Retention 101 and 201, December 6-8, 2010, Grapevine, TX
If you are interesting in:
- trying to create or improve your pre-college programs;
- interested in improving student retention;
- wanting to build a campus- or system-wide team to tackle student retention
Then you need to attend Retention 101 & 201 this December!
Grapevine, TX
The Educational Policy Institute invites leaders and practitioners from postsecondary institutions who are uniquely interested in finding solutions to increasing the success of students. With beautiful Grapevine as a backdrop, affording the opportunity to simultaneously relax and focus, institutional teams and other individuals will spend 2.5 days learning about student retention and designing plans to improve the success of students at their campuses.
Led by internationally-recognized experts Dr. Watson Scott Swail (Educational Policy Institute) and Mr. Jay Goff of the (Missouri University of Science & Technology) this retreat is designed for institutions who are either at the initial stages of planning for student retention or need to enhance an existing program. During the retreat, teams will:
- learn why students fail or succeed;
- learn about best practices for student retention at institutions like them;
- share experiences from their own campuses about what works and what doesn't;
- see why data matters and how it is the center of any retention effort;
- design or revise an institutional plan to increase student retention and success at their institution.
The Retention Retreat is designed for institutional teams and individuals from two-year, four-year, and proprietary institutions seriously interested in changing how students are served. It offers professionals an opportunity to get away from the campus in order to focus exclusively on creating tangible plans for success. When participants return to their campuses, they will be equipped with the tools necessary to begin implementing an effective retention program.
Our annual workshop for postsecondary professionals from student services, financial aid, academic services, recruitment and admissions, and institutional leadership to learn more about student retention and success and the fundamentals of building an institutional plan for success.
TRACKS
Track 1. Pre-College Programs. This track is focused on programs at the middle and high school levels designed to target and support students in the preparation and planning for higher education. GEAR UP and TRIO programs are examples of these programs.
Track 2. Two-Year Colleges. Track 2 will provide details specific to professionals at the two-year level. Given that this is a main entry point for first-generation and other potentially at-risk students, this is an important area for focus.
Track 3. Four-Year Colleges. The third track will look at four-year institutions and how they can prepare and improve
retention and graduation rates.
Track 4. Career Colleges. This track focuses is designed to interest professionals who deal with mostly adult students at any level, including proprietary, career colleges, and online/distance providers.
Additional themes that will be discussed during regular sessions and special affinity group sessions at breakfasts:
- STEM students/programs
- At-risk students, including low-income students and students of color
- Small institutions
- Strategic enrollment management
- Leadership
- Academic support services
- Social support services
- Financial aid
- Community involvement/support
- Parental involvement
CONFERENCE FACULTY :
- Dr. Watson Scott Swail, President of the Educational Policy Institute and noted retention expert.
- Dr. Jay Goff, Dean of Enrollment Management, Missouri University of Science & Technology, Rolla, Missouri.
AGENDA
The retreat will start at 1pm on December 6 and conclude at 11:30am on December 8. The following schedule is preliminary and does not include all aspects of the tracks.
MONDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2010
12:00am – 1:00pm Registration
1:00pm – 2:30pm Introduction to Student Retention
The introductory session will look at the impact of student dropout on campuses, the cost of dropout to the individual, institution, and society, and how addressing this issue is an important part of institutional change and continuous improvement.
2:30pm – 3:00pm Refreshment Break
3:00pm – 4:30pm A Framework for Student Success
How do we envision the retention process? What is it that matters most to students and institutions? This session will introduce an evidence-based framework for understanding the dynamics of student retention and persistence. Based on a decade worth of research, Swail’s geometric model of student retention outlines a process for institutions to perceive and conceptualize the planning process.
The framework focuses on student cognitive and social outcomes, as they related to five areas of campus services:
• Financial Aid
• Student Services
• Academic Services
• Teaching and Learning
• Recruitment & Admissions
6:00pm – 8:00pm Reception
The evening reception will provide an opportunity for participants to get to know one another and share their experiences over heavy hors d’oeuvres.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER 7, 2010
7:30am – 8:30am Continental Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:30am – 10:30am The Campus Audit
This session will focus on the importance of understanding your campus and collecting detailed information about practices, strategies, and programs on campus. Institutions must audit their efforts in order to find value in what has been done, while also setting benchmarks for future efforts. In this session, participants will learn:
• What should we look for on campus?
• How do we measure success?
• What data are important to collect?
• What do we do with all this information?
• How do we work toward a meaningful campus-wide plan for retention?
10:30am – 11:00pm Break
11:00am – 12:15pm Effective Practices in Student Retention (Part I)
The remainder of the day will focus on discussion revolving the various institutional inputs for student retention, including Recruitment and Admissions, Financial Aid, Student Services, Academic Services, and Curriculum & Instruction. Our conference faculty will present information on proven strategies currently used in institutions around the US and Canada, and invite participants to share their experiences and hindsight.
Using the retention framework as a guide, the information presented on Day Two will begin to layout a menu of strategies that can be considered for your retention plan.
12:15pm – 1:45pm Lunch (included in registration fee)
1:45pm – 3:15pm Effective Practices (Part II)
3:15pm Teams will work independently on their plans for the remainder of the day.
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 8, 2010
7:30am – 8:30am Continental Breakfast (included in registration fee)
8:30am – 9:15am Discussion of Goals and Objectives
Teams and individuals will present their goals and objectives with discussion for all.
9:15am – 10:00am Campus Change, Institutional Leadership, and other Important Factors
Without the buy in of campus leadership, reform is difficult if not unlikely at any postsecondary institution. This session will discuss the importance of campus leadership and how to gain their interest and total support in developing a campus-based retention initiative. As well, leadership only counts if there are those to be led. The involvement and buy-in of faculty and departments will also be discussed.
10:00am – 10:15am Break
10:15am – 11:00am Monitoring Student and Program Outcomes Progress
The capstone session to our conference will discuss the importance of monitoring student success and institutional progress. The ability of institutions to benchmark and continuously collect and review data is paramount to the success of any large-scale initiative. Issues include:
• determining what data to collect
• how and when to collect information
• using data in a progressive manner
• understanding how data can change your plan
• incorporating a continuous-improvement cycle as a model for institutional change
11:00am – 11:40am Pulling It All Together
This last session will pull all the information together from the past two and a half days. Participants will be given instructions on how to proceed in the planning and implementation process.
11:40pm – 12:15pm Final Thoughts & Adjournment
HOTEL INFORMATION
Embassy Suite Dallas - DFW Airport North Outdoor World
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The Embassy Suites Dallas is a 4-diamond hotel located near Dallas Fort Worth International Airport and a vast number of great Dallas, Fort Worth and Grapevine attractions, including the Dallas Zoo & Aquarium, the Cowboys Stadium, the Lake Grapevine, the Wineries of Grapevine, Six Flags and many more...
Enjoy the fitness center and indoor swimming pool that the Embassy Suite Dallas offers as well as their 24h shuttle between the hotel, the airport and the Grapevine Mills Mall.
Click here for more information.
REGISTRATION
Registration for the Fall Institute is $995, which includes two continental breakfasts, lunch, and a welcome reception. Teams of 4 or more people receive a 20 percent reduction. As well, past participants in our Retention 2010 conference will also be given the 20 percent reduction.
To register, click HERE