Retention of academically able students oj color requires an environment that encourages talent development and provides enriching opportunities. A traditional remedially-oriented approach fails to address the strengths and talents these students bring to campuses.

Summary and Additional Resources AZlenJ. Ottens, Irene HawisJohnson, Joan Green

Summary

Academic interventions for at-risk minority students have been predicated his- torically on research findings that follow from the question, “What is wrong with the student?” (Levin and Levin, 1991, p. 324). What is derived from such a research perspective are programmatic efforts largely targeted toward facili- tating students’ adaptability to higher education environment, remediating stu- dents’ academic deficits, and intrusively providing student assistance services to compensate for the presumed passivity of these at-risk students.

The thrust of such programmatic efforts seems, to us, to be equivalent to boosting the student: that is, helping him or her overcome a variety of short- comings in order to survive at the institution. We contend that the retention of regularly admitted students of color operates from a “driving force” qualita- tively different from that pertaining to their at-risk peers.

Anderson (1985) has utilized a “force field analysis for identifyng those factors that affect students’ persistence. He noted that these forces can be divided into four areas: positive internal and external forces, and negative internal and external forces. Positive internal factors that promote student persistence include college-oriented values, motivation, career aspirations, and enjoyment of learning. Positive external forces include supportive teach- ers and counselors, peers, friends, and parents, and the provision of infor- mation about financial aid and benefits of college. Negative internal values that would diminish persistence include procrastination, self-doubt, bore- dom, and career indecision. Anderson noted that negative external values might be lack of money, social and work demands, transportation problems, and discrimination.

NFW DIRECTION5 FOR STUDFNI SERVICES. no. 74, Summer 1996 (9 Josscy-Bass Publishen 93

94 PROMOTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR

Certainly all students are impacted by some complex interaction of these four force fields. At-risk students of color appear to be vulnerable with regard to the negative internal and external forces that would jeopardize their persis- tence. Indeed, the efforts of institutions are aimed at remediation, skill build- ing, or problem management in order to bring these students up to par, so to speak, and bolster their chances of survival (Nettles, 1988).

Regularly admitted students of color almost by definition appear to pre- sent themselves to academic institutions with a positive internal profile. These students are characterized by their strengths, not by their deficits. This point was researched by Kerr, Colangelo, Maxey, and Christensen (1992), who con- cluded that academically talented minority students achieve in spite of dis- crimination, poverty, and social stereotypes. Therefore, efforts need to be focused primarily on enhancing or encouraging their talents (Pounds, 1987). Of course, institutional barriers and discrimination can work to impede these students (for example, Atkinson, 1987; Tracey and Sedlacek, 1987; Trippi and Cheatham, 1989; Wright, 19871, and their insidious effects need to be eradi- cated, but what we argue is that removal of impediments is not, for regularly admitted students of color, as effective a retention strategy as is the presenta- tion of opportunities, challenges, and experiences that encourage talent devel- opment. This point is again borne out by Kerr and others (1992), who aptly pointed out that what these students want are programs, services, and experi- ences that enhance and enrich and are not remedially oriented.

In other words, what we hope is conveyed in this sourcebook is that retention requires an environment that presents students with a variety of are- nas that compel them to become involved, that pique their innate curiosity, that steady the course of emerging career goals, that provide accurate feedback on which a foundation of self-confidence can be based, and that employ fac- ulty and staff as exemplars who, by virtue of their success, show students that their goals are attainable.

References Anderson, E. “Forces Influencing Student Persistence and Achievement.” In L. Noel, R. S.

Levitz, D. Saluri, and Associates, Increasing Student Retention: Eflective Programs and Prac- ticesfor Reducing the Dropout Rate. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1985.

Atkinson, D. R. “Counseling Blacks: A Review of Relevant Literature.”fournal of College Stu- dent Personnel, 1987,28, 552-558.

Kerr, B., Colangelo, N., Maxey, J., and Christensen, P. “Characteristics of Academically Tal- ented Minority Students.”Journal of Counseling and Development, 1992, 70 (5). 606-609.

Levin, M. E., and Levin, J. R. “A Critical Examination of Academic Retention Programs for At-Risk Minority College Students.” Journal of College Student Development, 1991, 32,

Nettles, M. T. “Factors Related to Black and White Students: College Performance.” In M. T. Nettles (ed.), Toward Black Undergraduate Student Equality in American Higher Educa- tion. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press, 1988.

Pounds, A. “Black Students’ Needs on Predominantly White Campuses.” In D. J . Wright (ed.), Responding to the Needs of Today’s Minority Students. New Directions for Student Ser- vices, no. 38. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.

3 2 3-3 34.

SUMMARY AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 95

Tracey, T. J. . and Sedlacek, W. E. “The Relationship of Noncognitive Variables to Academic Success: A Longitudinal Comparison by Race.”Joumal of College Student Personnel, 1987,

Trippi, J., and Cheatham, H. E. “Effects of Special Counseling Programs for Black Fresh- men on a Predominantly White Campus.”Journal of College Student Development, 1989, 30, 35-40.

Wright, D. J . (ed.). Responding to the Needs of Today’s Minority Students. New Directions for Studenr Services, no. 38. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.

26,405-410.

Additional Resources

Barr, M. J _, and Associates. The Handbook of Student Affairs Administration. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1993.

The authors offer practitioners specific guidelines, strategies, and practi- cal advice on how to effectively manage and administer the student affairs of diverse college and university campuses. Student affairs practitioners will find this book a valuable source of information to help them master the key issues confronting student affairs professionals.

Coleman, D. D., and Johnson, J. E. (eds.). The New Professional: A Resource Guidefor New Student Affairs Professionals and Their Supervisors. National Asso- ciation of Student Personnel Administration Monograph, vol. 10. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administration, 1990.

