Retention Assessment Guide

The Follow-Up
Report

Institutional Assessment
Guidelines:
Retention and
Advisement
(A Guides and Handbooks Report)

Todd V. Titterud
Revised 06/25/2007

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 1

 Retention Assessment Guide

Institutional Assessment Guidelines:

Retention and Advisement
(Todd V. Titterud, Revised: 06-25-2007)

The materials in this guideline have been collated to assist your department in the
institutional assessment process. The examples from similar departments in other
institutions are included for comparison purposes to help you develop or revise your own
department’s efforts. They are not intended as recommendations but as efforts to be
reviewed and critiqued to improve your own learning and understanding. While some may be
models of best efforts, others may reveal the range of understanding and interpretation which
is still prevalent. Each department and institution is following their own learning curve toward
the common goal of establishing a culture of evidence-based continuous improvement
founded on student and institutional learning.

1 Sample Mission Statements

Georgia State University:

Student Advisement Center
The Student Advisement Center strives to be a primary resource of academic
advisement and guidance with a reputation for going the extra mile to assist students
in achieving their goals.

Metropolitan State College of Denver:

Counseling Center
The Counseling Center assists students in the accomplishment of tasks that are
essential to the students’ personal and educational development. The Center’s
programming is designed to facilitate students’ retention and graduation by providing
quality, time-effective, services through individual, coupled, and group counseling;
outreach services; individual, organizational, and departmental consultation, crisis
intervention, pre-doctoral internship training, and research.

Center staff are involved in community building, prevention and education, and thus
collaborate and consult with other departments in order to improve the
interrelationships of all areas of this urban college. To this end, the Center promotes
the understanding and integration of multicultural issues in all services and programs.
The Center is dedicated to building a college community that permits all of its
The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 2
 Retention Assessment Guide

members to grow and to be successful in an environment of equity, respect, and

inclusion.
Student Intervention Services
Student Intervention Services oversees and enforces the Academic Standing Policy
for the college. Contracts are required for students registering through the SIS Office.
The contract includes limiting course loads, repetition of courses, and a prescriptive
referral to resources on campus. Student Intervention Services also executes the
Academic Alert Program for the college

San Jose State University:

Academic Services
Academic Services is a retention unit composed of a comprehensive set of student
assistance programs designed to facilitate successful student persistence through the
completion of the baccalaureate degree.

Texas A&M International University:

First Year Success Program
The Texas A & M International University First Year Success Program is dedicated to
student retention by enhancing the educational, career, and personal success of first-
time students attending as freshmen or as transfer students of higher levels. Student
success is promoted by coordinating an array of services that are responsive to our
students’ unique needs, and by personally linking the students to the appropriate
service, such as tutoring, counseling, job-seeking, test preparation, financial aid and
other university support services. This is accomplished by an array of communication
formats, such as face to face advising at time of need, weekly meetings with individual
students, phone calls to disseminate relevant information, and social gatherings to
bring students and staff together in informal settings. In addition, the program offers
staff accessibility throughout the day, thus assuring a support network throughout the
difficult first year university experience
PASE/General University
The Department of General University strives to prepare students for the rigor of
college studies and standardized exams. It helps prepare freshmen “at-risk” students
for college success by giving them strategies for time management, information
management and application, and critical thinking skills required in college level
courses. Interpersonal skills are also taught in order to positively affect students’
interaction with others in the college atmosphere and the workplace.
PASE TRiO-Student Support Services
TRiO's Student Support Services offers support services to program participants who
are economically-disadvantaged, first generation college students and students with
disabilities. Program participants receive tutoring and supplemental instruction in
academic areas, career, personal and academic counseling, and the opportunity to
attend cultural activities outside the University to encourage satisfactory academic
progress and retention.

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 3

 Retention Assessment Guide

2 Sample Goals

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis:

Advising Center Goals:
• To foster collaborative relationships with students
• To effectively disseminate information to students, family members, and colleagues
• To assist students in developing an academic plan tailored to the students’ personal
needs and goals.
• To facilitate academic major and career decision-making process
• To encourage use of appropriate campus resources

Metropolitan State College of Denver:

