February 2009

Convincing Faculty to Participate in Pre-Enrollment Events
Surveys such as the National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE) show that interaction with faculty can make all the difference in how fully students engage with a school and whether or not they remain enrolled, says Matt Stillman, director of enrollment analysis at Southern Oregon University (SOU).

Serving Students with Chronic Conditions
Colleges and universities are not as well prepared to serve students with chronic conditions as they are to serve students with acute illnesses, says Patricia Fennell, who specializes in working with people with chronic illnesses and training organizations about how to respond to them. Recruitment and Retention interviewed Fennell about the topic recently.

Liability Tip: Protecting Students from Date Rape Drugs
By Dennis Black
Reports of college students being assaulted through the use of sedative or depressive drugs are on the rise, despite efforts to improve potential victim awareness. What can colleges and universities do to promote better student safety? Liability experts recommend continued campus education on the drugs-- what they are and how students can protect themselves.

Tip on Creating a Parents’ Council: Draw Up a Charter
By Jeffrey Buller
A parents’ council can effectively channel parents’ energy and desire to help with projects that institutions and their individual units actually need completed. In order to achieve this goal, however, it is helpful to develop a charter for the group that clearly specifies what the council does and does not do.

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Last month's question was "How well does your institution’s campus tour communicate its character and mission?"