Many four year institutions are reorganizing their processes and structures to develop a more inclusive model related to campus diversity efforts. Minimal information has been reported about two year institutional efforts toward inclusive excellence. Given the predicted demographic shifts of the nation and more specifically, the projected increase in enrollments of racially and ethnically diverse student bodies in community colleges, it is essential for higher education administrators and policymakers to understand the structures needed to support minority student success at community colleges. The purpose of this quantitative study was to examine institutional support structures around inclusive excellence. An Institutional Diversity Practice Index (IDPI) was created using eleven key indicators found within the literature related to institutional practices that enhance minority student success. The absence or presence of practices at each school were tallied to create two groups. Groups were then compared to determine whether significant differences existed between retention and graduation rates, as well as differences in selected items on the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) related to diversity and support. Due to the sample size limitations of minority student enrollment, the 13 community colleges in this study were classified into one of two groups: Higher Institutional Diversity Practice Index (6 practices or more) and Lower Institutional Diversity Practice Index (5 practices or less). Archival data were used to examine retention rates, graduation rates, and student engagement indictors from the CSSE survey. The sampling frame for the study included all 13 TBR community college students during the academic 2013-2014 academic year. Findings indicated that institutions who were classified in the higher practice group reported higher retention rates of African American and Hispanic students. There were no statistically significant differences between the high and low group with regard to graduation rates or student engagement indicators on the CSSE survey. A larger sample size would be required to determine what combination of institutional practices predict minority student retention and graduation rates. Overall, this study plows new ground and provides information related to the current landscape of institutional structures that support minority student success in Tennessee.

Student retention rates and graduation rates currently play a major role in measuring the success of institutions of higher education. To contribute to the likelihood of this success many institutions offer programs designed to increase the academic performance of their students especially those classified as incoming freshmen. Others are more focused and target those who are from underrepresented populations. Nonetheless not many programs have been designed to aid those students in the subsequent years that follow freshman year. The purpose of this research project was to determine if there are significant differences in the success of those students who participate in a multi-year program as opposed to those who participate in a program specifically designed for incoming freshmen. Additionally these 2 groups were compared with students who did not participate in either program. The participants in this study were classified within 3 groups: Quest for Success, Student Support Services, and nonprogram participants. Archival data were used to examine grade point averages, retention rates, and graduation rates. A random sample of 125 students from each of the 3 groups (375 total) was examined for the purposes of comparing mean grade point averages. For the purposes of comparing retention rates and graduation rates, however, the population was examined due to the manner in which data were provided. Additionally the use of the population provided more precise retention rates and graduation rates in this study. Findings of the study are congruent with the literature in terms of the role that outreach programs play in the success of underrepresented students. These results revealed that students in the multi-year program, Student Support Services, had significantly higher grade point averages, retention rates, and graduation rates when compared to Quest for Success (a 1-year incoming freshman program). Student Support Services also had significantly higher grade point averages and retention rates than nonprogram participants from underrepresented student populations. Furthermore there were no significant differences found in comparisons between Quest for Success and nonprogram participants.