Counseling Center
• Provide professional psychological counseling on a short-term basis to individuals
experiencing difficulties which interfere with their educational, career, social and/or
personal development.
• Provide, often in conjunction with other campus units, developmental programming
which will enhance the growth of college students.
• Facilitate appropriate referrals, when necessary, to Student Health Services or to
community resources.
• Understand and use student needs as a basis for developing and prioritizing activities
and programs consistent with staff resources.
• Provide information to faculty, staff, and students about MSCD-CC services.
• Provide counseling related in-service activities for campus groups.
• Identify and help modify campus facilities, policies, programs, etc., which enhance
student’s development.
• Evaluate and modify CC services (counseling outcomes, methods, instruments,
techniques, and procedures).
Student Intervention Services
Dedicated to assisting students to understand the Academic Policy of the College, how it
affects them, and the requirements that a students on contract must meet in order to be
allowed to continue as a student at MSCD.
• Oversee and enforce the academic policy for the college.
• Enter viable contracts with students being registered through SIS.
• Review the Academic Suspension appeals for students who desire to continue even
though they have been suspended.
• Make referrals for all students entering a contract to the many services on campus to
facilitate their success.
• Execute the Academic Alert Program for the college.

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 4

 Retention Assessment Guide

San Jose State University:

Academic Services
1. Facilitate student academic success and personal development by providing an array
of student development, liaison and instructional support services to program-eligible
and other students through the use of proactive and innovative strategies.
Programs/units that engage in activities to support this goal are: Student Advising
Center, Summer Bridge Program and the Learning Assistance Resource Center.
2. Promote educational equity by assisting in the admissions and retention of low-income
and underrepresented students. Programs/units that engage in activities to support
this goal are: Student Advising Center, Summer Bridge Program and the Learning
Assistance Resource Center.
3. Enhance San José State University by providing quality service in support of student
success and retention. Programs/units that engage in activities to support this goal
are: Student Advising Center, Summer Bridge Program and the Learning Assistance
Resource Center.

3 Sample Objectives

Georgia State University:

Student Advisement Center
• Help new freshmen transition from high school to college and complete the core
curriculum
• Work with undecided students in selecting a major that is consistent with their goals
and abilities
• Articulate transfer credit for all new transfer students and maintain university's transfer
articulation system
• Advise at-risk students experiencing academic difficulties to put them back on track to
complete a degree or about other options for fulfilling their goals
• Maintain/update student records and compliance to degree requirements and
academic regulations, and maintain degree auditing system
• Take lead with advisement-related issues across campus

4 Sample Performance Indicators

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 5

 Retention Assessment Guide

Bellevue Community College:

Student Retention (Persistence)
• Some/Substantial Progress (=/> state average)
• Early Leavers (< state average)
• Difference by Ethnicity: S/S Progress (<3% variance from total)
• Difference by Ethnicity: Early Leavers (<5% variance from total)

Dalton State College

• First year retention rates (Percentage of fall semester first-time, fulltime entering
students who are re-enrolled or transferred in the following fall semester.) – institution
specific and system wide
• Three year graduation rates (associate degree programs) – institution specific and
system wide.
• Six year graduation rates (baccalaureate degree programs) – institution specific and
system wide.
• Number of Student Withdrawals

Santa Ana College/Santiago Canyon College

• The ratio of the number of courses that students successfully complete (A, B, C, CR) to the number of
courses in which students are actively enrolled the third week of the semester.
• The percentage of enrollments (active third week of term) that result in an end-of-term course grade.

Tyler Junior College

To retain students:
• Percentage of students retained from Fall to Spring.
• Percentage of students retained from Fall to Fall.
• Percentage of students in developmental classes who are retained from Fall to Spring.
To enable students to complete their program:
• Percentage of students contacted through the Early Intervention program who
successfully complete the course.
• Percentage of students completing their instructional program.
• Percentage of students earning a degree or certificate.
To enable students to complete the courses they attempt:
• Percentage of students completing the course.
• Percentage of students completing the course with passing grades.
• Percentage of developmental students completing the course with passing grades.
To maintain the satisfactory progress of students whose suspension appeals were granted:
• Percentage of approved suspension appeals that met progress standard during their
appealed enrollment period.

