PUC Chronicle

Issue date: 1/29/07 Section: News

The number of students on campus has been steadily increasing over the past five years, but is PUC doing everything in its power to keep all of them here on campus?
PUC proposed a 'Plan for Success' in 2001 which called for a ten percentage point raise in 1-year retention rates and 6-year graduation rates by 2006.
The premise for the initiative was based on research the university conducted to discover why students did not stay in school. The research revealed that students who did not keep on schedule with their majors were more likely to drop out. The 'Plan for Success' was to be promoted to keep students on track with requirements in their major.
The 1-year retention rate for students has only gone up by 1 percentage point since 2001. On the PUC Web site graduation rates were only given until 1999. The 6-year retention rates records were not available for this time period.
The general population of PUC has spiked since 2001. The university has added approximately 100 faculty members and 200 students.
The retention problem has been persistent with other universities across the country. More than a quarter of students who enter four-year institutions and half of those who enter two-year schools depart at the end of their first years. Attempts to adjust retention rates have led to research regarding the development of human potential, education equity and institutional accountability. Some universities have targeted specific races or backgrounds of students and others have looked at financial and social issues of attending a university, according to Journal of College Student Development
"The solution [ for student retention rates] should not be aimed at a target audience. Don't consider race, just solve student retention rates," said Miranda Mathena, senior political science major, who researched PUC retention rates.
The current means of handling unprepared students is to send them into a remedial program at a different college. If a student applies for admission at PUC and does not meet the requirements for acceptance, then they are sent to Ivy Tech for a two-year pre-requisite for PUC prior to attending the university.
This program was designed by the university after raising the admission standards. Its purpose is to raise graduation rates.
Mathena feels the university must help students while they are here. She believes this would require proper support systems and a means of educating students on what the expectations of the university entail.
"Many students have the entitlement syndrome, where they believe they worked hard and deserve to make a lot of money. It can be hard-hitting when students expect immediate success and do not get it," said Rick Riddering of student development and outreach.

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