EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCREASE STUDENT RETENTION AT A
RURAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Jodilee Duarte Reid
B.A., California State University, Sacramento, 2003
THESIS
Submitted in partial satisfaction of
the requirements for the degree of
MASTER OF ARTS
in
EDUCATION
(Higher Education Leadership)
at
CALIFORNIA STATE UNIVERSITY, SACRAMENTO
FALL
2010
© 2010
Jodilee Duarte Reid
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
ii
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCREASE STUDENT RETENTION AT A
RURAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
A Thesis
by
Jodilee Duarte Reid
Approved by:
__________________________________________, Committee Chair
José Chávez, Ed.D.
__________________________________________, Second Reader
Geni Cowan, Ph.D.
____________________________________
Date
iii
Student: Jodilee Duarte Reid
I certify that this student has met the requirements for format contained in the University
format manual, and that this thesis is suitable for shelving in the Library and credit is to
be awarded for the thesis.
__________________________, Graduate Coordinator
Geni Cowan, Ph.D.
Department of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies
iv
_________________________
Date
Abstract
of
EDUCATIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCREASE STUDENT RETENTION AT A
RURAL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
by
Jodilee Duarte Reid
Brief Literature Review
The literature depicts students who are not socially and academically integrated
within their institutions of postsecondary educations are less likely to be retained through
degree completion. This study extends existing student retention models while
replicating previous research supportive of Tinto’s 1975 Student Integration Theory
(SIG). Retention theories such as ‘psychological perspectives’ (Bean & Eaton, 2000);
‘sociological perspectives’ (Durkheim, 1951; Spady, 1970; Tinto,1972, 1975, 1987,
1993, 1997, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen 1973); ‘emotional perspectives’ (Astin, 1984,
1985, 1993) and ‘economic perspectives’ (Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Becker, 1964; St.
John, Cabrera, Nora & Asker, 2000) from the literature, support best practices of
educational support services that increase student retention.
Statement of the Problem
In order to unify all of the efforts undertaken during the conduct of this study, the
purpose of this research seeks to identify the best practices of educational support
services that increase student retention at a rural community college.
v
Sources of Data and Methodology
The researcher conducted a quantitative design study. The collection of data was
an evaluative design supported from the literature review. A quantitative study surveying
students and demographic data from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System
(IPEDS) maintained by the National Center for Educational Statistics (NCES) will
differentiate rural community college students’ needs from the general student
population. The purpose of this study will provide insight of best practices of educational
support services increasing student retention.
Conclusions and Recommendations
The significance of this thesis addresses best practices of educational support
services, which increase student retention at a rural community college. While the survey
data results did not reveal any statistical significance, the null hypothesis supports the
research question that there is an imperative need to identify best practices of educational
support services that increase retention at a rural community college. The researcher
intended to gain theoretical and practical knowledge for recommendations to lead higher
educational organizations particularly in the area of student affairs and student retention.
_______________________, Committee Chair
José Chávez, Ed.D.
_______________________
Date
vi
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
It would be impossible to acknowledge everyone who made this document a
reality as the list seems endless. The completion of this study was made possible thanks
to the infinite contributions of so many people who provided extraordinary assistance,
shared their wisdom, offered words of encouragement, moral support, and so much more.
There are, however, some very special people to whom I am deeply indebted to for their
contributions to my academic accomplishment.
First and most importantly this research would not have been successful had it not
been for my professors and mentors, Dr. Geni Cowan, Graduate Coordinator; and Dr.
José Chávez, Advisor. Thank you for recognizing my potential and admitting me into the
Educational Leadership program. The continuous reassuring and constant
encouragement was necessary to ease the anxiety of this accelerated degree program.
Student success! The vast knowledge, blunt honesty, and hidden maternal qualities of
Dr. Cowan made it all the more easy to succeed. The insightful one-on-one advising
sessions with Dr. Chávez taught me so much and opened my eyes to avenues in research
and networking I would never have found solo.
I would also like to acknowledge Dr. Angelo Williams for his guidance and
direction. Dr. Steve Perez thank you for allowing me to be inquisitive and your honest
answers. In addition, thank you for guiding me through the first summer with feedback
on my drafts and reassurance that I was heading in the right direction, I very much
appreciate your time and advice.
vii
My friends for whom I truly admire and the quality of our bond has only been
cemented further through your support of my educational goals. Rachana Jivan, PharmD.
has by far exceeded her own abilities with her dedication and patience. I am forever in
her debt for her initial editorial assistance; draft after draft, her extensive feedback was
beyond invaluable. Likewise, I would like to express my appreciation for Boonmee
"Mimi" Phothichack and Kelley Ogden for always being the optimist when my
pessimism was consuming my confidence. Sherene Sasser, thank you for your
friendship, compassion, generosity, encouragement, and support. Vivian - mi chica' - mi
compañero - just knowing you and knowing I have a confidant has enlightened my life,
you will be the one of very few I will always trust in our realm of academia. My
classmate and advising partner Theresa, your input and advice got me to the homestretch,
your approach to changing the lens through which I viewed my research provided me the
newfound passion when all seemed lost.
I made it through this program had it not been for the written recommendation of
my former supervisor Carol and the compassion of my former co-workers Celene and
Donna when I was incapacitated by sleep deprivation. My new boss was most
accommodating and jellybeans do not do her Lovelyness the justice and thanks she
deserves for supporting my student success. My uncle, Dr. James Ford and both of the
Orr’s, my in-laws, for tackling the in-depth proof reading and candid advice I needed to
continue to progress. My in-laws carried me to the third base with their final edits and
advice. Likewise the editor Georgia Bielz Cowan with her expertise and patience
allowed me the final stretch to home plate.
viii
Many people have inspired and encouraged me along the way and none more
important than my parents for doing the best they could to provide me with every
opportunity even with what little they had. Thank you dad for instilling the values of
education, appreciation for knowledge, hard work ethic, perfectionism, and for always
being available no matter how odd the hour. My mother who never considered her
hearing impairment a disability, inspiring me to never discriminate, never give up and to
always be loving and caring.
Saving the best for last, I wish to thank my devoted husband Ben for his
surmounting patience and hall monitor duties. After seventeen years, you still put me
first, even before your own desires and I could never have come so far in life without you
having always been there to help me conquer my dreams. Thank you for keeping me in
perspective. You have endured far too much in my quest to complete this degree and
words cannot express how much your support has meant to me. This is not my
accomplishment, it is ours! Who knows what the future may bring, but as long as I have
you by my side, you will always be my better half.
Ultimately, I would like to thank my entire cohort of 25 for their support EDLP
2010, without each of your unique personalities and unified desire to succeed; I would
not have survived HEL (Higher Educational Leadership). The patience, support,
mentoring, and friendships I have encountered have meant a great deal to me. Let there
be a sigh of relief that this challenge is finally over.
ix
DEDICATION
I wish to dedicate this thesis to all students who desire to succeed in their pursuit
of education. Student success is vital. Do not follow where the path may lead. Go
instead where there is no path and leave a trail. Let the journey begin!
x
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Acknowledgements .................................................................................................... vii
Dedication ................................................................................................................... x
List of Tables ........................................................................................................... xiv
List of Figures ............................................................................................................ xv
Chapter
1
INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 1
Background ....................................................................................................... 1
Statement of the Problem .................................................................................. 3
Definition of Terms........................................................................................... 4
Limitations of the Study.................................................................................... 7
Significance of the Study .................................................................................. 7
Organization of the Remainder of the Study .................................................... 9
2
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE .................................................. 10
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 10
Student Retention as a Theoretical Framework .............................................. 12
Services Supporting Student Retention .......................................................... 13
Academic Support Services ............................................................................ 14
Social Support Services .................................................................................. 17
Student Involvement Services......................................................................... 18
Personal Developmental Theories .................................................................. 20
Sociological Perspective ................................................................................. 21
Psychological Perspective ............................................................................... 24
Emotional Perspective .................................................................................... 25
Human Capital Theory.................................................................................... 29
Economic Perspective ..................................................................................... 29
Effective Leadership ....................................................................................... 32
xi
Discussion of Retention Models ..................................................................... 34
Rationale for the Study ................................................................................... 37
Summary ....................................................................................................... 38
3
METHODOLOGY .............................................................................................. 40
Introduction ..................................................................................................... 40
Setting of the Study ........................................................................................ 40
Population and Sample .................................................................................. 42
Design of the Study ....................................................................................... 43
Data Collection ............................................................................................... 44
Instrumentation ............................................................................................... 46
Qualitative Responses ..................................................................................... 48
Quantitative Responses ................................................................................... 49
Data Analysis Procedures .............................................................................. 50
4
DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS ............................................................... 56
Introduction .................................................................................................... 56
Data Analysis and Findings ............................................................................ 57
Enrollment Status ............................................................................................ 57
Academic Level ...............................................................................................58
Ethnicity .......................................................................................................... 59
Student Services .............................................................................................. 63
Student Academic Services............................................................................. 69
Student Financial Services ...............................................................................71
5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS ....................... 77
Summary ......................................................................................................... 77
Conclusions ..................................................................................................... 79
Recommendations .......................................................................................... 80
The Principles of Effective Implementation .................................................. 82
APPENDICES ........................................................................................................... 84
Appendix A. Email Invitation to Participate in Research with Link to Survey .85
xii
Appendix B. Informed Consent to Participate in Research ............................... 87
Appendix C. Sophomore Needs Assessment..................................................... 89
References ................................................................................................................. 117
xiii
LIST OF TABLES
Page
1.
Parallel Sample Design ......................................................................................... 44
2.
Reasons for Withdraw from Institution. ............................................................... 60
3.
Student Services and Student Needs ..................................................................... 63
4.
Changing Needs .................................................................................................... 65
5.
Peer Mentoring of Sophomores as a Support Service .......................................... 67
6.
Learning Community Based on Major as an Educational Support Service.......... 68
7.
Faculty Mentoring Program as a Student Support Service ................................... 70
8.
Support Services Assisting Ability to Pay for College ......................................... 71
9.
Educational Leaders Recognizing Financial Support Services ............................ 72
10.
Community Colleges Compared ........................................................................... 74
11.
Pearson Correlation ............................................................................................... 75
xiv
LIST OF FIGURES
Page
1.
Enrollment Status .................................................................................................. 58
2.
Number of Completed College Units ................................................................... 58
3.
Ethnic Identification.............................................................................................. 59
4.
Reasons for Withdraw from Institution ................................................................ 62
xv
1
Chapter 1
INTRODUCTION
Background
Student retention is an essential component in degree completion ensuring an
educated workforce that is critical to global competitiveness. In the current knowledgedriven market, higher education and innovative leaders are essential to the global impact
of economic prosperity. According to the recent findings reported by the College Board
2010 Progress Report, Canada is the world's leader in higher education with 55.8% of
adults ages 25-34 achieving an associate degree or higher (Lee & Rawls, 2010). The
College Board 2010 Progress Report analyzes the international rankings of 36 nations
leading the college-educated workforce (Lee & Rawls, 2010). Brazil, with a humble ten
percent college completion rate, ranks last among the leading industrialized countries in
higher education attainment. Plummeting from first to twelfth, the United States has
fallen behind Korea, Russia, Japan, New Zealand, Ireland, Norway, Israel, France,
Belgium, and Australia in comparing graduation rates of young adults earning
postsecondary degrees (Lee & Rawls, 2010).
President Obama announced the American Graduation Initiative, a historic
investment to increase post secondary degree completion to help the United States
prepare citizens for the 21st century job market (Public Domain, 2009). Student retention
is a high priority for ensuring a strong American economy. Lagging college-completion
rates coupled with declining student retention, further exacerbates the growing gap
2
between the United States and other countries achieving economic competitiveness.
Student retention and successful degree completion develop an expanding and innovative
economy that can take full advantage of the skills of the current workforce increasing
global competitiveness.
Higher education continues to face shrinking resources due to state budget
reductions and rising costs of maintenance of aging buildings. In the next academic year,
budget projections will influence educational leaders’ policy-making decisions.
Nationally, there is a growing demand for qualified leaders in higher education to replace
senior administrators (Betts, Urias & Chávez, 2009). Opportunity for success in the
present times depends upon resourceful leaders to address declining public revenues and
increased private disparity with the rise of proprietary institutions (for profit). Larger
metropolitan campuses have a better opportunity to engage students and collect tuition.
Smaller institutions in more rural areas have to rely heavily upon outreach to frontload
services to secure freshman admissions than mitigate the balance of the loss incurred
when the phenomenon of a sophomore slump occurs during the second-year of college.
According to Sanchez-Leguelinel (2008), the sophomore slump is a particularly
challenging time for students who struggle with increased expectations, intensified
curriculum, and higher academic standards, all of which leads to a disengagement from
academic life, preventing the sophomore from re-enrolling. Leaders in higher education
recognize a problem, yet do not have the budget nor staff resources to address the issue.
Current research of the issue acknowledges existing findings and fail to identify best
practices for retaining students through effectives student support services. It is the
3
interpretation of the data after thorough analysis that leads to effective uses of research
findings (Cowan, 2007). This study will identify best practices of educational support
services that increase student retention at a rural community college.
The remote community college Pacific West Woods (PWW), offering two-year
degrees and certificates, and has their main campus located 270 miles north of any
significant metropolitan city. The fall 2010 enrollment projections anticipate over 10,000
students will attend classes. The two-year retention rate for PWW is only 17% according
to the figures reported by institutions to National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (NCES, 2008). This 17% retention
compared to the 24% systemwide average is a 70% difference and very low according to
the Consortium for Student Retention Data Exchange (CSRDE, 2009). CSRDE data for
the past eight years revealed consistent patterns of high levels of student attrition at
PWW. The small local economy already struggles with a 19.8% poverty rate compared
to 13%, state average as reported by the California Postsecondary Education
Commission, (California Post-Secondary Education Commission [CPEC], 2010).
Statement of the Problem
The research question addressed in this study is: What are the best practices of
educational support services that increase student retention at a rural community college?
For purposes of gathering information from students and staff at the rural
community college, Pacific West Woods (PWW), this study will determine if the
perception of availability of educational support services increases student retention. The
4
results of the data will then be used as a guide to implement additional policies for
establishing specific programs to address the problem and maintain proper assistance to
this specific group of students at rural community college. In addition, an effective
program aimed at increasing sophomore retention and successful degree completion will
establish enhanced student support services more importantly for a rural community
college.
Definition of Terms
Attrition: A reduction in the number of students, usually as a result of quitting.
Students leave a course and the institution before completion; Institutional perspective is
loss of students; and Economic/Labor position is loss of the potential workforce.
Completion/Success: Where a student has been awarded a passing grade or has
completed all requirements and awarded a formal degree.
Dropout: A student, who informally left a course before its completion; a student
leaves college prior to graduation. A dropout is a student who enters college and leaves
before graduating assumed to never return to that or any other school. Between these two
extremes are transfers, students who begin studies at one institution and then transfer to
another.
