The purpose of this research study was to explore gender variances in the satisfaction levels of African American students at UNT toward the goal of increasing the retention of these students. Variances in satisfaction levels were measured using information obtained from African American students that participated in the fall 2004 administration of the Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (SSI). In addition, the UNT Customer Satisfaction Survey (UNT-CSS), which applies Hom's Basic Model of Customer Satisfaction, was used to further examine areas of interest identified by the Noel Levitz SSI. Analysis of the SSI data indicated that no statistical significance existed amongst any of the correlates of satisfaction as a function of gender. In fact, African American students appeared to have very similar ideas on what services were important to them and on how satisfied they were with the services provided to them by the university. African American males and females were most satisfied with Campus Support Services, Academic Advising/Counseling, and Instructional Effectiveness at UNT. The UNT-CSS further examined the above areas. African American males and females were measured against each other to discern if differences occur in how African American students process the customer service model as a function of gender. African American males demonstrated strong positive correlations between their expectation of customer service and their consequent evaluation of that service. African American females were more influenced by their perception of the service received.

This study is concerned with the problem of determining the status of.specific student retention efforts at the departmental and institutional levels in institutions of higher education offering baccalaureate degrees in nursing. The purposes of the study include (1) the determination of the percentages of those institutions which have specific programs to increase student retention in place and functioning at the various administrative levels, (2) the determination of those aspects of the many possible retention efforts that are being utilized, (3) identification of those retention efforts which may be most effective, and (4) comparison of retention rates between those institutions with organized retention programs and those without these programs. The population of the study is composed of all 430 of the National League for Nursing (NLN) accredited, Registered Nurse Baccalaureate Degree programs in the United States. The specially designed survey instrument produced a 62 percent response return. Response frequencies and percentages were calculated to show the relative success rates of various retention efforts. In addition, the data were subjected to several statistical procedures to determine if there were statistically significant differences between the various types and levels of retention efforts. The findings indicate that the presence of an organized and functioning program to increase student retention does produce a statistically significant increase in the mean retention rate for those institutions with such programs as compared with those institutions without organized retention programs. This significant increase was constant across the three types or levels of retention programs surveyed (departmental level only, university level only, both university and departmental levels). The majority of the respondents (55.5 percent) do have retention programs in place and functioning at some level in their institutions. Of the six major areas of retention efforts listed on the questionnaire, the area dealing the "Administrative Activities" to increase student retention was present most often among that group of respondents with the highest retention rates.

The aim of this study was to identify the characteristics of non-traditional female students and their perceived reasons for university studies.

Under the George W. Bush U.S. presidential administration, the federal government pushed for greater accountability among institutions of higher education for educational outcomes. Graduation rate is a key performance indicator of institutional accountability. Previous researchers of student attrition focused primarily on the effects of student level factors on student persistence/withdrawal behavior. Recently, researchers put more focus on the effects of institutional characteristics on graduation rates, but most of these studies were exploratory and based on multiple regression models. No institutional model has existed to synthesize their results within a theoretical framework. Such an institutional model is needed to explain the process of student persistence at the institutional level. The purpose of this study was to develop a model of institutional performance in graduation rate for four-year, public and private not-for-profit, Title IV institutions in the United States. This study validated the institutional model based on the IPEDS dataset using the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. Further group comparison analyses are conducted by fitting the same SEM model to several subgroup datasets based on grouping variables such as control, geographical region and state. Benchmarking analyses were conducted to demonstrate how administrators and policy-makers can use the institutional model to compare the performance of an institution with its peers and what policy changes can they pursue to improve graduation rates.

Improving the retention and graduation of African Americans and other minority groups in higher education is an important but highly politicized issue on college and university campuses. Prior studies emphasize the relationship between minority retention and achievement, cultural diversity, and racial policies and climates at predominantly White colleges and universities in the United States. In response to the need for further research, the effects of institutional actions related to diversity, minority group and African American retention, and social integration initiatives on African American graduation rates were examined for a national sample of United States (U.S.) colleges and universities. From a potential list of 7,018 colleges and universities, 2,233 met the inclusion criteria for the study. But necessary and complete information from national directories and the census could only be found for the final sample of 1,105. After dropping 30 outliers, several multiple regression analyses identified the institutional actions, social, and demographic factors that best predicted graduation rates. Public U.S. colleges and universities located in the Midwest region had lower African American graduation rates than private colleges and universities located in the South. Higher African American graduation rates occurred in colleges and universities with Black cultural centers, higher first-year retention rates, higher women enrollment rates, a higher number of student organizations, and Division III athletic programs. Colleges and universities located in a town had higher African American graduation rates than those located in a city, suburb, or rural area.

