Increasing Retention and Graduation Rates Through a STEM Learning Community

Retention and graduation rates among African American male college students have received considerable coverage in recent years which is evident based on the literature in this paper. African American male students enroll in community colleges at a steady pace, yet graduation and retention rates are the lowest among this group. By creating mentoring programs designed specifically for African American males, academic success, retention, and graduation rates will improve. In this paper, the author will review the literature pertaining to the implications of mentoring programs for minority male college students. The author will begin by defining mentoring programs, exploring major arguments associated with mentoring programs, and address implications that mentoring has on retention for African American male students. In the final part of the paper, the author provides practical recommendations to effectively implement a mentoring program; summarize the arguments and reemphasize the significance of mentoring program for African American male students.    Â

What co-curricular interventions contribute to the academic success and retention of non-traditional commencing undergraduate students identified to be at risk of academic failure or early attrition from university when taking into account distal and proximal factors?

As the 1990s came to close and the twenty-first century began, college student retention and graduation rates became an increasingly important issue. Policy makers at the federal, state, and campus level continue to focus on retention and graduation rates even though more remains to be learned about how institutions contribute to college student persistence. Examining the financial context in which institutions operate may help us to understand further how institutions affect student persistence. This study is unique in that it uses resource dependency theory to frame an examination of the influence of the financial context of institutions on student persistence at four-year colleges and universities. This research reveals that, after taking student predictors into account, the percent of an institution's revenue derived from tuition positively influences college student persistence while the percent of an institution's expenditures on administration negatively influences it. Student Persistence and the Financial Context of Institutions In an effort to link budget allocations to institutional accountability, a majority of states use graduation or retention rates as one of several indicators of performance for higher education institutions and performance funding or budgeting (Burke & Minassians, 2001). Policy makers at the federal level are considering policy options, associated with the 2003 reauthorization of the Higher Education Act, which include linking institutional eligibility for federal student financial aid programs to institutional graduation rates (Burd, 2003). While policy makers are making an effort to link public funding to institutional persistence rates, the relative importance of public funds as a source of institutional revenue has actually declined (NCES, 2001). Between 1981 and 2000, state appropriations, as a percent of all funds to degree-granting public higher education institutions, fell from 44.0% to 32.3% (NCES, 2003). Over the same period, the percent of revenue derived from tuition increased from 12.9% to 18.5%, while the percent of revenue derived from federal grants and contracts rose from 8.8% to 9.4% (NCES, 2003). This shift in funding sources for degree-granting public higher education institutions occurred as changes in institutional expenditure patterns took place. Between 1981 and 2000, the percent of total education and general expenditures on instruction fell from 35.1% to 31.5%, while the share of expenditures on administration rose from 8.4% to 9.0% (NCES, 2003). Some researchers (e.g., Leslie & Slaughter, 1997) observed that colleges and universities have taken more market-based approaches to increasing their share of revenues from such sources as tuition and competitive grants and contracts, while others (e.g., Francis & Hampton, 1999) showed that research universities have also adjusted their internal allocation of financial resources in response to the relative decline in the importance of public funds as a source of revenues. According to an American Council on Education (ACE) survey (Anderson, 1985), as state appropriations decline and higher education institutions become more dependent on tuition as a source of revenue, colleges and universities tend to increasingly focus on retaining students. Turner (in press) contends there is a need to understand how the financial environment of colleges and universities influence student persistence. Although past research (e.g., Cabrera, Nora, & Casteneda, 1992; Paulsen & St. John, 2002; Perna, 1998) has addressed the relationship between student-level financial variables and student persistence, the influence of the financial context of institutions on persistence has not been systematically explored. Most of the research that addresses the role of finances in persistence, using either single-institution (e.g., Cabrera, Nora, & Casteneda, 1992) or multi-institution data (e. …

Roudkovski was a faculty member and director of Counseling at a state university in Alabama.As director of Counseling, she was responsible for coordinating retention efforts for all programs and coordinated necessary efforts and interventions to retain students in jeopardy of leaving the university.Additionally, Dr. Roudkovski

