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Five Year Retention Plan Table of Contents
Five Year Retention Plan: Appendix A
Background and History of the Retention Effort at Syracuse
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A.1. Statistical Profile of Minority Group Students Registered During the Fall 1973 Semester,
June 1974
The Office of Student Affairs, then a unit within the Division of Research and Information, compiled this report of the demographic characteristics of "racial or ethnic minority group students registered on the main campus during the fall 1973 semester." This was one of the first efforts by the University "to obtain a reliable profile of minority group student characteristics." The profile included class designation, college of enrollment, residence distribution, sex, and marital status.
A.2. Attrition in the Class of 1974, May 1976
The Office of Student Affairs, then a unit within the Division of Research and Information, compiled this report. It is interesting to note that the author of the report was Patrick Terenzini, Director of the Division. The purpose of the study was to examine the completion rate of the undergraduate students in the Fall 1970 cohort including identification of the semesters of highest attrition. The researchers found that 60% of the students completed their degrees in four years or less. More women than men graduated in that time period; however, more women withdrew while in good academic standing within that time period. They also concluded that SAT scores did not predict degree completion, withdrawal, or cumulative grade point average.
A.3. Summary of Recent Research on Attrition at Syracuse University, May 1976
The Office of Student Affairs compiled this report. It is interesting to note that the authors of the report were Patrick Terenzini and Ernest Pascarella, Director and Associate Director, respectively, of the Division. The purpose of the study was to examine "the nature of the academic and non-academic experience of college" from the perspective of the current first-year students. The study reported here focused on data collected from almost 400 first-year students in Arts and Sciences. The researchers found that students cited as relevant to their decisions to stay or leave the University the frequency and tone of their interactions with faculty, their perception of inflexibility in requirements, and excessive class sizes.
A.4. Main Campus Attrition Spring 1978 and Fall 1978, September 1979
The Office of the Registrar compiled this report. It is described as the first of a series designed to "report attrition figures for Main Campus undergraduate students." The report provides general enrollment information and a set of tables showing attrition rates by college and class for the spring 1978 and fall 1978 semesters. The researchers found that attrition was almost twice as high after the spring semester. They also found that the first-year students' highest attrition occurred after their fall semester; the sophomores' highest attrition occurred after their spring semester. A somewhat surprising finding was the relatively high attrition rate of seniors. Arts and Sciences had the highest attrition rate of any college.
A.5. Reports of the Retention and Attrition Committee, September and December 1987
Nine administrators, faculty and staff from Undergraduate Studies, Academic Affairs, and Admissions compared the graduation rates of students in the 1980 - 1982 cohorts with the national graduation rate of approximately 60% for students attending private, four-year universities. They found that Syracuse graduated Caucasian students at a slightly higher rate (62%) than the national average. However, the study also showed a significant disparity in the graduation rate for Black students (39%). In addition, the data showed that students making adequate (cum GPA of 2.0 or better) or good (cum GPA of 3.0 or better) academic progress were dropping out in relatively high percentages:
40% of Caucasian students had a cum GPA of 2.0 or higher at the time they left;
36% of Black students had a cum GPA of 2.0 or higher at the time they left.
The panel judged these findings "unacceptable," and they called for a series of actions items to reverse these trends. Their recommendations included focus on: first-year student orientation and transition programs, academic advising, aggressive recruiting to diversify University faculty and staff, recruitment initiatives to increase student-of-color enrollment at the undergraduate and graduate levels, extracurricular activities and services that promote multi-cultural participation, and an all-University commitment to creating a "hospitable environment" by recognizing, encouraging, and valuing the contributions of students of color "at the highest level."
A.6. Proposal for Enhanced Student Retention at Syracuse University, May 1989
The authors of this report echo the findings and recommendations of the 1987 Retention and Attrition Committee reports, emphasizing the need to support minority students at S.U. The proposal describes a first-year program that combines a six-week summer experience, a fall orientation, and a fall-semester course. This comprehensive approach was designed to assist students in making a successful transition both academically and socially.
A.7. School/College Retention Reports, 1994-1995
In 1994, Vice Chancellor Gershon Vincow charged all schools and colleges "to develop and implement a comprehensive and integrated program in support of student retention and graduation." The reports contain information about current graduation rates, often providing comparison data to universities with similar programs, and descriptions of action plans and expected outcomes.