Failure: A student who has completed all course requirements but the standard is
insufficient to receive a passing grade.
5
Frontloading: Universities maintain the common practice of—extra attention
towards freshman during the first six to eight weeks of the freshman academic year—
where retention efforts are the strongest.
Full-Time Equivalent Students (FTES): A full-time student is one whose class
schedule totals a set number of units in a given term. Students whose schedule does not
total the expected units, are defined as total units divided by the set number to come to
the proportion of FTES. For example, three students whose schedules contain 6, 12 and
18 units are counted as (6 + 12 + 18)/15 = 2.4 FTES).
Institutional Retention: The ability to retain students within a particular college or
university.
Persistence: A student's ability or motivation for perseverance, determination,
diligence, to achieve his/her own academic goals or insistence to finish higher education.
Retention: An institution's ability to keep students from one year to the next.
Student retention is the ability of the college to navigate successfully, a student from
entry into the institution to the completion of degree. Economic/Labor perspective of
retention in higher education is the successful product of an educated workforce.
Retention from a student perspective is persistence to academic goal completion.
Retention Rate: A measure of the rate at which students persist in their
postsecondary education expressed as a percentage. For four-year institutions (e.g.
community colleges), this is the percentage of first-time bachelor’s (or equivalent),
degree-seeking undergraduates from the previous fall who are again enrolled in the
current fall. For all other institutions, this is the percentage of first-time degree or
6
certificate-seeking students who either re-enrolled or successfully completed an academic
year.
Sophomore: The student level determined by an accumulated number of semester
or quarter credits. Students having a minimum of 30 semester hours and no more than 60
semester hours (45 to fewer than 90 quarter hours) of higher education; typically secondyear of college in seeking to obtain a traditional four-year degree.
Sophomore Retention: The act of retaining; the state of being retained; to continue
to remain in custody; to hold; and to engage services of such as higher education.
Retaining students during time-periods of freshman to sophomore, and/or sophomore to
junior year. Student Retention is the act of retaining students having students completes
an academic year and move on successfully to the next academic year, as opposed to
dropping out, or transferring schools.
Sophomore Slump: This phenomenon occurs during the second-year of college,
and according to Sanchez-Leguelinel (2008), is a particularly challenging time for
students who struggle with increased expectations, intensified curriculum, and higher
academic standards, all of which leads to a disengagement from academic life.
Stopping-Out: Students who drop out of an institution with the goal of returning
or transferring to another institution, voluntarily withdraw for a period, and then return
later to continue their studies.
Withdrawal: A student has formally left a course or institution before completing.
7
Limitations of the Study
In this chapter, the researcher identifies the limitations experienced while actually
conducting the research. The survey conducted at PWW was accessible through survey
software for three weeks during the summer semester. This timeframe would tend to
prohibit students enrolled in fall or spring from taking part in the sample. This may have
limited the depth of the responses from the participants in that session.
The population for this study was limited to sophomore students enrolled during
the summer program at PWW. Sophomores have a minimum of 30 college units and not
exceeding 60 maximum units. Although the results of this study may be suggestive to
other rural community colleges, universities, and sophomore students, they cannot be
assumed applicable or repeatable for other populations.
Significance of the Study
The global pressures of retaining students to degree completion arrive at a time
when data from the US Department of Labor (2010b), indicates postsecondary education
will be ever more critical for workers hoping to fill the fastest-growing jobs in the current
economy. Students who are not socially and academically integrated within their
institutions of postsecondary educations are less likely to be retained through their next
academic year. This study of sophomore retention will identify best practices of
educational support services that increase student retention at a rural community college.
8
Student retention involves a myriad of complex issues involving society,
institution-related, and student-related issues. Student retention is a key factor in degree
completion ensuring an educated workforce that is critical to global competitiveness.
Student retention studies are relevant to institutions because they can maintain or modify
their enrollment rates as needed, while surviving through the current budget crisis and
increasing graduation rates. Retention per the institution is the ability to retain students
from one academic year to the next, with the terminal goal of degree completion. Student
retention has been researched for over hundred years since Durkheim’s (1951) 1897
study; however, little has been done to apply the research to programs and activities.
Even less assessment has been conducted to evaluate retention implementation strategies.
Recommendations reflect consistent re-emphasizes of the need for early advising
focusing on freshman.
This research has theoretical and practical application to sophomore retention that
would direct focus and lead institutions of higher education to implement strategies for
further retaining sophomore students. This research has practical implications for
sophomore retention program that will contribute to the field of educational
administration, specifically in California at a rural community college where it is
proposed that retention policies be implemented. The research has implications
nationally as every institution has unique mitigating factors impacting social and
academic integration within their own campus. Research regarding policy and
implementation of such a program will revise, extend, and create new knowledge in the
field of educational leadership with respect to retention of second-year students. The
9
student retention issue is affecting higher education with the loss of student fee revenues
including reduced FTES from the general state fund. Discussion of strategies for
implementing a program for sophomore retention explores solutions from innovative
leaders willing and capable of taking prudent risks in improving higher education.
Understanding why students leave college is indispensable data to administrative
leaders as the colleges spend a considerable amount of time and money recruiting and
admitting students only to have them leave before graduating. Early departure has
negative economic and psychological implications for both the departing student and the
campus community they are leaving behind. Furthermore, institutions may want to
consider revising their definitions of retention to encompass the students’ academic goals,
course retention, and degree completion in order to revise the fiscal allocations and FTES
formula. This is why it is necessary to evaluate retention and student service programs
once they are implemented.
Organization of the Remainder of the Study
The remainder of this study will be presented further in four chapters. Chapter 1
presented an introduction to the sophomore retention. Chapter 2 describes a review of
recent and related literature. Chapter 3 presents the methodology of the study including
the setting, sample selection, data collection, and data analysis procedures. Chapter 4
provides the findings of the data analysis organized by research question. Chapter 5
presents the summary, conclusions, and recommendations for the study. The appendix
and references conclude the thesis.
10
Chapter 2
REVIEW OF THE RELATED LITERATURE
Introduction
Leadership is needed in conquering the natural resistance to change in higher
educational institutions in order to seek effective change in college student retention to
degree completion. The current increase in the demand for higher education and the
goals of degree completion is generating an abundant amount of literature concerning
college student retention, attrition, and persistence to graduation. The literature review
supports the purpose of this study to identify educational support services that increase
student retention rates within a rural community college. According to the US
Department of Labor (2010a) Report, only 50% of those who enter higher education will
actually earn a traditional four-year degree in less than six years. More than one hundred
years of research on social integration has been conducted since Emile Durkheim’s book
(1897/1951) built the foundations for studies of social causes of breaking one's ties with a
social system resulting from a lack of integration into the common life of that society
(Bean, 2001, 2005; Bean, Bogdan & Eaton 2002; Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Braxton &
Lee, 2005; Cabrera, Nora, Castaneda & Hengstler, 1992; Draper, 2002; Kuh, 1993;
Rendón, Jalomo & Nora, 2000; Saweczko, 2008; Spady, 1970; Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975,
1987, 1993, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000a,2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen,
1973). Several theories exist to explain the attrition, persistence, and retention of college
students. Each model concerns itself with students’ college experience and the campus
11
environment in order to ascertain reasons for specific retention outcomes (Kiser & Price,
2007).
The purpose of this chapter is to present a review of the existing literature
identifying educational support services that increase student retention rates within a rural
community college. In attempts to answer the research question proposed, this chapter
revisits the student retention literature (Astin, 1984, 1985, 1993; Bean, 1980, 1982, 1985,
1990, 2001, 2003; Bean & Eaton, 2000; Bean et al., 2002; Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987,
1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen,
1973). The literature review synthesizes and critically analyzes empirical research
published between 1897 and 2010 specific to identifying educational support services
influencing retention at a rural community college. The first area reviewed is the study of
retention and support services effecting students who withdraw from higher education
enrollment. Next is a review of the personal developmental theories that presents broad
perspectives of services supporting student retention from sociology, psychology, and
education literature in preface to a proposed theoretical framework specific to retaining
college students. The final focus of the review will evaluate student retention services
that significantly affect retention. The literature review concludes with specific
recommendations of ACT, Inc. (2010) and suggestions from Lotkowski, Robbins and
Noeth (2004), while advancing the literature of educational support services that increase
retention.
12
Student Retention as a Theoretical Framework
Student retention is by definition an elaborate process that occurs over time. The
theoretical framework surrounding student retention is an eclectic collection of models
and theories as an evaluative approach to addressing retention. Theoretical models of
student retention tend to be longitudinal, complex, while containing several categories of
variables set in a causal pattern that reflect both student and institutional characteristics
(Spady, 1970; Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987, 1993, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000a,2000b,
2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen, 1973; Bean & Eaton, 2000; Cabrera et al.,
1992). The specific factors affecting retention decisions at community colleges vary
from institution to institution and according to gender, age, ethnicity, and campus
climate. However, the strongest relationship to retention occurs when all of the academic
and the key non-academic factors are combined. There are literally hundreds, if not
thousands, of specific variables why a student might leave college before graduation.
Any list of factors associated with student retention will only be a partial list.
A review of the research indicates individual institutions have varying needs for
implementing effective educational support services in order to increase student retention
at a rural community college. The remainder of this study focuses the educational
support services common to the theoretical framework as academic, social, and
integrative services that increase student retention at a rural community college.
13
Services Supporting Student Retention
The literature related to services supporting student retention tends to focus on
‘academic’ and ‘social’ conditions as the two dominant multilevel factors in predicting
students’ academic withdrawal. Furthermore, student retention takes into account
‘student involvement’ as a third casual factor significant in predicting potential college
dropouts. The three services supporting student retention were representative of the
literature review and selected as criterion of support services that are often looked at
when conducting retention studies of traditional community college students. As higher
education institutions strive to increase retention efforts during the struggles of budget
reductions, it is essential to consider the factors involved in retaining students.
In order to review leadership strategies that enable student services to be
successful, Cohen and Brawer (2002) traced the student personnel functions, including
counseling and guidance, student recruitment and retention, orientation, and
extracurricular activities. The same study also considers financial aid and the shifting
patterns of articulation, detailing efforts to enhance student flow from community
colleges to senior institutions (Cohen & Brawer, 2002). When factors such as, student
academic support services, emotional support services, and involvement services are
viewed positively by students these services enhance retention, and when viewed
negatively they decrease retention. Review of the research indicates effective educational
support services such as academic, social, and student involvement increase student
retention at a rural community college.
14
Academic Support Services
Academic advising is an instrumental mechanism for identifying troubled
students and timely intervention can promote retention (Kennedy & Sheckley, 1999).
These include courses offered, positive faculty interaction (both in class and out of class),
advising, general skills programs (e.g., basic skills, study skills, math, and tutoring/help
centers), campus resources (e.g., computer, library, athletic, college union), absenteeism,
and certainty of major and academic integration. Factors affecting minority students
include warm classroom climate and faculty role models, and those affecting
nontraditional students include the expectation for individual faculty member attention.
Once the students are identified and advised the process of intervention has begun and a
plan for educational support services can be put into effect.
According to a study by Martin (2008), she suggested hiring and training quality
academic advisors. Advisors should develop, implement, and oversee support programs
for students at risk of academic failure, they should also counsel students to attend
summer school at least once. Students who are advised well have higher persistence and
higher retention (Martin, 2008). Academic advising is too often inconsistent in its
delivery; quality and accuracy are necessary (Butler, Carlton et al., 2001). In their study
(Butler, Carlton et al., 2001) suggests using existing faculty as academic advisors. With
proper training, there is no need for additional hires (six units credit time), reward faculty
with recognition, utilize faculty in early retirement (FERP), Emeritus Faculty, or retired
annuitants to improve academic advising in residence halls, on-site and in class advising
15
or within student union or student center. Butler et al. (2001) suggested providing
additional support to undeclared major students in their study.
Advising sophomores on academic opportunities was the focus of the evaluation
of the Student Academic Enhancement Plan in Winslow’s (2006) study. Academic
advising sessions were mandatory for students in the first semester of their sophomore
year. Failure to submit a Sophomore Plan for junior year or academic trouble in class
resulted in referral to an advisor by faculty or by residence life staff in housing resulting
in the advisor proactively contacting the student (Winslow, 2006).
Academic advising is one of the few ways in which a college can formally
implement this type of social interaction (Lotkowski et al., 2004). According to Tinto’s
(1998) Taking Student Retention Seriously, the unavoidable fact is that no one rises to
low expectations. This is particularly evident in the domain of academic advising.
Students need to be clear about what is expected of them and what is required for
successful completion. Hendel’s (2007) study supported the theory that students
evaluated advising sessions more positively since it was advisers who played a significant
role in students’ decisions to enroll in a freshman-seminar.
Alternatively, enrolling in a freshman seminar may have encouraged students to
become more engaged in the advising process, and, consequently, they evaluated it more
positively. Kalsner (1991) suggested that high career and educational objectives
identified during academic advising and supportive parental attitudes toward higher
education increase the likelihood that the student will graduate. Kalsner (1991) studied
advisement in particular curriculum, career, and academic goals as indicators of
16
motivation. Strategies used are pre-entry assessment and placement to identifying
student deficiency needs, placing students in appropriate first year courses, assessing
students for counseling and advising purposes, orientation programs such as Bridging the
Gap to College, provide new students with information about the nature of institutional
life and about the requirements of the academic system that they are entering (Tinto,
1993). Other programs such as, The First Year: Making the Transition to College, are
successful in helping students make the social and academic transition to the new and
possibly much more challenging life of the college with things such as a first-year
experience course (Tinto, 1993). Intervention through education support services is a
feature that can increase student persistence and improve student retention. Education
support services can be implemented through curriculum, sophomore seminars, remedial
classes, tutorials, and even financial aid. Other examples are Orientation programs, study
skills programs, First Year Experience, academic tutoring or advising, peer mentoring,
and learning communities. Student retention service programs are essential for
maintaining enrollment rates within a community college.
Sanchez-Leguelinel (2008) supported that both academic and non-academic
counseling were important in retention efforts of sophomores. Academic advising as an
instrumental mechanism for identifying troubled students. Once the students are
identified and advised the process of intervention has begun and a plan for educational
support services can be put into effect.
17
Social Support Services
In his SIG theory, Tinto (1975) described the relevance of student participation
and satisfaction with campus life, particularly extracurricular activities, and peer group
interactions, in helping students with their adjustment to college. Other social support
factors affecting retention are close friends on campus, peer culture, service learning,
Greek organizations, informal contact with faculty, identification with a group on
campus, and social integration. For minority students, social factors also include a
positive intercultural and interracial environment and at least a small percent of similar
minority enrollment. Campus life contributes to social support and additional services
may include a student field house, rewards for grades and attendance of free comedy
shows and speakers, campus calendars listing social activities, display signs, fall
convocation encourage students to attend the coffee reception meet faculty and staff,
recommended freshman-learning communities, even established events to introduce
students to faculty and staff. Freshman learning communities help ease the transition to
university life and facilitate a sense of connection to the institution. Learning
communities should be open to all freshmen and transfer students, focusing on a central
theme related to the student’s intended major, and communities should be kept small,
consisting of no more than 25 students who attend up to three classes together. Such a
learning community would have a lasting impact beyond the freshman seminar and one
or two core courses extending into a sophomore class weekend retreat with advising
sophomores on academic opportunities would further promote interaction and developing
18
relationships among students, faculty, and staff. An ever-growing popular social support
giving students a capstone experience is the Habitat for Humanity Project.
