The Office of Institutional Effectiveness
Our Mission
Welch College exists to educate leaders to serve Christ, His Church, and His world through biblical thought and life.
Objectives
The following general objectives indicate the knowledge, attitudes, and abilities that the College regards as generally essential for effective Christian service. The College intends that these be developed in good measure in all graduates:
- A broad comprehension of biblical teaching.
- Christian character and spiritual maturity, manifested in living according to biblical principles and a meaningful devotional life.
- A Christian worldview, manifested in an awareness of its implications for thought and life.
- An informed mind, manifested in critical thinking and intellectual honesty.
- A concern for global missions and evangelism, manifested in consistent giving, praying, and witnessing toward the accomplishment of the Great Commission.
- A knowledgeable commitment to physical and emotional health.
- A commitment to Christian leadership and service in career, church, family, and private life.
- Social adjustment, manifested in healthy interpersonal relationships.
- The knowledge and skills needed to function effectively in oneās chosen vocation.
- Compassion, manifested in an active desire to help the poor and hurting.
- Communication skills, manifested in effective reading, writing, listening, and speaking.
- Cultural refinement, manifested both in lifestyle and in appreciation for that which is noble and uplifting.
These objectives are detailed in each program of study.
The following criteria are established as the primary means Welch College uses to measure institutional attainment of objectives and to document student success. All assessments are administered to all students across all modalities (traditional, online, hybrid).
- Retention Rates
- Graduation/Completion Rates
- Employment Rates (Survey of Recent Graduates)
- Christian Service Pass Rates
- Graduate School Enrollment
- ETS Proficiency Profile (exit scores for graduating students)
- ABHE Bible Exam (exit scores for graduating students)
As an educational institution with an educational mission, the first goal is to attract, retain, and graduate students. Thus, two criteria were adopted related to this: retention rates and graduation rates. The institution has chosen to make use of IPEDS data for greater consistency even though National Student Clearinghouse data may compare more favorably. All IPEDS information is processed through the Office of Planning and Assessment and developed according to specific, national standards.
Retention Rates
Welch College is an open enrollment institution. There are no minimum entrance requirements other than documentation of the studentās ability to benefit from instruction. In addition, significant numbers of students are first-generation college students, and a large portion of the student body come from socio-economic situations that often educationally disadvantage students (21% of students are Pell eligible and 51% of students receive federal aid). In addition, because of the religious nature of the institution, many students choose to come to Welch College for one to two years in order to receive instruction in biblical worldview before transferring to other institutions with broader program offerings.
These things obviously impact the goals established by the institution in both retention and completion rates. The average retention rate for this over the last ten years is 68.97%, with the most recent figure being 71.13%. These retention rates compare favorably with more selective private institutions in Middle Tennessee.
Minimum threshold of acceptability:Ā 58%
Aspirational goal:Ā 80%
The most recent freshman-sophomore retention rate was 78.25%.
YEAR | RETENTION |
---|---|
2009-2010 | 60.94% |
2010-2011 | 62.30% |
2011-2012 | 65.90% |
2012-2013 | 68.51% |
2013-2014 | 70.50% |
2014-2015 | 66.13% |
2015-2016 | 69.84% |
2016-2017 | 75.55% |
2017-2018 | 78.85% |
2018-2019 | 71.13% |
2019-2020 | 78.25 |
10 Year Average | 68.97% |
*These figures are taken from reports filed with ABHE. They reflect the fall-to-fall retention of First-Time Freshmen.
Graduation/Completion Rate
The open enrollment policy of the institution and high transfer rate obviously impact the institutionās completion rate. However, significant gains have been made over the last several years. In 2015, the five-year average for completions was 40.32%. In 2019, the completion rate was 53.00%, with a ten-year average of 45.48%.
Minimum threshold of acceptability:Ā 40%
Aspirational goal:Ā 60%
The most recent graduation/completion rate was 53.00%.
YEAR | COHORT YEAR |
POTENTIAL COMPLETERS |
COMPLETERS | IPEDS BACHELORāS PERCENTAGE RATE |
IPEDS OVERALL PERCENTAGE |
10 YEAR AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2009-10 | 2004 | 91 | 47 | 51.65% | 38.40% | |
2010-11 | 2005 | 68 | 33 | 48.53% | 39.45% | |
2011-12 | 2006 | 70 | 26 | 37.14% | 38.97% | |
2012-13 | 2007 | 59 | 27 | 45.76% | 39.56% | |
2013-14 | 2008 | 63 | 26 | 41.13% | 40.15% | |
2014-15 | 2009 | 56 | 20 | 35.71% | 43.32% | |
2015-16 | 2010 | 45 | 17 | 34.69%% | 42.09% | |
2016-2017 | 2011 | 51 | 24 | 47.61% | 42.78% | |
2017-2018 | 2012 | 61 | 33 | 43.00% | 54.10% | 44.04% |
2018-19 | 2013 | 60 | 32 | 59.00 | 53.00% | 44.93% |
First-time/full-time students entering college at Welch College, and completing their program within 150% of published time.
