Saundra Yancy McGuire, Ph.D., Chair Kurt Keppler, Ph.D., Vice-Chair The LSU Retention Committee: Procedures, Findings and Recommendations LSU Faculty Senate Meeting December 7, 2011

Retention Committee Mission The mission of the LSU Retention Committee is to identify ways to increase student persistence to graduation. Working collaboratively across campus units, the committee seeks to ensure that institutional policies and practices support student success.

Trend in LSU Retention and Six Year Graduation Rates

The Time for Action is Now! The 2010 LA GRAD (Granting Resources and Autonomy for Degrees) Act requires the University to "implement policies established by the institutions’ management board to achieve cohort graduation rate and graduation productivity goals that are consistent with institutional peers."

Peer Comparisons Retention Rate (2009 Entering Class) Six Year Graduation Rate (2004 entering Class) LSU84.2% 83.8% (2010) 61% SEC Peers84.6%67.4% Institutional Peers 87.5%70% 2011 Football Opponents 82.8% (83.9% without Northwestern) 62.9%

42 Member Retention Committee Sub-Committees Addressed Barriers to Persistence as identified by the Division of Student Life and Enrollment Academic Engagement Institutional Personal Deans* *considered the role of the colleges in addressing retention and graduation rates

Retention Committee Submitted 28 Recommendations in Four Categories First Year Programs and Early Engagement in University Life Academic and Student Life Advising Support for Student Learning and Faculty, Staff, and Administrative Development LSU Policies, Practices, and Procedures

Next Steps Continue to engage students, faculty, and administrators in the discussion* Continue implementation of recommendations Begin policy discussion with ASH Faculty Colloquium on January 10, 2011

Retention Repository Agenda and Minutes of Committee Meetings Data used by Retention Committee Full Committee Report This PP presentation Additional information related to retention

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