retention 101

Virginia Beach, VASeptember 30 – October 2, 2007

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retention 101

Professional Development Workshop

The Educational Policy Institute’s


PART VI: Campus Change


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A traditional view: The Deficit Model

• Students are deficient, and need remediation/repair to accommodate to the campus environment.

• The institution is static. It is unchanged and unaffected by student characteristics experiences, needs, and strengths.


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An “Asset” Model• Student success and institutional quality are the result

of interactions between students and the institution.• The campus climate is a critical factor in facilitating

student retention and success.• The institution is dynamic. Institutional planners are

intentional about promoting change in response to student experiences and characteristics.


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Dimensions of Retention Planning

• Structural• Intentionality• Intrusiveness• Cross-Boundary


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The StructuralStructural Dimension Effects result in changes to:

Students onlyStudents and the Institution

▲▲

Tutoring

▲▲

Supplemental Instruction

▲▲

Changes to Gatekeeper

Courses

▲▲

Audit of high D/F/W

Courses


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The StructuralStructural Dimension Effects result in changes to:

Students onlyStudents and the Institution

▲▲Block

Scheduling

▲▲

Freshman Interest Groups

▲▲

Structured First Year


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The IntentionalityIntentionality Dimension

Random; effects or participation left to chance

Intentional, Coordinated

▲▲Letter to units encouraging

effort. Optional

Workshops

▲▲

Leveraging student

behavior/ connection

▲▲

Structured First Year

▲▲

First Year Seminar

▲▲

Training for Front-Line

Staff

▲▲

Departmental Retention

Plans/ Accountability

▲▲

Institutional Retention

Plans/ Accountability


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The Intrusiveness Intrusiveness Dimension

Decisions, feedback left to students

Institution designs key experiences and Influences student participation

▲▲Probation

Letters inform of status

▲▲

Data-driven discussions

with all students

▲▲

Grade Monitoring for

specific populations

▲▲

Data-driven discussions with

all students

Developmental Stages

▲▲

Instructors report

absences, mid-term grades for

all students


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The Cross-BoundaryCross-Boundary Dimension

IsolatedIntegrated

▲▲Common Readings

▲▲

Community College

Connection

▲▲

Senior Year Transition

▲▲

Learning Center/ Faculty

Development Center

▲▲

Supplemental Instruction


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Retention Strategy…

• …should be connected to institutional situation and needs.

• …should reflect institutional choices along dimensions of structure, intentionality, intrusiveness, and integration.


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Leadership


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It’s impossible to really innovate unless you can deal with all aspects of

a problem. If you can only deal with yolks or whites, it’s pretty hard to

make an omelet.Gene Amdahl


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Top Down or Bottom Up?


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The Change ProcessO

utco

mes

Time


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Leadership

• What incentives can be developed that will encourage campus leaders to become more directly involved with retention efforts?

• Should states begin to tie increases in allocations to public colleges and university systems with increases in retention rates?

• Or should trustees on individual campuses base increases in presidents’ salaries and other benefits to the share of students who complete successfully?


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Leadership

• If senior administrators cannot or will not become more involved with retention issues, can other groups outside the campus community (e.g., state policy makers, community service organizations, potential outside donors, etc.) increase their involvement?


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Total Quality Management (TQM)

1. Create constancy of purpose for improvement of product and service.

2. Adopt the new philosophy.

3. Cease dependence on mass inspection.

4. End the practice of awarding business on price tag alone.

5. Improve constantly and forever the system of production and service.


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6. Institute training.

7. Institute leadership.

8. Drive out fear.

9. Break down barriers between staff areas.

10. Eliminate slogans, exhortations, and targets for the workforce.

11. Eliminate numerical quotas.


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12. Remove barriers to pride of workmanship.

13. Institute a vigorous program of education and retraining.

14. Take action to accomplish the transformation.


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The DEEP Schools

• “Documenting Effective Educational Practice” – Institutions share a “living” mission and “lived”

educational philosophy, – an unshakeable focus on student learning, – environments adapted for educational enrichment, – clearly marked pathways to student success, – an improvement-oriented ethos, and – shared responsibility for educational quality and student

success.


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The DEEP Schools• In their book, Student Success in College, George Kuh and

associates (2005) assert that, in their study of 20 institutions that performed better than expected with regard to student retention, there was no definite pattern in how these institutions succeeded. For their institutions, “a unique combination of external and internal factors worked together to crystallize and support an institutionwide focus on student success. No blueprint exists to reproduce what they do, or how, in another setting”

• “The absence of such a blueprint and the fact that many roads lead to student success are, in fact, good news for those who desire to enhance student learning and engagement at their own institutions” (p. 21).


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Main Themes

• Data (articulating; non-existent)• Change process; impediments to change• Faculty• Leadership• Structures• Too ambitious?• Some too modest?• Are you placed to make change?


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To Think About• What are going to be your earliest targets when you go

back? Who do you need to move? • Do you have the resources to do this? What is realistic?

Do the resources match the goals? What if you don’t get them?

• Do you have the data? How will you get the data?• To what extent am I farther now than I was before I came

to Lake Louise?


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Top Ten Considerations1. Rely on proven research.2. Suit the particular needs of the campus. 3. Institutionalize and become a regular part of campus service. 4. Involve all campus departments and all campus personnel. 5. Take into consideration the dynamics of the change process and

provide extensive and appropriate retraining of staff.6. Focus on students.7. Ensure that the program is fiscally responsible.8. Support institutional research in the monitoring of programs and

students.9. Be patient.10. Be sensitive to students’ needs and target the most needy student

populations.


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Our Objectives• Are objectives during this retreat are to provide participants with:

A more comprehensive understanding of theoretical and practical reasons for student departure and success;

An understanding of the barriers to student success; A framework for developing a comprehensive plan for improving student success at your

institution; Data on student success and persistence at the two- and four-year levels in Canada and the U.S.; Strategies and best practices for improving student success on campus; Information on how to track and monitor students throughout their education; A perspective on leadership and campus change (continuous improvement) necessary to improve

student success; An opportunity to create diverse networks of professionals like yourself who are committed to

serving students at a high level; Motivation to go back to your college and improve services to all students;


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See you in San Diego next May!


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retention 101

Professional Development Workshop

The Educational Policy Institute’s


Brought to you by the Educational Policy Institute

Dr. Watson Scott Swail (facilitator & coordinator)Dr. Peter Dietsche (facilitator)

Dr. Jay Goff (facilitator)Ms. Hyniea Gardner (logistics)

Ms. Pamela Pearsall Swail (events coordinator)

retention 101

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