INTRODUCTION

Getting off to a Successful Start

Many institutions are experiencing a spike in applications and registrations during these challenging economic times. The halls are abuzz with new and continuing students who have diverse interests and needs. But will they stay beyond the first few weeks of class? There is an abundance of research which indicates that the largest numbers of students who drop out of college and university do so during the equivalent of their first semester, often within the first few weeks. Studies across North America have shown that as many as 20-30% of new entrants to colleges and universities do not persist into the second year; and that many of the students who leave may be the students most desired. The June 2009 SEM Canada (Volume 7) newsletter presented examples of the types of programs many Canadian institutions have introduced in an effort to enhance student retention. Cornerstones to all these initiatives is in the power of fostering student relationships and in creating an easy transition for students and, yes, their parents.

This edition of the SEM Canada newsletter presents practical and inexpensive approaches that may just make the difference between a motivated and engaged student, and a lost student. Listen to these video segments from students about practices that promoted an engaging student experience that made a difference in their lives: Go to http://cccse.org/ and click on the "Retention" tab.

This newsletter edition includes:

1. Practical Tips for the Classroom
2. Practical Tips for Student Service Providers
3. Practical Tips for Students
4. Practical Tips for Parents
5. Research and Resources on the First Year Experience

Your perspectives on the content of these newsletters are important to us. Please visit our Facebook site to offer comments, suggest topics for future editions, and share your own experiences with other professionals in the field.

  1. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR THE CLASSROOM

• Concordia University- offers educators "Tips for retention-aware teaching" and strategies to:
  
  • Get to know your students.
  • Introduce cooperative learning into your teaching.
  Read more
• Ryerson University- Check out the resources provided by the Learning & Teaching Office for teaching large classrooms. Read more
• University of Waterloo- The centre for Teaching Excellence provides teaching tips for "Being an International TA in a Canadian Classroom". Read more
• The Centre for Excellence in Teaching at Boston University - offers practical tips on how to keep students emotionally involved and challenged in the class. Read more
• Mindset List for the Class of 2013- Each August since 1998, Beloit College has released the Beloit College Mindset List. It provides a look at the cultural touchstones that shape the lives of students entering college. Beloit's latest "mindset" list says that for your new students, text has always been hyper, the Green Giant has always been Shrek, and women have always outnumbered men in college. Read more
• 101 Things You Can Do the First Three Weeks of Class - The Teaching and Learning Center at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln has amassed a list of strategies for creating the best possible learning environment. Read more
  
  See the entire teaching tips index at: http://honolulu.hawaii.edu/intranet/committees/FacDevCom/guidebk/teachtip/teachtip.htm
• Tips for Engaging Students in Learning Alternatives to Lecture – This site offers a collection of ideas that can be used as alternatives or supplements to lecture in a college classroom. Read more
• Illinois State University Centre for Teaching, Learning, and Technology - offers practical classroom strategies for engaging students on how to: Make Content and Assignments Relevant to Students' Lives, Provide Students With Choice and a Sense of Control, Keep Grading/evaluation Fair, Use Peers, Involve Students' Affective Responses, and more. Read more

  2. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR STUDENT SERVICE PROVIDERS

• Moo University Customer Service Training - SEM Works offers an exciting new series of staff development programs for improving the service culture within colleges and universities via an interactive e-learning system and inspiring video-based group activities. Read more

