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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2014
PAGE 3A
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ACADEMICS
University works to tackle freshman retention
KATE MILLER
@_Kate_Miller_
To combat low freshman retention rates and increase overall graduation rates, the University continues to institute and modify programs for the benefit of freshmen. Focusing on course redesign, experiential learning and a sense of belonging among new students, the University hopes to raise freshman retention by almost 10 percent in the next eight years.
The most recent data from the Office of Institutional Research and Planning shows that 79.9 percent of 2012 freshmen returned after one year, and 77 percent returned after three semesters.
The effort to increase retention is spearheaded by Sara Thomas Rosen, senior vice provost for Academic Affairs. Rosen is responsible for the implementation of the University's strategic plan for increasing retention and graduation rates.
"I'm cautiously optimistic that we're finding improvement [in the retention rates]," Rosen said. "It's very, very slow. There's very, very small improvements. If you look at the past 10 years or so, you can see it's a highly stable number."
In fact, retention rates in the last seven years have remained steady at around 79 percent, except a 77.8 percent rate in 2008, according to OIRP. The percentage of freshmen who return after their first year of school has not surpassed 80 percent since 2005.
The University's highest return percentage occurred over 10 years ago, when 82.7 percent of the 2003 freshman class returned a year later. 2003's high is still
more than 7 percent below the University's ultimate goal for freshmen retention: 90 percent by 2022.
The most recent report from the ACT's Institutional Data Questionnaire shows that low retention rates are a national problem. Of 2012 freshmen at public schools that offer bachelor degrees, only 64.2 percent returned for a second year of schooling. Four-year private schools did not fare much better, with only 69.8 percent of freshmen returning for their sophomore year.
Although the University can boast a higher retention rate than the national average, it's still not the best in the state of Kansas. According to the Kansas Board of Regents, Kansas State University retained 80.6 percent of students in 2009 while just across the border the University of Missouri currently has a retention rate of 84.6 percent, according to its school website.
In an attempt to combat this issue, the Office of Academic Affairs instituted the new Progression and Graduation Strategic Plan, which will aim to track not just retention, but a student's progress towards graduation and earning a degree.
Rosen explained that the new plan will identify high-risk courses and students early on in their academic experience. High-risk courses are courses that "could provide a barrier to students," said Rosen. These courses will then undergo a course redesign to better allow first-year students to continue their success at the University.
Using predictive analytics from the Education Advisory Board, the University will also aim to identify high-
risk students and track their progress throughout their academic career.
"In a student-specific plan, [we're looking at] if students are making progress toward that degree, not just racking up credit hours, but actually making good progress towards a chosen major," Rosen said. "We're putting a predictive analytic tool in play to help advisors identify students who are making really good progress or maybe have some risk factors."
Another office playing an important role in freshman retention is the Office of First Year Experience. Created specifically to help freshmen navigate their first year at the University, the programs implemented by this office work towards fostering a sense of belonging for first-year students.
Sarah Crawford-Parker, the director of the Office of First- Year Experience, oversees the programs designed to help freshmen build a solid foundation at the University. She witnessed success in the office's programs, which include the Common Book, Bold Aspirations Strategic Plan and first-year seminar programs, all of which aim to create a sense of collaboration among first-year students.
"We're trying to create the conditions and environment that help students be successful at KU," Crawford-Parker said. "For example, we know that the more students feel a sense of belonging at the institution, the more likely they are to persist in earning towards a degree. We've found that early connections to faculty, staff and other students are essential."
In addition to these programs, freshmen have a
new opportunity this year. Instead of moving into the dorms the Friday before classes begin, students this year will move in Thursday. The extra day on campus allows freshmen the chance to tour the campus and find their classes, as well as learn to ride the buses and purchase textbooks. The Office of First-Year Experience will welcome students to the University through a special film showing Thursday night on Campanile Hill.
The movie, which consists of interviews with students and faculty, as well as scripted pieces, is just another way for students to feel a sense of belonging with the campus community, Crawford-Parker said.
"The focus of the film is really to welcome students to campus and help them understand what this transition into the University looks like," she said. "We really wanted the movie to bring our new students into conversation with our old students."
Crawford-Parker has already seen success with the office's programs for increasing freshman retention. The office tracks student success through the number of credit hours completed by a student, as well as how a student performs in terms of written communication. She believes the program playing the biggest role is the first-year seminars available to freshmen.
"We are positive from some of the results we have been seeing from our programs, specifically with our first year seminars," she said. "We know from the limited information we have from Fall 2012 ... that those students are being
RETENTION RATES
YEAR. FR.: AFTER 1 YEAR AFTER 2 YEARS
1996 3,546 77.8% 68.3%
1997 3,808 77.6% 68%
1998 3,696 77.9% 69.3%
1999 3,783 80.3% 71%
2000 4,117 78.1% 69.8%
2001 4,023 81% 72.1%
2002 4,011 81.8% 74%
2003 3,971 82.7% 72.8%
2004 4,182 82.3% 72.7%
2005 4,106 80.6% 71.3%
2006 4,091 79.3% 73%
2007 4,028 79.7% 71.3%
2008 4,436 77.8% 69.3%
2009 3,894 79.3% 71.4%
2010 3,490 79.9% 72.5%
2011 3,493 79.2% 72.1%
2012 3,651 79.9% N/A
Information from the Office of Institutional Research and Planning
retained at a higher level"
However, Crawford-Parker said that the University has a long way to go before serious retention goals are met. Similarly to Rosen, Crawford-Parker remains optimistic.
Edited by Madison Schultz and Jordan Fox
"Over the next couple of years, we'll be watching a variety of different indicators to see if we are meeting the goals we have set for ourselves," Crawford-Parker said. "I think we're making good progress, but there's still a lot of work to be done."
Most recent retention rate: 79.9%
University's goal: 90% by 2022
What the University is doing:
-Progression and Graduation
Strategic Plan
-Identify high-risk students
through predictive analytics
-KU Common Book
-Bold Aspirations Strategic Plan
-First-year seminar programs
-Earlier move-in day with welcome film
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN PRESENTS BACK TO SCHOOL BASH @The Granada
Friday, August 29th / Doors open at 9 pm/18+ to enter
LIVE BAND OUTSIDE
DJ INSIDE
FIRE BREATHERS
ACROBATS
Sponsored by:
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RedBull
With food provided by:
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