Student Retention: A Geometric Framework for Improving Success at PBCC

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Student RetentionA Geometric Framework for
Improving Success at PBCC

• Palm Beach Community College
• Lake Worth, Florida
• Dr. Watson Scott Swail
• President
• Educational Policy Institute
• Virginia Beach Toronto Melbourne

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PBCC Goals

• PBCC will sustain an uncompromising commitment to
  excellence in teaching and learning.
• PBCC will partner with and support Palm Beach
  County business, industry and government to
  sustain economic development, provide a skilled
  workforce and enhance the quality of life.
• PBCC will provide maximum access and seamless
  articulation with PreK-20 education systems to
  enhance educational opportunities.
• PBCC will ensure an environment that embraces and
  celebrates diversity in all areas of the college.
• PBCC will continually assess and improve
  productivity, cost effectiveness and
  accountability.

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Question 1

• Why is Retention an Important Issue?

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Dropout and Defaults
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Question 2

• Who Leaves?

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Question 3

• Why do Students Leave?
• Academic Preparedness
• Campus Climate
• Commitment to Educational Goals and the
  Institution
• Social and Academic Integration
• Financial Aid

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Question 4

• When does student
• dropout/departure occur?

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Question 5

• Why should PBCC care?
• Loss of revenue to the institution
• Poor business model
• Lower prestige and moral
• Its the right thing to do its in the mission

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Cost of Student Attrition

• Institutional
• Individual
• Societal

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Question 6

• What Can PBCC Do About It?

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Cognitive Factors
Social Factors
The Student Experience
Institutional Factors
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Financial Issues Educational Legacy Attitude
Toward Learning Religious Background Maturity Soci
al Coping Skills Communication Skills Attitude
Toward Others Cultural Values Expectations Goal
Commitment Family Influence Peer Influence Social
Lifestyle
Academic Rigor Quality of Learning Aptitude Conten
t Knowledge Critical-Thinking Ability Technology
Ability Study Skills Learning Skills Time
Management Academic-Related Extracurricular
Activities
The Student Experience
Financial Aid
Recruitment Admissions
Academic Services
Student Services
Curriculum Instruction
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Cognitive Factors
Social Factors
The Student Experience
Institutional Factors
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Five Components of the Student Retention
Framework
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• Information dissemination.
• Increase availability of need-based aid.
• Reconsideration of aid packaging.

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1) Pre-College Programs. 2) Alternative
Assessment Methods. 3) School Visitations. 4)
On-Campus Living Orientation. 5) Freshman
Orientation.
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1) Academic Advising. 2) Diversity in
Instruction. 3) Bridging Programs. 4)
Pre-College Programs. 5) Encourage Informal
Faculty-Student Contact.
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1) Instructional Practices. 2) Curricula Review.
3) Professional Development. 4) Assessment
Techniques.
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1) Diversity and Multiculturalism. 2) Flexible
Scheduling. 3) Career Counseling. 4)
Faculty-Student Interaction. 5) Room and Board.
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Things that matter

• Leadership
• Institutional Change
• Finances

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Principles of Implementation

• Institutions should provide resources for program
  development and incentives for program
  participation that reach out to faculty and staff
  alike.
• Institutions should commit themselves to a
  long-term process of program development.
• Institutions should place ownership for
  institutional change in the hands of those across
  the campus who have to implement that change.
• Institutional actions should be coordinated in a
  collaborative fashion to insure a systematic,
  campus-wide approach to student retention.
• Institutions should act to insure that faculty
  and staff possess the skills needed to assist and
  educate their students.
• Institutions should front-load their efforts on
  behalf of student retention.
• Institutions and programs should continually
  assess their actions with an eye toward
  improvement.

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Top Ten Considerations

• Rely on proven research.
• Suit the particular needs of the campus.
• Institutionalize and become a regular part of
  campus service.
• Involve all campus departments and all campus
  personnel.
• Take into consideration the dynamics of the
  change process and provide extensive and
  appropriate retraining of staff.
• Focus on students.
• Ensure that the program is fiscally responsible.
• Support institutional research in the monitoring
  of programs and students.
• Be patient.
• Be sensitive to students needs and target the
  most needy student populations.

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If we could, at this time, shrink the Earth's
population to a village of precisely 100 people,
with all existing human ratios remaining the
same, it would look like this
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• There would be 57 Asians, 21 Europeans, 14 from
  the Western Hemisphere (North and South) and 8
  Africans.
• 70 would be non-white 30 white.
• 70 would be non-Christian 30 Christian.
• 50 of the entire world wealth would be in the
  hands of only 6 people.
• All 6 would be citizens of the United States.
• 70 would be unable to read.
• 50 would suffer from malnutrition.
• 80 would live in sub-standard housing.

If we could, at this time, shrink the Earth's
population to a village of precisely 100 people,
with all existing human ratios remaining the
same, it would look like this
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If we could, at this time, shrink the Earth's
population to a village of precisely 100 people,
with all existing human ratios remaining the
same, it would look like this

• Only one would have a college education.

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If we could, at this time, shrink the Earth's
population to a village of precisely 100 people,
with all existing human ratios remaining the
same, it would look like this

• Only one would have a college education.

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www.educationalpolicy.org