Employment Rates
General Objectives 7, 9, 10, and 12 listed above concern active engagement in the field of study and to the skills related to how the college understands employment in the field of study. All Welch College graduates receive training in biblical and theological studies. The mission statement asserts that Welch College educates leaders for āserviceā in a broad variety of settings. This education may or may not relate directly to the studentās primary area of employment.
Many Welch College graduates are engaged in bi-vocational ministry. Others are engaged in ministry positions valued by the College that may not be considered employment or may not be considered full-time. In addition, the population surveyed ranges from 22-27 years of age and includes a significant number of female graduates who are starting families and potentially deciding to forego employment for a time because of this. In addition, survey results have consistently indicated that approximately 1/3 of the graduates in the last five years have completed or are enrolled in graduate school at the time of the survey. These graduate students may not be employed at all and are likely not employed full-time.
For these reasons, the institution tracks employment generally (including both full and part-time employment). The institution adopted a target goal of 90% employment reported on the surveys. This goal would still be above the national average of employment for this age-group demographic.
Minimally acceptable threshold:Ā 83%
Aspirational goal of:Ā 95%
Employment Rates from the most recent Survey of Recent Graduates were 95% (76.7% full-time, 18.3% part-time).
2014 Graduate
Employment Rate
84%
2016 Graduate
Employment Rate
100%
2018 Graduate
Employment Rate
95%
2020 Graduate
Employment Rate
95%
Christian Service Rates
Because a number of the objectives listed above and the mission of the College specifically mention Christian service, Christian service is an important criterion for Welch College to review. In addition, Christian service captures institutional impact that may not be directly reflected in employment surveys. The institution has for a number of years tracked Christian service through successful completion of the Christian Service course (service-learning requirements) and more generally in the Survey of Recent Graduates.
Pass Rates, Christian Service
Minimally acceptable threshold:Ā 90%
Aspirational goal:Ā 100%.
Christian Service Rates from the most recent year were 96.5%
YEAR | FALL % | SPRING % | HOURS OF SERVICE |
---|---|---|---|
2009-2010 | 97% | 96% | 9,654 |
2010-2011 | 97% | 93% | 7,440 |
2011-2012 | 88% | 90% | 6,800 |
2012-2013 | 97% | 92% | 7,373 |
2013-2014 | 99% | 95% | 8,578 |
2014-2015 | 100% | 98% | 6,453 |
2015-2016 | 99% | 98% | 6,590 |
2016-2017 | 98% | 98% | 6,640 |
2017-2018 | 96% | 97% | 8,742 |
2018-2019 | 94% | 97% | 9,696 |
Graduate School Enrollment
Welch College views education as an integral aspect of preparation for leadership. Given the importance of leadership in the mission of the institution and the related general objectives of the institution (general objectives 2, 7, 8, 9), the institution decided to establish graduate school enrollment as a criterion for demonstrating student success. This also relates to the graduateās attainment of important intellectual and communication skills (general objectives 4, 9, 11, 12).
Welch College is an open enrollment institution. It is also operated by a religious body that does not require formal education for ordination. As such, it would be expected that graduate matriculation in advanced degrees would be quite low. However, this is not the case. Over the last ten years, surveys of recent graduates have regularly documented graduatesā engagement in advanced degrees at an average of 30%.
Minimally acceptable threshold:Ā 20%
Aspirational goal:Ā 40%
Graduates answering āyesā to the question, āI have completed or am currently enrolled in a graduate degree,ā on the most recent Survey of Recent Graduates was 38%.
General Education Assessments
The same educational goals (general objectives 4, 9, 11, 12) have long been measured by the institution through nationally normed general education assessments. Previously, the College made use of CAAP assessments as an entry/exit means of evaluating student success and assessing general education objectives. Because of the Collegeās open enrollment policy, CAAP assessments typically demonstrated incoming students scoring slightly below the national norm, and the institutional goal was for exiting students to score at or above the national norm for exiting students. This goal was typically met.
