I feel that this is a very important aspect of retention. We seem to focus so much on ensuring the new students get to know functional managers while forgetting that their most important interactions will be with their instructors on a daily basis. Instructors shape the student's opinion on the institution everytime they step into a classroom. To be honest, I cannot remember anything about the financial aid department or program chairs from my collegiate experience, but I list 5-10 instructors/professors who shaped my career path.