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This study aims to examine the empirical evidence on the relationship between price and quantity/demand relation in the hot yoga market in Taipei. While doing so, this study also tries to generate awareness on the importance of price policy and market segmentation to maximize industry profitability and market share. The primary research undertaken in this study has carried out direct survey of Taipei consumers via questionnaire and applied SPSS statistical analysis, to find out the most accepted price band consumers are willing to pay and the major factors participating in their decision processes. Attrition and membership turnover is endemic in the fitness industry. One of the largest studies undertaken on the topic of membership retention rate, was conducted in the UK and found that the attrition varied from 11 to 62 percent. After 12 months, the best clubs lost one member out of every ten and the worst were losing more than six out of ten per year. Termination of membership appear closely related to cost dissatisfaction (FIA, 2001). Understanding the underlying factors to influence cost dissatisfaction can serve as basic information to increase membership retention rate and essential reference information for new entrant’s price policy and marketing programs. / Abstract This study aims to examine the empirical evidence on the relationship between price and quantity/demand relation in the hot yoga market in Taipei. While doing so, this study also tries to generate awareness on the importance of price policy and market segmentation to maximize industry profitability and market share. The primary research undertaken in this study has carried out direct survey of Taipei consumers via questionnaire and applied SPSS statistical analysis, to find out the most accepted price band consumers are willing to pay and the major factors participating in their decision processes. Attrition and membership turnover is endemic in the fitness industry. One of the largest studies undertaken on the topic of membership retention rate, was conducted in the UK and found that the attrition varied from 11 to 62 percent. After 12 months, the best clubs lost one member out of every ten and the worst were losing more than six out of ten per year. Termination of membership appear closely related to cost dissatisfaction (FIA, 2001). Understanding the underlying factors to influence cost dissatisfaction can serve as basic information to increase membership retention rate and essential reference information for new entrant’s price policy and marketing programs.

The purpose of this study was to qualitatively describe the factors that influence the persistence rates of White undergraduate students attending HBCUs from the students' perspectives. Applying Tinto's Model of Student Departure (1975, 1993) as a lens for persistence, the overall aim in this study was to focus on the students' social and academic integration at the institution as well as their institutional experiences at the HBCU as it relates to their decision to persist or depart the HBCU. Through the participants"lived experiences", themes emerged relative to their decision to persist at the institution. The themes were: the influences on relationships with faculty, quality of academic programs, lack of racism from faculty, staff, and peers, involvement in campus activities and organizations, and affordability. The reasons associated with White students' persistence can assist faculty members and administrators at HBCUs in developing and cultivating a culture that is conducive for a positive matriculation and progression process all the way until graduation. Persistence leads to degree completion and no matter the institutional type, all administrators want to increase the number of students graduating from their institutions.

The focus of this dissertation is on performance indicators – specifically, retention and graduation indicators - that impact allocation of the ever-dwindling public sources of money. Decreasing revenue trends make understanding the performance indicators that are often used to fund postsecondary institutions very important. There is a significant amount of literature on funding, types of funding, and performance indicators used in funding; however, there is very little literature on quantitative differences on standard performance indicators in 2-year and 4- year postsecondary institutions. The purpose of this study is to look at retention and graduation rates for part-time and full-time students in public institutions of higher education in the United States. Retention and graduation rates for first-time full and part-time students from the Integrated Postsecondary Educational Data Systems (IPEDS), within the National Center for Educational Statistics, for the years 2005, 2006, and 2007, will be examined to determine if there are differences between two-year and four-year post secondary institutions.

The purpose of this study was to determine if the 1 – and 2-term retention rates for students with the same ACT mathematics subsection scores were different between students who took a regular section of Probability and Statistics and students who took a learning support section of the same course. The subjects of this study were 2,714 students enrolled in a Probability and Statistics course (either regular sections or learning support sections) at a 4-year institution from the 2013 summer semester to the 2014 fall semester. As expected, students who scored a 19 or greater on the mathematics section of the ACT were significantly more likely to be enrolled in later semesters than students who scored below a 19. When students were grouped by matching ACT mathematics sub scores there was not a significant difference in 1-term and 2-term retention rates between students who took a 4-hour learning support section of probability and statistics and students who opted to take a regular 3-hour version of the same course.