This monograph is a significant contribution to the body of knowledge about student affairs professionals. Practitioners are encouraged to utilize the monograph as a means for fostering growth, assisting in transition, under- standing self and mentors, and comprehending the roles of student affairs pro- fessionals.

Delworth, U., and Hanson, G. R., and Associates. Student Services: A Handbook for the Profession. (2nd ed.) San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1989.

This handbook provides twenty-four chapters that give today’s student services professionals the information they need to successfully plan, coordi- nate, deliver, and evaluate student service programs.

Garland, I? H., and Grace, T. W New Perspectivesfor Student Affairs Profession- als: Evolving Realities, Responsibilities and Roles. ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report, no. 7. Washington, D.C.: School of Education and Human Develop- ment, Georgi Washington University, 1993.

The authors discuss the changing roles for student affairs in response to society’s changing needs. In addition the authors discuss the changing society, the new accountability for higher education; new types of students and their characteristics, the need for research and preparing student affairs profession- als for changing roles. This reference is an absolute must for practitioners, administrators, and graduate students in student affairs.

96 PROMOTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR

Green, M. F! (ed.). Minorities on Campus: A Handbookfor Enhancing Diversity. Washington, D.C.: American Council on Education, 1989.

This handbook is a practical guide for trustees, presidents, administrators, faculty, and the entire campus community. It concentrates on strategies that have been used by institutions nationwide to enhance the participation of minorities in all aspects of campus life. The handbook attempts to provide as many different approaches as possible and to encourage readers to consider how they will best work on their campuses.

Justiz, M. J., Wilson, R., and Bjork, L. G. (eds.). Minorities in Higher Education. American Council on Education, Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx Press, 1994.

Justiz, Wilson, and Bjork provide a candid discussion of the issues asso- ciated with the transformation of American society and minority participa- tion in higher education. The book is a major contribution to the national debate on how to expand minority participation in higher education and in the social, economic, and political life of the nation. The volume contains nineteen informative articles prepared by eminently qualified professionals in the field.

Kerr, B., Colangelo, N., Maxey, J., and Christensen, E “Characteristics of Aca- demically Talented Minority Students.”Journal of Counseling and Development,

This article provides insights into the concerns .of talented young minor- ity men and women by profiling approximately thirty-five hundred minority students who scored in the top 5 percent on the American College Test Assess- ment. The authors examine the relationship of specific minority group mem- bership and gender, postsecondary educational plans, career interests, needs for services, desires for extracurricular activities, and satisfaction with educa- tional experiences. Implications are drawn for counselors, advisers, and admin- istrators striving to improve their ability to serve academically talented minority students.

1992, 70 ( 5 ) , 606-609.

Levin, M. E., and Levin, J. R. “A Critical Examination of Academic Retention Programs for At-Risk Minority College Students.” Journal of College Student Development, 1991,32, 323-334.

This article reviews and critically examines data on academic programs for improving the retention of at-risk minority college students. Support pro- grams and services are examined with three major purposes in mind: to understand the conceptual bases upon which academic retention programs have been built, to isolate the critical components that are credited with making the difference between successful and unsuccessful programs, to identify issues that must be addressed in future research on academic reten- tion programs.

SUMMARY AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES 97

Richardson, R. R., Jr., and Skinner, E. E Achieving Quality and Diversity: Uni- versities in a Multicultural Society. New York: Macmillan, 1991.

kchardson and Skinner identify strategies employed by California’s edu- cational institutions to promote access, equality, and diversity. In addition they discuss how these strategies provide insights potentially useful for other states presently confronting significant multicultural education issues.

Sedlacek, W E. “Blacks in White Colleges and Universities: Twenty Years of Research.”JournaI of College Student Personnel, 1987,28, 484-495.

The author reviewed two decades of research using a format consistent with a hypothesis regarding noncognitive variables that correlate with African American students’ success in higher education.

Taylor, C. A. Effective Ways to Recruit and Retain Minority Students. Madison, Wis.: Praxis Publications, 1989.

This publication is a must for universities and colleges. It provides a coor- dinated approach to recruiting and retaining minority students, speaks to fac- tors that create retention problems, and features successful programs from around the country Many strategies are provided for the readers to implement on their respective campuses.

Terrell, M. C. (ed.). Diversity, Disunity and Campus Community. Washington, D.C.: National Association of Student Personnel Administration, 1992.

This monograph summarizes typical problems confronting higher educa- tion in pursuit of a diverse campus climate and offers some practical and the- oretical perspectives to keep educators focused and influence their future actions.

Trippi, J . , and Cheatham, H. E. “Effects of Special Counseling Programs for Black Freshmen on a Predominantly White Campus.” Journal of College Student Development, 1989,30, 35-40.

This article examines and discusses the significance of special counseling programs in ensuring the progress and graduation of African American stu- dents on predominantly white campuses.

Wright, D. J. (ed.). Responding to the Needs of Today’s Minority Students. New Directions in Student Services, no. 38. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 1987.

An excellent sourcebook that provides a framework for planning and developing comprehensive, effective services and programs to enhance recruit- ment and retention of ethnic minority students. The contributing authors have outlined several innovative programs and strategies to assist practitioners.

98 PROMOTING ACADEMIC SUCCESS FOR STUDENTS OF COLOR

ALLEN]. OTTENS is associate professor of counseling at Northern Illinois University.

IRENE HARRIS]OHNSON is assistant professor of counseling and assistant dean of the graduate school at Northern Illinois University.

JOAN GREEN is a doctoral student in the counseling program at Northern Illinois Uni- versity.