Success Center Gains Campus-Wide Support in Reaching New Retention Goals

Improving four-year graduation rates is a priority under Illuminate, Baylor’s strategic plan. Various factors play into the rise or fall of retention rates. In an effort to increase University retention rates, the Paul L. Foster Success Center recently identified some key challenges and goals to implement a plan for student success.

“It is important to pause before we interact with a student to remember the transformational impact that we can make in that single interaction. Every student matters. And, each of us is called to make a lasting — even transformational — impact every day,” said Sinda Vanderpool, associate vice provost for academic enrollment management.

The Success Center goals aim to achieve and sustain a first-year retention rate at 91% or greater, achieve a one-year transfer retention rate at 88%, a four-year transfer graduation rate of 72% as well as a four-year graduation rate of 70%. However, incoming students face many unseen challenges and it is important that the Success Center team understands and is prepared to address these.

The Success Center’s plan aims to alleviate some of the obstacles current students are facing to propel them to success through their commitment to helping every student admitted to Baylor find a timely path to graduation, implementing anticipatory thinking and considering cultural and experiential nuances. In creating the plan, the Success Center focused on stakeholders in student success across campus and turned to faculty, staff and administrators for support in investing in student potential.

“To provide a truly transformational undergraduate education, we have to meet students where they are. Our faculty, staff and administrators are vital to encouraging student potential through sincere reflection of best practices and pedagogy in an ever-changing academic atmosphere,” said Provost Nancy Brickhouse. “Baylor benefits from having a community that is deeply committed to student and University success.”

A group of more than 120 faculty, staff and administrators gathered for a half-day session on implementing the student retention goals. Representatives from all schools and colleges as well as academic support and student life professionals such as the Success Center, Multicultural Affairs, Campus Living and Learning and more were present to join in reimagining what student success looks like for Baylor today.

“The transformational education that Illuminate calls Baylor to requires each member of the Baylor faculty and staff to invest deeply in every interaction with every student. A student’s experience at Baylor is made up of moments. In the hustle and bustle of the academic world, it can be easy to forget what students may be dealing with,” said Vanderpool.

By considering distinctive student groups and imagining how students experience Baylor, particularly within their academic unit or campus program, the faculty, staff and administrators have begun to design achievable initiatives for their unique student populations. Solutions discussed included creating student cohorts with a faculty mentor who can help to identify potential roadblocks for students, matching at-risk freshmen with upper level students from the same major and integrating support services into lectures.

Sharing existing resources and support services through the Success Center with students offers a way to easily encourage student potential in day-to-day interactions. To learn more about the student resources offered by the Success Center, visit baylor.edu/successcenter.