"Montclair State University outpaces the national average for public institutions in terms of first-year retention and graduation rates within the state."

In the last issue of INSIGHT Online, Director of Admissions Dennis Craig discussed his plans for achieving the University's goal of growing to 18,000 students by 2008. This week, Reggie Ross, associate dean for Enrollment Management and Retention Services, talks about his strategies to help keep students on the right track.

Ross, who holds a Ph.D. in industrial organizational psychology from Stevens Institute of Technology, came to Montclair State last semester from Bloomfield College where he served as associate vice president for enrollment management. Here, Ross speaks about student retention and the upcoming University Day program.

Q: Where does student retention begin?
A: Retention doesn't happen in a single office; it happens as an institution. Student satisfaction is a major component of student retention, so the question, "How will this impact the students?" has to be the starting point in all our policy making. By asking that question we can resolve some of the institutional issues surrounding retention. Then we can focus on the pedagogies of teaching and learning. They are separate but intertwined.

Q: How does Montclair State's student retention rate stand up to other public institutions?
A: Montclair State University outpaces the national average for public institutions in terms of first-year retention and graduation rates, as well as some of the admissions criteria we use. So we actually have a solid foundation on which to build. We can increase our freshman retention rate from 82 to 86 percent, and it is possible to improve our graduation rate from 55 to 70 percent. But that depends on whether or not we're willing to put everything on the table in discussing student retention.

Q: What do you mean?
A: If I suggest options to increase student retention and achievement, and the response is, "We can’t do that because it’s always been this way," then everything is not on the table. We can talk about what we're going to do only after everything is on the table. In order for that to happen, we need student input. Without it we cannot engage in serious retention strategy.

Q: How do you plan to get students involved?
A: I've been at institutions where the students are the recipients of the strategies, but they're not involved. We have to gain students' perspective by involving them in the process. And while we may not agree on everything, we need student input. They are the core of the University, so they have to be included in the conversation. I intend to create an advisory team comprised of both undergraduate and graduate students. Students are honest. If we ask them what the issues are, and how we can improve the University, they'll tell us. Without asking them we lose a lot of valuable information.

Q: What other steps are you taking to increase student retention?
A: I'm developing the preliminary stage of the institutional retention plan by gathering as much information as I can about Montclair State. In addition to my own observations working in the Academic Success Center, I’ve read the institutional self-study and the President's Task Force on Student Achievement report, which is the best source at this point because it's in discussion. The next stage will require input from faculty, students and key administrators. In addition to that I'm launching a Web site this week that will include student polling questions. I'd also like to distribute a student satisfaction feedback survey every two years.

Q: What are your expectations for University Day?
A: Dr. Tinto is one of the preeminent researchers in the field of student retention. He takes a fairly simple approach that most institutions have forgotten--the concept of the learning community. Years ago students took courses in blocks and progressed at the same time. Today, because colleges are more liberal, students have more freedom. We've eliminated blocks and the result is that there is no cohort experience happening. I think Dr. Tinto is going to speak, not just to the issues of learning communities, but also on how faculty can be more of an active partner in student retention. Faculty and students need to develop relationships. As a former faculty member, I recall that my best students were the ones I interacted with outside the classroom. The informal conversations we had connected them to the campus.

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