RETENTION

Planting the Seed

Richard DeShields and John F. Mounsey III

Central Washington University

NWACUHO 2010—Yakima, Washington

 LEARNING OUTCOMES
• Identify retention theories and how to
apply in our roles as housing
professionals

• Discuss strategies used at Central

Washington University that focus on
retention

• Demonstrate the MAP-Works (Making

Achievement Possible) product
designed at Ball State University and
provided through Educational
Benchmarking, Inc.
RETENTION
What does it mean?
 RETENTION
Dictionary.com provides the following:
• “The act of keeping possession of”

• “The act of continuing use, practice, etc.”

• “To engage”

Typically refers to those students who remained

at the same institution where they started until
they completed a program. Students who transfer
to other institutions before completing a degree
usually are considered not to have been retained
U.S. Department of Education. National Center for Education Statistics
RETENTION DEFINED
The US Federal Government has defined it as:

Program Retention: Tracks the full-time student in a

degree program over time (6yrs/4yr college, 3yrs/2yr
college) to determine whether the student has completed
the program.
S
Problem: This retention definition does not include
students who start part-time then move to full-time
attendance or those who are attending college part-time
which in many cases is over 50% of some
college populations, especially the
community college and students taking
distance education courses.
RETENTION DEFINED
Many of the definitions for terms relating to retention were developed
for retention efforts at four-year colleges and universities. Frequently,
these definitions are too narrow for both four year and community
colleges. An example of this is the traditional definition for retention,
which bases the definition on the length of time it takes a student to
graduate. However, a definition based on degree completion is
problematic because graduation is not S necessarily the goal of every
student attending a community college or four year institution.
Furthermore, because large numbers of college students have work
and family responsibilities, they very often take more than two years
to complete an associate degree. It is, therefore,
wise to proceed with caution when discussing
retention and ensure that there is a mutual
understanding of the terminology being used.
“It is the people who come face-
to-face with students on a
regular basis who provide
the positive growth experiences
for students that enable them to
identify their goals and talents
and learn how to put them to
use. The caring attitude
of college personnel is viewed as
the most potent retention force
on a campus.”
(Noel, Levitz, & Saluri , 1985, p. 17)
Think back to your earliest days
in college…..

Who do you remember serving

as your resource? Who do you
recall as being influential in your
college life?
RETENTION THEORY AND MODELS
SWAIL’S GEOMETRIC MODEL OF STUDENT PERSISTENCE AND ACHIEVEMENT

•Academic Rigor •Financial Issues

•Quality of Learning •Educational Legacy
•Aptitude •Attitude toward learning
•Content Knowledge •Religious Background
•Critical Thinking Ability
•Technology Ability earl •Maturity
•Social Coping Skills
•Study Skills •Communication Skills
S
•Learning Skills •Attitude toward others
•Time Management •Cultural Values
•Academic-related •Expectations
extracurricular activities •Goal commitment
•Family Influence
•Peer Influence
•Social Lifestyle

Financial Aid, Academic Services, Student Services, Recruitment

and Admissions, and Curriculum and Instruction Swail, Redd, and Perna,
(2003)
RETENTION THEORY AND MODELS
TINTO’S STUDENT INTEGRATION MODEL

Tinto (1975)
RETENTION THEORY AND MODELS
TINTO’S STUDENT INTEGRATION MODEL (continued)

Tinto (1993)—Persistence to graduation and departure are directly influenced by

institutional commitment (motivation to graduate from a specific institution) and goal
commitment (motivation to earn a college degree).

“Tinto (1993), in highlighting the importance of institutional ‘fit,’ focused student affairs
practitioners’ attention on what they could do
S to help the transition between
membership in one of many communities on campus.”

Students who find support for their learning, engage in active learning, and receive
frequent feedback are more likely to stay than those who don’t. (Astin, Tinto, Kuh-1984)

Astin, A. (1984). Student Involvement: A Developmental Theory for Higher

Education. Journal of College Student Personnel, 25:297-308.

Tinto, V. (1993). Leaving college: Rethinking the Causes and cures of student
attrition (2nd ed.). Chicago: University of Chicago Press.
RETENTION THEORY AND MODELS
TINTO’S STUDENT INTEGRATION MODEL (continued)

Tinto identifies 10 variables affecting student retention:

•Individual Attributes
•Student Finances
•Developing Relationships with Prospective Students
•Addressing the Impact of Pre-University Education
S
•Goal Commitment
•Institutional Commitment: Increasing the Degree to which the University is
committed to meeting student needs and increasing the student’s commitment to
the University
•Quality of Teaching and Learning
•Peer Group Interaction
•Faculty Interaction
•Developing the Graduate’s Relationship with the University
 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Information pertaining to Retention

Additionally, Tinto (1988) argues that the first year of college, indeed the
first semester in college, is critical to the students’ being incorporated into the
college campus, as well as his or her eventual persistence through to graduation.
According to Tinto, retention programs are most successful when they utilize
informal faculty-student contact (outside of the classroom) in order to help
integrate students into the mainstream of the academic and social life of the
college. College retention efforts are especially successful, Tinto maintains, when
both faculty (academic affairs) and staff (student affairs) combine their efforts
and develop an encompassing attitude toward retaining students. This “It’s all
of our jobs” orientation is a key component toward retaining students.
 ADDITIONAL SUPPORT
Information pertaining to Retention

“The more intensely students are engaged and involved in their own education,
the more likely they are to do well, be satisfied with their educational experience,
and stay in school (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991).

