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Internal research revealed seven intervention points for retaining new students at Missouri State University. Student Orientation, Advisement & Registration (SOAR) is one of nine units that evaluated its interaction with new students from initial contact through the first year to take action to retain them. This presentation describes the research and intervention process. Presented at the 2013 NODA national conference.
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The MSU Retention Initiative
Creating a Retention Culture atMissouri State University
Presenters• Dr. Thomas Kane
Professor of Psychology
• Joseph MorrisDirector of Student Orientation, Advisement & Registration (SOAR)
• Justin BlauveltResearch Assistant, Industrial/Organizational Psychology
Presentation Objectives
• Identify key factors affecting retention of new students
• Discuss the assessment of a department involved in orientation and retention
• Provide ideas for conducting your own assessment and improvement process
Institutional Background
• 21,798 students (18,464 UGs)
• Nearly 4,000 faculty members– 90% of ranked faculty hold terminal
degrees
• 4,000 residential students• 1,500 international students
MSU’s Retention Initiative
• Explore reasons students leave MSU– Academic retention research–Workplace retention research
• Identify retention leverage points
• Apply those leverage points to socialize students for retention
MSU’s Retention Initiative
• Project 1: Identify predictors of drop-out at MSU– Voluntary withdrawal (GPA over 2)– Involuntary withdrawal (GPA under 2)
• Project 2: Identify student’s met and unmet expectations related to drop-out
Research Phase
Drop out
from MSU
IntentionsTo Leave
Reasonsstudent
sdrop-out
AcademicAchieveme
nt
-.282
.337
Key Idea! All paths to voluntary drop-out go through intentions to quit!
That means, if intentions to quit are reduced, then drop-out
will fall!
Project 1: MSU voluntary drop-out
IntentionsTo Leave
(51%)
Affective Commitmentto MSU (I’m a bear)
Social Integration (I fit in)
Academic Performance
Rational Commitment (makes sense to stay)
-.55
-.17
-.14
-.09
Homesickness .15
-.14
-.09
Project 2: Expectations & Drop-out
Key relevance to Student Orientation!
“What are expectations held by freshmen before arriving to campus that are most relevant to drop-out
at the end of the first year?
Pre-enrollment expectations DO
Expectation intention to quit• I will be involved in XC activities -.27• I will feel like I’m a part of MSU -.26• I will be liked by my roommate(s) -.26• I will be an important person at MSU -.25• I will be satisfied by with my spiritual life -.22• I’ll have to make many changes to adapt
to the MSU environment -.21• I will enjoy living on campus -.19• I will learn more about myself -.17• I’ll get frequent reminders from my profs -.17• My advisor will be helpful and supportive -.17
Met Expectations @ mid-termExpectation intend to quit• I feel like I am part of MSU -.63• I feel like an important person at MSU -.54• I’m getting along with other students in my classes -.44• I like the extra-curricular activities I’m involve in -.39• The facilities where I live are comfortable -.34• I like my roommates -.31• I am making progress towards the career I want -.29• I maintained friendships I had before coming to MSU -.28• I made new friends at MSU -.26• I found a church that I like -.26
Retention Leverage Points
• Pre-enrollment optimism
• Emotional Attachment
• Extra-curricular activities
• Home-college adjustment
• Homesickness • Quality of
classroom experience
Inventory Phase
• Researchers gathered data from nine offices that interact with new students
• Data collected included:– How departments defined success– The timing and nature of student contact– How programs aligned with retention points– Potential opportunities for promoting retention
Intervention Phase
• Departmental Retention Reports were generated–What retention points is SOAR best
positioned to positively affect?
• Review copies were provided to directors
• Follow-up Retention Meetings held
SOAR’s Experience• Very positive one
– Confirmed we were positively contributing to retention efforts
– Allowed us to re-align efforts and resources to increase efficacy and efficiency
– Provided another opportunity to tell our story
How does SOAR stack up?
• Pre-enrollment optimism– Publications and materials have
optimistic tone–Wealth of information is shared to
dispel ignorance or negative “what-if”scenarios
How does SOAR stack up?
• Extracurricular activities–Most presenters and OLs are
prepared to discuss importance of involvement
– A student involvement fair is an opportunity for growth for SOAR
How does SOAR stack up?
• Emotional attachment– Publications and materials are
friendly and welcoming– OLs are selected because and
trained to articulate why MSU feels like home to them
How does SOAR stack up?
• Home-to-college adjustment– Specific programs share these
changes in a positive manner– Faculty presenters or interviews
with faculty are an area of possible improvement for SOAR
How does SOAR stack up?
• Homesickness– Tough to combat if students
haven’t yet experienced it– Strategies include preparing for,
normalizing, and minimizing homesickness
Room to Improve
How does SOAR stack up?
• Quality of classroom experience– Also difficult for new students
to conceive with no prior experience
–Working with faculty to identify key areas in which new students are unprepared
Room to Improve
In Summary…• Retaining students is more emotional than rational
• Emotions begin prior to students’ campus arrival
• SOAR is MSU’s primary molder of students’ perceptions and emotions
• Success means not simply introducing students to the University, but preparing them to receive the benefits of higher education
QUESTIONS?