Presented by Dr. Jim Black President & CEO of SEM Works

Fundamentals For ImpactingStudent Success, Retention &

Completion

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Influencing Retention Behavior

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Key Factors

Retention Impact

Self-Awareness

Understanding Students

Influencing Students

Building Trust

What % of retention impact is person vs. program related?

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Self-Awareness: Retention Advocates

Navigator

Coach/Mentor

Advisor (developmental & prescriptive)

Teacher

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Who Are Your #1 Retention Advocates

Faculty

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Understanding Student Persistence and Attrition Factors

Motivators

Risk Factors

Barriers

Non-cognitiveVariables

InstitutionalLoyalty

Educational,Career, and

Life Goals

CommitmentLevel

SuccessBehaviors

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Understanding Student Goals

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Student Backgrounds

Understanding Student Persistence and Attrition Factors

Reslience

Academic Preparation

Physical, Emotional, and Social Attributes

Culture

Values

Behaviors

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Influencing Students

Personal Influence

Institutional Influence

External Influence

Program Influence

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Wants

Happiness

Achievement

Sense of Belonging

Entitlement

Hard Work PaysOff

AcademicallyCapable

Beliefs

ActionsStudy Habits

Commitmentto TasksAcceptResponsibility

Values

Career

FamilyEducation

Money

ResiliencePerserverance

Will to Succeed

Overcome Obstacles

Seek Help

The Power of Persuasion

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Build trust by…

Providing accurate informationDemonstrating competencyDisplaying empathyLooking out for their best interestDelivering on promisesTreating them as individualsListeningAdding value to their experience

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Dimensions of Student RetentionWork, Life, School Balance

Academic Prepara-tion

Academic Ability

Learner Habits

College Satisfac-tion

Program Satisfac-tion

Student Engage-ment

Coping Skills

Personal Finances

Intellectual

Social

Emotional

Physical

Financial

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Leveraging Research and Data

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Common Retention Research Questions

Why are students leaving early?Why are students staying?Who are the early leavers?What are attributes of early leavers vs. persisters?When are they leaving?What are institutional experiences of early leavers?What are the institutional experiences of persisters?What can the institution do to influence students success,

retention, and completion?

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Generic Retention Strategies

Segment Targeted Retention Strategies

Customized Retention Strategies

Retention Strategy Impact

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Institutional Attrition Causation

Student Segment Attrition Causation

Individual Attrition Causation

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Customized Student Retention

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Retention Management Systems

Predictive analytics (risk scores with risk factors)Individual and segment risk factorsReferral mechanism with feedback historySystem triggersAutomated communications (independent, rule-driven, and provider-based)Alerts to multiple providersStudent history with role-based privileges Standard reports and customizable reporting capability

Retention Management System Features

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Retention Best Practices

23Stages of Student Retention

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Practical Retention ApplicationEnrollment Lifecycle

Prevention Intervention Recovery

Pre-enrollment AssessmentGoal SettingCareer ExplorationAdmissions AdvisingOrientation

Completing the Enrollment ProcessApplying for Financial AssistanceOvercoming Barriers to Enrollment

Next Term Application

Enrollment Transition

Goal-based MilestonesStudent Vision StatementAcademic and Career PlanningConnect Academic Requirements with Goals and Vision

Early Risk IdentificationEarly Intervention

Academic SupportsPersonal SupportsFinancial Supports

First Year Student Success PlanFYE CourseMentoringCareer Connections

Early Risk IdentificationEarly InterventionRevisit Student Success Plan

Review the Recovery Policy Design a Recovery PlanAcademic Recovery Program

Second Year MentoringGoals and Milestones Progress ChecksCareer Coaching

Early Risk IdentificationEarly InterventionRevisit Student Success Plan

Review the Recovery Policy Design a Recovery PlanAcademic Recovery Program

Retention Management System UsesAttrition Factors

(by category)Prevention

(Pre-Enrollment and Enrollment Stages)

Intervention(Enrollment Stage)

Recovery(Enrollment & Beyond)

Academic Pre-entry AssessmentPredictive AnalyticsIndividual Risk FactorsCustomized Student Success PlanCommunications Stream