Learning communities foster the kind of sociable educational environment where
both intellect and friendship are formed ultimately increasing retention. A learning
center focused on an aspect of interest will help get students’ college careers off to a good
start. Types of social support services that are effective in increasing student retention at
a community college are appraisal (i.e., evaluative feedback), informational (i.e., advice),
and instrumental (i.e., helping behaviors). Finally, where one’s social support network
comes from may consist of classmates, friends, parents, school, or teachers.
Student Involvement Services
As academic and social integration increases, so does the likelihood of student
persistence. Specific examples of student services implemented into programs for
retaining students will be further explored in the context of perspectives (Astin, 1984,
1985, 1993; Kuh, Schuh & Witt, 1991; Kuh, 1993; Kuh, Kinzie, Buckley, Bridges &
Hayek, 2006). Astin's (1984, 1985, 1993) Theory of Student Involvement has been
studied and cited extensively in the area of student involvement in higher education.
Perhaps his most significant work in this area is his theory of student involvement. This
theory defines involvement as “the amount of physical and psychological energy that the
student devotes to the academic experience” (Astin, 1984, p. 297). Astin referred to the
academic experience in a broad sense that encompass both classroom learning and out-ofclass experiences. The theory is based on five notions. Involvement refers to the
19
investment of physical and psychological energy in various objects. Involvement occurs
along a continuum. Involvement has both quantitative and qualitative features. The
amount of student learning and personal development associated with any educational
program is directly related to the quality and quantity of student involvement in that
program. The last notion of involvement is “effectiveness of any educational policy or
practice is directly related to the capacity of that policy or practice to increase student
involvement” (Astin, 1984, p. 298).
Astin's (1984) theory presented a paradigm for viewing student participation in
co-curricular activities, stressing the concepts of commitment and time. Commitment
referred to the qualitative or content dimension of involvement, and time referred to the
quantitative dimension. Learning and development were primarily a factor of the degree
of effort and energy committed by students to a particular learning experience, whether a
chemistry course or a student affairs-sponsored developmental program. In Astin's
(1983, 1984, 1985) view, involvement was an active concept, which required the student
to invest time and energy. In Achieving Educational Excellence, Astin (1985) made the
point that students need emotional (i.e., the provision of trust, empathy, and love) support
addressed in educational services offered.
Astin (1993) stated that any program, whether academic or co-curricular, must
provide students with intrinsic motivation to commit both time and effort to it. Those
programs that motivate students to make such a commitment are the most successful.
The focus is on the student and his or her reaction to the program, rather than just on the
program itself. Even a well-funded, sophisticated, co-curricular program will only meet
20
its stated objectives if students are motivated to commit the time and energy necessary to
succeed. In this model, students are seen as active, committed participants in the learning
process. Astin's (1984, 1985) other works, particularly his study of college dropouts and
his studies of the impact of college on students (1993), also relate to his theory of
involvement.
These grand theories of student retention, which attempt to simplify a very
complex action into a series of identifiable steps, are inadequate to deal with either
specific populations or individual decisions. A number of studies have focused
specifically on the relationship between student involvement and academic success. As
is prevalent in the review of this literature, the definition of involvement varies from
study to study. It is used here in the generic sense to mean participation in any of a wide
variety of campus, or even off-campus, activities.
Personal Developmental Theories
There are several theoretical perspectives that can be used to understand student
retention and assist institutions with developing an appropriate supporting strategy. In
the late 1960s, the main theoretical practice in the study of student retention continued to
be sociological, involving a search for commonalities of behavior that characterize
groups of students who continue, from groups of students who leave (Spady, 1970; Tinto,
n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987, 1993, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000a,2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009;
Tinto & Cullen, 1973). The psychological and sociopsychological approaches began to
develop after the 1980s, differ in the main concern of how individuals assess themselves
21
in an educational context (Bean, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1990, 2001; Bean & Eaton, 2000;
Bean et al., 2002).
Retention theories have since evolved to include models from a number of
different perspectives such as ‘psychological perspectives’ (Bean & Eaton, 2000);
‘sociological perspectives’ (Durkheim, 1951; Spady, 1970; Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987,
1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen,
1973); and ‘emotional perspectives’ (Astin, 1984, 1985, 1993). Research by Lotkowski
et al. (2004) indicated colleges need to use an integrated approach to their retention
efforts that combine both academic and non-academic factors into the design and
development of retention programs to create a socially inclusive and supportive
educational environment that addresses the social, emotional, and academic needs of
students. Human Capital Theory suggests economic perspective including student
support services of financial aid also contributes to retention. These three perspectives
will be explained further.
Sociological Perspective
Spady’s model (1970) sociology approach of academic retention spawned new
ideas regarding the interaction of factors, such as background, academic development,
and social integration, as a foundation for student persistence (Gary, 2008; Pascarella &
Terenzini, 1980; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991). Spady’s (1970) research provided the
foundation for the work of Vincent Tinto (1972, 1987) who developed the most cited
retention theory of student retention in use today, the student integration model (Braxton
22
& Hirschy, 2005; Cabrera et al., 1992; Cabrera, Nora & Castaneda, 1993; Seidman,
2005).
Tinto’s (1972, 1975, 1987 ) student integration model (SIG) the core of his work
was similar to Spady's (1970) use of Durkheim’s (1951), two variables to understand the
concepts of academic and social integration. Academic integration was thought to be the
result of sharing academic values, and social integration was viewed as the result of
developing friendships with other students and faculty members. In Tinto's model, a
student who does not reach some level of academic or social integration is likely to leave
school (Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2006a,
2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen, 1973).
Development of the basic theoretical framework, which seeks to explain dropout
as an interactive process between the individual and the institution. Tinto’s (1972, 1975,
1987) Interactionist Model (SIG) assumed that incoming students possess a collection of
individual traits that govern their commitment to the institution and their persistence to
completing a degree. These traits, along with their level of persistence, determine their
level of academic and social integration into a specific college. Consequently, the
student’s decision to graduate, or to dropout, is considerably influenced by his or her
level of persistence.
Campus and social integration with faculty and staff both on and off campus
through events, lectures, convocations, picnics, and community projects are among just
the few ways students can feel more connected with their campus. Student retention can
be attributed to whether a student is socialized well (Martin, 2008).
23
Campus environment is a powerful social integration factor for sophomore
student retention (Flanagan, 1991, 2007; Flanagan & Ogurtsova, 2006). Campus
environment is also referred to as campus life (Butler et al., 2001). Another social
integration strategy for retaining students is promoting interaction and developing
relationships among students, faculty, and staff (Winslow, 2006). Other ideas for campus
and social integration include faculty and student dinner for students who are not going
home for Thanksgiving break or activities such as game/movie nights at a faculty
member homes or student unions where everyone can bring food or games to help with
costs. Students can partake in ropes courses, habitat for humanity projects, game nights,
fundraisers, professional projects and more (Winslow, 2006). Campus and social
integration with faculty and staff both on and off campus through various ways described
previously contribute to students feeling more connected with their campus. Student
retention can be attributed to whether a student is socialized well with their campus,
faculty, staff, and fellow students.
Overall, as academic and social integration increase, so does persistence. This
summary presents the results of a multi-method, quantitative, and qualitative, study of the
efforts, to alter student classroom experience with learning communities and the adoption
of collaborative learning strategies (Tinto, 1997). The sociological perspective focused
attention on the influence of social structure and social forces on student departure
decisions. This perspective generally neglected the importance of economic,
psychological, and organizational influences on such decisions. However, economic
factors, psychological characteristics and processes, organizational structure and
24
behavior, and social structure and social forces served as helper theories to increasing
understanding of Tinto’s core constructs of academic and social integration (Tinto, n. d.,
1972, 1975, 1987, 1993, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000a, 2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009;
Tinto & Cullen, 1973).
Psychological Perspective
The Student Attrition Model supported the psychological perspective of student
retention theories (Bean, 1982, 1985; Bean & Eaton, 2000). Student retention or the lack
thereof was seen as the manifestation of individual attributes, skills, and motivation—
students failed, not institutions (Tinto, 2006b). Research in the 1970s studying student
retention shifted from a sociology perspective to a psychological perspective taking into
account of the role of the integration, institutional environment, and students’ persistence
including perspectives of self-efficacy and motivation. The literature discussed by
Kennedy and Sheckley (1999) suggested the use of the available models can explain
persistence through cognitive variables such as the scholastic aptitude and academic
achievement as well as non-cognitive variables such as student intent to persist and
personality factors.
Academic achievement, academic and social integration into the college
environment, and commitment are all-important factors when studying persistence. The
psychological perspective centered attention on the role that student psychological
characteristics and processes play in the student departure process (Tinto, 1987). These
characteristics and processes transpired at two main levels: at the level of the individual
25
student and at the level of the college environment. At the individual level, Bean and
Eaton (2000) advanced a psychological model of student departure that uses constructs
derived from attitude behavior theory, coping behavioral theory, self-efficacy theory, and
attribution theory (locus of control) as a foundation. This model assumed that behavior
was a choice.
A student’s entry characteristics, such as past behavior, initial self-efficacy, initial
locus of control, and initial coping strategies, influenced student interactions with the
institutional environment. These assessments have been based, in part, on past behaviors
and have offered a revised view of their status on these psychological characteristics. If
positive self-efficacy, reduced stress, and an internal locus of control resulted in an
outcome of such personal assessments, academic and social integration would result in
retention (Bean, 1980, 1982, 1985, 1990, 2001, 2003; Bean & Eaton, 2000; Bean et al.,
2002). The personal developmental theories of student support services increasing
retention as a psychological perspective is further strengthened in the discussion of
Astin’s (1984, 1985, 1993) emotional perspective.
Emotional Perspective
Institutional support furthers the emotional support, by providing career
counseling, and helping students develop personally as key factors in allowing students to
persist to graduation. In their research, Lotkowski et al. (2004) indicated universities
need to take an integrated approach in their retention effort that incorporates both
academic and non-academic factors into the design and development of programs to
26
create a socially inclusive and supportive academic environment that addresses the social,
emotional, and academic needs of students. Successful student services as a supporting
factor of the personal development theory is described as relating to the integration
models focusing on emotional perspectives. Student involvement theory (Astin, 1984,
1985, 1993) increased student participation has a positive effect on a student’s emotional
decision to persist. His theory of student involvement is perhaps the most widely adopted
college impact model of student development. According to the involvement theory,
“The individual plays a central role in determining the extent and nature of growth
according to the quality of effort or involvement with the resources provided by the
Institution” (Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991, p. 51). Astin's involvement theory is based on
psychology models, in which individuals invest psychological energy in objects outside
themselves such as emotional ties to friends, families, schooling, and jobs. Astin (1984)
defined involvement as “the amount of energy that the student devotes to the academic
experience” (p. 27).
Indeed, research indicated that the more time and energy students devote to
learning and the more intensely they encounter in their own education, the greater the
achievement, satisfaction with educational experiences, and persistence in college
(Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991; Tinto, 1987). While both Tinto and Astin would agree
that the institution plays an important role in facilitating involvement, and Tinto’s 1997
study revised model emphasized this point, practitioners have concentrated on the
individual responsibility aspect. The result was that practitioners have resorted to
offering programs to help students get involved, but have not focused on effective
27
outreach to students. Consequently, few dropout-prone students actually get involved. If
practitioners accept the cultural separation assumption without understanding its inherent
grief for nontraditional students, then practitioners will tend to take involvement as a
relatively easy task since they will also assume that all students, regardless of
background, are ready, willing, and able to get involved.
A variety of studies has explored the developmental effects of college student
participation in co-curricular programs. Pascarella and Terenzini’s (1991) summary of
the psychosocial affects of college, noted involvement in campus life as confidently
affecting such psychosocial or affective areas as identification, emotion, and self-esteem.
Astin (1984) likewise detailed a number of different ways in which student emotional
involvement enhances students’ psychosocial and emotional growth. Astin's Theory of
Student Involvement (1984) provided a theoretical basis for investigating student
involvement in the educational experience. Astin (1985) stated that involvement or
active engagement in academic and other activities is positively related to student
learning and development. The theory also holds that both the quantity and quality of
involvement are important in determining student outcomes and progress.
Quantity refers to the actual amount of time a student invests in the overall
academic and co-curricular endeavor; while quality refers to the intensity of the
commitment the student devotes to the involvement. Astin (1984, 1985, 1993) defined a
highly involved student as one who devotes considerable energy to studying, spends
much time on campus, and participates actively in student organizations, and interacts
regularly with faculty members and other students. Curriculum as an education support
28
service is the notion that when students are taught well, emotionally attached, they are
retained. Martin (2008) encouraged all undergraduate programs to develop a coherent,
well-conceptualized, well-articulated vision for their retention program. Martin (2008)
also suggested creating and developing a comprehensive support structure for adjunct
faculty who will further assist in student retention efforts.
Flanagan’s (1991) study demonstrated education support services through
learning support as intervention strategies, supplemental instruction, and early warning
intervention. Flanagan’s study supports improving retention and enhances academic
performance by providing supplementary instruction, including assistance with basic and
study skills. Specifically, support in courses where there has been a high demand for
tutorial support and those that might be identified as having a high failure or withdrawal
rate. The setback of academic performance as an early warning depends on instructors
(e.g., midterm grades) putting forth a referral according to Butler et al. (2001).
Intervention through education support services is a feature that can increase student
persistence and improve student retention. Education support services can be
implemented through curriculum, sophomore seminars, remedial classes, tutorials, and
financial aid. Further, students in rural areas might not have emotional support from their
parents and thus they might easily give up their study while facing adversaries (Yu,
DiGangi, Jannasch-Pennell, Lo & Kaprolet, 2007). Another support service impacting
retention is finances, discussed further in the next section.
29
Human Capital Theory
Following Astin’s (1993) Personal Development Theory, there was an increasing
interest in how economic factors influence retention and in how the cultural factors
characteristic of subgroups of students shape retention decisions (Braxton & Hirschy,
2005; Becker, 1964; St. John et al., 2000). Of these theoretical approaches, a number of
studies of the economic influences on retention have been conducted, particularly by St.
John et al. (2000). If the cost of pursuing postsecondary studies exceeds the perceived
financial benefit of obtaining postsecondary credentials, students would be more likely to
dropout. The Human Capital Theory explains the economic perspective (Braxton &
Hirschy, 2005; Becker, 1964; St. John et al., 2000) in terms of financial benefit for
improving retention through support services. Based on cost–benefit analyses, these
studies examine how retention decisions are affected by ability to pay, family resources,
student aid, perceptions of aid, and tuition through the economic perspective.
