Retention as an institution-wide issue
I think one of the most important things the unit stresses is that retention needs to be and institution-wide issue. I wish our school held admissions reps accountable for retention in some way, instead of just meeting admissions goals. How many of the studetns you enroll actually graduate? Although this wouldn't magically "solve" the problem, I think our instructors would be far more willing to take on retention as something they can control if they didn't feel like they are the only ones being held accoutnable. When a student drops out of school because thier command of the English language is severely lacking or thier basic skills are nearly non-existant, and the instructor is then held accoutnable for that drop, it's difficult not to pass the buck, so to speak. And as those type of situations multiply, it becomes easier to just throw your hands up in the air and decide there is nothing you can do about the retention issue.
This is not an easy task that you just do. It is a long continuing process that creates an attitude of the entire staff, not just a few. Like a family, the parents develop and model the way the entire family will function. In that sense, I suppose that the administration should oversee the process.
What will it take to get to this point at your institution, Deborah? Who should oversee the process?
Retention must always be an institution-wide issue. There are multiple factors involved in why a student wants to leave, so it shouldn't be assumed that only one department of the school should be responsible for retention. If a school is going to take the issue on as a "team" effort, then the roles of each team member need to be clearly identified and understood. You can't just tell the staff that "retention is everybody's job." Each department must understand what their specific role and responsibility it. The instructor is usually the first line because of their direct contact with the student. They must observe the attendance and progress of the student for obvious clues to problems. The next step would be that the instructor is familiar with the services of the rest of the school so that they can direct the student to someone that can help. Does the student need extra tutoring? That staff person must understand that their role is not just to work with a student on a topic, but actually to help give the student what he needs to STAY in the program? Is the student having financial problems? The instructor must be familiar with the financial aid office so that he can direct the student to a person that can assist the student. The instructor can't be responsible for that information, but he must be able to trust that the financial aid office can take over and handle the student's issues. Each department of the school must know what their role is, and all of them should be able to trust that the others will do their part to work for the retention of each student.
Another thing that may help here would be teaching your admissions people that they're enrolling potential employable graduates, not just enrollment numbers.
At the school where I teach the admissions reps
numbers were moved to successful graduates from enrolees and as an instructor I saw a measureable
improvement of the students, unfortunately the new regulatory laws will more or less negate much of the benefit of that system. All departments are involved in student retention and while instructor evalutations have a small percentage based on student retention there is a company wide responsiblily recognized so most instructors do not feel helpess an do have resources available for referal of students in need.
I agree. Students have many different "issues" going on. Each is unique to them and the college. We all need to recognize warnings and do what we can do to assist that student.
I agree totally with Melissa; all departments must work together to facilitate student retention, from admissions when they come in to career services at the end of their program.
How does your institution hold faculty accountable for retention? Are there specific retention standards? Is it part of an instructor's annual review?
If so, why hasn't there been an open discussion about the factors leading to withdrawals, including poor preparation of entering students?