Early Alert System Triggers Early Warning Faculty Referral ProcessIndividual Risk FactorsCustomized Student Success PlanCommunications Stream

Individual Risk FactorsCustomized Student Success PlanStudent ContractsCommunications Stream

Financial

Personal

Social

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Retention Planning

PlanningConsiderations

Alignment with Strategic Priorities

Evidence-based Approach

Engagement

Focus

Strategies

Implementation

Academic

Fiscal

Enrollment

Research and Data Measurable Outcomes

Assessment Framework

Engage Faculty & Staff Early

Collaborative, Integrated Approach

Learner-centered

Define Purpose & Scope

Define Roles & Responsibilities

Antecedents for Success

Evaluate Strategies

Recalibrate Resources

Start Small (Pilots)

Maintain Momentum

Communications & Engagement Strategy

Convey Successes

Continuous Improvement

Execution Is Everything

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What We Have Learned From Our Clients

Retention Strategies

Intervention

Recovery

Prevention

Early Alert

Early Intervention

Mentoring

Bounce Back Programs

Peer Success Coaches

Success Contracts

Extended Orientation

First-year Seminars

Supplemental Instruction

Orientation

Summer Bridge

Remedial Coursework

Tutoring

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Targeted interventions and retention

strategies.

Remedial Students

At-risk Students

Special Populations

High Achievers

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An Integrated Student Success Model

STUDENTSUCCESS

MODEL

Enrollment

ServicesHolistic

Advising

Academic

SupportsFYE

Testing and Course Placement Front-loaded Advising for Program Fit Peer Mentoring Academic Plan Orientation and Transition

Risk Assessment Student Success Plan Early Intervention Peer Mentoring Peer Tutoring Supplemental Instruction

FYE Course Extended Orientation Learning Communities Student Engagement Academic Recovery Program

One-stop Services No-stop Services Any-stop Services

Non-AcademicSupports

Disability Services Co-op and Career Services Counselling Services Wellness Services

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Student Success Communications

Reactive

Transactional

Proactive

Transactional

Loya

lty

Bui

ldin

g Support Service Engagem

ent

Relationship Management

Student Communications

Delivering on the institution’s promise

Deadlines, support services, service tutorials, degree completion

Connections with faculty,staff, industry, and peers

Missed deadlines, early interventions, policy implications

Awareness of services offered, service hours, service benefits

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Student Messaging

Learner Attributes

Learner Needs

Audience-basedMessages

Calls to Action

TransactionalLearner Engagement

Relationship Management

SuccessBuilding

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A Student Success Culture

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The recruitmentcourtship is

over. What do your

studentsexperience

next?

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College-Centered

Learner-Centered

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What the Research Says...

Students are highly satisfied with: The quality of instruction The relevance of courses Interactions with faculty Preparation for careers or further study The overall quality of the educational experience

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Barriers to Engagement

What’s init for me?

Staff Scenario:The number of students

and workload keep growing, and you want

me to add one morething. There are only so many hours in the day.

Faculty Scenario:I’m teaching a full load,

involved on college committees, and

providing service to the community. What should

my priority be?

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Why College-wide Efforts Fail

Making a case for faculty and staff engagement based on institutional urgency

Institutional failure to value faculty and staff contributions to student success

Misunderstanding resistanceFaulty mental mapsA lack of concrete opportunities for engagementNo feedback loop

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Overcoming Resistence to Retention EngagementEducation and communicationParticipation and investmentFacilitation and supportRewards and recognition

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Information Sharing

Communication Collaboration Fusion

Integration

Creating astudent success

culture is anevolutionary

process.

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Academic Culture Retention Objectives

Student Performance Student Retention

Discipline-focused Systems-focused

Unit-oriented Integration

Faculty-centered Learner-centered

Cognitive dissonance Buy-in

Natural Tensions

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Fostering Campus Engagement

A shared definition of student successAn awareness and engagement campaignConcrete opportunities to engageSystematic efforts toward creating a cohesive,

transformational student experienceProfessional development and information sharing

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43Q&A