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Writing Scores
YEAR | TAKERS | WELCH SCORE |
NATIONAL SCORE |
ABOVE/BELOW AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 69 | 62.25% | 63.60% | 1.65% |
2009 | 42 | 66.45% | 63.20% | 3.25% |
2010 | 43 | 62.43% | 63.2% | 0.77% |
2011 | 21 | 63.13% | 63% | 0.13% |
2012 | 48 | 64.85% | 62.70% | 2.15% |
2014 | 30 | 65.1% | 62.6% | 2.5% |
2015 | 47 | 66.77% | 62.70% | 4.07% |
2016 | 49 | 64.29% | 61.50% | 2.79% |
2017 | 41 | 64.58% | 61.50% | 3.08% |
2018 | 50 | 64.21% | 61.5% | 2.71% |
Math Scores
YEAR | TAKERS | WELCH SCORE |
NATIONAL SCORE |
ABOVE/BELOW AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 69 | 56.55% | 56.8% | -0.25% |
2009 | 42 | 56.31% | 57% | -0.69% |
2010 | 43 | 56.16% | 56.8% | -0.64% |
2011 | 21 | 63.61% | 56.6% | 7.01% |
2012 | 48 | 55.79% | 56.5% | -0.71% |
2014 | 30 | 57.6% | 56.3% | 1.3% |
2015 | 47 | 58.21% | 56.5% | 1.71% |
2016 | 49 | 56.18% | 57% | -0.82% |
2017 | 41 | 56.25% | 57% | -0.75% |
2018 | 50 | 57.46% | 57% | -0.46% |
Critical Thinking Scores
YEAR | TAKERS | WELCH SCORE |
NATIONAL SCORE |
ABOVE/BELOW AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 69 | 64.87% | 62.9% | 1.97% |
2009 | 42 | 64.8% | 63.2% | 1.6% |
2010 | 43 | 60.02% | 63% | -2.98% |
2011 | 21 | 63.61% | 62.9% | 0.71% |
2012 | 48 | 63.06% | 62.8% | -0.26% |
2014 | 30 | 64.27% | 62.1% | 2.17% |
2015 | 47 | 64.68% | 62.1% | 2.58% |
2016 | 49 | 62.84% | 60% | 2.84% |
2017 | 41 | 60.68% | 60% | 0.68% |
2018 | 50 | 61.9% | 60% | 1.9% |
Reading Scores
YEAR | TAKERS | WELCH SCORE |
NATIONAL SCORE |
ABOVE/BELOW AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 69 | 64.23% | 62.20% | 2.63% |
2009 | 42 | 62.44% | 62.3% | 0.14% |
2010 | 43 | 60.5% | 62.1% | 1.6% |
2011 | 21 | 63.13% | 61.7% | 1.43% |
2012 | 48 | 62.6% | 61.3% | 1.3% |
2014 | 30 | 64% | 61.3% | 2.7% |
2015 | 47 | 64.26% | 61.3% | 2.96% |
2016 | 49 | 62.63% | 60.2% | 2.43% |
2017 | 41 | 60.70% | 60.2% | 0.5% |
2018 | 50 | 61.26% | 60.2% | 1.06% |
Science Scores
YEAR | TAKERS | WELCH SCORE |
NATIONAL SCORE |
ABOVE/BELOW AVERAGE |
---|---|---|---|---|
2008 | 69 | 59.71% | 60.7% | -0.99% |
2009 | 42 | 59.6% | 60.9% | -1.3% |
2010 | 43 | 58.43% | 60.7% | -2.27% |
2011 | 21 | 60.61% | 60.4% | 0.21% |
2012 | 48 | 58.45% | 60.4% | -1.95% |
2014 | 30 | 60.7% | 60.6% | 0.1% |
2015 | 47 | 61.45% | 60.7% | 0.75% |
2016 | 49 | 59.04% | 59.70% | -0.7% |
2017 | 41 | 58.00% | 59.70% | -1.7% |
2018 | 50 | 56.89% | 59.7% | -2.8% |
When the CAAP exam ceased to be nationally normed, the institution moved to locate a suitable replacement. Beginning in 2018, Welch College has administered the ETS Proficiency Profile to incoming and graduating students regardless of instructional modality to measure general education outcomes. While the data is limited at this time, the following goals were established.
Minimally acceptable threshold:Ā ETS Proficiency Profile average exiting graduate score within one standard deviation of the national norm.
Aspirational goal:Ā ETS Proficiency Profile average exiting graduate score 15 points above the national norm.
The most recent administration of the ETS Proficiency Profile for graduating students yielded an average score of 459.6 across all modalities. This compares to a national norm score of 440.1.