A.8. Chancellor's Task Force on Student Retention, Spring 1997
Thirteen administrators, faculty, and staff from Undergraduate Studies, Academic Affairs, Admissions, and Enrollment Management compared the graduation rates of students of color "in the context of retention of all students at the University." Data for the study came from the University's Retention and Graduation Report, March 1995 (prepared by Center for Instructional Development). They found that Syracuse was experiencing significant student attrition "across all ethnic backgrounds and levels of performance" with particular emphasis on the fact that significant numbers of students in good academic standing were leaving. The study also noted that schools and colleges had implemented retention-focused programs applicable to all their students, but they tended "to leave efforts for special populations to other, primarily university-wide, units."
The panel recommendations included focus on: elevating undergraduate admission standards, meeting the full financial need of all admitted students, and providing better access to support services that contribute to academic success.
A.9. Division of Student Support and Retention (SS&R), 1997
The existing Division of Student Support and Development in Undergraduate Studies was renamed, under new leadership, to signal a shift in focus from centralized services for special populations to a focus on collaborative partnerships toward strategic coordination of retention efforts. Through a coordinated approach among Auxiliary Services, Academic Affairs, and Student Affairs, the University began emphasizing a collaborative array of student opportunities and experiences. The institution is committed to offering them in ways that make sense to students while keeping invisible to them the functional coordination of those unit operations involved.
The Associate Vice President of Undergraduate Studies and Retention is charged with the responsibility to bring SS&R resources to bear on the support of all-University retention efforts. This support includes: (a) instructional support services that enhance the learning environment for all University students, (b) programs and services that target subgroups of students at-risk for leaving the institution, and (c) assessment activities through the Center for Retention Studies to monitor the plan and to promote University dialogue during its implementation.
A.10. Retention Council, 1999 and Steering Committee, 2000
Two groups are active in crafting and implementing the five-year plan: The Retention Council and the Retention Plan Steering Committee. Membership is based on the priority given to bringing campus-wide expertise to bear on the issues of improving retention from fiscal and programmatic perspectives.
Retention Council Membership
Charles Barletta, Syracuse University Continuing Education
Marlene Blumin, School of Education
Ronald Cavanagh, Undergraduate Studies
Luvenia Cowart, College of Nursing
James Crimmer, Bursar Operations
Peter DeBlois, Registrar
Thomas Ellett, Residence Life
Norman Faiola, College for Human Development
Bethaida Gonzalez, Syracuse University Continuing Education
Rosanna Grassi, Newhouse School
Judy Hamilton, Honors Program
David Kohr, Residence Services
William McPeak, School of Social Work
Judy O'Rourke, Undergraduate Studies
Lena Rose Orlando, Student Affairs
David Potter, College of Arts & Sciences
Amie Redmond, School of Education
Hanna Richardson, School of Management
David C. Smith, Admissions & Financial Aid
Barbara Settel, School of Information Studies
Anne Shelly, Student Support and Retention
Horace Smith, Student Support and Retention, Chair
Eric Spina, College of Engineering & Computer Science
Martha Sutter, College of Visual & Performing Arts
Stacey Tice, Graduate School
Anastasia Urtz, Judicial Affairs
Michael Wasylenko, Maxwell School
Barry Wells, Student Affairs
Barbara Yonai, Center for Support of Teaching and Learning
Retention Plan Steering Committee Membership
Edward Bogucz, College of Engineering and Computer Science
Ronald Cavanagh, Undergraduate Studies
John Hogan, Budget Office
Sandra Hurd, School of Management
Howard Johnson, Graduate School
Anne Shelly, Student Support and Retention
David C. Smith, Enrollment Management
Horace Smith, Student Support and Retention, Chair
Stewart Thau, College of Arts and Sciences
Vincent Tinto, School of Education
Silvio Torres-Soillant, Latino-Latin American Studies
Michael Wasylenko, Maxwell School
Peter Webber, Auxiliary Services
Barry Wells, Student Affairs
Barbara Yonai, Center for Support of Teaching and Learning
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