The MSU Retention Initiative

Creating a Retention Culture atMissouri State University

Presenters• Dr. Thomas Kane

Professor of Psychology

• Joseph MorrisDirector of Student Orientation, Advisement & Registration (SOAR)

• Justin BlauveltResearch Assistant, Industrial/Organizational Psychology

Presentation Objectives

• Identify key factors affecting retention of new students

• Discuss the assessment of a department involved in orientation and retention

• Provide ideas for conducting your own assessment and improvement process

Institutional Background

• 21,798 students (18,464 UGs)

• Nearly 4,000 faculty members– 90% of ranked faculty hold terminal

degrees

• 4,000 residential students• 1,500 international students

MSU’s Retention Initiative

• Explore reasons students leave MSU– Academic retention research–Workplace retention research

• Identify retention leverage points

• Apply those leverage points to socialize students for retention

MSU’s Retention Initiative

• Project 1: Identify predictors of drop-out at MSU– Voluntary withdrawal (GPA over 2)– Involuntary withdrawal (GPA under 2)

• Project 2: Identify student’s met and unmet expectations related to drop-out

Research Phase

Drop out

from MSU

IntentionsTo Leave

Reasonsstudent

sdrop-out

AcademicAchieveme

nt

-.282

.337

Key Idea! All paths to voluntary drop-out go through intentions to quit!

That means, if intentions to quit are reduced, then drop-out

will fall!

Project 1: MSU voluntary drop-out

IntentionsTo Leave

(51%)

Affective Commitmentto MSU (I’m a bear)

Social Integration (I fit in)

Academic Performance

Rational Commitment (makes sense to stay)

-.55

-.17

-.14

-.09

Homesickness .15

-.14

-.09

Project 2: Expectations & Drop-out

Key relevance to Student Orientation!

“What are expectations held by freshmen before arriving to campus that are most relevant to drop-out

at the end of the first year?

Pre-enrollment expectations DO

Expectation intention to quit• I will be involved in XC activities -.27• I will feel like I’m a part of MSU -.26• I will be liked by my roommate(s) -.26• I will be an important person at MSU -.25• I will be satisfied by with my spiritual life -.22• I’ll have to make many changes to adapt

to the MSU environment -.21• I will enjoy living on campus -.19• I will learn more about myself -.17• I’ll get frequent reminders from my profs -.17• My advisor will be helpful and supportive -.17

Met Expectations @ mid-termExpectation intend to quit• I feel like I am part of MSU -.63• I feel like an important person at MSU -.54• I’m getting along with other students in my classes -.44• I like the extra-curricular activities I’m involve in -.39• The facilities where I live are comfortable -.34• I like my roommates -.31• I am making progress towards the career I want -.29• I maintained friendships I had before coming to MSU -.28• I made new friends at MSU -.26• I found a church that I like -.26

Retention Leverage Points

• Pre-enrollment optimism

• Emotional Attachment

• Extra-curricular activities

• Home-college adjustment

• Homesickness • Quality of

classroom experience

Inventory Phase

• Researchers gathered data from nine offices that interact with new students

• Data collected included:– How departments defined success– The timing and nature of student contact– How programs aligned with retention points– Potential opportunities for promoting retention

Intervention Phase

• Departmental Retention Reports were generated–What retention points is SOAR best

positioned to positively affect?

• Review copies were provided to directors

• Follow-up Retention Meetings held

SOAR’s Experience• Very positive one

– Confirmed we were positively contributing to retention efforts

– Allowed us to re-align efforts and resources to increase efficacy and efficiency

– Provided another opportunity to tell our story

How does SOAR stack up?

• Pre-enrollment optimism– Publications and materials have

optimistic tone–Wealth of information is shared to

dispel ignorance or negative “what-if”scenarios

How does SOAR stack up?

• Extracurricular activities–Most presenters and OLs are

prepared to discuss importance of involvement

– A student involvement fair is an opportunity for growth for SOAR

How does SOAR stack up?

• Emotional attachment– Publications and materials are

friendly and welcoming– OLs are selected because and

trained to articulate why MSU feels like home to them

How does SOAR stack up?

• Home-to-college adjustment– Specific programs share these

changes in a positive manner– Faculty presenters or interviews

with faculty are an area of possible improvement for SOAR

How does SOAR stack up?

• Homesickness– Tough to combat if students

haven’t yet experienced it– Strategies include preparing for,

normalizing, and minimizing homesickness

Room to Improve

How does SOAR stack up?

• Quality of classroom experience– Also difficult for new students

to conceive with no prior experience

–Working with faculty to identify key areas in which new students are unprepared

Room to Improve

In Summary…• Retaining students is more emotional than rational

• Emotions begin prior to students’ campus arrival

• SOAR is MSU’s primary molder of students’ perceptions and emotions

• Success means not simply introducing students to the University, but preparing them to receive the benefits of higher education

QUESTIONS?