Retention is recent appointee’s main focus
Faculty spotlight on Arthur "Ray" McCoy
Associate Vice President of Student Affairs

-- Vickie Evans-Nash

A student’s first contact with any college or university can have a lasting impact. Arthur "Ray" McCoy, the newly appointed Associate Vice President of Student Affairs, has been hired to ensure that first contact is a pleasant one.

McCoy gave an example that during orientation this year, some students were unable to meet with an academic advisor. "A student may have traveled two hours to get here, but because back up was not available, they were unable to complete the registration process that day." One incident could determine whether or not that student returns. As such, McCoy’s main focus since joining Metropolitan State University has been on retention.

McCoy says that the best way to deal with concerns is to work closely with Academic Affairs to ensure that a student doesn’t become frustrated with what occurs outside the classroom. He sees himself as an advocate for the students, serving to translate the bureaucracy in order to better serve the student. He plans to examine the barriers that prevent students from completing their educational goals.

McCoy believes that bridging the gap between Academic Affairs and Student Services will increase students’ chances for success. He will examine all aspects of the current Student Services with an eye toward improving the experience for students from their first point of contact through graduation.

"Working with the Academic Affairs division to coordinate orientation academic advising, career and personal counseling, as well as a host of other services should relieve some of the frustration and anxiety that is common for new students," McCoy said. "All students should expect and demand high quality services throughout their time at Metropolitan State University."

McCoy understands that his focus on retention must respect the fact that Metropolitan State University is unique. "The average age of our student body, the largely evening and weekend class schedule, the number of working students and students caring for families, requires a unique retention plan. Retention should not only be measured in terms of the number of students graduating each year. But, retention at Metropolitan State must be measured against the reality of our students’ lives."

He explained that some students attend full-time in the summer but not in the fall. Others can complete two semesters but their employers will not pay for additional courses until the following academic year, which makes it necessary for them to stop for awhile.

Currently it’s taking students approximately five years to complete a bachelor’s degree. But that’s not necessarily a bad thing, said McCoy. "I don’t think the length of completion is a big concern. I am more concerned with the students who aren’t completing and what is preventing them from completing." McCoy said these and other factors make identifying all of the appropriate retention activities challenging, but never boring.

McCoy has been involved in higher education for over 20 years and was appointed to his current position by President William Bradshaw on July 5. He served as Diversity Director for the College of Liberal Arts at Pennsylvania State University where he developed desegregation programs. He served as Dean of Students at the University of St. Thomas and Hamline University Schools of Law. He was the Equity Advocate for the Inter Faculty Organization (IFO) and served as in-house counsel for Education Minnesota with the teachers’ union.

When asked what impressed him most so far, he replied that it was the diversity of students at Metropolitan State University. McCoy said it’s not uncommon for him to encounter many different languages and customs daily. He said Metropolitan State University offers "the most diverse environment I have ever worked in."

Associate Vice President McCoy can be reached at (651) 793-1535 or at Arthur.McCoy@metrostate.edu. His office is located on the St. Paul Campus; Founders Hall; Room 122.