Retention and graduation rates for engineering disciplines are significantly lower than desired, and research literature offers many possible causes. Engineering learning communities provide the opportunity to study relationships among specific causes and to develop and evaluate activities designed to lessen their impact. This paper details an engineering learning community created to combat three common threats to academic success of engineering students: financial difficulties, math deficiencies, and the lack of a supportive engineering culture. The project tracks participants in the learning community from first year through graduation to assess the effectiveness of its activities in improving retention and graduation rates. Scholarships were made available to address the financial difficulties; tutors, mentors, study groups, and a “freshman-to-sophomore bridge” summer program were provided to address math deficiencies; cohort engineering courses, active learning techniques, required group meetings, required group study sessions, dedicated study space, and dedicated faculty advisors were used to promote a sense of community. Quantitative retention and graduation rates for the cohort are compared to other engineering groups at the same institution. Qualitative results collected via student surveys and interviews, and lessons learned by project administrators are also presented. Retention and graduation rates of the cohort are better than those of comparable groups at the same institution. Graduation rates based upon freshman math placement are also higher than comparable groups.

Academic advising plays a critical role in student retention and graduation rates in higher education institutions. In South African universities, the significance of academic advising has gained attention as a means to support students, especially in overcoming academic challenges and navigating socio-economic barriers. This study thus aimed to assess the effectiveness of academic advising in improving student retention and graduation rates in South African universities. A desktop research approach was employed, drawing from recent literature, institutional reports, and case studies from various universities. The study identified the strengths and weaknesses of academic advising systems, focusing on how personalized, holistic guidance impacts student success. Findings suggested that while academic advising contributes positively to student retention, its effectiveness is often hindered by inadequate resources, inconsistent implementation, and insufficient staff training.The study recommended strategies to optimize academic advising to enhance its impact on retention and graduation outcomes. The contribution of this study to scholarship lies in its comprehensive, context-specific analysis of academic advising within South African higher education. By synthesizing diverse sources and highlighting both the enablers and barriers to effective advising, this research fills a gap in the literature and provides actionable recommendations for policymakers, practitioners, and institutional leaders seeking to improve student outcomes through enhanced academic advising practices. Keywords: Academic advising, student retention, South African universities, academic support, student success.

With state support for higher education declining and/or increasingly tied to performance outcomes, and greater emphasis being paid to the debt load incurred by students, student retention and success have become key drivers of universities’ strategic decision-making. Much effort has concentrated on first-year students; however, it may be more advantageous to pay greater attention to the fate of students at later points in their careers. We apply the concept of Reproductive Value to explore dynamics of retention rates, graduation rates, and degree production within and among seven state comprehensive universities. We ask: (1) Is enhanced first-year retention predictive of subsequent increases in persistence and graduation rates; and (2) At what point in students’ careers should retention efforts be targeted to maximize the impact on graduation rates and/or revenue to institutions? Our results indicate that investing in the success of students closer to graduation yields a greater positive impact on graduation rate and degree production (though not realized tuition revenue) than does similar investment in first-year students. Our approach can also serve as a framework for strategic decision-making in other contexts.

Factors Related to Progression and Graduation Rates for RN-to-Bachelor of Science in Nursing Programs: Searching for Realistic Benchmarks

This Innovative Practice Work in Progress proposes that if the goal of institutions of higher education is to graduate students who are independent learners, then excellent teaching is as worthy of hire, promotion, and tenure as is scholarship. At NYIT, student retention is lowest in the first year. We believe that instructors who teach the freshman courses must be those who use the effective teaching practices associated with active learning or high impact teaching methodologies. At present, most of freshman courses are taught by adjunct faculty, who for a number of reasons, are unable to effectively engage students inside/outside of the classroom. As administrations are increasingly focusing on improving graduation rates then those factors that address freshman retention are essential to that goal. To meet this goal, our institution has created full-time Teaching Faculty Lines (TFLs). These new full-time faculty hires are expected to demonstrate quality teaching, dedication to undergraduate education, with an emphasis on freshman classes along with developing innovative teaching practices as a criterion for contract renewal. In anticipation of higher retention and graduation rates, this WIP will examine and assess those undergraduate courses, which are presently being taught by the adjunct faculty with similar courses being taught by these new TFLs. The expectation is that the results of this assessment will demonstrate that there is a concomitant increase in retention and graduation rates between these two groups. This will the basis for a two-path tenure track system.

