DIXIE STATE UNIVERSITY The Faculty Role in Student Retention David Roos, Ed.D. Executive Director, Enrollment Management Droos@dixie.edu * 435.652.7704

HEADCOUNT …

BACHELORS DEGREES AWARDED …

DSU Retention Trends …

National Retention Rates …

Moral to the story: Moving the needle on student retention requires a significant effort!

- Tinto’s Student Departure Model

- A Psychological Model of Student Retention. Bean & Eaton

- Seidman, 2001

WHO CAN BE INFLUENCED? Will stay or go depending On interactions & experiences At Dixie State.

WHERE ARE THE OPPORTUNITIES TO INFLUENCE STUDENT INTENT? Less than 10% of our students reside on campus. Primary interactions are in the classroom. Students drive to campus, go to class, and then often go home or to a job or off-campus apartment.

FACULTY ARE THE KEY!

“Student-Faculty interaction has a stronger relationship to student satisfaction with the college experience than any other involvement variable, or indeed, any other student or institutional characteristic.”   - Alexander Astin

FACULTY … have more frequent and continuous contact with students than any other campus representative. evaluate student performance and judge whether students are achieving outcomes. can more closely observe student behavior and recognize at-risk behaviors. - Joseph Cuseo

Students who have frequent contact with faculty members during their college years are more satisfied with their educational experiences, are less likely to drop out, and perceive themselves to have learned more than students who have less faculty contact.” - Cross (1998)

What can Faculty do increase student persistence?

THE TOP 10 LIST!

How? NUMBER 10! Get to know your students by their first name. Get to know their names early. Use their names frequently in class. How?

NUMBER 9! Use instructional techniques that appeal to a wide variety of learning Styles. Visual – Auditory – Tactile.

NUMBER 8! Set a positive tone that focuses on student success. Be enthusiastic about your topic.

NUMBER 7! Provide timely feedback. Reinforce positive behavior. Ensure that expectations are clear.

NUMBER 6! Encourage students to participate in the discussion. Ask thought-provoking questions. “The teacher is of course an artist, but being an artist does not mean that he or she can make the profile, can shape the students. What the educator does in teaching is to make it possible for the students to become themselves.” -Freiere

NUMBER 5! Encourage the students to interact with each other. Encourage small group or team-building exercises. Encourage out-of-class study groups Collaborative Learning (NSSE)

NUMBER 4! Be aware of at-risk behavior in class. Respond appropriately. Use Starfish to include the Student Success Center in offering support. Supportive Campus environment (NSSE)

NUMBER 3! Set high expectations and standards in class. High level of academic challenge. Higher-order thinking skills (NSSE).

NUMBER 2! Utilize TECHNOLOGY to promote learning and student interaction. Canvas … “Powerschool” generation In-class polling Online discussions Social media Utilize Center for Teaching and Learning

NUMBER 1! Student-Faculty Interaction! Get to know your students. Use survey. Meet with students before or after class Encourage students to meet with you during office hours. Let students know that you care about them as individuals and learners.

WHAT ELSE?