Presented by Dr. Jim Black President & CEO of SEM Works

Fundamentals for Impacting Student Success, Retention,

Completion

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Influencing Retention Behaviour

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Key Factors Retention Impact

Self-Awareness

Understanding Students

Influencing Students

Building Trust

What % of retention impact is person vs. program related?

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Self-Awareness: Retention Advocates

Navigator

Coach/Mentor

Advisor (developmental & prescriptive)

Teacher

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Who Are Your #1 Retention Advocates

Faculty

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Understanding Student Persistence and Attrition Factors

Motivators

Risk Factors

Barriers

Non-cognitive Variables

Institutional Loyalty

Educational, Career, and Life Goals

Commitment Level

Success Behaviours

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Understanding Student Goals

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Student Backgrounds

Understanding Student Persistence and Attrition Factors

Reslience

Academic Preparation

Physical, Emotional, and Social Attributes

Culture

Values

Behaviours

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Influencing Students

Personal Influence

Institutional Influence

External Influence

Program Influence

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Achievement

Sense of Belonging

Entitlement

Hard Work Pays Off

Study Habits

Education

Will to Succeed

The Power of Persuasion

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Build trust by…

Providing accurate information Demonstrating competency Displaying empathy Looking out for their best interest Delivering on promises Treating them as individuals Listening Adding value to their experience

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Dimensions of Student Retention Work, Life, School Balance

Academic Prepara-tion

Academic Ability

Learner Habits

College Satisfac-tion

Program Satisfac-tion

Student Engage-ment

Coping Skills

Personal Finances

Intellectual

Social

Emotional

Physical

Financial

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Leveraging Research and Data

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Common Retention Research Questions

Why are students leaving early? Why are students staying? Who are the early leavers? What are attributes of early leavers vs. persisters? When are they leaving? What are institutional experiences of early leavers? What are the institutional experiences of persisters? What can the institution do to influence students success,

retention, and completion?

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Generic Retention Strategies

Segment Targeted Retention Strategies

Customized Retention Strategies

Retention Strategy Impact

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Institutional Attrition Causation

Student Segment Attrition Causation

Individual Attrition Causation

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Customized Student Retention

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Retention Management Systems

Predictive analytics (risk scores with risk factors)

Individual and segment risk factors

Referral mechanism with feedback history

System triggers

Automated communications (independent, rule-driven, and provider-based)

Alerts to multiple providers

Student history with role-based privileges

Standard reports and customizable reporting capability

Retention Management System Features

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Retention Best Practices

24 Stages of Student Retention

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Practical Retention Application Enrolment Lifecycle

Prevention

Intervention Recovery

Pre-enrolment Assessment Goal Setting Career Exploration Admissions Advising Orientation

Completing the Enrolment Process Applying for Financial Assistance Overcoming Barriers to Enrolment

Next Term Application

Enrolment Transition

Goal-based Milestones Student Vision Statement Academic and Career Planning Connect Academic Requirements with Goals and Vision

Early Risk Identification Early Intervention

Academic Supports Personal Supports Financial Supports

First Year Student Success Plan FYE Course Mentoring Career Connections

Early Risk Identification Early Intervention Revisit Student Success Plan

Review the Recovery Policy Design a Recovery Plan Academic Recovery Program

Second Year Mentoring Goals and Milestones Progress Checks Career Coaching

Early Risk Identification Early Intervention Revisit Student Success Plan

Review the Recovery Policy Design a Recovery Plan Academic Recovery Program

Retention Management System Uses Attrition Factors

(by category) Prevention

(Pre-Enrolment and Enrollment Stages)

Intervention (Enrolment Stage)

Recovery (Enrolment & Beyond)

Academic Pre-entry Assessment Predictive Analytics Individual Risk Factors Customized Student Success Plan Communications Stream

Early Alert System Triggers Early Warning Faculty Referral Process Individual Risk Factors Customized Student Success Plan Communications Stream

Individual Risk Factors Customized Student Success Plan Student Contracts Communications Stream

