Academic Departmental Strategies to Increase Retention

  1. Use early warning/ alert strategies: Test students EARLY in the semester and provide an alert before mid-term, advising students to use tutoring services to improve grades.
  2. Use active learning as much as possible: internships included in degree programs before the end of their program stimulate students to learn more.
  3. Develop ways to increase contact with program majors through advising, social events, etc.
  4. Develop strong advising with training in retention and cross-training in student support services.
  5. Develop peer mentoring of upper level with lower level students – honor society members or others.
  6. Increase emphasis on 4-year graduation planning, taking full loads, and tuition rebates.
  7. Develop intra-departmental degree plans to bring in students changing majors.
  8. Provide advising at non-traditional hours [and perhaps online].
  9. Develop a community feeling among majors – use email list, Blackboard, meetings, etc.
  10. Track majors from majors lists (electronic files from Institutional Research) to see who is leaving, possibly contact those who drop off majors lists.
  11. Survey majors to identify their concerns and difficulties.
  12. Set program-specific retention targets above current retention rates (program retention rates available from Institutional Research).

Page last updated 1:04 PM, June 19, 2017 

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