This mixed methods study sought to identify the impact of the Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution (DHSI) Grant on student success outcomes, specifically retention and graduation rates, from 2007-2017. As Latinx student retention and graduation rates are lower than national averages, it is imperative for researchers and educators to close this equity gap. Previous researchers have been critical of the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) identify and designation, as most studies have not found a correlation with increased student success. This study differs from previous research as it focuses on institutions that have received the DHSI grant rather than institutions that enroll more than 25% Latinx students, a commonly used HSI identifier. This mixed methods study included data from over 2,600 four-year universities collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), and consists of two primary phases, while using the multicontexutal model for diverse learning environments (MMDLE) as the conceptual framework. First, a quantitative analysis, looking at change over time of student success outcomes at HSI campuses based on year the grant was received, and a longitudinal cross-sectional analysis that compares success rates at DHSI grant institutions compared to HSI-eligible campuses (25% Latinx or more) and non-HSI campuses. This is followed by a multiple regression analysis of predictor variables identified in the literature review to identify which variables appear to correlate with student success rates across the three HSI-status groups. The second analysis phase consisted of a qualitative content analysis of DHSI grant proposals for the institutions that were most and least successful in improving student success outcomes to identify initiatives that could be recommended for future HSIs. This study found evidence that the DHSI grant is improving student success outcomes overtime, particularly full-time student retention rate, 6-year and Hispanic student, 6-year graduation rates. Findings from the qualitative analysis indicate initiatives within the psychological and compositional dimensions, and the community context from the MMDLE, have promising implications for improving student success outcomes. This study includes recommendations for future practice and research based on these findings.

BackgroundThe Ministry of Health (MOH) in Zambia is currently operating with fewer than half of the health workers required to deliver basic health services. The MOH has developed a human resources for health (HRH) strategic plan to address the crisis through improved training, hiring, and retention. However, the projected success of each strategy or combination of strategies is unclear.MethodsWe developed a model to forecast the size of the public sector health workforce in Zambia over the next ten years to identify a combination of interventions that would expand the workforce to meet staffing targets. The key forecasting variables are training enrolment, graduation rates, public sector entry rates for graduates, and attrition of workforce staff. We model, using Excel (Office, Microsoft; 2007), the effects of changes in these variables on the projected number of doctors, clinical officers, nurses and midwives in the public sector workforce in 2018.ResultsWith no changes to current training, hiring, and attrition conditions, the total number of doctors, clinical officers, nurses, and midwives will increase from 44% to 59% of the minimum necessary staff by 2018. No combination of changes in staff retention, graduation rates, and public sector entry rates of graduates by 2010, without including training expansion, is sufficient to meet staffing targets by 2018 for any cadre except midwives. Training enrolment needs to increase by a factor of between three and thirteen for doctors, three and four for clinical officers, two and three for nurses, and one and two for midwives by 2010 to reach staffing targets by 2018. Necessary enrolment increases can be held to a minimum if the rates of retention, graduation, and public sector entry increase to 100% by 2010, but will need to increase if these rates remain at 2008 levels.ConclusionsMeeting the minimum need for health workers in Zambia this decade will require an increase in health training school enrolment. Supplemental interventions targeting attrition, graduation and public sector entry rates can help close the gap. HRH modelling can help MOH policy makers determine the relative priority and level of investment needed to expand Zambia's workforce to target staffing levels.

College student retention continues to be a vexing issue for colleges and universities. There are some very simple steps that a college or university can take to help students persist until they reach academic and/or personal goal attainment. This book is intended to give the reader the necessary tools, for all types of educational institutions and delivery systems, to implement a retention formula and success model that will actually help students meet their academic and personal goals and thus increase college retention and graduation rates. Regardless of the academic ability, socioeconomic status, gender, first generation, ethnicity of students, the retention formula and model presented will help each and every college type increase student retention and graduation rates.

