1. Building the Environment
Academic Mentors and enhanced communication
to support transition and improve retention
Michaela Keenan, Associate Dean (Education)
Faculty of Computing, Engineering & the Built Environment

2. The Framework – Why Retention?
Student Factors
Non-submission of coursework
Reducing attendance
Piecemeal studies advice
Unknown reasons for early exits (attrition)
Institutional/ School Factors
Core metrics were a significant issue
many of these relate to first year
first year setting foundations of university journey
Course Directors, often:
solely dealt with metrics issues
Often lacking wider team buy-in
Did induction on their own
Wider staff body often lacking in understanding of metrics, their importance etc

3. A Whole School Approach
How can the School of the Built Environment improve the first year student experience, build (early) belonging, support transition & improve retention?
Shared accommodation Our Students
Shared transportation to campus Communicate!!!!!
Live beside each other
Shared modules …….
If we were to be effective we needed to:
Give a consistent message to all first year students
Look at the student experience throughout the first year (including pre-entry and transition) not solely the 3 days of induction.

4. HOW? Package of Measures – one Goal
Academic Mentor
Improving Metrics & ‘Appearance’ of Built Environment
Pre-induction Contact
First
Year
Retention & Success
Plan
Supporting Course Directors/Succession planning & Staff buy-in
First Impressions
School L&T Escalation System
Building Collegiality & Teams
‘At Risk Indicators’ - Attendance & Assessment
Marie – this slide should really help you navigate around all of the initiatives and show how they ink via commucnation.
If you want to talk about Pre-ignition, at risk indicators and school L&T escalation here – then rest slides focus on mentors and also varying medium – the week 2 first impressions’ survey

5. The Academic Mentor: Educator at the Centre of Retention
Pre-induction Contact
Ongoing Mentoring
‘At Risk’ Indicator Monitoring
First Impressions Survey & Follow-Up
School Learning & Teaching Escalation System
Working with Course Director, Module Coordinators etc

6. Communicate for Success
IMPACT & BENEFITS
Communicate for Success .
Retention
Staff awareness
the many rather than the few
Success
Across semester
Within modules
Staff satisfaction
More students on the right courses (sometimes surprisingly)
Team working & collegiality
Through & between
Course Directors refocusing of time
Built Environment ‘appearance’ changing

7. Every day is a school day …
Lessons …
Every day is a school day …
Academics are important to belonging
Plan B:
integration of students who did not or could not attend induction.
Never assume!
addresses
by week 6 students in a class know all of their classmates by name.
Be patient
… and then you have the stats!