Economic Perspective
The last group of theoretical perspectives focuses on the economic aspects of
student retention. This includes theories such as the human capital theory (Braxton &
Hirschy, 2005). Economic models focus on the cost versus benefit of attending
postsecondary education. If the cost of pursuing postsecondary studies exceeds the
perceived financial benefit of obtaining postsecondary credentials, students are more
likely to dropout (Braxton & Hirschy, 2005). Based on cost–benefit analyses, these
studies examine how retention decisions are affected by the ability to pay, family
30
resources, student aid, perceptions of aid, and tuition. Essentially, price-response theories
focus in part on economic factors whereby the social and economic benefits of attending
college are believed to outweigh any costs and benefits associated with alternative
activities (e.g., working full-time). A critical component in these cost-benefit analyses is
the student's perception of his or her ability (or inability) to pay for college (Becker,
1964).
Financial aid is an education support services and a contributing factor in
retention, as students have to be able to manage their desired education. Martin’s (2008)
study indicated that students, who are supported financially, are more likely to be
retained than students who are not financially supported. Her study suggested a focus on
developing scholarship and grant opportunities for students, especially for the summer, as
there are likely to be fewer scholarship opportunities for the non-traditional academic
year.
Financial aid is an education support service and a factor of retention because
students have to be able to afford their desired education. Martin (2008) indicated
students who are financed well are better retained. Her study suggested a focus on
developing scholarship and grant opportunities for students, especially for the summer, as
there are likely to be fewer scholarship opportunities for this period.
Students who receive financial aid generally have lower dropout rates than nonaided students according to Lotkowski et al. (2004). An equivalent barrier of finances
such as the cost of attending the college being very important, and financial aid was rated
as an important reason for choosing to attend a college (Duggan & Pickering, 2007).
31
Students who receive financial aid generally have lower dropout rates than nonaided students (Lotkowski et al., 2004). Duggan and Pickering (2007) indicated a related
barrier for retention was that of finances; their study yielded a scoring system including
responses such as the cost of attending the institution as being very important while
financial aid was rated as an important reason for choosing to attend a college. The early
alert systems, including strategies such as having a financial aid package, which promotes
less work-study during the first year of the college, have also been found to increase
sophomore retention (Flanagan, 1991). Kalsner’s (1991) findings indicated any financial
difficulty in paying for college plays a significant role in attrition. Tinto’s (1987) study
indicates education factors of academic and social integration, not simply retention,
should all be the guiding principles of retention programs. Furthermore, Tinto’s (1997)
findings state that the more students invest in their own learning activities, that is, the
higher their level of personal academic effort, the more students will learn. Hence, the
roles of faculty teaching in relation to student persistence to consider the notion, that
choice of curriculum structure are an essential ingredient in education support services.
Institutions that elect to invest additional dollars into bringing their recruitment
operations to state-of-the-art levels get state-of-the-art results quickly. Yet, even in those
institutions, it seems that there are never extra dollars available to breathe more life into
retention-related people and programming. Too often, reducing the dropout rate is not
recognized as one of the most effective ways to add full-time equivalents (FTES), thereby
broadening an institution’s revenue base. Retention programs that focus on improving
academic performance and social integration are based on models such as Tinto’s (1997)
32
Theory of Student Departure. Tinto and Bean linked college retention to both past and
present academic performance hypothesizing that college performance influences a
student’s decision to leave or stay in school (Bean, 2001, 2005; Bean et al., 2002;
Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Braxton & Lee, 2005; Cabrera et al., 1992; Draper, 2002; Kuh,
1993; Rendón et al., 2000; Saweczko, 2008; Spady, 1970; Tinto, n.d., 1972, 1975, 1987,
1993, 1997,1998, 1999, 2000a,2000b, 2006a, 2006b, 2008, 2009; Tinto & Cullen, 1973).
Student Involvement theories were also supported by Astin (1984, 1985, 1993; Kuh et al.,
1991; Kuh, 1993; Kuh et al., 2006). Other theoretical approaches have been mentioned
in literature, but have had little empirical study (Saweczko, 2008).
Effective Leadership
One of the challenges faced by many institutions when implementing an
institution-wide retention strategy is the lack of communication and leadership
(Saweczko, 2008). The research on student retention makes several recommendations for
implementing a retention strategy (Berger & Lyons, 2005); however, the analysis does
not provide detailed information on leadership and communication strategies nor make
connections between the implementation phase for a retention strategy and key leadership
and communication theories. Making these connections could assist institutions with
developing and implementing new strategies. For instance, much of the current literature
does not mention the advantages or disadvantages of identified leadership styles when
implementing an institution wide retention strategy. The individual who leads the
implementation of a retention strategy is a decisive factor for an institution to consider.
33
Organizational communication is the cornerstone of a successful organization. It ties all
parties within the organization together to ensure members are aware of their roles and
responsibilities, which can in turn create a supportive environment for employees.
Implementing a new retention policy or changing an existing strategy can be considered a
cultural change within an institution. It requires staff and departments to look at studentfaculty-institution interactions differently and modify these interactions to ensure
students have the greatest opportunity for success. To achieve this, institutional
governance should ensure all members of the community are aware of the retention
strategy, the purpose, the goals, and their roles throughout the process. Considering the
differences between the academic, administrative, and student affairs areas of the
institution, the meaning-centered approach can help organize information to make a
circular process where information loops between the groups implementing the change
and those affected by the change. This will reduce substance by ensuring the value of
communication and an institution's goals are understood, while providing community
members a venue to provide feedback on the changes being implemented.
34
Discussion of Retention Models
Although there is some disagreement about how to best approach various
components of Tinto’s (1987) SIG model, most agree that for students to succeed in
college, they must learn to negotiate foreign environments and interact effectively with
strangers (Kuh et al., 1991; Kuh, 1993, Kuh et al. 2006). Thus, interpersonal
relationships both on and off campus play a role in mediating student success in college.
In addition, the different sets of values and norms represented by home life and college
need to be taken into account when studying various aspects of student success. This
view is consistent with a social networks perspective that college students’ relationships
with faculty and staff and peers as well as family, friends, and mentors contribute to
student satisfaction, persistence, and what students gain from college (Astin 1984, 1985,
1993; Kuh et al., 1991; Kuh, 1993, Kuh et al., 2006; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1991,
Pascarella & Terenzini, 2005; Tinto, 1975, 1987, 1993).
Research of first-generation low-income students is centered around statistics on
data collected from electronic survey data. These surveys quantify every aspect of
student demographics, which have been interpreted and broken down many researchers.
These numbers reveal a crisis is occurring in the US and that the poor citizens require
assistance, financial aid, or other means to promote the human capital theory are needed
to financially support students’ needs for higher education. With respect to college
enrollment, persistence, and degree opportunities and services are not level and the
research indicates a call to action is imperative. Challenges, such as lack of familial
35
support, unemployment, and insufficient educational funding, are symptomatic of larger
societal issues.
The review of the literature demonstrates a gap in addressing sophomore
retention. Inconsistencies noted in existing literature theories suggest the next steps in
solving the problem sophomore retention support services. The concerns about the firstyear experience are particularly noticeable at large research institutions, where typically,
students have limited contact with regular faculty members and a sense of community is
difficult to achieve.
Early alert systems include strategies such as financial aid package with less
work-study for the first year, Flanagan (1991), will increase sophomore retention
(Kalsner, 1991). Financial difficulty in paying for college plays a negative role in
attrition. Tinto’s (1987) study indicated education, not simply retention should be the
guiding principles of retention programs.
Tinto (1997) stated that the more students invest in learning activities, that is, the
higher their level of effort, the more students learn; the role of faculty teaching in
persistence and more carefully consider the notion, as the researcher has here, that
choices of curriculum structure are necessary for consideration are education support
services.
Additional education support service suggestions are to provide the best faculty
first (e.g., the GE courses should be best faculty not lecturers and adjunct faculty). If
faculty focus on ‘student education’ and retention occurs, rewards for their supportive
curricula. There is reason to believe that “putting the best first” matters, the current
36
literature does not yet provide reliable evidence of the impact of differential forms of
institutional investment (e.g., in the allocation of faculty and support services) on student
retention (Tinto, 2006).
Colleges need to take an integrated approach to their retention efforts designing
and developing programs to create a socially inclusive and supportive academic
environment that addresses the social, emotional, and academic needs of students
(Lotkowski et al., 2004). Curriculum, as an education support service, is the notion that
when students are taught well they are retained. Encourage all undergraduate programs
to develop a coherent, well-conceptualized, well-articulated vision for their program.
Create and develop a comprehensive support structure for adjunct faculty (Martin, 2008).
Flanagan’s (1991) study demonstrated education support services through
learning support as intervention strategies, supplemental instruction, and early warning
intervention. Flanagan (1991) supported improving retention and enhances academic
performance by providing supplementary instruction, including assistance with basic and
study skills, in courses where there has been a high demand for tutorial support and those
which might be identified as having a high failure or withdrawal rate. The setback of
academic performance as an early warning depends on instructors such as midterm
grades (Butler et al., 2001).
There are limitations in the economic perspective’s ability to account for student
departure. Tinto (1986) asserted that the economic perspective neglected social and
nonmonetary factors internal and external to the individual student and to the college.
The perspective also ignored psychological characteristics and organizational forces that
37
influenced a student’s decision to persist. While the economic perspective offers limited
explanations, it does account for the role of economic forces, forces that seem to be
neglected in many of the other student departure models used today.
Rationale for the Study
The rationale for the study of educational support services that increase retention
at a rural community college is supported in the review of the literature demonstrating a
gap in addressing sophomore retention. The basis for this interdisciplinary study
indicated colleges focus too much time and resources into retention of freshman students
through frontloading (Flanagan, 1991, 2007) and not enough attention is addressed
towards following up with sophomore retention efforts/activities. According to Flanagan
(1991, 2007), colleges maintain the common practice of frontloading where attention
towards freshman is focused during the first six to eight weeks of the academic year.
Many institutions dedicate extensive resources and efforts to the freshman year
experience by implementing academic support programs, enhancing counseling
interventions and peer mentoring supports, establishing social development initiatives,
and promoting faculty-student relationships (Sanchez-Leguelinel, 2008). Unfortunately,
nearly all of these support systems are curtailed during the second-year, leaving
sophomores feeling ignored and abandoned by the institution.
Rural institutions posted lower part-time retention rates than the city and suburban
institutions. The significant differences in retention rates by degrees of urbanization
suggest that community colleges differ. Despite the differences, some similarities were
38
found. When looking at full-time student retention rates, town and rural institutions were
similar. City and suburban institutions were similar for part-time students. Community
colleges in the city and suburban areas are generally larger institutions serving more
students than those in town and rural areas. Students attending two-year institutions in
urbanized areas may have resources available to them that students in the more rural
areas do not have. This study extends the existing literature identifying educational
support services that increase student retention rates within a rural community college. In
attempts to answer the research question proposed, this chapter revisits the student
retention literature provided.
Summary
Services supporting student retention is best identified as academic support
services, social support services, and student involvement services. Personal
developmental theories include sociological perspective, psychological perspective, and
the emotional perspective. Another theoretical approach to student retention is the
human capital theory that outlines the economic perspective. There is not one theoretical
perspective that is comprehensive enough to account for all of the factors that influence
student success in higher education. For example, after comparing Tinto’s (1987) model
of student integration (SIG) and Bean’s (1983) model of student attrition, Cabrera et al.
(1992) determined that Tinto’s student integration model was more robust than the
student attrition model based on the number of hypotheses validated. Student retention
39
service programs encompassed all the freshman and transfer students but leave the
sophomores without such amenities.
40
Chapter 3
METHODOLOGY
Introduction
The purpose of this study sought to determine if there was a relationship between
sophomore retention and student services designed to integrate pupils socially and
academically. The research methodology for this study utilized a quantitative design
applying an evaluation research technique to investigate and answer the research
question:
What are the best practices of educational support services that increase student
retention at a rural community college?
Survey research describes the methodology and the strategy for data collection
and is the tool for data collection (Cowan, 2007). This chapter describes the setting, the
population and sample, data collection instrumentation, and data analysis procedures.
The penultimate chapter provides the findings of the data analysis related to the research
question.
Setting of the Study
The current research study was conducted with students attending the remote
Pacific West Woods (PWW); a small rural state publicly funded community college
located in the Pacific Northwest. PWW is affiliated with the Western Association of
Schools and Colleges (WASC) and has been accredited by the Accrediting Commission
41
for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC). This single district institution can be
described as having one of the largest service areas of the community college system
servicing four counties at eleven multiple sites in addition to the virtual online courses.
Each of PWW’s four main campuses lend support to seven additional instructional sites,
all set in a picturesque environment in the mountainous region of giant redwood groves
bordered by the Pacific Ocean. All eleven higher education sites geographically pipeline
transfer students to the same traditional State University.
The four county single-district region notes two counties are partial and should be
considered such when considering the information. The region covering 10,000 square
miles provides a remote quality of life that is rare to nearly 260,000 residents (US Census
Bureau, 2009). PWW community college is Carnegie Classified as serving remote towns
with a large student population of 20,811students enrolled as of the fall 2010 census,
reported for the 2010/11 annual unduplicated headcount for the current academic year
(College of the Redwoods [CR], 2010). The ethnicity demographic groups represented
for 2009/10 academic year were White/Non-Hispanic 66.6%, Hispanic 8.9%, Asian
2.8%, Filipino 0.3%, Pacific Islander 0.7%, African-American two percent, American
Indian/Alaskan Native 7.2%, Two or More Races 1.8%, and Unknown 9.7%. The
faculty-to-student ratio is four-to-one at PWW boasting 337 faculty members, of which
only 97 are full-time. PWW offers more than 94 classes amongst 843 active sections and
confirmed 592 degrees and certificates were completed for the 2009/10 Academic Year
(CR, 2010).
42
The communities of this district arose from the Gold Rush era history, all small
rural lumber towns now facing regional economic challenges devastated by the collapse
of the lumber industry followed swiftly by the declining fishing market. The median
local income for adults with some college associate degree is the lowest in the state with
less than $25,000 annual income. The small local economy already struggles with a
19.8% poverty rate compared to 13% state average (CPEC, 2010); the 17% student
retention rate only further exacerbates the region’s socioeconomic woes (CSRDE, 2009).
Population and Sample
This study examined the best practices of educational support services that
increase student retention at PWW, a rural community college. This study involved an
evaluation research of the population to which the study applied was the current
unduplicated headcount of 1,079 enrolled students for summer 2010. A review of survey
data was completed for all students who completed the survey. These participants were
selected through purposeful sampling as they are rich in knowledge and data as the
sophomores are the basis of the research phenomenon. The population was selected
through academic records by selecting continuing and returning students from the list as
provided by the PWW campus’ Interim Director and Survey Analyst of the Office of
Institutional Research within the Department of Student Affairs. The sample included
only continuing or returning freshman, sophomores, and junior students who responded
to the electronic survey. Participants did not receive any compensation for completing
43
this questionnaire and did so voluntarily; hence, the sampling was not truly random but
purposeful design.
