A Retention Decision-Making Tool - Educational Policy Institute

A Retention Decision-Making Tool

Retention 2008San Diego

A Retention Decision-Making Tool

Andrea ReeveDirector

Academic Advancement ProgramColorado State University

Andrea.Reeve@Colostate.edu

Paul ThayerAssistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Assistant to the Vice Provost

for Undergraduate AffairsColorado State University

Paul.Thayer@Colostate.edu

Retention Decision-Making:within and across programs

• What kind of institutions?• What roles?• What responsibility for

retention?• Institutional retention plan?

Organizing/Structuring to Increase Impact: Research & Theory

• Berger, J: Organizational values• Braxton, J.: Institutional practice and

student integration• Lotkowski, V., et al., ACT: Academic and

non-academic factors (meta-analysis)• Pascarella & Terenzini: Institutional effects

(meta-analysis)• Tinto, V.: Academic and social Integration

Institutional Environment and Retention

Retention and Institutional Environment: Applied Research

• College Board, Pilot Study on Student Retention

• Educational Policy Institute, “Effective Practices in Student Success”

• Kuh, et al., Student Success in College• Lumina, Achieving the Dream• Pathways to College Network• Pell Institute, Demography is Not Destiny

Choices among retention strategies: What’s at stake?

• Comprehensive• Integrated• Intentional/Targeted

•Degree of Student Impact

•Degree of Institutional Impact

Comprehensiveness

High Low

Institutional Impact

Student Impact

Integrated with Institutional Processes

High Low

Institutional Impact

Student Impact

Intentional, Targeted

High Low

Institutional Impact

Student Impact

“Education is too important to be left to chance.”

--Paraphrased from Vincent Tinto

Example: Early Warning

High Low

Letter of Warning

Students report grades

System for faculty to report

grades

Early sensing of student issues

and intervention with mid-term

systems

Institutional reporting and intervention

system

A

ComprehensivenessExample: Academic Support

High Low

Letter of warning to failing students

Tutoring Program

Facilitated Study Group

Supplemental Instruction

Learning Center: collecting a few

services

Comprehensive Learning Center

P

INTEGRATIONExample: Learning Community

High Low

Theme Floors

Study Groups

Block Scheduling (co-

registration)

FIGs

Living Learning FIGs

Residential College (a la Santa Cruz)

College Park Scholars (Univ.

Maryland)

P

INTENTIONAL/INTRUSIVEExample: First-Year Experience

High Low

No Orientation

Voluntary Orientation

Mandatory, Multi-Day

Summer PLUS pre-Fall

Programs

Institutional PLUS topical

programs

Extended Orientation:

FYS, Mentoring, etc.

Bridge Programs (UCLA/ CC)

Sophomore Programs (NJ EOP)

A

Principles for Using the Decision-Making Tool

• It is desirable to move as far as possible in the direction of greatest comprehensiveness, integration, and intentionality, but…

Principles (continued)

• …institutional circumstances will influence and the possibilities. For example:– Resources– Political capital– Outside accountability– Internal priorities– The President

Principles (continued)

• One might deliberately choose an alternative with lesser impact for very good reasons. (Pilot or demonstration project, for example.)

• But weighing alternatives with maximum impact (greatest comprehensiveness, integration, intentionality) in mind helps the institution to stretch.

Presentation and Webliography available on the Web at:

users.casa.colostate.edu/thayer

So, you have your repertoire of strategies and methods for choosing

among them…

…Now it’s LEADERSHIP that will make the difference in

implementing them.

Good Luckwith your retention plans!