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A Retention Decision-Making Tool
Retention 2008San Diego
A Retention Decision-Making Tool
Andrea ReeveDirector
Academic Advancement ProgramColorado State University
Paul ThayerAssistant Vice President for Student Affairs/Assistant to the Vice Provost
for Undergraduate AffairsColorado State University
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!