Design of the Study
In order to test the best practices of educational support services that increase
student retention at a rural community college this researcher applied a quantitative
method of study survey research as a longitudinal single-event design. A cross sectional
design was conducted as the single event when then researcher collected data from the
sample of a population only once (Cowan, 2007). Cross-sectional design method was a
one-time survey applied to phenomenon of sophomore retention. A research design
where subjects were assessed at a single time in their lives. A cross sectional study was
fast and studied a large number of students at little cost or effort. There was no worry
about participants dropping out during the course of the study.
This study was efficient at identifying association, but had trouble deciding cause
and effect. With data at only one time point, the researcher did not know whether there
were extraneous variables influencing the effect on the dependent variable of retention.
Strengths of cross-sectional design are best for short-time frames, strength also found
between subjects design analyzes separate groups, same trial, lots of developmental data
but not valid trends. Strengths also are found in less chance of attrition from the study
population as would occur in a longitudinal-design study. Weakness is the cohort effect;
result may not be the trend of retention of this sample selected but a result of the overall
44
encompassing effect of numerous extraneous variables influencing the dependent
variable of retention.
Table 1
Parallel Sample Design
Summer 2010
Continuing
Students
Returning
Students
Freshman
Sophomores
Juniors
(excluded)
included
included
included
included
State Data
Data Mart
National
Data
IPEDS
academic,
ethnicity,
social, &
enrollment
(excluded) financial aid status, and
support
academic
services
level
Questions proposed in this study will address sophomore retention with the
purpose of gathering information from research, OIR staff, and students to determine the
current best practices in order to increase support services to social and academic
integration that increasing student retention more significantly at the rural site.
Data Collection
The approach of data collection procedures was quantitative with questions that
allowed the participants to select from predetermined list of possible answers and
qualitative open-ended questions that allow the participants free rein to provide
45
information (Schuh & Upcraft, 2001). Data was collected through instrumentation of
survey research and performance measures of statistical data from the Office of
Institutional Research. All data collection occurred via an online survey administered to
all PWW students through an email invitation. The first email was sent to the student
population of 5,062 students on July 14, 2010. This email included an explanation of the
survey’s purpose and included a link allowing the students to gain access to the online
survey through Student Voice where the survey could be completed.
Emails were sent to each student’s MyCampus email account. For students who
supplied PWW with a personal email address at the time of registration, a second email
was emailed to this address . A follow-up reminder email was sent to the 1,079 enrolled
students for summer 2010 on July 19, 2010. The survey conducted at PWW was made
accessible through survey software for three weeks during the summer semester
beginning on July 14, 2010 and closing on July 26, 2010. Survey completion was
estimated at no more than thirty minutes, although some students required additional time
to complete the survey.
The researcher had access to the data in real-time as it was collected through a
secure, password-protected reporting site. Data encryption and other measures ensured
the security of the data collection. All data collection was compiled in aggregate and no
individual respondents will be identified in the analysis. Data will remain available
through the online reporting site for an indefinite amount of time unless the campus
instructs Student Voice to purge the results.
46
Instrumentation
Students were invited to participate in the online survey through an invitation sent
to their email address, which contained a link to the online survey (Appendix A)
requesting responses before the conclusion of three weeks. The email communication
explained the purpose of the study. Student email addresses were obtained through the
permission of the Office of Institutional Research from the Interim Director with the
support of the Survey Analyst. Participation was voluntary (Appendix B) and students
had the option to skip any questions they did not wish to answer. Given that this was an
online survey, researchers had no contact with participants, other than through the email
invitation to participate. The email invitation included the names and contact information
of the researcher, so that students had a person to contact with any questions or concerns.
The cross-sectional design for this 95-question instrument study implored both
qualitative and quantitative questions within the survey research Sophomore Needs
Assessment (Appendix C) to design a mixed method survey research. Three surveys were
adopted having complementary strengths, no overlapping weaknesses, and certain survey
elements to develop the survey research for the current study. Many of the survey
questions were derived from two-shared survey through the Student Voice web software,
two questions were tailored from Schuh and Upcraft (2001) as the third adopted survey,
and three demographic questions were added by the researcher.
The first Student Voice shared survey was Hofstra University’s survey on Current
Sophomore Students Experience assessment, which gathered information from current
students about their higher education experience to date as sophomores as well as how
47
their second year compared to their first year of postsecondary education. Topics
included academic preparation, campus involvement, peer relationships, and the use of
and satisfaction with campus services and resources. Additionally, there are some
questions pertaining to confidence in choice of major as well as future plans. The Survey
Sophomore Year Experience Needs Assessment from the University of Maine was
designed to evaluate the needs of sophomore students so that specific programming could
be developed.
Many college student needs-assessment surveys assist college personnel in
assessing the educational and personal needs of college students. This survey research
for the current study included sections on background information, career goals, life
goals, educational desires, personal needs, additional local questions, and comments as
well as suggestions were welcomed. The current study using survey research sought to
determine why students leave an institution prior to completing a degree, sections
included data on background information, reasons for leaving, college services that were
desirable and characteristics of students suggestions for services such as transportation.
In order to collect student data, this researcher asked students to respond to a
series of statements using a 5-point Likert-Scale (Strongly Agree, Moderately Agree,
Neither Agree Nor Disagree, Moderately Disagree, and Strongly Disagree), as well as
including sections at the end of several of the survey questions for additional comments.
The online Sophomore Needs Assessment survey questionnaire placed on Student Voice
inquired about adult student perceptions from five dimensions. The question groupings
by variables were not distributed throughout the survey in a random pattern, suggesting a
48
particular functional grouping of dimensions. Several of the questions were phrased in
such a way as to ensure the participant could not simply agree or disagree in a patterned
response.
Variables were selected based developmental theories supported by the findings
of Tinto’s Student Integration Theory (SIG) and retention theories. They included
‘psychological perspectives’ (Bean & Eaton, 2000); ‘sociological perspectives’
(Durkheim, 1951; Spady, 1970; Tinto 1973); ‘emotional perspectives’ (Astin, 1984,
1985, 1993) and ‘economic perspective’ (Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Becker, 1964; St.
John et al., 2000), to analyze educational support services that increase student retention
at a rural community college. The five dimensions, which were measured in the online
survey research were selected based on the previous literature and the following variables
were examined—(a) social integration, (b) academic integration, (c) individual
background (d) environment, (e) organizational factors—to further analyze sophomore
retention at a rural university. Retention will be measured by ethnicity, enrollment status,
academic level, student academic matriculation services, student services programs, and
student financial services.
Qualitative Responses
Qualitative data, or written remarks from participants, were downloaded for
analysis. Questions in the quantitative sections of the survey research were scored using
a 5-point Likert-Scale (Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree, Strongly Disagree, and Not
Applicable). The scoring awarded 5 points for each “Strongly Agree” response, 4 points
49
for each “Agree” response, 3 points for each “Neither Agree or Disagree” response, 2
points for each “Disagree” response and one point for each “Strongly Disagree” response.
Many of the qualitative responses were suggestions of student needs and student support
services. These responses can be found below in question 70.
Quantitative Responses
Questions in the quantitative sections of the survey research were scored using a
5-point Likert-Scale (Strongly Agree, Moderately Agree, Neither Agree Nor Disagree,
Moderately Disagree, and Strongly Disagree). The scoring awarded 5 points for each
“Strongly Agree” response, 4 points for each “Moderately Agree” response, 3 points for
each “Neither Agree Nor Disagree” response, 2 points for each “Moderately Disagree”
response and one point for each “Strongly Disagree” response. Several questions were
worded in a way that required the reversing of the scoring where a “Strongly Agree”
response was awarded 1 point and so forth. This approach of “reversing” the questions
nullified any patterned responses from affecting the overall score. To score a question,
the scoring requires a tally to be taken for each of the questions response types, the
weight multiplier is applied to each response type, the weighted response type scores are
summed, and an overall question mean is developed. The Sophomore Needs Assessment
required the tabulation of individual question scores (means) into functional groupings.
The downfall to the holistic survey approach was the 95 questions took as little as
18 minutes to complete and as much as 40 minutes, while averaging approximately 24
minutes to complete. Students who are more likely to return to an institution after a brief
50
stop-out found the survey far more difficult to complete. While this may account for
intervening variables, no control for this effect was implemented. The cumbersome
survey may also have led to the 14.6% response rate for the three weeks the survey was
available to 1,079 students enrolled in the summer semester.
Data Analysis Procedures
Precise steps were conducted to carry out the study of data analysis. This study
involved an evaluation research method through an electronic survey with a distinct
sample of freshman and sophomore students from the population including all the
students enrolled in higher education at PWW during the time the survey was conducted.
Data was available for terms fall 2010 and only as far back as the 2008/09 academic year
through a password provided database from the Office of Institutional Research who
granted permission for the study. Purposeful sampling was selected for the survey
research, OIR documents, and records, providing the most representative information
solicited.
In an effort to eliminate confounding variables, only two groups of students were
used for the final data review. Students whose units exceeded 60 semester hours were
eliminated because the academic level would have introduced a new independent variable
that may affect student’s time to degree attainment. The sample included only continuing
or returning freshman, sophomores, and junior students who responded to the survey
resulting in the number of participants as 61 respondents of the electronic survey that had
74 actual responses. All randomly selected at the same time via individual email
51
addresses there is no chance a subject will participate more than once. The researcher
then identified two separate groups from the sample for the continuing and returning
freshman and the same for the sophomore subset to include continuing students as the
control group and returning students as the study group. The participants were selected
in the manner of email solicitation at random for their participation in the survey. An
initial email and a follow-up reminder email were the only two contacts made by the
researcher.
Cross-sectional design method was a onetime survey applied to phenomenon of
sophomore retention. The sample was further analyzed by comparing the community
college population to the state population as a parallel-sample design method; then
further compared to the national population. The quantitative design analyzed statistical
data of the number of sophomores, number of dropouts, number of returning student, and
number of continuing students. The data was analyzed using quantitative methodologies.
In almost all instances, only descriptive statistics will be reported, however, when
appropriate and more advanced quantitative data analysis may take place.
After the surveys were completed, Student Voice software, collected, recorded,
and summarized the results online, which facilitated the tracking of student responses and
viewing of results during the survey process. The current survey research instrument had
qualitative data, or written remarks from participants that were downloaded for analysis
and the results are presented in chapter four in the form of narrative statistics. Having
reviewed the literature on sophomore retention, the researcher included questions to elicit
52
information regarding student service needs, role of leadership, and differences between
sophomore and freshman year needs.
For the brief quantitative analysis the data was exported from Student Voice to
Predictive Analytics SoftWare (PASW) 18.0 Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences
(SPSS) database where the analysis was executed. The first level of analysis determined
if the respondents were representative of the population under study. Next, frequency
counts of the percentages of responses were calculated. The software was used to obtain
descriptive statistics and to conduct frequencies, t-test, and Pearson’s Correlation.
Further analysis by demographical variables of ethnicity, enrollment status, and academic
level will contribute to the findings of answering the research question.
For the purpose of the remainder of the study, the researcher selected the
following themes to be closer examined—(1) academic integration, (2) social integration,
and (3) financial aid to further analyze sophomore retention at a rural university.
Retention will be measured three ways, determined by ethnicity, academic year, and the
student’s personal goals as to whether they intended to transfer, intended to graduate, or
stopping-out for personal development.
Vincent Tinto uses the variable academic integration in his Student Integration
Theory (SIG) to describe the degree to which students become integrated/assimilated into
the academic/intellectual life of the college (as cited in Tinto & Cullen, 1973). The
literature review further supported Academic Support Services as means of educational
support services that increase student retention at a rural community college specifically
academic advising (Butler et al., 2001; Hendel, 2007; Kalsner, 1991; Kennedy &
53
Sheckley, 1999; Lotkowski et al., 2004; Martin, 2008; Sanchez-Leguelinel 2008;
Winslow, 2006).
1. From the perspective as a student, select the level of agreement/disagreement
with the following statements; answer for both freshman year and sophomore
year categories.
a. Does the institution have specifically designed programs and activities that
help students with integration in to the academic and intellectual life of the
college during the freshman versus sophomore year?
b. Do educational leaders at the institution, in general consider a student's
integration in to the academic and intellectual life of the college be an
important to be important variable to be considered in students' decision to
remain at an institution during the freshman versus sophomore year?
Vincent Tinto includes the variable social integration in his SIG theory to describe
the relevance of student participation and satisfaction with campus life (as cited in Tinto
& Cullen, 1973). The literature review further supported Social Support Services as
means of educational support services that increase student retention at a rural
community college. Specifically, Student Services, Extended Opportunity Programs and
Services (EOPS), Disabled Students Program Services (DSPS), and extracurricular
activities and peer group interactions, in helping students with their adjustment to college
(Tinto & Cullen, 1973; Tinto, 1975, 1987; Gary, 2008; Pascarella & Terenzini, 1980,
1991; Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Cabrera et al., 1992; Cabrera et al., 1993; Seidman,
2005).
54
1. From the perspective as a student, select the level of agreement/disagreement
with the following statements; answer for both freshman year and sophomore
year categories.
a. Does the institution have specifically designed programs and activities that
help students develop their Social Integration during the Freshman versus
Sophomore year.
b. Do the educational leaders at the institution; in general consider a student's
Social Integration to be an important to be important variable to be
considered in students' decision to remain at an institution.
Vincent Tinto's variable the ability to pay is described in his SIG theory as the
degree to which students are able to finance their education (as cited in Tinto & Cullen,
1973). The Human Capital Theory from the literature explains the economic perspective
(Braxton & Hirschy, 2005; Becker, 1964; St. John et al., 2000) in terms of financial
benefit for improving retention through support services.
1. From the perspective as a student, select the level of
agreement/disagreement with the following statements; answer for both
freshman year and sophomore year categories.
a. Does the institution have specifically designed programs and activities that
help students with Ability to Pay for college during the freshman versus
sophomore year?
b. Do educational leaders at the institution; in general consider a student's
influence by ability to pay to be an important to be important variable to
55
be considered in students' decision to remain at an institution during the
freshman versus sophomore year?
The researcher examined retention rates of students at PWW a public, two-year
degree-granting institutions for summer 2010 by degrees of ethnicity, enrollment status,
and academic level. Data were obtained from the Integrated Postsecondary Education
Data System (IPEDS) maintained by the National Center for Educational Statistics. Parttime students and full-time students were defined according to existing IPEDS
definitions. Retention rates, according to IPEDS, were defined as the measure of the rate
at which students persist in their educational program at an institution, expressed as a
percentage. At a community college, this percentage would be first-time degree and
certificate-seeking students from the previous fall who either re-enrolled or successfully
completed their program by the current fall. The California Community College
Chancellor’s Office Data Mart was also utilized to compare data analysis at the state level
by degree of Student Academic/ Matriculation Services, Student Services, and Student
Financial Services. The researcher organized the survey into subtopic sections by themes
of variable data analysis and the findings and results of the analysis will be presented in
charts and narrative text.