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 6

 Retention Assessment Guide

Sample Student Learning

5 Outcomes

Mendocino College:
The SLO's listed below are what we expect our students to be able to do when they graduate
from Mendocino College with an AA or AS degree. Many of these skills are taught both in the
classroom and by students' interaction with college offices and activities. Please fill in the
chart below indicating how your department helps students to learn these skills. Be specific
and give examples. You may enter "Not Applicable" as appropriate.
1. Assume responsibility for your actions, and work effectively as an individual and as a
member of a group.
CARE/Student Services: Organize support group of CARE students.
2. Express ideas with clarity, logic, and originality in both spoken and written English.
CARE/Student Services: Encourage maximizing the students' English skills and
thought process.
3. Apply mathematical principles to address and solve problems.
CARE/Student Services: Provide additional tutoring assistance to assist with
mastering math skills.
4. Gather and interpret data, using a variety of scientific methods, to address and solve
both practical and theoretical problems.
CARE/Student Services: Not Applicable
5. Analyze, understand, and evaluate diverse ideas, beliefs, and behaviors.
CARE/Student Services: Encourage to be accepting and tolerant of different beliefs.
6. Access, interpret, evaluate, and synthesize information using multiple resources,
including current information technology.
CARE/Student Services: Encourage CARE students to use a computer to reapply for
financial aid online.
7. Enhance physical and psychological well-being by examining and applying health and
wellness concepts.
CARE/Student Services: Provide workshops on mental and physical health
awareness for the student and the student's children.
8. Explore and express personal creativity throughout your life.
CARE/Student Services: Provide relevant workshops to enhance a CARE student's
self esteem and confidence.
9. Understand yourself and others as members of our diverse global community.
CARE/Student Services: Provide workshops on cultural diversity.
10. Understand and evaluate issues concerning use of the world's natural resources.
CARE/Student Services: Encourage seeking additional tutoring in courses related to
natural resources.

Metropolitan State College of Denver:

Student Intervention Services

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 7

 Retention Assessment Guide

1. Students will learn the content of MSCD’s Academic Policy.

2. Students will learn the minimum requirements for them to continue as a student at
Metro.
3. Students will learn of the many services on campus that can assist them in their
success.
4. Students will learn how repeating courses will fit into their requirements, and how the
Last Grade Stands Policy will assist them in recovering a higher cumulative GPA.
5. Students will learn their next steps to be ready for the upcoming semester after
registration.
Assessment: While your Intended Outcomes are specific and related to your department
mission and purpose, they are overly specific and therefore appear that you do less with
the student than we know is true. For example, in #1, identify in what ways you would like
to see a student be able to demonstrate they have learned the academic policy. How do
you know they have learned it, other than agreement by the student? Could there be a
brief written and scored test of knowledge? What are the factors that hinder students (no
data was supplied)? Could there be programming about the common factors with
knowledge surveys before the workshop and after? Other than understanding the
minimum requirements, are there students you identify who want to go beyond the
minimum, or who do? What was done differently with them? Could this information be
presented with pre and post measure to track these students?

6 Sample Other Outcomes

Georgia State University:

Student Advisement Center
Intended Outcome #1: Students are educated about the importance of receiving
academic advisement and are utilizing center services consistently
Intended Outcome #2: Freshmen and sophomores receive thorough and accurate
advising about the core curriculum and are completing core requirements in a timely
manner
Intended Outcome #3: Undecided students are declaring a major in a timely manner
and are completing a program with few changes to their program of study

Metropolitan State College of Denver:

Counseling Center
1. Will have developed skills to promote good mental health, as evidenced by decreased stress, improved
self-esteem, increased self-efficacy, decreased depression and anxiety.
2. Will have developed skills to promote academic success, as evidenced by maintaining academic course
load, increased knowledge of campus services, and progression toward graduation.
3. Reduced alcohol and other drug abuse behaviors.
4. Identify career options/direction.

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 8

 Retention Assessment Guide

Texas A&M International University:

First Year Success Program
1. By September 2005, there will be a 10% increase in the number of first-time freshmen
from the Fall 2004 cohort re-enrolling in the following year from the baseline 58% of
Fall 2000.
2. By September 2005, there will be a 5% increase in the number of first time transfers
from the Fall 2003 cohort re-enrolling in the following year from the baseline 65% of
Fall 2000.
3. By September 2005, members of the Fall 2004 cohort group attending the workshops
offered by the component will express an 80% student satisfaction rate.
PASE/General University
1. Retention of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18 on the
ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) will increase.
2. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18
on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) in good academic standing
(2.00 grade point average or higher) will increase.
3. The percentage of at-risk students (those scoring below 860 on the SAT or below 18
on the ACT and taking General University (GENU) 1300) on academic probation will
be reduced.
PASE TRiO-Student Support Services
1. TRiO program participants will persist toward completion of an academic program
(retention).
2. TRiO program participants will be in good academic standing meaning that they will
have a minimum GPA of 2.0 at the institution.
3. Program participants classified as seniors will graduate on or before the sixth year.

The Follow-Up Report: Guides and Handbooks 9