Retention

A new report by Ad Astra suggests how higher education can alleviate potholes inhibiting students from completing their degrees faster—and thus—at a higher rate.

First-generation students are prone to fall behind in higher education and beyond, prompting colleges, universities and related organizations to recognize their struggles and alleviate them.

Your institution can increase job satisfaction, create a better workplace environment and increase retention without simply having to dip into the bank, according to CUPA-HR's 2023 Higher Education Employee Retention Survey (ERS).

National Student Clearinghouse found first-year students have a 67.2% retention rate, besting pre-pandemic averages. NSCRC defines retention as students who remain at a given institution for their second year instead of transferring, which counts toward persistence.

Reports by National Student Clearinghouse Research Center and YouthTruth suggest that male enrollment has declined faster than women for the past five years and only 57% of young men graduating high school in 2023 expect to go to college.

With a smaller pool of available students, a growing wake of attention to mental health and a swelling public skepticism of higher education, these small private college and university leaders in Pennsylvania, New York, Massachusetts and Maine are redefining their job to guide their schools in murky waters.