56
Chapter 4
DATA ANALYSIS AND FINDINGS
Introduction
The purpose of this study investigates the research question: What are the best
practices of educational support services that increase student retention at a rural
community college?
While there may be a potentially rural college phenomenon regarding sophomore
retention, the focus of this study was narrowed to sophomore students in the remote
Pacific Northwest. Students included in the study were enrolled during the spring and
summer term of 2010 and were attending the community college at Pacific West Woods
(PWW). The data to be reported in this chapter was collected through survey research
and data analysis results are organized by the findings of the evaluative research question
the themes revealed in the data analysis procedures are enrollment status, academic level,
ethnicity, student academic services, student services, and student financial services. In
2010/11 academic year, PWW enrolled 20,811 student applicants for admissions.
National Clearinghouse (2010) data indicates 4,343 students departed three weeks into
the academic year prior to the final tuition refund deadline of September 12, 2010. For
the abbreviated content analysis, not all 95-questions will be analyzed in this chapter.
Only questions relating to educational support services that increase student retention will
have supported findings and tables for the remainder of this chapter.
57
Data Analysis and Findings
The first level of analysis determined if the respondents were representative of the
population under study. Two groups of students were used for the final data review
noting students whose units exceeded 60 semester hours were eliminated; a) only
continuing, and b), returning; freshman, sophomores, and junior students who responded
to the electronic survey. Next, frequency counts of the percentages of responses were
calculated. Further analysis by demographical variables of enrollment status, academic
level, and ethnicity was conducted for the current survey research.
Enrollment Status
The student sample for the study consisted of 61 respondents purposefully
sampled from the original 74 respondents (14.6% return rate) from a randomly selected
pool of 1,079 adult undergraduate students attending classes during the summer 2010
semester at Pacific West Woods community college. The respondents consisted of
6.25% freshmen, 25% sophomores, 12.50% juniors, 31.25% seniors, and 25% graduate
students.
58
Figure 1
Enrollment Status
Academic Level
Findings of completed semester hours reported 31.25% of respondents reported
less than 30 semester units while 68.75% reported carrying more than 31 semester units.
Figure 2
Number of Completed College Units
59
Ethnicity
There were 68.75%female and 31.25% male respondents with an ethnic
breakdown of 6.25% African American, 12.50% American Indian/Alaskan Native,
12.50% Asian, 56.25% Caucasian, 6.25% Chinese, 6.25% Filipino,6.25% Hispanic,
6.255 Native Hawaiian, 6.25% European, and 18.75% preferred not to respond.
Figure 3
Ethnic Identification
60
Of the 74 respondents, 68.75% reported that they have neither significant other
nor partner, 18.75% of respondents were married, and 12.50% reported they were
divorced.
Retention will be measured three ways, determined by ethnicity, academic year,
and the student’s personal goals as to whether they intended to transfer, intended to
graduate, or stopping-out for personal development. To further analyze sophomore
retention at a rural university the survey data analysis and findings are grouped into the
following themes: (1) academic integration, (2) social integration, and (3) financial aid.
Responses to the survey question seeking to determine reasons for student departure are
identified in the following Table 2.
Table 2
Reasons for Withdraw from Institution
Response %
Survey Response
30.77%
Transferred to another institution
15.38%
Needed some time off to reconsider my educational goals
3.85%
Had health-related problems
23.08%
Had problems financing my education
11.54%
Had family problems
15.38%
Had personal problems
3.85%
Found a job
0.00%
Entered military service
3.85%
Dismissed by college (please explain why)
61
100.00%
Failed to raise GPA to the required level within the College's time limits
0.00%
Did not obtain desired grade point average
0.00%
Got what I needed without finishing
42.31%
Other (please specify)
27.27%
Did not withdraw
9.09%
Did not withdraw
9.09%
Did not withdraw from either school
9.09%
Did not withdraw
9.09%
Didn't withdraw
9.09%
Graduated
9.09%
I did not withdraw
9.09%
I graduated, I just need to clarify 2 incompletes
9.09%
I'm still at University
Table 2 and Figure 4 indicate the student’s qualitative responses for their own
retention decisions. From the sample responses were 30.77% transferred to another
institution, and 42.31% had a variety of responses. Students’ needs are continuously
changing and retention services need to be dynamic.
62
Figure 4
Reasons for Withdraw from Institution
The findings of this question further support the notion that students are not
dropping out. Data analysis reveals findings of nearly 31% of the sample selected are
transferring to other institutions, 9.09% are even persisting by concurrent enrollment at
both the community college and local university. Supporting the literature review the
findings also reveal 23% of students sampled are having problems financing their
education. Only four percent experienced academic dismissal and 15% needed time to
reconsider their goals. Both of these situations could have been prevented and resolved
early through proper means of educational student support services.
63
Student Services
Successful student services as a supporting factor of the personal development
theory was described as relating to the integration models focusing on emotional
perspectives. The student involvement theory (Astin 1984, 1985, 1993) supports
increased student participation has a positive effect on a student’s emotional decision to
persist. Student’s needs and reasons for departure are considered in the following
analysis below in Table 3.
Table 3
Student Services and Student Needs
Response %
14.29%
Explain how needs changed from freshman to sophomore year
As a first year student coming out of high school I had ideas about
what programs I was interested in but became discouraged when stated
this and was limited by advisor into classes that just applied to that.
Needed to explore possibilities. Second year I had more knowledge of
how the school worked but was generally left to my own devices. Did
not know what assistance might be available. Little family support and
major family problems made it difficult to focus on school. Liked
Prescott approach that encouraged supportive self-direction, small
classes, and a focus on student strengths rather than on competition for
grades.
14.29%
I did not understand how to schedule GE courses around my major
courses. I stopped fulfilling GE Requirements because of the strong
64
demand of major requirements for a Music degree.
14.29%
I needed to begin building professional connections as a sophomore,
not as freshmen.
14.29%
I no longer had priority registration, so I had the worst sophomore
schedule both semesters and the worst grades of all my academic life,
academic probation. Because my schedule was so crazy I had the
hardest time working to make money to pay for school and life. I had
to take student loans and went into debt and depression. Since my
grades were so bad I was too embarrassed to seek faculty guidance for
help.
14.29%
I no longer needed basic orientation/"learning the ropes" type activities
and instead benefited more from class oriented programs.
14.29%
Many freshman live in dorms and make friends I did not it was hard to
find living situation as years changed and I got to know area and had to
look for apt and concentrate of classes
Similar findings were analyzed in the students’ responses of their needs during the
transition from sophomore to junior year. Student responses provided evidence to the
lack of institutional support services aimed at increasing student retention. Student
comments were “school fails to support students, remains separate from the larger
community within which it is placed and promotes policies that are inconsistent with its
stated values, promotes roadblocks that limit the sense of inclusion felt by those students
65
it states it is trying to attract”; and “disappointed in the school’s abilities to motivate and
inspire sophomores”.
Table 4
Changing Needs
55.56%
No
44.44% Yes (please explain)
Percent
Explain how your needs changed
12.50% I did not realize how challenging Upper Division courses
were going to be. I completely over-booked my schedule and
took too many courses. I needed better time-management
skills. My adviser should have warned me not to take on so
many courses.
12.50% I'm still a sophomore
12.50% Left school because of personal and family problems
primarily. Got an internship at Penn where I really began to
develop an idea of my own strengths and skills in a very
supportive and encouraging environment. When I returned to
school I had a full time job, a child, and all that those things
entail. I was strongly encouraged to resume my education by
someone that was extremely important to me who had just
graduated with a master’s degree in social work. I was in a
different place but still had poor knowledge of the school
resources available. I pay tuition out of pocket which is
66
difficult with the increases each semester and it is difficult to
meet my own standards at school while maintaining a full
time job and meeting my daughter's needs. Instructors are
supportive but I see so many ways that the school fails to
support students, remains separate from the larger community
within which it is placed and promotes policies that are
inconsistent with its stated values. We have a diversity week
at the school for instance and some of the students of color
put on a play that reflected the theme but needed to come up
with funding to rent out a space to present. The school
expresses the desire to promote diversity but promotes
roadblocks that limit the sense of inclusion felt by those
students it states it is trying to attract.
12.50% More and more I found I did not like what I am currently
majoring in. I’m still sticking with my major, but I don't
really like it- I don't know what I would rather change my
major either. Right now I’m about to enter my fourth/last
year at the University also. So it's frustrating.
12.50% My whole attitude towards education changed. Not until I
was a junior did I find out what I was passionate about and
was able to find professors willing to talk to me about my
future and hurdles. That's when I started to want a better
67
GPA and was inspired, but it was too late to change my GPA
significantly. I wish I could have had better mentors and
more exciting classes as a freshman and sophomore along
with having a good advisor who cared. This would have
made me care more about school in the beginning and I
would be much better off now. I'm very disappointed in the
schools ability to motivate and inspire sophomores and
freshman.
12.50% No longer taking general education classes, but no changes
in support or community. Still did not meet people in my
major or have more intense academic environment.
Student’s needs change from the freshman orientation until the day they depart
the institution. Students recognize their needs change and the university should address
sophomore retention and implement focuses student services to increase retention.
Table 5
Peer Mentoring of Sophomores as a Support Service
Percent
Response
22.22%
Significantly
16.67%
Considerably
27.78%
Moderately
22.22%
Slightly
68
11.11%
Not at all
Respondents
33.33%
Top 2
38.89% (7)
Bottom 2
(6)
Mean
3.17
Std Deviation
1.34
Median
3
Std Error
0.32
Confidence Interval @
2.55-
Mode
3
95%
3.79
Specific services to students as identified in the findings of the survey sample
indicate student support services that pupils feel increase retention at a their rural
community college are class events, peer mentoring, student supported living
arrangements, community service projects, sophomore seminar, learning communities
centered on major or residence location. Notably student government was not
contributed to student retention 44% (not at all).
Table 6
Learning Community Based on Major as an Educational Support Service
Percent
Response
27.78%
Significantly
22.22%
Considerably
38.89%
Moderately
69
0.00%
Slightly
11.11%
Not at all
Respondents
11.11%
Top 2
50.00% (9)
Bottom 2
(2)
Mean
3.56
Std Deviation
1.25
Median
3.5
Std Error
0.29
Confidence Interval @
2.98-
Mode
3
95%
4.13
According to the survey, students preferred peer mentoring 22.22% and even
more positively regarded learning communities by major 27.78%. Student services
should focus less attention on services that student do not regard as useful. Institutions
should provide services that support retention based on student needs of peer mentoring
and major-centered cohorts.
Student Academic Services
Student Academic Services include courses offered, positive faculty interaction
(both in class and out of class), advising, general skills programs (e.g., basic skills, study
skills, math, and tutoring/help centers), campus resources (e.g., computer, library,
athletic, college union), absenteeism, and certainty of major and academic integration.
Factors affecting minority students include warm classroom climate and faculty role
70
models, and those factors affecting nontraditional students include the expectation for
individual faculty member attention.
Participation in faculty research, staff mentoring programs, faculty mentoring, and
career exploration were all services highly regarded as effective retention means. Faculty
mentoring at 44% was by the most favored support service.
Table 7
Faculty Mentoring Program as a Student Support Service
Percent
Response
44.44%
Significantly
5.56%
Considerably
33.33%
Moderately
11.11%
Slightly
5.56%
Not at all
Top 2
16.67%
Mean
50.00% (9)
Bottom 2
(3)
Median
3.72
Std Deviation
1.32
Mode
3.5
Std Error
0.31
Confidence Interval @
3.11-
95%
4.33
71
Support services that are not contributed to a better experience as a sophomore
student were class publications (e.g., a newsletter, website, and handbook) and available
resources of faculty and staff. Academic advising, course selection programs, and major
advising as educational support services were not favorable according to students
sampled. The survey findings were far lower than the expected and ranking in the bottom
three of the academic services surveyed. Institutions focus many resources and staff for
academic advising and should consider concentration on faculty advisors instead of staff
advisors.
Student Financial Services
Student financial services support student retention as a pupil’ decisions to persist
are affected by the ability to pay, family resources, student aid, perceptions of aid, and
tuition. Essentially, price-response theories focus in part on economic factors whereby
the social and economic benefits of attending college are believed to outweigh any costs
and benefits associated with alternative activities (e.g., working full-time).
Table 8
Support Services Assisting Ability to Pay for College
Percent
30.00%
Response
Strongly agree
Moderately
45.00%
agree
Neither agree
72
nor disagree
5.00%
Moderately
5.00%
disagree
Strongly
15.00%
disagree
Respondents
20.00%
Top 2
75.00% (15)
Bottom 2
(4)
Mean
3.7
Std Deviation
1.38
Median
4
Std Error
0.31
Confidence Interval @
3.10-
95%
4.30
Mode
4
Combined approximately 75% of students identify their institution has services,
programs, and activities that help students with their ability to pay for college during their
freshman year.
Table 9
Educational Leaders Recognize Financial Support Services
Percent
Response
35.00%
Strongly agree
30.00%
Moderately
73
agree
Neither agree
10.00%
nor disagree
Moderately
15.00%
disagree
Strongly
10.00%
disagree
Respondents
25.00%
Top 2
65.00% (13)
Bottom 2
(5)
Mean
3.65
Std Deviation
1.39
Median
4
Std Error
0.31
Confidence Interval @
3.04-
Mode
5
95%
4.26
The educational leaders within higher education institutions, in general consider a
student's ability to pay for a postsecondary education to be an important variable
considered in a students' decision to remain at an institution. In the current survey, 65%
of students to some level agree their institutional leaders recognize affordability as a
means of retention.
74
Electronic data also has limitations to format and availability and selecting the
comparable 2008 fall enrollment data at Mendocino Community College of Ukiah was
most similar to the parameters of the currently available students at PWW.
Table 10
Community Colleges Compared
Imperial Valley College
Imperial, California
Public
Merced College
Merced, California
Public
Hartnell College
Salinas, California
Public
Mendocino College
Ukiah, California
Public
Interesting to the study is the comparable campus is also very remote, as the other
comparable data do not compare in degrees of rural communities. While the focus of this
analysis was not to determine how PWW compared to other community colleges, it is
important to know how relatively supported PWW students are with the various scales
measured by this survey. By comparing the PWW results with the national comparison
group, additional areas of best practices of educational support services were uncovered.
The top three areas showing higher support than state community colleges ranged from
satisfaction with the quality of services available to academic support services, and
ability to pay.
