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STUDENT RETENTION:
UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES OF STUDENT ATTRITION
AND IMPLEMENTING A PREVENTION PLAN
Joe Cuseo
Marymount College
TARGET AREA #4.
STUDENT AFFAIRS:
CO-CURRICULUM, STUDENT LIFE, & STUDENT-SUPPORT SERVICES
UNDERSTANDING THE CAUSES OF STUDENT ATTRITION
AND IMPLEMENTING A PREVENTION PLAN
Joe Cuseo
Marymount College
4.1 Offer numerous and varied co-curricular opportunities on campus that are intentionally designed to promote student involvement, especially in the following areas: (a) student participation in college governance, (b) campus employment�e.g., work-study, (c) internships�on and off campus, (d) volunteerism (service learning), and (e) student clubs or organizations�including opportunities for students to initiate and create new ones of their own choosing.
4.2 Promote co-curricular opportunities visibly and �intrusively� on campus, and aggressively recruit students to participate�e.g., �activities periods� designated and reserved at times when no classes are scheduled; personal invitations from peer leaders, academic advisors, faculty, or student development staff; individual mailings or phone contacts.
4.3 Provide students with incentives or recognition for co-curricular involvement, such as (a) free food, prizes, or privileges for participants�e.g., priority parking or priority registration, (b) participation required as course assignments or designated as extra-credit opportunities, (c) awards events or ceremonies recognizing student contributions to the co-curriculum, and/or (d) student involvement experiences documented on an official co-curricular or student development �transcript�?
4.4 Forge meaningful integration between the curriculum and co-curriculum through coordinated planning and delivery, so that students see the �connections� between their in-class and out-of-class experiences.
4.5 Integrate experiential learning into the curriculum, enabling students to gain meaningful real-world experience, such as: (a) service-learning
(volunteer) experiences that may also serve to test student interest in different careers, and (b) internship opportunities or cooperative education experiences that are linked to the students� intended or declared academic major.
4.6 Seek to create multiple and meaningful work-study (on-campus employment) opportunities for economically disadvantaged students that are designed to (a) help them afford college, (b) promote their retention by connecting them to the institution, and (c) enable them to gain real-life work experience.
4.7 Create multiple leadership opportunities for students on campus (e.g., peer counseling, peer tutoring, peer academic advising, peer orientation-week leaders).
4.8 Formally recognize or reward students� leadership contributions to the college.
4.9 Design and schedule co-curricular experiences with sensitivity to the needs and commitments of commuter students. For example: (a) schedule activities at times that are conducive to commuter participation�e.g., early morning or early evening, (b) employ communication strategies to keep commuters �in the loop��e.g., commuter message boards, newsletters, hot lines, or web pages, (c) designate a campus place or space for commuters to socialize and network�e.g., commuter lounge, and (d) design special activities that are targeted specifically for commuters�e.g., commuter appreciation days.
RECOMMENDED REFERENCES & RESOURCES ON STUDENT RETENTION
Beal, P., & Noel, L. (1980). What works in student retention. The American College Testing Program and The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems. (Eric Reproduction Service No. 197 635)
Braxton, J. M. (2000). Reworking the departure puzzle: New theory and research on college student retention. Nashville: University of Vanderbilt Press.
Braxton, J. M. (Ed.)(2001-2002). Using theory and research to improve college student retention. Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice, 3(1), 1- 118.
Lenning, O. T., Beal, P. E., & Sauer, K. (1980). Retention and attrition: Evidence for action and research. Boulder, CO: National Center for Higher Education Management Systems.
Lenning, O. T., Sauer, K., & Beal, P. E. (1980). Student retention strategies. AAHE- ERIC/Higher Education Research Report No. 8. Washington, D.C.: American Association for Higher Education.
National Institute of Independent Colleges and Universities (1990). Undergraduate completion and persistence at four-year colleges and universities. Washington, DC: Author.
Noel, L., Levitz, R., & Kaufmann, J. (1982). Organizing the campus for retention. Iowa City, Iowa: American College Testing Program & The National Center for Academic Advancement of Educational Practices.
Terrell, M. C., & Wright, D. J. (Eds.) (1988). From survival to success: Promoting minority student retention. NASPA Monograph No. 9. Washington, DC: National Association of Student Personnel Administrators.
Resources: Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory & Practice. Amityville, NY: Baywood Publishing. (http://baywood.com)
Recruitment & Retention in Higher Education (Newsletter). Madison, WI: Magna Publications. (www.magnapubs.com)
Website: http://www.noellevitz.com (See profiles of campuses with award-winning retention programs.)