This is the slide deck from a presentation I gave at a NACADA conference on the programs and playbooks that I created for the University of San Francisco School of Management that I created to reduce churn and increase student engagement in the five years that I was there after being brought in as Retention and Matriculation Advisor.

1. Engaging At-Risk Students
Through Both Reactive and
Proactive Means
Kimberly Knowles DeRoche
Retention and Matriculation Advisor
McLaren College of Business

2. Objectives
■ Describe proactive and reactive programs
created by the USF undergraduate program
to increase student retention
■ Provide a blueprint for reducing attrition on
your campus
■ Discuss as a group how you are currently
retaining undergraduates – and how you can
develop new programs and resources

3. An Analogy…
■ How can we save
students from “falling
away” from our
institutions?
■ How can we “build a
solid foundation” and
“erect barriers” before
it is too late?

4. Multiple Intervention Points
Lay a Solid Foundation
Repair the Cracks / Build Barriers
Reverse the Damage (If You Can!)

5. Multiple Intervention Points
Lay a Solid Foundation
■ Freshman Launch Program
❑ Seminar / Professional Development Workshop
■ Brown Bag Lunch Series
❑ Time Management
❑ Stress Management
❑ Exploring Majors
❑ Taking Classes Outside

6. Multiple Intervention Points
Lay a Solid Foundation
■ Target At-Risk Populations:
❑ Athletes
❑ ROTC
❑ Transfers
❑ ESL / International??

7. Multiple Intervention Points
Repair the Cracks / Build Barriers
■ Early Alert Program
❑ Official Form (Hard Copy or Word / PDF)
❑ Email Alerts from Faculty
❑ Outreach Emails and Phone Calls
■ Late Withdrawal Policy
❑ Required Meeting w/ Advisor
❑ Request to Drop Survey

8. Multiple Intervention Points
Reverse the Damage (If You Can!)
■ STAR Program (Versions A / B)
■ First-time / Continued Probation
⮚ Academic Success Self-Assessment
⮚ Action Plan for Success
⮚ Curriculum Review Workshop
⮚ 4 Year Plan Worksheet
⮚ Advisor Conference
⮚ Academic Progress Reports
⮚ Utilize Resources on Campus!

9. Multiple Intervention Points
Reverse the Damage (If You Can!)
■ STAR Program (Version C)
■ Re-admitted Students
⮚ Contract – Conditions for Re-admittance
⮚ 3 Advisor Conferences
⮚ 2 Sets of Progress Reports
⮚ Required Use of Specific Resources

10. A Blueprint for Reducing Attrition
■ Hire a Dedicated Retention Advisor
■ Build Relationships with Faculty
❑ Early Alert Referrals
❑ Extra Credit for Workshops
■ Adjust Programs Along the Way
■ Develop an Online Presence
❑ Facebook, Blackboard, etc.

11. A Blueprint for Reducing Attrition
■ Partner w/ Key Support Resources
❑ Dean of Students
❑ Counseling Center
❑ Learning & Writing Center
❑ Student Disability Services
❑ Career Services
❑ Registrar / Financial Aid
❑ Equivalent Offices in Other Colleges (e.g. A&S)
❑ Athletics
❑ ESL / International Student Services

12. Key Questions to Address
■ Where Do You Start?
❑ Approach from Both Sides (Proactive / Reactive)
■ How Much Should You Intervene?
❑ Retroactive Withdrawals
❑ Incompletes / Grade Changes
■ When Do You Let Go?
❑ Progress Towards Graduation
❑ Readiness / Motivation for College
❑ Fit w/ Overall Institution

13. Discuss (3-5 min):
■ Which retention programs
have been most impactful on
your campus?
■ How can you develop new
intervention points on your
campus?
■ What resources will you need
in order to do that?

14. Questions?