Retaining Minority Students in Higher Education: A Framework for Success ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report

by Swail, Watson Scott; Redd, Kenneth E.; Perna, Laura W.

• ISBN13: 9780787972479
• ISBN10: 0787972479
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2003-12-30
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass

Summary

In the last decade, the rates of enrollment and retention of many students of color have declined. Access and completion rates for African American, Hispanic, and Native American students have always lagged behind white and Asian students, as have those for low-income students and students with disabilities. Because students of color often make up a much smaller percentage of students in studies, their experiences and needs are often lost and go undetected.As the authors note, the United States will become significantly less white over the next fifty years, so these issues are becoming more urgent. We must have institution-wide programs to improve the graduation rates of minority students. Pre-college preparation, admission policies, affirmative action, and financial aid are important factors, but campus-wide support, from the chancellor's office to the classroom, is critical to success.This ASHE-ERIC Higher Education Report is intended as a reference for key stakeholders regarding the realities of and strategies for student retention. It is our hope that it will serve as a compass for those with the complex task of improving retention.

Table of Contents

Foreword	xv
Acknowledgments	xvii
Postsecondary Opportunity	1	(42)
The Growing Importance of a College Degree	04	(5)
Moving from Access to Success	09	(2)
Diagnosisthe Numbers: The Education Pipeline for Racial and Ethnic Minorities	11	(19)
Diversity 101: Affirmative Action in America	30	(13)
Why Students Leave College	43	(32)
Models of Student Progression	43	(8)
Factors Related to Retention	51	(24)
A Framework for Retention	75	(38)
A New Perspective on Student Integration	75	(2)
Three Forces Affecting Student Persistence and Achievement	77	(2)
The Model in Practice	79	(7)
Practical Implications of the Geometric Model	86	(2)
A Framework for Student Retention	88	(22)
Monitoring Students' Progress	110	(3)
Implementation and Leadership	113	(16)
Important Organizational Considerations in Developing an Institution-Wide Retention Program	114	(2)
Implementing Campus-Wide Programs	116	(4)
The Importance of Leadership on Student Retention	120	(5)
Final Thoughts	125	(4)
Appendix A: Promising College Student Retention Programs	129	(14)
Appendix B: Annotated Bibliography	143	(16)
References	159	(16)
Name Index	175	(6)
Subject Index	181