It is anticipated that there will be a shortage of 1.1 million college-educated workers in California by 2030 (Johnson, Bohn, & Cuellar Mejia, 2016). Within this context, the California State University (CSU) is the principal source of skilled workers in the state, producing more career-ready candidates than any other single institution (“California State University 2018 Fact Book“, n.d.). This study examined the relationship between student retention rates and institutional expenditures across the different functional categories of instruction, student services, academic support, and instructional support at the CSU. With the exception of student grants and scholarships, these selected expenditures represent the system’s four largest individual expense categories. This study also sought to reveal the existence of similarities between institutions across the CSU based on institutional characteristics that emerged from the literature as predictors of student success including faculty composition, socioeconomic status of student population, and institutional selectivity (Bailey, Calcagno, Jenkins, Kienzl, & Leinbach, 2005; Ehrenberg & Zhang, 2005a, 2005b; Gansemer-Topf & Schuh (2006); Terenzini, Cabrera, & Bernal, 2001; Titus, 2006b). The sample utilized in this study is the entire population of the CSU, which is comprised of 23 campuses. Data for this study were drawn from the IPEDS database, managed by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES). This quantitative, non-experimental, correlational study used panel data analysis to determine if the selected institutional expenditures influence retention rates and also to examine the extent to which institutional expenditures contribute to the prediction of retention rate. Multidimensional Scaling (MDS) cluster analysis was performed for exploratory purposes and to reveal groups with similar institutional characteristics. This study found that instructional, academic support, and institutional support expenditures were positively correlated with student retention rates. This finding suggests that increases in both dollar amounts and proportion of expenditures allocated to each functional category would result in higher retention rates. However, there was an exception: student services expenditures were found to be negatively correlated with student retentions rates, implying that allocating funds to student services activities would not result in higher student retention. This study also found that the CSU institutions can be grouped in six different clusters based on similarities of institutional characteristics, suggesting that the criteria to allocate funds from the CSU system to individual campuses should account for these differences to effectively support student success.

Throughout the 1980s, there was a trend in Australia towards increased participation rates in post-compulsory education. This study examines factors that influence Year 12 retention rates in four Government secondary schools within the Wollongong Sub-Region. Factors that were thought to influence students to continue to Year 12 and sit for the New South Wales Higher School Certificate Examination included those related to Gender, Socio-economic (relating to occupation of parents, government financial assistance, and language background), Educational and Career. The study involved surveying over 400 Year 10 students in four schools by questionnaires. These schools were chosen for their geographical location and to include two schools with a history of high retention rates and two schools with low retention rates. The questions in the survey were incorporated with a larger survey conducted in 1989 by the Faculty of Education at the University of Wollongong under the coordination of Dr. Noeline Kyle ("Everyone expects you to know; A report on careers advice and industry attitudes towards female students in non-traditional study and work in the Illawarra", 1990). The questionnaire was piloted in 1988 and after seeking recommendations from students, teachers and the NSW Department of School Education Research Group, the survey was administered in 1989. The study used descriptive research methodology, and Chi-square analysis was used to establish significance levels in the data. With regard to gender, the data clearly demonstrated that female students were more inclined than male students to stay on to Year 12, and have positive reasons for their decision. Concerning Socio-Economic factors, the results of this study showed that students whose parents have a professional background are more likely to stay on to Year 12. In addition, the achievement of the Higher School Certificate as a preIV requisite for further study was a strong motivating factor for students staying on to Year 12. However, students in receipt of Austudy did not appear to relate in a statistically significant manner with any of the factors that influence the student to stay on to Year 12. As well, no statistical inference could be drawn from intention to sit for the HSC and the language most used at home by parents. With regard to educational factors, the responses from each of the four schools surveyed showed a high percentage (82 to 85%) of students intending to stay on to Year 12 and sit for the HSC examination. None of these schools had an appreciably higher proportion of students intending to sit the HSC exam. However, it was found that students from one particular school were more likely to undertake further study and students from this school had a high percentage of both parents with a professional occupation than any other school. The findings relating to career factors showed that students who have a professional career in mind are more likely to proceed to Year 12. It was also found that students who had school work experience in a professional occupation were more likely to proceed to Year 12. The study relates the survey findings to the research literature in Australia, and also includes a discussion of the limitations of the survey.

The problem in this investigation is retention of nursing students. The purpose is to identify, describe, and analyze existing relationships between satisfaction with college, academic achievement, and goal commitment for nursing majors in a baccalaureate nursing program that has high retention. Data were collected using two survey instruments and student grade-point averages.