ETS Proficiency Profile
Freshmen Entry, Graduating Exit, National Norms
Critical Thinking | Humanities | Mathmatics | Natural Sciences |
Reading | Social Sciences |
Writing | Total Score |
||
Norms are based on the participation os 383,689 students from 385 colleges and universities. | |||||||||
2018 |
Entry | 113.7 | 114.2 | 112.7 | 113.5 | 116.2 | 112.4 | 114.1 | 440.5 |
Norm 2012-2018 |
110.7 | 113.7 | 112.9 | 14.5 | 116.8 | 112.3 | 113.6 | 441.1 | |
Exit | 112.9 | 116.5 | 112.5 | 115.5 | 117.7 | 113.4 | 116.2 | 445.5 | |
2018 data is limited due to the transaition from the CAAP Test | |||||||||
2019 |
Entry | 112.6 | 114.2 | 113.7 | 113.8 | 116.6 | 112.3 | 114.6 | 442 |
Norm 2013-2019 |
110.4 | 113.4 | 112.7 | 114.3 | 116.6 | 112.1 | 113.3 | 440.1 | |
Exit | 117.1 | 120.3 | 115.2 | 119.3 | 123 | 119.5 | 118.7 | 459.6 |
ABHE Bible Exam
Other missionally important educational goals of the institution relate to biblical and theological content and to the cultivation of a Christian worldview (general objectives 1, 2, 3, 12). Welch College has long made use of the Association for Biblical Higher Educationās Bible Knowledge Exam to measure student attainment of related institutional objectives. This assessment is nationally normed, but the norm is universal rather than annual. Welch College administers this assessment to entering and exiting students.
Minimally acceptable threshold:Ā 11% improvement in value-added score (pre-test/post-test)
Aspirational goal:Ā 18% improvement in value-added score (pre-test/post-test)
The average improvement of exit/entry score for Welch College graduates in the most recent assessment was 15.62% or 21.16 raw points.
Welch College Entry/Exit Comparisons as of August 2019
SUBJECT | ENTRY | EXIT | VALUE ADDED |
---|---|---|---|
New Testament: Subject Matter | 35.87% | 60.78% | 24.91% |
New Testament: Timeline | 29.51% | 61.54% | 32.03% |
New Testament: People | 37.77% | 62.04% | 24.27% |
New Testament: Gospels | 42.00% | 64.64% | 22.64% |
New Testament: Letters | 30.67% | 58.17% | 27.50% |
New Testament: Geography | 47.65% | 35.06% | -12.59% |
New Testament: The Life of Christ | 46.24% | 64.62% | 18.38% |
New Testament: The Life of Paul | 50.80% | 62.45% | 11.65% |
Old Testament: Subject Matter | 37.80% | 54.72% | 16.92% |
Old Testament: Timeline | 27.64% | 54.34% | 26.70% |
Old Testament: People | 48.49% | 54.61% | 6.12% |
Old Testament: Geography | 28.63% | 38.49% | 9.86% |
Old Testament: Pentateuch | 44.01% | 42.69% | -1.32% |
Old Testament: History | 46.92% | 55.01% | 8.09% |
Old Testament: Poetry | 36.18% | 53.55% | 17.37% |
Old Testament: Prophets | 44.39% | 51.75% | 17.36% |
AVERAGE | 39.66% | 55.29% | 15.62% |
Note: In 2020, the ABHE Bible exam was rewritten. This new iteration of the exam was first given to entering students in Fall 2020 and will be administered to exiting students in Spring 2021. A full complement of actual pre-test/post-test value-added scores will not be available until Spring 2024. Until these numbers are once again available, the institutionās minimally acceptable threshold will be exiting scores of graduates within one standard deviation of the national norm for graduating students. The aspirational goal will be one standard deviation above the national norm for graduating students.
ABHE Bible Exam Value-Added Scores
2017
15.15%
2018
18.30%
2019
17.75%
2020
18.95%
2020 Graduate Survey Highlights and Takeaways
- Given the fact that Welch College is an open-enrollment institution and typically serves low to middle-income students the fact that over 1/3 of graduates in the last five years are currently enrolled or have completed graduate programs is staggering.
- 87% of all respondents indicated that Welch College prepared them for the ministry in which they are currently engaged.
- 80% of all respondents indicated that their general education courses prepared them to be effective in their ministry or as laypersons in general Christian service.
- 96% of all respondents indicate regular attendance at worship services. The Pew Forum Religious Landscape Study(2019), measuring 18-29-year-olds, reported 27% of adults in this age range attend religious services weekly while 37% of adults in this age range attend between once or twice a month to a few times a year.
- 87% of respondents indicated that Welch Collegeās preparation for ministry was above average or better. 94% of respondents indicated that the preparation for ministry they received at Welch College was adequate or better.
We are a Christian CommunityĀ of Faith and Learning
At Welch College, we provide a unique setting for preparing student-leaders to serve God in whatever field He is calling them to.
In this Christian community of faith and learning, students find their place in Godās world, and we equip them with the tools to fulfill that calling.
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