Undergraduate Retention Initiatives
College of Arts & Sciences
Office of the Provost
Texas Tech University
January 30, 2014
Introduction
Successful retention programs encompass virtually everything an institution does to improve the quality
of student life and learning. Quality can be defined as that set of attributes of an educational program or
service that consistently exceeds student expectations within specifically defined institutionaldetermined standards and/or criteria of performance. Practically speaking, the evidence of effective
programs is clear, namely that the route to successful retention lies in those programs that ensure from
the very onset of student contact with the institution; that entering students are integrated with
teaching/learning processes of the college; and that students acquire the skills and knowledge needed to
become successful learners in that community.
To better understand each college’s approaches to supporting student success, the Provost issued a
request for the inventory of college-based retention and success initiatives. In conjunction with the larger
institution-wide report, this extract reports only the information submitted provided by the College of
Arts & Sciences. What follows is information provided by the college in narrative format, then in a
columnar layout that will facilitate a clear understanding of updates, deletions, and additions.
Current Structure/Approach
Advising/retention are both centralized and decentralized within the College. Academic advising takes
place in the departments, while progress towards degree is monitored by the Dean’s Office. Retention
efforts are discussed and implemented at all levels – among Associate Deans, Chairs, and Advisors.
 Retention begins with good recruiting & outreach. To this end, the college has increased efforts
to reach out to and recruit in the local schools (for example: LISD, Cooper, Frenship).
 One specific initiative was undertaken to augment the advising in Physics – this was done
strategically to assist in preserving the department and also to support students. This effort has
had great success, with over 20 new Physics majors recruited in 2013. Similar outreach efforts
are taking place in POLS/Global Studies, English, and HESS.
 Several academic departments offer tutoring for high challenge courses: Chemistry, Math,
English, and Foreign Language Courses.
 Students who have a 2.00-2.25 GPA are enrolled in TTU PADR classes (Programs for Academic
Development and Retention).
Initiatives
The college has already begun to examine the issue of retention and persistence. The college will begin to
develop a blueprint by which it can support the retention efforts taking place within the academic
departments.
 The college would like to implement intervention specialist in all 16 of its academic units (this is
contingent upon funding).
The Deans and Chairs will review the process of reducing underperformance in courses with high DFW
rates.
 Increased faculty involvement in student intervention and student support efforts will be crucial
to their success.
 Additional departments may be able to offer tutoring for high challenge courses.
Support Needed



Accurate data & reports need to be available to all Colleges.
Encourage increased faculty involvement.
Funding for Intervention specialists in A&S departments.
2015 Success & Retention Update
Add additional rows for new strategies and initiatives
Office
2014 Strategy
2014 Retention Initiative
College of Arts
& Sciences
Augment
Advising
Physics
Augment
Advising
Augment
Advising
Augment
Advising
Augment
Advising
Political
Science
English
Kinesiology &
Sport
Management
College of Arts
& Sciences
One specific initiative was undertaken to
augment the advising in Physics – this was done
strategically to assist in preserving the
department and also to support students. This
effort has had great success, with over 20 new
Physics majors recruited in 2013. Similar
outreach efforts are taking place in POLS/Global
Studies, English, and HESS.
Departmental
Personnel
The college would like to implement
intervention specialist in all 16 of its
academic units (this is contingent upon
funding).
College of Arts
& Sciences
Low-GPA
Intervention
College of Arts
& Sciences
Monitoring
Students who have a 2.00-2.25 GPA are enrolled
in TTU PADR classes (Programs for Academic
Development and Retention).
Advising/retention are both centralized and
decentralized within the College. Academic
advising takes place in the departments, while
progress towards degree is monitored by the
Dean’s Office. Retention efforts are discussed
and implemented at all levels – among Associate
Deans, Chairs and Advisors.
2015 Update
Progress/Goals/Needs/Plans/Measures
Office
2014 Strategy
2014 Retention Initiative
College of Arts
& Sciences
Monitoring &
Faculty
Involvement
College of Arts
& Sciences
Planning
College of Arts
& Sciences
Recruiting
The Deans and Chairs will review the process of
reducing underperformance in courses with high
DFW rates. Increased faculty involvement in
student intervention and student support efforts
will be crucial to their success.
The college will begin to develop a blueprint by
which it can support the retention efforts taking
place within the academic departments.
Retention begins with good recruiting &
outreach. To this end, the college has increased
efforts to reach out to and recruit in the local
schools (for example: LISD, Cooper, Frenship).
College of Arts
& Sciences
SelfEvaluation
Tutoring
College of Arts
& Sciences
College of Arts
& Sciences
Tutoring
The college has already begun to examine the issue
of retention and persistence.
Additional departments may be able to offer
tutoring for high challenge courses.
Several academic departments offer tutoring for
high challenge courses: Chemistry, Math,
English, and Foreign Language Courses.
2015 Update
Progress/Goals/Needs/Plans/Measures