Education.
| Academic Year | # of Graduates | # Licensed | % Licensed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-2016 | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| 2016-2017 | 12 | 12 | 100% |
| 2017-2018 | 16 | 16 | 100% |
| 2018-2019 | 14 | 14 | 100% |
| 2019-2020 | 7 | 6 | 86% |
Graduate Programs
Criteria: Graduation rate
Target Level of Performance: 90%
Enrollment, retention, and graduation rates are updated annually for each of our graduate programs. These data are provided to the Academic Program Coordinator responsible for each program. As an institution we expect our graduate programs to have a 90% graduation rate.
The target level of performance is based on the data we have collected since the inception of graduate programs at Coker.
Detailed information regarding retention and graduation rates for graduate programs can be found here.