More colleges and universities are expanding the role of academic departments in retention efforts, and this survey looks at the reaction of the department chairs to these and related efforts.
122 department chairs drawn from more than 100 colleges and universities provide data and commentary, enabling this report’s end users to answer the following kinds of questions: what role to a department chair play in retention efforts? How closely do they work with college and university retention officials? What percentage and kinds of departments mount their own independent retention efforts? What percentage have departmental tutoring programs? What is the role of online tutoring in their efforts? How successful have they been? What role has adjunct faculty played? How well coordinated are retention efforts? And much more.
Data in the report is broken out by departmental variables such as academic field, instructor size, and a number of years the department chair has served, as well as by institutional variables such as overall enrollment, tuition, public/private status, and Carnegie class, among other variables.
Just a few of this 85-page report’s many findings are:
- Departmental tutoring programs were significantly more common in the USA than in Canada
- Department chair over age 70 was much likelier than their younger peers to have a departmental tutoring program.
- Department chairs in allied health programs (nursing/nutrition, occupational and physical therapy, etc.) were the most likely to enjoy a cooperative relationship with college retention officials.
- Chair in performing arts, journalism, and sociology were more apt than others to feel that their adjuncts were not very well tuned into retention issues on campus.
Table of Contents
- Characteristics of the sample
- Institutional Affiliations of the Survey Participants
- Use of Departmental-Level Tutoring Programs
- View of the Value of Online Departmental Tutoring Programs
- Departmental Identification of High Risk Students
- Change in Number of Students Switching Majors
- Plans for Departmental Early Warning System for Students At-Risk
- Success Stories in Increasing Departmental Retention Rates
- Cooperation Between Department Chair and College Retention Officials
- Departmental Retention Rates Vs. Norm for the College or University
- Help for Students Switching Majors
- Assessment of the Strength of the Student Retention Culture in the Department
- View of the Attitude of Faculty Adjuncts Towards Retention Culture
- Opinions on the Role of the Academic Department in the College Retention Effort
Table 1.3 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by country
Table 1.4 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 1.5 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by enrollment
Table 1.6 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 1.7 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 1.8 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by public or private college
Table 1.9 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 1.10 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 1.11 Does your department have a tutoring program specifically designed for students majoring in or otherwise focusing on your department's subject area? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 2.1 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular?
Table 2.2 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by academic field
Table 2.3 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by country
Table 2.4 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 2.5 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by enrollment
Table 2.6 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 2.7 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 2.8 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by public or private college
Table 2.9 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 2.10 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 2.11 How likely is it that online tutoring has already or will become an important and effective tool for helping your students in particular? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 3.1 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages?
Table 3.2 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by academic field
Table 3.3 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by country
Table 3.4 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 3.5 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by enrollment
Table 3.6 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 3.7 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 3.8 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by public or private college
Table 3.9 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 3.10 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 3.11 Does the department identify high risk students and then intervene at certain thresh-holds such as number of classes or assignments missed, or low grade point averages? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 4.1 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed?
Table 4.2 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by academic field
Table 4.3 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by country
Table 4.4 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 4.5 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by enrollment
Table 4.6 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 4.7 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 4.8 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by public or private college
Table 4.9 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 4.10 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 4.11 In your recent experience, has the number of students who change majors out of or into your subject area changed? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 5.1 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely?
Table 5.2 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by academic field
Table 5.3 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by country
Table 5.4 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 5.5 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by enrollment
Table 5.6 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 5.7 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 5.8 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by public or private college
Table 5.9 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 5.10 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 5.11 Should your department operate some kind of early warning system to identify students at risk of leaving the major for another or leaving the college entirely? Broken out by age of respondent If you have had particular success in increasing departmental retention rates for any specific student group defined by any criteria -- race, SAT level, academic major, subject concentration, study or intellectual habits or background -- relate that here.
Table 6.1 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts?
Table 6.2 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by academic field
Table 6.3 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by country
Table 6.4 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 6.5 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by enrollment
Table 6.6 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 6.7 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 6.8 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by public or private college
Table 6.9 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 6.10 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 6.11 How close and cooperative relationship do you have with officials at your college most involved in retention efforts? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 7.1 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole?
Table 7.2 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by academic field
Table 7.3 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by country
Table 7.4 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 7.5 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by enrollment
Table 7.6 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 7.7 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 7.8 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by public or private college
Table 7.9 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 7.10 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 7.11 In your view are student retention rates in your department better than, worse than or about the same as for your college or university on the whole? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 8.1 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors?
Table 8.2 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by academic field
Table 8.3 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by country
Table 8.4 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 8.5 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by enrollment
Table 8.6 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 8.7 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 8.8 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by public or private college
Table 8.9 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 8.10 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 8.11 Have you ever helped a student to switch majors? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 9.1 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department?
Table 9.2 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by academic field
Table 9.3 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by country
Table 9.4 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 9.5 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by enrollment
Table 9.6 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 9.7 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 9.8 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by public or private college
Table 9.9 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 9.10 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 9.11 How strong is the "student retention" culture in your department? Broken out by age of respondent
Table 10.1 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution?
Table 10.2 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by academic field
Table 10.3 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by country
Table 10.4 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by type of college or Carnegie class
Table 10.5 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by enrollment
Table 10.6 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by years being chair/ vice chair
Table 10.7 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by number of faculty
Table 10.8 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by public or private college
Table 10.9 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by tuition, $
Table 10.10 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by gender of respondent
Table 10.11 How well tuned in to retention issues are adjunct and temporary faculty at your institution? Broken out by age of respondent What role should department's play in the college student retention effort?
Samples
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Methodology
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