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In 1998-1999, 1,389 students earned undergraduate degrees from UMass Boston. These new alumni varied widely in age, ethnicity, and social background, as anyone attending Commencement could see. Not so apparent were equally wide variations in their academic careers. Few of them spent the traditional four years at UMass Boston. Some entered as beginning freshmen, many more as transfer students. Some came directly from other schools, others had spent years away from formal education. Some were traditionally prepared for university study, others were not. Most surmounted obstacles that traditional students do not have to face. Another group of UMass Boston students&emdash;over 2,100 of them&emdash;might also have joined that Commencement celebration. These students began with high hopes and a good chance of finishing their undergraduate studies at UMass Boston, but they left the University before doing so. Their stories are not unusual. In a typical year, according to the University's Office of Institutional Research, for every 1,000 graduates there are more than 1,500 non-graduates who enter the same "pipeline" but do not leave it with a UMass Boston degree (see the 1996-1997 figures on pg.6). What happens to these students? Do we serve them as well as possible? What can we do to keep them? All colleges and universities wrestle with such questions, particularly urban public institutions. UMass Boston has worked hard over the years to keep students enrolled, and the University's retention rates are comparable to those of its peers. Now new information and renewed retention efforts may help UMass Boston's rates to rise. A comprehensive analysis of data on
student cohorts entering UMass Boston from 1984 through 1996
has recently been completed by Jennifer Wilton of the Office
of Institutional Research. The study sheds light on many
issues, perhaps most strikingly on the problems of newly
enrolled students. It shows that students are most at risk
of failing to persist at the University "These risk indicators," concludes the study, provide "clear evidence that efforts to increase retention are needed early in a student's career." Summaries of the study have already been distributed to many faculty members and administrators. Copies of the summary and the study are available through the Enrollment and Communications Office (x 7-6020). The process of gathering and analyzing retention data will continue, providing information, raising new questions, and suggesting ways to invest resources for maximum effect. So will efforts to translate information into action, led jointly by Patricia Davidson, vice provost for academic support services, and Kathleen Teehan, associate chancellor for enrollment management and university communications. Among these efforts is an all-day, campus-wide conference on undergraduate retention, scheduled for Friday, October 29, and featuring a nationally recognized expert, Edward "Chip" Anderson of UCLA and Azusa Pacific University. The conference will open with a presentation on the factual and theoretical fundamentals of retention. A second presentation, "Strength-based Approaches to Advising, Teaching, and Learning: Building Blocks for Retention," will focus on the concerns of people involved in advising. A third, "Reach for Optimal Learning and Let Retention Take Care of Itself," will address teaching issues. Faculty and staff are encouraged to attend conference sessions. Registration details will be distributed soon. To follow up on the conference, Davidson and Teehan will establish a committee to refine and implement retention plans. Other efforts are already underway&emdash;for example, an "early warning system" being developed by the University Advising Center to help faculty and staff recognize signs of trouble in struggling students. Further examples include the First Year Seminar, intended to strengthen performance during the critical early stages of students' careers, and an expansion of the Honors Program to the College of Management and the College of Nursing. &emdash; Jeffrey Mitchell
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