75
Table 11
Pearson Correlation
Q95
Q4
Q82
Q89
Pearson Correlation
-0.115
-0.343
0.179
Sig. (2-tailed)
0.672
0.332
0.507
products
-6.375
-14.5
9.125
Covariance
-0.425
-1.611
0.608
Sum of Squares and Cross-
Additional findings and descriptive statistics of t-test and Pearson’s Correlation
had minor significance in the findings. The Sophomore Needs Assessment Survey
uncovered three areas of strength for student desired support services within the PWW.
Further analysis by demographical variables of ethnicity, enrollment status, and academic
level contributed to findings of answering the research question. The findings of this
question further support the notion that students are not dropping out. Data analysis
reveals findings of nearly 31% of the sample selected are transferring to other
institutions. These situations could have been prevented and resolved early through
proper means of educational student support services, academic services, and financial
support services.
Student responses provided evidence to the lack of institutional support services
aimed at increasing student retention. Strengths range from the excellent academic
support services such as faculty mentoring, faculty research, staff mentoring programs,
76
career exploration, class events, peer mentoring, student supported living arrangements,
community service projects, sophomore seminar, learning communities centered on
major or residence location, and institutional leaders need to recognize affordability as a
means of retention.
The comparison of the PWW results with the state comparison group also
uncovered some areas of lower satisfaction. The top areas showing lower dissatisfaction
than state community colleges included student government up to academic advising.
The current survey instrument measured three scales to determine the support needs of
PWW students. Students were asked to indicate the level of importance for items and
then share their personal responses with that item. These measures uncovered the gaps
between the level of importance of support needs and the level of services provided.
Of particular interest to the study, is that the survey data revealed subject matter
not overly emphasized in the literature review supporting the null hypothesis. There are
by far too many variables if not thousands that influence retention. While the survey data
results did not reveal any statistical significance this should not be discouraging. The
null hypothesis only further supports the research question that there is an imperative
need for addressing educational support services that increase retention at a rural
community college the need is to identify best practices for the individual institution.
77
Chapter 5
SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
Summary
Student retention is an essential element in degree completion ensuring an
educated workforce that is critical to global competitiveness. In the current knowledgedriven market, higher education and innovative leaders are essential to the global impact
of economic prosperity. The current increase in the demand for higher education and the
goals of degree completion is generating an abundant amount of literature concerning
college student retention, attrition, and persistence to graduation. The literature review
supported the purpose of this study—to identify best practices of educational support
services that increase student retention within a rural community college. Student
retention involves a myriad of complex issues involving society, institution-related, and
student-related issues. Student retention is a key factor in degree completion ensuring an
educated workforce that is critical to global competitiveness.
For purposes of gathering information from students and staff at the rural
community college, Pacific West Woods (PWW), this study sought to determine if the
availability of educational support services increases student retention. The results of the
data should be used as a guide to implement additional policies for establishing specific
programs to address the problem of student retention and student needs at a rural
community college. In addition, effective programs aimed at increasing sophomore
78
retention and successful degree completion establishes an enhanced student support
services more importantly for the community college.
The process the researcher undertook to complete the thesis was no simple task.
Unfortunately, the time constraints of this study compiled with an escalated 18-month
M.E.d. program did not allow for a more in depth investigation of the emergence and
impact of students not retained by the university. It is suggested that future researchers
closely examine what appears to be a beneficial relationship between the university and
community colleges. The ultimate limitation worthy of mentioning is that the time
constraints of the study prevented any meaningful investigation into enrollment
management strategies for retaining sophomore students. Although the aforementioned
time constraints prevented the researcher from conducting an in depth inquiry into this
subject, it is strongly suggested that future researchers evaluate the impact of enrollment
management on sophomore retention. Student retention is a component of enrolment
management and is essential for all levels in postsecondary education.
While the survey data results did not reveal any statistical significance this should
not be discouraging. The null hypothesis only further supports the research question that
there is an imperative need for addressing educational support services that increase
retention at a rural community college. There are numerous factors effecting
postsecondary degree completion and many services to address student retention. This
research has theoretical and practical application to sophomore retention that would
direct focus and lead institutions of higher education to implement strategies for further
retaining sophomore students. This research has practical implications for sophomore
79
retention program that will contribute to the field of educational administration,
specifically in California at a rural community college where it is proposed that the policy
be implemented. The research has implications nationally as every institution has unique
mitigating factors impacting social and academic integration within their own campus.
Research regarding policy and implementation of such a program will revise, extend, and
create new knowledge in the field of educational leadership with respect to retention of
second-year students. The student retention issue is affecting higher education with the
loss of student fee revenues including reduced FTES from the general state fund.
Discussion of strategies for implementing a program for sophomore retention explores
solutions from innovative leaders willing and capable of taking prudent risks in
improving higher education.
Conclusions
Students have adopted a “cafeteria” approach to their education, taking classes at
several institutions before obtaining a credential (US Department of Education, 2006).
Adult learners are not necessarily seeking degrees if they seek professional development
to improve their skills for the job market. The skilled occupations for which students
seek preparation often require advanced skills in language arts and math, in science and
human relations (Blanchard, Casados, & Sheski, 2009). As nations look ahead in to the
next decade, an educated workforce is more valuable than ever. Yet college retention in
the United States is an increasing problem. If the future trend for higher education is not
to seek a terminal degree, it is imperative the postsecondary education system as whole
80
identify successful education in terms of customer (student) satisfaction and dispose of
the historical approach of enrollment management. Retention through student support
services needs to be developed, implemented, and verified (Pascarella & Terenzini,
2005). The retention strategies should be evaluated regularly to assess the effectiveness.
The theoretical framework surrounding student retention is an eclectic collection
of models and perspectives rather than building upon one or testing part of one theory an
evaluative application has been historically repeated. Findings from existing studies help
delineate current approaches of sophomore retention, contributing to existing research
findings, and summarizing key models with theories from the formal research. A flexible
action-research approach is necessary to address barriers in college completion by
examining critical intervention strategies at the student, institutional and policy levels
while focusing on increasing graduation rates; and identifying the role that leaders play in
promoting college success.
Recommendations
As the nation looks ahead in this new century, an educated workforce is more
important than ever (Heiman, 2010). Specific recommendations of ACT, Inc. (2010) and
suggestions from Lotkowski et al. (2004), while advancing the literature of educational
support services that increase retention are Student Academic Matriculation Services
(Orientation, Assessment Placement/Other, Counseling/Advising, Follow up; and Student
Services Programs (DSPS/EOPS/CalWorks) as well as Student Financial Services. TRIO
is funded by the Federal Higher Education Act (Steele, 2008) and is implemented and
81
monitored by the United States Department of Education (2006). Originally consisting of
three programs (TRIO): Upward Bound (precollege performance), Educational Talent
Search (offers advice, support, and information to the needs of disadvantaged students,
including dropouts), and Student Support Services (increases retention and successful
completion once students are enrolled in postsecondary education). These services are
aimed at promoting disadvantaged students and those with low participation rates in
postsecondary education, to enroll and achieve in college.
In particular, the survey revealed the significance of Extended Opportunity
Programs and Services (EOPS). EOPS’ primary goal is to promote the enrollment,
retention and transfer of those who are hindered by language, social, economic, and
educational disadvantages, and to assist the successful completion of students’ goals in
college. Community colleges located in rural areas are socially disadvantage
(geographically), disadvantaged economically (labor and income rates), and
educationally disadvantaged (available resources). EOPS offers academic and support
counseling, financial aid and other support services.
Disabled Students Program and Services (DSPS) provide support services,
specialized instruction, and instructional accommodations to students with disabilities so
that they too can benefit equally from the college experience as that of their peers. A
Student Educational Contract (SEC) is outlined for each student, linking students’ goals,
curriculum program, and academic accommodations to their determined educational
disability. An eligibility criterion for DSPS requires the specific disability to be verified,
and there must be a learning limitation that precludes the student from fully participating
82
in regular education without other specialized services. Examples of services available
through DSPS are test-taking facilitation, assessment for learning disabilities, specialized
counseling, interpreter services for hearing-impaired or deaf students, mobility assistance,
note-taker services, reader services, speech services, transcription services,
transportation, specialized tutoring, access to adaptive equipment, job placement,
academic registration assistance, special parking and specialized academic instruction.
SEC would be a valuable strategy for any student not just DSPS this is a policy that
should be implemented and acted upon each academic year.
Further recommendations worth noting are not to compare institutions needs and
services. As discovered in reaching the null hypothesis in the survey research conducted
in this study, there are too many varying factors contributing to retention. Institutions
need to identify their own campus’ needs. ACT (2010) identifies 42 most common
factors affecting student retention and 94 support services, programs, academic offerings,
and interventions that contribute to increasing student retention.
The Principles of Effective Implementation
Understanding why students leave college is crucial data to administrative leaders
as the colleges spend a considerable amount of time and money recruiting and admitting
students only to have them leave before graduating. Early departure has negative
economic and psychological implications for both the departing student and the campus
community they are leaving behind. Furthermore, institutions may want to consider
revising their definitions of retention to encompass the students’ academic goals, course
83
retention, and degree completion in order to revise the fiscal allocations and FTES
formula. This is why it is necessary to evaluate retention and student service programs
once they are implemented. Community colleges provide marketable job skills and
promote economic prosperity. Higher educational leaders need to continuously revise
their retention support services as students’ needs are ever changing.
84
APPENDICES
85
APPENDIX A
Email Invitation to Participate in Research with Link to Survey
86
Email Invitation to Participate in Research with Link to Survey
Preventing Dropouts in Higher Education
From: Student, Jodilee Reid, M.A. Candidate
(notification@email.studentvoice.com)
Sent: Wed 7/14/10 4:01 PM
To: jduartebreid@hotmail.com
Assist a fellow student? Please help me to help you. You will also be helping a fellow student earn their
degree.
You are being asked to participate in research which will be conducted by Jodi Reid, a current graduate
student in the Higher Education Leadership Master’s program at California State University.
The purpose of the study is to investigate ‘identifying factors for improving student retention.’ This
information is important because of its implications for improving student retention in preventing
dropouts and encouraging degree completion. The research procedures include completing a questionnaire. In this
questionnaire you will be asked to answer a series of questions, as well as complete a survey.
Completing this questionnaire is completely safe and is not associated with any known health risks.
You may not personally benefit from participating in this research. However, research of this nature will
be used to establish predicting factors for sophomore attrition, while identifying factors for improving
sophomore retention and preventing dropouts. You will also be helping a fellow student earn their
degree.
Your participation in this study will be kept confidential. Your responses will also be kept confidential to
the degree permitted by the technology used. However, no absolute guarantees can be given for the
confidentiality of electronic data. Once the online questionnaire is submitted the researcher will be
unable to remove anonymous data from the database should the participant wish to withdraw it.
However, the results of the study as a whole may be shared with the scientific community and become a
matter of public record.
You will not receive any compensation for completing this questionnaire.
If you have any questions about this research, you may contact Jodilee Reid via email at csusedlp09@sbcglobal.net.
Your participation is solely voluntary, and you may choose not to participate. Your participation is valued
and your input is sincerely appreciated. By completing this questionnaire, you are agreeing to participate
in the research. You may decline to be a participant in this study without any consequences.
To access the survey please click here. If the survey does not open automatically, please copy and paste
the following link to your internet browser's address bar:
http://studentvoice.com/p/?uuid=93d911b1b5b64ca58a1848bd34709160
Thank you for your assistance. Your participation is very much appreciated and your input is greatly valued.
Sincerely,
JODI REID
California State University, Sacramento
csusedlp09@sbcglobal.net
87
APPENDIX B
Informed Consent to Participate in Research
88
Informed Consent to Participate in Research
You are being asked to participate in research which will be conducted by Jodilee Reid, a
current graduate student in the Higher Education Leadership Master’s program at California
State University, Sacramento.
The purpose of the study is to investigate ‘identifying factors for improving sophomore
retention.’ This information is important because of its implications for improving sophomore
retention and preventing dropouts.
The research procedures include completing a questionnaire. In this questionnaire you will
be asked to answer a series of questions, as well as complete a survey.
Completing this questionnaire is completely safe and is not associated with any known health
risks.
You may not personally benefit from participating in this research. However, research of this
nature will be used to establish predicting factors for sophomore attrition and identify factors
for improving sophomore retention. You will be helping a fellow student earn their degree.
Your participation in this study will be kept confidential. Your responses will also be kept
confidential to the degree permitted by the technology used. However, no absolute
guarantees can be given for the confidentiality of electronic data. Once the online
questionnaire is submitted the researcher will be unable to remove anonymous data from the
database should the participant wish to withdraw it. However, the results of the study as a
whole may be shared with the scientific community and become a matter of public record.
You will not receive any compensation for completing this questionnaire.
If you have any questions about this research, you may contact Jodilee Reid via email at
csusedlp09@sbcglobal.net or by phone at (916) 375-1225.
Your participation is solely voluntary, and you may choose not to participate. By completing
this questionnaire, you are agreeing to participate in the research. You may decline to be a
participant in this study without any consequences. By clicking on the ‘I Agree’ button
below you indicate you have read this page and agree to participate in this research.

I agree

I disagree
Your signature below indicates that you have read this page and agree to participate in the
research.
________________________________
Signature of Participant
____________________
Date
89
APPENDIX C
Sophomore Needs Assessment
90
Sophomore Needs Assessment
Q1 You are being asked to participate in research which will be conducted by Jodilee
Reid, a current graduate student in the Higher Education Leadership Master's program
at California State University, Sacramento.
The purpose of the study is to investigate 'identifying factors for improving student
retention.' This information is important because of its implications for improving
student retention in preventing dropouts and encouraging degree completion.
The research procedures include completing a questionnaire. In this questionnaire you
will be asked to answer a series of questions, as well as complete a survey.
Completing this questionnaire is completely safe and is not associated with any known
health risks.
You may not personally benefit from participating in this research. However, research
of this nature will be used to establish predicting factors for sophomore attrition, while
identifying factors for improving sophomore retention and preventing dropouts. You
will also be helping a fellow student earn their degree.
Your participation in this study will be kept confidential. Your responses will also be
kept confidential to the degree permitted by the technology used. However, no
absolute guarantees can be given for the confidentiality of electronic data. Once the
online questionnaire is submitted the researcher will be unable to remove anonymous
data from the database should the participant wish to withdraw it. However, the results
of the study as a whole may be shared with the scientific community and become a
matter of public record.
You will not receive any compensation for completing this questionnaire.
If you have any questions about this research, you may contact Jodilee Reid via e-mail
at csusedlp09@sbcglobal.net or by phone at (916) 803-3081.
Your participation is solely voluntary, and you may choose not to participate. By
completing this questionnaire, you are agreeing to participate in the research. You may
decline to be a participant in this study without any consequences. By clicking on the
'I agree' button below you indicate you have read this page and agree to participate in
this research.