Financial

Personal

Social

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Retention Planning

Planning Considerations

Alignment with Strategic Priorities

Evidence-based Approach

Engagement

Focus

Strategies

Implementation

Academic

Fiscal

Enrolment

Research and Data Measurable Outcomes

Assessment Framework

Engage Faculty & Staff Early

Collaborative, Integrated Approach

Learner-centred

Define Purpose & Scope

Define Roles & Responsibilities

Antecedents for Success

Evaluate Strategies

Recalibrate Resources

Start Small (Pilots)

Maintain Momentum

Communications & Engagement Strategy

Convey Successes

Continuous Improvement

Execution Is Everything

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What We Have Learned From Our Canadian Clients

Retention Strategies

Intervention

Recovery

Prevention

Early Alert

Early Intervention

Mentoring

Bounce Back Programs

Peer Success Coaches

Success Contracts

Extended Orientation

First-year Seminars

Supplemental Instruction

Orientation

Summer Bridge

Remedial Coursework

Tutoring

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Targeted interventions and retention

strategies.

Remedial Students

At-risk Students

Special Populations

High Achievers

30 An Integrated Student Success Model

Testing and Course Placement Front-loaded Advising for Program Fit Peer Mentoring Academic Plan Orientation and Transition

Risk Assessment Student Success Plan Early Intervention Peer Mentoring Peer Tutoring Supplemental Instruction

FYE Course Extended Orientation Learning Communities Student Engagement Academic Recovery Program

One-stop Services No-stop Services Any-stop Services

Non-Academic Supports

Disability Services Co-op and Career Services Counselling Services Wellness Services

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Student Success Communications

Relationship Management

Student Communications

Delivering on the institution’s promise

Deadlines, support services, service tutorials, degree completion

Connections with faculty, staff, industry, and peers

Missed deadlines, early interventions, policy implications

Awareness of services offered, service hours, service benefits

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Student Messaging

Learner Attributes

Learner Needs

Audience-based Messages

Calls to Action

Transactional Learner Engagement

Relationship Management

Success Building

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A Student Success Culture

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The recruitment courtship is

over. What do your

students experience

next?

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College-Centred

Learner-Centred

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What the Research Says...

Students are highly satisfied with: The quality of instruction The relevance of courses Interactions with faculty Preparation for careers or further study The overall quality of the educational experience

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Barriers to Engagement

What’s in it for me?

Staff Scenario: The number of students

and workload keep growing, and you want

me to add one more thing. There are only so many hours in the day.

Faculty Scenario: I’m teaching a full load,

involved on college committees, and

providing service to the community. What should

my priority be?

38

Why College-wide Efforts Fail

Making a case for faculty and staff engagement based on institutional urgency Institutional failure to value faculty and staff contributions

to student success Misunderstanding resistance Faulty mental maps A lack of concrete opportunities for engagement No feedback loop

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Overcoming Resistence to Retention Engagement Education and communication Participation and investment Facilitation and support Rewards and recognition

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Information

Sharing

Communication Collaboration

Fusion

Integration

Creating a student success

culture is an evolutionary

process.

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Academic Culture Retention Objectives

Student Performance Student Retention

Discipline-focused Systems-focused

Unit-oriented Integration

Faculty-centred Learner-centred

Cognitive dissonance Buy-in

Natural Tensions

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Fostering Campus Engagement

A shared definition of student success An awareness and engagement campaign Concrete opportunities to engage Systematic efforts toward creating a cohesive,

transformational student experience Professional development and information sharing

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44 Q&A

Slide Number 1Slide Number 2Slide Number 3Slide Number 4Slide Number 5Who Are Your #1 Retention AdvocatesSlide Number 7Slide Number 8Slide Number 9Slide Number 10Slide Number 11Slide Number 12Slide Number 13Build trust by…Dimensions of Student RetentionSlide Number 16Common Retention Research QuestionsRetention Strategy ImpactSlide Number 19Customized Student RetentionRetention Management SystemsRetention Management System FeaturesSlide Number 23Stages of Student RetentionPractical Retention ApplicationRetention Management System UsesSlide Number 27Slide Number 28Slide Number 29An Integrated Student Success ModelStudent Success CommunicationsStudent MessagingSlide Number 33Slide Number 34Slide Number 35What the Research Says...Barriers to EngagementWhy College-wide Efforts FailOvercoming Resistence to Retention EngagementSlide Number 40Slide Number 41Fostering Campus EngagementSlide Number 43Slide Number 44