“Researchers describe many reasons for leaving college as well as student

characteristics of non-persisters. According to Tinto, academic reasons represent
only 20-30% of all college leavers nationally [in the US]. The remaining 70-80%
of students who are not retained leave for the following reasons: (1993)

Adjustment
Goals
Commitment
Finances
Integration and community membership
Incongruence
Isolation
ACTIVITY
In small groups and using Tinto’s
variables, how can you as a
housing staff person affect
retention and what are some
specific ways you impact
retention currently?
 UNIVERSITY HOUSING AND
NEW STUDENT PROGRAMS AT
CWU
From UHNSP Strategic Goals:

GOAL 1: RETENTION
Assist in campus wide services and
initiate efforts that helps students to
be successful in college and continue
their educational pursuits at Central
RETENTION and CWU HOUSING
PRACTICAL APPLICATION

•New Student Open House

•Discover! Orientation

•Alcohol-Wise

•Wildcat Welcome Weekend

•Wildcat Connections First Six Week Programming

•Academic Success Program

•MAP-Works (Making Achievement Possible)

 ORIENTATION PROGRAM
CWU University Housing and New Student Programs

Four Phase Orientation Programs

•New Student Open House “Wildcat Days”

•Discover! Orientation

•Wildcat Welcome Weekend

•Wildcat Connections First Six Week Programming

 ALCOHOL WISE
CWU University Housing and New Student Programs

Students and Parents are introduced to the Alcohol-Wise program created by 3rd
Millennium Classrooms during Discover Orientation. Students and parents
complete an on-line course prior to returning to the University during the Fall
Quarter.

Data linked to retention outcomes.

 ACADEMIC SUCCESS PROGRAM
CWU University Housing and New Student Programs

Student Enrollment and Retention Team (SERT)

Two-tiered system attempting to meet the academic and socio-personal needs of

students falling below a 2.0 GPA per quarter (intended for first year students;
however, we will include freshman and sophomores on occasion.

Created by University Housing and Academic Advising with support from the
Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Studies.

Student Affairs and Academic Advising Centered.

 MAP-WORKS
Making Achievement Possible
CWU University Housing and New Student Programs

Educational Benchmarking, Inc.

MAP-Works...
Provides for Early Intervention
to Students At-Risk
Aligns Student Expectations
with Actual Outcomes
Facilitates Socio-Emotional
Transition to College
Cultivates Student
Involvement (Activities,
Organizations, Leadership)
 MAP-WORKS
Profile Information
– Gender and race/ethnicity
– Entrance exam scores
– # credit hours enrolled
– Cumulative GPA
– Credit Hours Earned
Self-Assessment
– Communication Skills
– Analytical Skills
– Self-Discipline
– Time Management
– Health and Wellness
– Financial Issues
Academic Integration
– Academic Self-Efficacy
– Basic Academic Behaviors
– Advanced Academic Behaviors
– Commitment to Education
Social Integration
– Homesickness
– Peer Connections
– Living Environment (on/off
campus)
– Roommate Relationships
– Campus Involvement
 MAP-WORKS—Why Housing?
•Retention is not the responsibility of any one area; also
supports the university, division, and unit strategic plans

•Other retention efforts were bogged down in implementation

and campus politics

•Even MAP-Works at isolated level of Housing is more

effective than nothing else

•MAP-Works is a cost effective solution that

we can efficiently place into end-users
(RAs) hands
 MAP-WORKS—The Plan
•Survey all incoming 1650 first-year students
(both on and off campus; transfer students not included)

•Utilize Housing Staff to follow up on all at risk indicators.

•Build initial system to allow expansion to other campus offices

•Extend olive branch to Academic Advising as the first area to

begin building our MAP-Works cohort.

•Entice participation through incentive of

winter quarter room and board for one
recipient, plus free fountain soda for all
respondents
 MAP-WORKS—Timeline
•October 1st begin pulling data for initial upload

•October 16th – Share instrument and plan with Academic Advising

•October 17th – Launch survey

•October 21st – Train Housing Staff

•October 21st – Send reminder e-mail to non-respondents

•October 25th – Send Last chance message to non-respondents

•November 3rd – Close Survey

•November 10th – RA deadline for all Red level risk

indicators
•November 24th – RA deadline for all yellow level risk
indicators
 MAP-WORKS—Indicators
MAP-Works utilizes a stoplight color scheme where red is high risk indicator
for academic success and retention; yellow is a moderate risk indicator for
success and retention; and green is low risk

Respondents Non-Respondents Total

(630) (1,018) (1,648)
Red Indicator 115 (18%) 351 (34%) 466 (28%)
Yellow Indicator 369 (59%) 581 (57%) 950 (58%)
Green Indicator 146 (23%) 86 (9%) 232 (14%)
 MAP-WORKS—Lessons Learned
For accuracy as well as to maximize our efforts we are working to
incorporate completing the survey as one of the University 101 class
assignments.

MAP-Works training needs to be intentionally promoted as a key building

block of the residential experience. Need buy in at every level that follow-up
with residents is an expectation of the RA staff.

Student Reports were designed in an “MTV type setting”; however, some of

the challenges are getting students to read their
reports (while the report is in both video and
PDF formats, getting every student to read the
information is a challenge)
 MAP-WORKS
DEMONSTRATION
Questions
Thanks for participating!

deshielr@cwu.edu
mounseyj@cwu.edu