I agree[Code = 1]
91
I disagree[Code = 2] (Go To End)
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Next Page: Conditional
Page - Sophomore Needs Assessment
Q2 Which of the following institutions have you attended previously? (Check all that
apply)
College of the Redwoods[Code = 1]
Humboldt State University[Code = 2]
Other (please specify)[Code = 3] [TextBox]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 3
Q3 For which of the following reasons did you withdraw from your institution? (Check
all that apply)
Transferred to another institution [Code = 1]
Returning to another institution next semester (please specify institution)[Code = 2]
[TextBox]
Needed some time off to reconsider my educational goals[Code = 3]
Had health-related problems[Code = 4]
Had problems financing my education[Code = 5]
Had family problems[Code = 6]
Had personal problems[Code = 7]
Found a job[Code = 8]
Entered Military Service[Code = 9]
Dismissed by college (please explain why)[Code = 10] [TextBox]
Did not obtain desired grade point average[Code = 11]
Got what I needed without finishing[Code = 12]
Other (please specify)[Code = 13] [TextBox]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 13
Q4 What are your future educational plans?
Returning to an institution in the future (please specify institution)[Code = 1]
[TextBox]
Transferring to another institution immediately (please specify institution)[Code = 2]
[TextBox]
Transferring to another institution in the future (please specify institution)[Code = 3]
[TextBox]
I have no immediate plans to continue my education.[Code = 4]
92
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Vincent Tinto uses the variable academic integration in his Student Integration Theory
(SIG) to describe the degree to which students become integrated/assimilated into the
academic/intellectual life of the college effects retention. (Academic integration - use
of academic facilities and services, sharing academic values; academic factors, courses
offered, positive faculty interaction both in class and out of class, advisors, general
skills programs, basic skills, study skills, math, and English tutoring/help centers,
campus resources, computer, library, athletic, college union, absenteeism, warm
classroom climate and faculty role models, and the expectation for individual faculty
member attention.)
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
Q5 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
with their integration in to the academic and intellectual life of the college during their
freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q6 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's academic
integration into the academic/intellectual life of the college to be an important variable
to be considered in students' decision to remain at an institution during their freshman
year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
93
Q7 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
with their integration in to the academic and intellectual life of the college during their
sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q8 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's academic
integration into the academic/intellectual life of the college to be an important variable
to be considered in students' decision to remain at an institution during their sophomore
year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q9 Do you consider yourself academically integrated/assimilated into the
academic/intellectual life of your college?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Vincent Tinto uses the variable significant other's influence in his (SIG) theory and
describes the influence a significant person such as an advisor, administrator, faculty,
or staff member, may have in institutional retention efforts.
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
94
Q10 My institution views the influence of a significant person as an important variable
in a student's decisions to remain at a campus.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q11 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities so that students
are likely to be significantly influenced by an advisor, administrator, faculty, or staff
member during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q12 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's influence
by a significant person to be an important variable to be considered in a students'
decision to remain at an institution during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
Q13 My institution views the influence of a significant person as an important variable
in student's decisions to remain at a campus.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
95
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q14 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities so that students
are likely to be significantly influenced by an advisor, administrator, faculty, or staff
member during the sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q15 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's influence
by a significant person to be an important variable to be considered in students'
decision to remain at an institution during the sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q16 Do you consider yourself having been influenced by a significant person such as
an advisor, administrator, faculty, or staff member, at your institution?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Vincent Tinto's variable the ability to pay is described in his SIG theory as the degree
to which students are able to finance their education which effects retention. (Ability to
Pay - affected by organizational factors/institutional factors. These include financial
aid, orientation programs, rules, and regulations, memberships in campus
organizations, involvement in decision-making, housing policies, counseling, the
bursars office, ease of registration, and staff attitudes toward students. For minority
students, not viewing rules as oppressive, parking, child care, campus safety,
availability of services after hours, evening/weekend scheduling, and cost per credit
hour are factors.)
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
96
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
Q17 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
with ability to pay for college during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q18 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's ability to
pay to be an important variable to be considered in a students' decision to remain at an
institution during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
Q19 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
with ability to pay for college during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q20 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's ability to
pay to be an important variable to be considered in a students' decision to remain at an
institution during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
97
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q21 Do you consider a student's ability to pay to be an important variable to be
considered in your decision to remain at an institution?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Vincent Tinto includes the variable skill and ability in his SIG theory and describes
how students' academic skills and abilities, which they bring to college, will enable
them to be successful in the classroom. (Skill and ability - Individual factors:
Background, which students bring to college, will enable them to be successful in the
classroom; Background Variables: These include parental support, parents' education,
parents' income, educational goals, precollege academic success (high class rank, grade
point average, standardized test scores), college preparatory curriculum, and friends
attending college. Extended family support, church and community support, and
previous positive interracial/intercultural contact, spouse support and employer
support. Factors of Attitudes, intentions, and Psychological Processes. These include
self-efficacy as a student, sense of self-development and self-confidence, internal locus
of control, strategies of approach, motivation to study, need for achievement,
satisfaction, practical value of one's education, stress, alienation, loyalty, sense of
fitting it, and intention to stay enrolled. Self-validation is also a factor.)
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
Q22 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
develop their skill and ability during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
98
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q23 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's skill and
ability to be an important variable to be considered in a students' decision to remain at
an institution during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
Q24 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
develop their skill and ability during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q25 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's skill and
ability to be an important variable to be considered in a students' decision to remain at
an institution during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q26 Do you consider a student's skill and ability to be an important to be important
variable to be considered in your decision to remain at an institution?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
99
Vincent Tinto includes the variable social integration in his SIG theory to describe the
relevance of student participation and satisfaction with campus life, particularly
extracurricular activities and peer group interactions, in helping students with their
adjustment to college. (Social factors - Among the social factors affecting retention
are close friends on campus, peer culture, social involvement, service learning, Greek
organizations, informal contact with faculty, identification with a group on campus,
and social integration. A positive intercultural/interracial environment and minority
enrollment.)
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
Q27 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
develop their social integration during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q28 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's social
integration to be an important variable to be considered in students' decision to remain
at an institution during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
Q29 My institution has specifically designed programs and activities that help students
develop their social integration during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
100
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q30 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's social
integration to be an important variable to be considered in students' decision to remain
at an institution during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q31 Do you consider a student's social integration to be an important to be important
variable to be considered in your decision to remain at an institution?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Vincent Tinto includes the variable environment in his SIG theory and describes the
level of support of students and their involvements in the life of the college, including
the development of college policies and programs. Environmental characteristic that
contribute to the environment are counseling services, academic advising, orientation
programs, learning/academic support services, defined mission, and role of the college.
Required answers: 0
Allowed answers: 0
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
freshman year:
Q32 My institution considers the issue of environment and has specifically designed
programs and activities that help students develop within their environment during
their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
101
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q33 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's
environment to be an important variable to be considered in students' decision to
remain at an institution during their freshman year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Please indicate your level of agreement with the following statements regarding your
sophomore year:
Q34 My institution considers the issue of an environment and has specifically designed
programs and activities that help students develop within their environment during
their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q35 The educational leaders at my institution, in general consider a student's
environment to be an important variable to be considered in students' decision to
remain at an institution during their sophomore year.
Strongly agree[Code = 5]
Moderately agree[Code = 4]
Neither agree nor disagree[Code = 3]
Moderately disagree[Code = 2]
Strongly disagree[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
102
Q36 Do you consider a student's environment to be an important to be important
variable to be considered in your decision to remain at an institution?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q37 What college/program do you belong to?
Business, Public Policy and Health[Code = 1]
Education and Human Development[Code = 2]
Engineering[Code = 3]
Explorations[Code = 4]
Liberal Arts and Sciences[Code = 5]
Natural Sciences, Forestry and Agriculture[Code = 6]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q38 On average, how many times each semester have you met with a faculty member
about an academic difficulty or other issue?
0[Code = 0]
1 - 3[Code = 1]
4 - 6[Code = 2]
7 - 9[Code = 3]
10 or more[Code = 4]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q39 On average, how many times each semester have you sought academic support
assistance outside the classroom (e.g., tutoring, math lab, writing center)?
0[Code = 0]
1 - 3[Code = 1]
4 - 6[Code = 2]
7 - 9 [Code = 3]
10 or more[Code = 4]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q40 Do you feel you have someone with whom you can honestly discuss your
academic challenges?
Yes (please specify whom)[Code = 1] [TextBox]
103
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Thinking back to your sophomore year, how challenging were each of the following
for you?
Q41 Choosing a major
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q42 Exploring a career path
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q43 Attaining leadership positions
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Q44 Developing time management skills
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
104
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q45 Course content
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Q46 Getting good grades
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Q47 Connecting with faculty
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Q48 Connecting with peers
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
105
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q50 Seeking out campus resources on your own
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q51 Finding employment (on or off campus)
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q52 Finding a community to which you belonged
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q49 Adjusting to new living situation
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
106
Q53 Funding your higher education
Extremely challenging [Code = 5]
Very challenging [Code = 4]
Moderately challenging [Code = 3]
Slightly challenging [Code = 2]
Not at all challenging [Code = 1]
Not applicable[Code = 0]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
To what extent do you think each of the following sophomore-specific activities or
programs would have contributed to a better experience for you as a sophomore
student?
Q54 Class events (e.g., trips, dinners, dances)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q55 Peer mentoring by sophomores (i.e., sophomores mentoring other students)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q56 Peer mentoring of sophomores (i.e., from a junior or senior)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Q57 Student government (e.g., Sophomore Council)
Allowed answers: 1
107
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q58 Living arrangements (e.g., all-sophomore residence hall floor)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q59 Community service or service-learning project
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q60 Participation in faculty research
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q61 Faculty mentoring program (i.e., faculty mentoring sophomores)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
108
Q62 Staff mentoring program (i.e., staff mentoring sophomores)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q63 Credit-earning course (e.g., a sophomore seminar)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q64 Learning community based on major
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q65 Learning community based on living location
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q66 Academic advising/course selection programs
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
109
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q67 Programs to assist with selection of major
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q68 Career exploration/planning programs
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q69 Class publications (e.g., a newsletter, website, handbook)
Significantly [Code = 5]
Considerably [Code = 4]
Moderately [Code = 3]
Slightly [Code = 2]
Not at all [Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q70 Did your needs change as you transitioned from a first-year student to a
sophomore?
Yes (please explain)[Code = 1] [TextBox]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q71 Did your needs change as you transitioned from a sophomore to an upper-class
student?
Yes (please explain)[Code = 1] [TextBox]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
110
Q72 Are your needs as a student different now that you are a sophomore (as compared
to your first year)?
Yes (please explain)[Code = 1] [TextBox]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
How well did your first year prepare you for using the following skills and abilities in
your second year?
Q73 Writing papers
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q74 Verbally expressing your ideas
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q75 Problem-solving
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Q76 Critical thinking
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
111
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q77 Teamwork
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Q78 Preparing for exams
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Q79 Managing your time
Extremely[Code = 5]
Very[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Q80 Have you declared a major?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Q81 Do you currently work?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
112
Q82 On average, how many hours per week do you work?
1-5[Code = 1]
6-10[Code = 2]
11-15[Code = 3]
16-20[Code = 4]
21-25[Code = 5]
26-30[Code = 6]
More than 30[Code = 7]
Required answers: 1
Display if Q81='Yes'
Allowed answers: 1
Q83 Where do you work?
On campus[Code = 1]
Off campus[Code = 2]
Both on and off campus[Code = 3]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q84 Did you live on campus as a first-year student?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Display if Q81='Yes'
Q85 To what degree do you, as a student, feel supported by this institution overall?
A great deal[Code = 5]
Considerably[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q86 To what degree do you feel that there are resources and people at this institution
who want to help you achieve your academic, career, and personal goals?
A great deal[Code = 5]
113
Considerably[Code = 4]
Moderately[Code = 3]
Slightly[Code = 2]
Not at all[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q87 What is the likelihood that you will return to this institution next semester?
Very likely[Code = 5]
Somewhat likely[Code = 4]
Neither likely nor unlikely[Code = 3]
Somewhat unlikely[Code = 2]
Very unlikely[Code = 1]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q88 Do you plan to live on campus next year?
Yes[Code = 1]
No[Code = 2]
Have not decided yet[Code = 3]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q89 In which range does your age fall?
19 or younger[Code = 1]
20 - 24[Code = 2]
25 - 29[Code = 3]
30 - 34[Code = 4]
35 - 39[Code = 5]
40 - 44[Code = 6]
45 - 49[Code = 7]
50 or older[Code = 8]
Required answers: 1
Q90 What is your gender?
Male[Code = 1]
Female[Code = 2]
Allowed answers: 1
114
Transgender[Code = 3]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q91 Where are you from?
N.CA[Code = 1]
Central CA[Code = 2]
Bay Area[Code = 3]
S. CA[Code = 4]
Out of state[Code = 5]
Outside the U.S.[Code = 6]
Q92 With which ethnicities do you indentify? (Check all that apply)
African[Code = 1]
African American[Code = 2]
American Indian/Alaskan Native[Code = 3]
Arabic[Code = 4]
Armenian and Iranian)[Code = 5]
Asian[Code = 6]
Asian Indian[Code = 7]
Bangladeshi[Code = 8]
Black[Code = 9]
Burmenese[Code = 10]
Cambodian[Code = 11]
Caribbean[Code = 12]
Caucasian[Code = 13]
Chinese[Code = 14]
Cuban[Code = 15]
Filipino [Code = 16]
Haitian[Code = 17]
Hispanic[Code = 18]
Hmong[Code = 19]
Indonesian[Code = 20]
Japanese[Code = 21]
Korean[Code = 22]
Laotian[Code = 23]
Latino[Code = 24]
Malaysian[Code = 25]
115
Mongolian[Code = 26]
Native Hawaiian[Code = 27]
Nepalese[Code = 28]
Other Hispanic origins[Code = 29]
Other Pacific Islanders[Code = 30]
Pakistani[Code = 31]
Polish[Code = 32]
Puerto Rican [Code = 33]
Russian[Code = 34]
Singaporean[Code = 35]
Sri Lankan[Code = 36]
Thai[Code = 37]
Vietnamese[Code = 38]
Other (please specify)[Code = 39] [TextBox]
Prefer not to respond[Code = 40]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 39
Q93 What is your marital status?
Single[Code = 1]
Unmarried partners[Code = 2]
Married[Code = 3]
Divorced[Code = 4]
Widowed[Code = 5]
Other (please specify)[Code = 6] [TextBox]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q94 What is your academic classification?
Freshman[Code = 1]
Sophomore[Code = 2]
Junior[Code = 3]
Senior[Code = 4]
Graduate student[Code = 5]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
Q95 How many college units have you completed?
0 units [Code = 1]
1 - 9 units [Code = 2]
10 - 20 units [Code = 3]
116
21 - 30 units [Code = 4]
31 - 39 units [Code = 5]
40 - 49 units [Code = 6]
50 - 59 units [Code = 7]
60 - 69 units [Code = 8]
70 - 80 units [Code = 9]
81 + units [Code = 10]
Required answers: 1
Allowed answers: 1
117
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