  3. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR STUDENTS

• UTM launches new portal for first-year students: The University of Toronto at Mississauga recently unveiled a new microsite to help new students make a successful transition to university life. utmONE consolidates information, programs, and services of interest to incoming students starting their studies this September. Read more
• McMaster launches new online resource for off-campus community: McMaster University's Off-Campus Experience has created a new interactive portal serving as a central hub to address off-campus needs. The site provides students with tips on planning commutes, searching for accommodation, and living at home. There are also links to resources pertaining to orientation week, as well as to a student's first and second semester at McMaster. Read more
• Seneca - as part of the "Success@Seneca" program an online resource for students is provided on how to improve listening, note taking, concentration, memory, visualization, etc. Read more
• Moving away to school - Tips on what to expect and how to prepare for your big move away to university. Read more
• 10 Signs You're in Trouble at College - It can be hard to know if you're struggling more than you should be. Here's how to tell. Read more
• Back to School "Survival Guide": The Online Learners Edition - This site has tips for elearners on setting up a home office for elearning, back-to-school essentials: buyers guide, guidelines for getting ready for an on-line course, to name a few. Read more
• Top 10 Things You'll Discover at College - PBy now, most students who are starting college next fall have sent in their acceptances, not to mention the first chunk of change. And now, the real worrying for them starts: What is college really going to be like? And how is it different from what I'm most used to—high school? Read more
• 9 Tips for Community College Students – The U.S. News Professor's Guide offers nine best tips for getting the most out of community college. Read more
• 15 Secrets of Getting Good Grades in College - The U.S. News Professor's Guide offers students tips for getting off to a successful start. Read more
• 7 Ways to Cut Thousands from Your College Costs - In this article, Clark lists 7 ways in which college students can sacrifice a little to save a lot. Read more

  4. PRACTICAL TIPS FOR PARENTS

• uToronto launches microsite for students' parents: The University of Toronto recently launched a new Web portal for parents, guardians, and family members of the institution's students. The site profiles what to expect in the first year, and The Top Ten Things Every Parent of a First-Year Student Should Know. Read more
• How NOT to 'Helicopter' Your Kids at College - With many high-school graduates gearing up to leave home for college, families are trying to figure out how to best stay in touch using technology. This article presents some basic tips for parents. Read more
• Top 10 Dos and Don'ts for Parents Sending Their Kids to College - This handy guide addresses some of the most important decisions, strategies and potential faux pas for parents of college-bound students. Read more
• Redirecting Pushy Parents: How to Build Healthier Relationships - It's tempting to respond to over-involved parents with a hard-line approach, warning them of the dangers of their constant hovering. But we'd like to suggest an approach that includes responding to the downright fear that many parents face when their students enter the unknowns of college life. Read more

  5. RESEARCH AND RESOURCES ON THE FIRST YEAR EXPERIENCE

Research

• Survey of Entering Student Engagement (SENSE) - This survey looks at the critical early weeks of a new community college student's experience. The report, Imagine Success: Engaging Entering Students, introduces six "design principles" that aid entering student success, including: 1. Personal Connections, 2. High Expectations and Aspirations, 3. A Plan and a Pathway to Success, 4. An Effective Track to College Readiness, 5. Engaged Learning, 6. An Integrated Network of Financial, Social, and Academic Support
  Read the report to learn how some institutions are applying the principles and with what results.
• The Community College Survey of Student Engagement – This article profiles how the survey is helping some campuses improve the way they engage their students. Read more

Publications

• Winter 2007, Vol. 9, No. 1 Motivating Today's College Students By Ian Crone, assistant dean of students and director of the Frick Center, and Kathy MacKay, dean of students, both of Elmhurst College http://www.aacu.org/peerreview/pr-wi07/pr-wi07_practice.cfm
• A Guide for Families of Commuter Students: Supporting Your Student's Success
  by Cathie Hatch and Tracy L. Skipper
  Produced in association with the National Orientation Directors Association http://www.sc.edu/fye/publications/bb/ffys/index.html

  UPCOMING CONFERENCES

• 9th Annual Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM XIX) Conference
  November 8 – 11, 2009, Dallas, Texas http://www.aacrao.org/sem19/
• The First-Year Experience Conference - February 12-16, 2010 Denver, Colorado http://www.sc.edu/fye/events/annual/index.html
• 2010 NASPA Annual Conference March 6-10, 2010 - Chicago, Illinois http://www.naspa.org/conf/default.cfm
• Noel-Levitz National Conference on Student Recruitment, Marketing, and Retention July 21-23, 2010 • Atlanta, Georgia website