This research explores the events and circumstances that lead to persistence and departure within the sociology master's program at Portland State University. It examines how individual and institutional characteristics interact and influence student decisions to dropout or continue in the master's program. It utilizes Vincent Tinto's (1993) theories of persistence and departure and his concepts of social and academic integration as they apply to sociology master's students. The purpose of the research was to describe how students became socially and academically integrated and how integration influenced patterns of persistence of departure. The aim also was to determine whether background variables such as undergraduate GPA, cumulative master's GPA, enrollment status, and career and educational goals influenced student outcomes.

As many as a quarter of undergraduate college students are placed on academic probation at least once during their college career. In addition, first-generation college students are even more at-risk for stopping out or dropping out due to being less academically prepared than their non-first-generation peers. In order to examine factors that influence first generation student academic risk and success, this exploratory study examined the intersection of academic standing and four primary conceptual contributors: academic integration, personal adjustment, family and social adjustment, and psychological factors. Survey data were collected from first generation undergraduate students at an urban research university who were placed on academic probation and those who returned to good standing. Six overarching themes emerged that demonstrate critical importance in first generation student academic success: 1) overall study skills, 2) class attendance 3) health-related issues, 4) financial difficulties, 5) family and personal issues, and 6) physiological symptoms. In addition, these factors appear to have additive and multiplier affects for students. First generation students may be able to overcome one set of factors but each new dimension can further inhibit academic good standing. Recommendations include mandatory advising and college success classes.

Research report (MPhil (Curriculum Studies))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / Bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: In this research report I have argued that postgraduate student retention and completion rates in nursing education can be enhanced by attending to the following actions: increased institutional support, initiating students into an ethics of care, and engaging students and lecturers in some form of dialogical communication. In order to ensure that students do not prematurely depart from their programme of study, I have shown that it is not sufficient to offer merely institutional (mostly administrative) support to students, but also cultivating caring and dialogical communication in teaching and learning activities. My argument in defence of caring and dialogical communication is corroborated by an empirical investigation which confirms students’ non-completion and retention in the non-clinical postgraduate nursing education programmes offered by Stellenbosch University’s Nursing Division in 2008. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: In hierdie navorsingsverslag het ek geargumenteer dat die nagraadse studentebehoud- en voltooiingkoerse in verpleegonderwys versnel kan word deur aandag aan die volgende aksies te skenk: toenemende institusionele ondersteuning, inisi¸ring van ’n etiek van omgee ten opsigte van studente en die betrokkenheid van studente en dosente in ’n vorm van dialogiese kommunikasie. Om te verhoed dat studente nie voortydig die studieprogram verlaat nie, het ek aangedui dat dit nie voldoende is om slegs institusionele (meesal administratiewe) ondersteuning aan studente te verskaf nie, maar ook om ’n kultuur te skep van omgee en dialogiese kommunikasie in onderrig- en leeraktiwiteite. My argument ter stawing van omgee en dialogiese kommunikasie word ondersteun deur ‘n empiriese ondersoek van studente se nie-voltooiings- en retensiekoerse in die nie-kliniese nagraadse onderwysprogramme wat deur Universiteit Stellenbosch se Verpleegkunde-afdeling in 2008 aangebied is.

The purpose of this study was to determine whether: 1) Southwest Region TRIO high school students between the years 1991 - 2001 continued to college immediately after high school at rates significantly different than similar population students on national and state levels; and 2) immediate college continuation for this group was a function of social and economic characteristics including race, gender, parental education, and home-care environment. The sample included 414 TRIO program participants from Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Louisiana, and Arkansas. Data on the 414 participants were gathered using an existing database containing demographic and post-secondary enrollment information on study participants. The findings of this study reveal Southwest Region TRIO students during this ten-year period continued to college immediately after high school at rates not significantly different than the national low-income population of students. Results indicate that when compared to all students in the five-state southwest region, the majority low-income, first-generation TRIO population continued to college at rates not significantly different than all-income students in the region. Findings of this study also revealed select social and economic characteristics were not predictors of immediate college continuation for this group. Finally, the study showed out-of-home care environment students continued to college at significantly higher rates than in-home care Southwest Region TRIO students.

Online courses in higher education have a reputation for having a lower course completion or retention rate than face-to-face courses. Much of this reputation is based upon anecdotal evidence, is outdated, or is on a small scale, such as a comparison of individual courses or programs of instruction. A causal-comparative analysis was conducted among 11 large, high research public universities. The universities were compared to each other to determine if differences existed between online and face-to-face course completion; undergraduate and graduation online course completion was analyzed for differences as well. The findings suggested the magnitude of the differences between online and face-to-face completions rates was small or negligible. The area which showed a higher magnitude of difference was in the comparison between undergraduate and graduate online course completion; the practical significance could be worth considering for educational purposes.