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STUDENT RETENTION
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Student Retention

• Can have wide reaching implications
• Student well being
• University finances
• Student dropouts could be costing the taxpayer up
  to 200m a year (January,2001)
• Universitys reputation introduction of
  benchmarks

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Main Objectives

• Deliver an explicit Retention Strategy in
  conjunction with student withdrawal work
• Disseminate findings, advise and develop
  appropriate action plan in conjunction with
  schools to address issues of concern
• Identify Service deficiencies and possible
  interventions and actions

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Methodology

• Interviews
• Directors of Learning Teaching
• Support Services
• Registry
• Review of Research
• Survey - Students
• Focus Group Pam Phillips
• Statistical Data

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Interview Results

• Personal tutor scheme
• Study Skills
• Induction
• Attendance
• Student Mentoring
• Staff Training for Tutoring
• More involvement in induction and more
  progressive support services e.g. finance
  workshops

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Statistical Data

• Trends over last three years
• UWIC as a whole hit benchmark levels 10 but
  there are areas within UWIC that have caused
  concern
• The benchmark figures do not include students
  classed as Withdrawn Early
• Over the last three years retention figures have
  improved within UWIC
• Reasons for Leaving
• Have investigated mode of study, year,ethnicity
• Next step is to investigate Widening Access issues

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Withdrawal Survey

• Changes in Methodology
• X2 a year - of withdrawals occur in first 5
  months
• Prize draw for completed surveys
• Questions updated include induction, tutor
  contact, exit advice
• Use of focus groups previous poor survey return
• Withdrawal questions will be included in Pam
  Phillips Student Satisfaction work (1 in 3 have
  thought of withdrawal, Strathclyde University)

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Recommendations

• Pre-Entry Activities
• Summer School
• Re-sit support
• Study Skill Audit
• What skills do the students need to possess
• What skills do the students entering UWIC possess
• Use as part of Progress files allow progression
  to be mapped
• Use for plan of Learning Centre induction
  programmes

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• Peer Support
• Carrying out a review of schemes in other
  university
• Many students would prefer to talk to peers than
  tutors, especially if course related
• Can gain valuable information from experiences of
  second year students
• Assist in the formation of networks
• Front loading Support,
• Engineering, extra sessions at beginning of term
• Early assessment

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• Induction
• Centralised approach - no monitoring of
  consistency of application within schools, part
  time, post-graduate, staff development sessions
• e.g.School of Sport 1 person overviews 2 week
  programme
• Development of Induction web-site, what to do,
  what is going on, advice etc.
• Development of Help seeking skills, group ethos
  and identity
• Main response from survey so far more small group
  activities

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• Withdrawal Form
• At present only one reason allowed to be given
  for withdrawal
• Exit interview?
• Opportunity for advice on future plans
• Questionnaire completed
• Time consuming?
• Review of course entry requirements

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• Review of course advertisement material
• Make sure there is no disparity between student
  expectations and reality
• At risk Indicators
• Creation of a list to identify students more
  likely to withdraw from university
• List created following discussion with staff and
  students and statistical data
• Attendance Policy / Attendance Monitoring system
• Edge Hill 75 attendance policy

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Conclusion

• The problem of student retention is a complex one
  therefore there will not be any one single
  solution
• There is a need for a more integrated approach
  between support services and schools