Best Practices
Retention is an important yet perplexing and complicated issue in higher education. Empirical research studies provide clues to strategies that effectively improve retention rates. With the new FYS 129 seminars and Torch of Excellence programs, UT Knoxville has already engaged several best practices. Findings presented in the assessment survey may shed light on other strategies that can increase student retention.
These “best practices” include, but are not limited to
- Learning communities
- First-year seminars
- Comprehensive orientation programs
- Rewards for high academic achievement
- Academic advising
- Student involvement in clubs and organizations
- Faculty-student mentoring programs
- Interconnected institutional retention efforts
- Early-alert and monitoring of at-risk students
Articles
Special Points of Interest
- In 2005, the first to second year retention rate at UT was 81.7%
- In 2005, approximately 13% of first-year students were placed on academic review after their first term
- Findings from the First-Year Survey suggest that, on average, UT students are “satisfied” with their college experience
- Findings are consistent with UT responses on the NSSE 2007; however, UT students are less satisfied than students at our peer institutions