Financial distress can trump almost anything a faculty member can do for retention
Here in the southwest, the economy has taken a hit harder than most of what I see anywhere. Some of what I am seeing is so tragic it is difficult to combat. For example: when a student's vehicle is out of service s/he simply does not have the funds to make the repair. Because distances are vast and public transportation is wanting, students simply stop attending. There's not much anyone can do about that--as I see it.
Additionally, as social service networks fail more situations arise. For example, students cannot find childcare; they cannot come to class. I personaly have no difficulty with a student bringing a child to class in an emergency but my institution does not permit it.
Retention is a slippery slope that cannot be handled simply with the advice I have found in this module. Life is more complex than anyone can get her head around. It is like string theory, sometimes...
If institutions are truly willing to tackle the multiple and tangental issues of retention with their own support networks they will loose students for reasons that have nothing to do with quality of teaching and reaching out to students.
Thanks for this well thought out post, Kathleen.
Weak economies tend to inspire more students to return to school, but this often means a greater percentage of students will be at risk financially. College have to balance our desire to be as helpful and flexible as possible with the need to continue to have reasonable behaviorial and academic standards. As much as we want to help, we need to ensure all students have the requisite knowledge and skills they need to be a success before we award the credential.
As far as children in school, I see your school's point. Kids can be diruptive top other students and may present an insurance issue.
One thing we ask our faculty members to do when they are planning a lesson is to develop an alternative plan for students who cannot be in class to follow so that they can master the objectives and stay reasonably caught up in the class. This never can truely take the place of being in class, but it can help in temporary situations.
There is no question that economics play a key role in student retention and attrition rates. I think that the area of economics provide an opportunity for financial aid to participate in assisting students. The financial aid representative can help students in asepcts such as creating a budget, providing education in living within a budget, and forecasting for expenses or other financial challenges which may appear during the course of their education.
I do not believe that any single effort from the perpspective of the institution is sufficient to eliminate attrition based on finances. However, a strong evolutionary change model provides a method of response and best practices to recognize external elements placing the goals and objectives of the student and institution at risk.
I agree, that economic challenges are the most difficult isues to deal with when attempting to retain students. What I have found, and is reinforced by this module, is that we as academic leaders have a lot of influence over how students react to challenges inside and outside of the classroom.
If we provide support, empathy, and options to students facing challenges, we can increase the likelihood that a student will make the effort to find and implement solutions. While we may not be able to provide the answer to all student issues, our mentoring can make the difference in a student's choice to face their issues head on and find a solution, instead of walking away.
Thank you, Kevin.
We cannot provide the solution to every "rock in the road" that our students face. The best we can do is to help them develop coping skills and provide them with alternatives that may make sense to them.
We have to create schools that students fall in love with so that dropping out is a last resort rather than a the first thing they think of when faced with challenges.
I agree. In the past year, several students who had been unemployed for long stretches finally found work and it became their number one priority. They are less willing to risk taking time off or adjusting their schedule for fear of find themselves unemployed again. When I encounter students who have found themselves in this situation, I try to get them to take a lighter load or online classes for at least a term so that they can stay connected.
Pamela,
We have noticed the same thing at our school. The length of the recession and the fear of losing a newly gained position outs a lot of pressure on students to drop out or cut back.
Jeffrey Schillinger
The original post is over 4 years old, yet it's so true here!
Being a bursar, I hear from students whose financial struggles impact their ability to stay in school, regardless of financial aid availability.
And some of the problems are heartbreaking - lack of child care, lack of health care, homelessness. When they lack the basics, how in the world are they going to be motivated to stay in a school???
Retention is a worthy goal, but the frequent reasons students drop is that they can't get here - no transportation. Or they have to concentrate on having a roof over their head, even if it's at a shelter. Or no one to care for a baby. Or a sudden and uninsured (!!!) illness - and inability to pay a doctor.
And the saddest thing is - it's the students who simply can't stay in school who need it the most.
Nyssa,
You are on track here. It is important for college teams to develop consistent strategies for helping students mitigate the rocks in the road that they will inevitably face.
Jeffrey Schillinger