Undergraduate research (UGR), one of several high-impact practices (HIPs) in education, can positively impact student retention and graduation rates. However, not all students take advantage of UGR opportunities, with fewer students from underrepresented minority groups, those with first-generation status, and students eligible for a Pell grant or federally subsidized loan. We obtained retention and graduation data from our Office of Institutional Research and Planning for all UGR participants for academic years 2009–2010 to 2016–2017. We specifically focused on data for UGR participants from underrepresented demographics that historically have lower retention and graduation rates than those of the overall student body. We created Sankey-like ribbon diagrams to analyze the characteristics of UGR participants, whether they participated in UGR for 1 year or longer, their class standings when they started UGR, retention rates for 1st- and 2nd-year students for the year following their UGR participation, and graduation rates for all participants. Our data show that irrespective of demographics, students who participated in UGR were significantly more likely to persist in college and graduate within 6 years compared to students who did not. Persistence and success in college may depend on students’ socioeconomic status, sense of belonging, and other factors. Assessing the impact of a single HIP, such as UGR, on retention and graduation rates, can, therefore, be complicated. However, our study indicates that UGR participation can significantly improve persistence and success for students traditionally considered “at-risk,” irrespective of their socioeconomic status, family background, or class standing.. This information can be important for campus leaders and other stakeholders interested in facilitating student success and reducing the equity gap by incorporating UGR in more students’ college experiences. We describe our analytical methods and discusses our findings. We also demonstrate the effectiveness of Sankey-like diagrams for visualizing and analyzing large programmatic data sets, and as a tool for communicating program impacts to a general audience.

Defining Unique Student Populations: How measures of objective academic performance (MOAPs) can do more than predict college success.It is standard admission process at selective colleges and universities to consider applicants’ highschool GPAs and standardized test scores for admissions and financial aid decisions. Studentsacross the country try to perform on the ACT and SAT tests to improve their chances ofacceptance, and spend years keeping their grades up with hopes of getting in to their choice ofcollege or increasing their scholarship award. For open access institutions, however, admissionis based on exceeding minimum academic criteria. Students of every academic level have a placeon these schools campuses and this brings a complex educational environment to these schools.It is well understood that students across the continuum of academic aptitude have differentneeds, but understanding of these needs has been elusive. Popular opinion is that the better thestudent’s GPA and test scores, the more likely the student is to persist in college. This is why thecompetition for top students is so fierce. Recent studies have shown that a mathematicintervention at an open access institution has had a dramatic impact on student graduation rates;however, mitigating the correlation between standardized test scores and graduation rates. Studyof this intervention revealed a set of unique student groups based on classifying individualstudent ACT and GPA score combinations into four quadrants. These measures of objectiveacademic performance (MOAPs) are categorized in bin combinations of above and below theinstitutional average. This study utilized the ACT Engage survey and a new measure of studentmathematics efficacy to investigate these four groups and ascertain any differences in traits foreach group.Results of this study show that each population has a distinct reaction to the college process andto the curricular intervention studied. Unexpected results are revealed and conclusions aboutcurricular interventions, student success and potential further study are discussed. The findingsof this study may impact the development of first year programs and augment the admissions andrecruitment process of a wide range of institutions. Further impacts on minority populations, atrisk groups and diverse socioeconomic backgrounds may be extended.

Through the lens of complexity theory and by utilizing the methodological framework set forth in Gander’s 1999 article regarding internal and external organizational elements of administrative intensity, this secondary data analysis study linked the internal organizational elements of administrative intensity to institutional results as evidenced by higher education student retention and graduation rates. Representing institutional investments, efforts, and outcomes from 2004 to 2014, three years of data reporting were gathered from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Set (IPEDS) and were then cleaned per secondary data analysis techniques. Using canonical correlation analysis, the internal elements of administrative intensity were correlated with student retention and success. Findings indicate the relationships of internal elements of higher education institutions on student retention and success, which was measured by four-year, six-year, and eight-year graduation rates. The discussion includes education policy implications.