March, 2007

Recruitment & Retention - March, 2007 - Full Issue PDF
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College Freshmen Arrive with Determination and Motivation
By Catherine Stover
A new study of 97,000 incoming freshmen at 292 institutions indicates that freshmen arrive with a strong desire to complete their education. Ninety-five percent of the participants in the study say they have a very strong desire to continue their education and are quite determined to finish a degree. This finding contradicts the perception that students drop out of college because they are ambivalent about going in the first place.

From the Editor
As the new editor of Recruitment & Retention, it’s my pleasure to introduce you to our new editorial board and to tell you about our priorities for topics in 2007.

Lynchburg College Retention Plan 2003–04
For the past decade, Lynchburg College has made great progress in providing students with high-quality learning and living experiences. Strengths of the institution include a dedicated and talented faculty and staff, as well as a highly engaged student body. In recent years, numerous new programs and services have been developed and have proven to have a positive impact on student growth and development. However, these improvements have not translated into a significant and sustained gain in either the retention or graduation rates of students at the college.

Seven Ideas to Guide Your Retention Plan Process
By Mari Normyle
Focus on student success — an improvement in your retention rate is an outcome. You can get other people excited about being a part of this process if you can focus on student success. It involves people in the conversation in a very different way than if you say, “We need to do this because we need to keep more students.”

The University of Michigan Should Focus on Economic Diversity
By Peter Sacks
You have a hard job, Dr. Coleman. During your presidency of the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, your institution has been whipsawed by the rapidly changing legal environment of affirmative action.

Why Recruitment Efforts Must Be Redoubled
By Joyce E. Smith
As the University of Michigan once again finds itself in the national spotlight, the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) applauds the institution’s president, leaders, and admissions officers for maintaining their commitment to admissions policies that are both legal and fair. The battle over diversity has continued to challenge admissions practitioners in our effort to recruit a class of students appropriate to our institutional missions.