Retention Efforts at Retention Efforts at Bradley UniversityBradley University

Peoria College Changes Everything Peoria College Changes Everything ConferenceConferenceOct. 5, 2012Oct. 5, 2012

PrefacePreface

Students have various motives for Students have various motives for working towards graduation. Tinto, working towards graduation. Tinto, 19981998

Programs for smaller groups are more Programs for smaller groups are more effective towards retention. Pascarella effective towards retention. Pascarella and Terenzini, 1991.and Terenzini, 1991.

One retention plan does not fit all One retention plan does not fit all student needs. student needs.

Need a myriad of faculty and staff to Need a myriad of faculty and staff to offer a diverse set of retention efforts.offer a diverse set of retention efforts.

College retention rates are College retention rates are influenced most by the influenced most by the following factors:following factors:

Quality of the freshman Quality of the freshman classclass

Type of institutionType of institution Faculty and StaffFaculty and Staff Campus environment for Campus environment for

specific student body specific student body Specific retention programsSpecific retention programs

Freshman to Sophomore Retention Rate of Four Freshman to Sophomore Retention Rate of Four Year Private Institutions by Admission Year Private Institutions by Admission SelectivitySelectivity

Selectivity levelSelectivity level NNFreshman-Freshman-SophomoreSophomore retention ratesretention rates

Highly SelectiveHighly Selective 102102 93.3%93.3%

SelectiveSelective 259259 81.1%81.1%

TraditionalTraditional 450450 69.8%69.8%

LiberalLiberal 8585 61%61%

OpenOpen 247247 65.5%65.5%

All typesAll types 11431143 72.872.8

Source: Compiled from ACT Institutional Data File, 2011.

Retention programsRetention programs

Comprehensive approach to student Comprehensive approach to student retention retention

Six key retention efforts for faculty and Six key retention efforts for faculty and staff to reach at-risk studentsstaff to reach at-risk students– TPP TPP – SOARSOAR– Early Reg. notifyEarly Reg. notify– Emergency notificationEmergency notification– Midterm Grade letter Midterm Grade letter – Office of Parent RelationsOffice of Parent Relations

TPPTPP

Turning Point ProgramTurning Point Program Assisting students on Academic Assisting students on Academic

ProbationProbation Weekly, small group meetingsWeekly, small group meetings Discuss methods of regaining Discuss methods of regaining

academic good standingacademic good standing

SOARSOAR

Students On Academic ReinstatementStudents On Academic Reinstatement– Assist in the petitioning processAssist in the petitioning process– Send a letter to inform them of the program Send a letter to inform them of the program

and to make an appointment during the first and to make an appointment during the first 2-3 days of the semester2-3 days of the semester

Mandatory weekly meetings with GA or Mandatory weekly meetings with GA or professional staff memberprofessional staff member

Discuss motivational and attitudinal Discuss motivational and attitudinal issuesissues

CheerleaderCheerleader

Midterm Grade LetterMidterm Grade Letter

Registrar provides list of all students Registrar provides list of all students who earned a letter grade of D or Fwho earned a letter grade of D or F

Those students are notified with a Those students are notified with a letter to inform them of the grade letter to inform them of the grade and provide steps to improve those and provide steps to improve those gradesgrades

Students are provided contact Students are provided contact information to the Center for Learning information to the Center for Learning Assistance or Student Support Assistance or Student Support ServicesServices

Early Registration Early Registration ContactContact After early registration concludes, a list After early registration concludes, a list

of students who are eligible but have not of students who are eligible but have not registered is provided by the Registrarregistered is provided by the Registrar

Students are contacted to encourage to Students are contacted to encourage to enroll or suggest appropriate resources enroll or suggest appropriate resources (advisor, dept. chair)(advisor, dept. chair)

If student is not planning to return, an If student is not planning to return, an exit interview is conducted and exit interview is conducted and assistance for possible return is providedassistance for possible return is provided

Student EmergenciesStudent Emergencies

Family emergenciesFamily emergencies– Parent or sibling deathParent or sibling death

Personal illnessPersonal illness– HospitalizedHospitalized– Health Services diagnosisHealth Services diagnosis

ProcessProcess– Upon notification and verification, student’s Upon notification and verification, student’s

professors are notified by emailprofessors are notified by email– Student receives a copy of the messageStudent receives a copy of the message– Student is instructed to meet with each professor Student is instructed to meet with each professor

upon return to campusupon return to campus– Intervention in the case of final examsIntervention in the case of final exams

Office of Parent Office of Parent RelationsRelations Respond to parental inquiriesRespond to parental inquiries Seek out the student and discuss Seek out the student and discuss

possible difficultiespossible difficulties Follow up with student and parentFollow up with student and parent

AssessmentsAssessments

Freshman to Sophomore Freshman to Sophomore Retention RatesRetention Rates– National figures by selectivityNational figures by selectivity– Tracking each cohort classTracking each cohort class

Program Retention RatesProgram Retention Rates

BU SUMMARY OF FRESHMAN TO BU SUMMARY OF FRESHMAN TO SOPHOMORE RETENTION RATESOPHOMORE RETENTION RATEYear Ret Rate Withdrew Dismiss

1990-99 82.4* 12.5 5.1

1999-00 87.3 10.5 2.2

2000-01 86.3 11.9 1.8

2001-02 85.7 11.9 2.4

2002-03 88.6 9.6 1.7

2003-04 89.2 8.8 2.0

2004-05 87.4 10.9 1.7

2005-06 87.4 9.1 3.5

2006-07 88.9 9.4 1.7

2007-08 88.1 9.4 2.5

2008-09 87.0 10.2 2.8

2009-10 87.2 10.2 2.6

2010-11 86.5 11.3 2.2

2011-12 85.9

*Average freshman to sophomore retention rate for private, selective universities – 81.1%

Summary of Bradley University Summary of Bradley University Graduation Rates for Freshman Graduation Rates for Freshman Cohort 1994-1998Cohort 1994-1998

19941994 19951995 19961996 19971997 19981998

4 Year Rate4 Year Rate 48.8%48.8% 45.9%45.9% 45.7%45.7% 49.4%49.4% 61.9%61.9%

5 Year Rate*5 Year Rate* 66.4%66.4% 63.6%63.6% 68.5%68.5% 69.1%69.1% 71.2%71.2%

6 Year Rate6 Year Rate 67.3%67.3% 66.2%66.2% 70.2%70.2% 71.3%71.3% 71.9%71.9%

4 Year Rate of 4 Year Rate of Those Who Those Who GraduatedGraduated

73.2%73.2% 69.3%69.3% 65.2%65.2% 69.3%69.3% 86.0%86.0%

Class SizeClass Size 10091009 10401040 945945 10731073 10381038

Results of Programs:Results of Programs:

ProgramProgram GO FARGO FAR

TPPTPP

SOARSOAR

NotificationNotification

OutcomesOutcomes ~60% students earn good ~60% students earn good

academic standingacademic standing ~65% students regain ~65% students regain

good academic standinggood academic standing ~55% students regain ~55% students regain

good academic standing or good academic standing or graduatedgraduated

~10% more students ~10% more students registerregister

ConclusionConclusion

Improving student retention Improving student retention requires personal attention and requires personal attention and tailored programmingtailored programming

Availability and approachability Availability and approachability are critical to identifying and are critical to identifying and reaching students in distressreaching students in distress