Page 177 - ThePhoenix1995-96

NEWS Thursday, April 16, 1996 - Page 5 More and more students leave Western Maryland Administration wants to find out why their retention rate is the lowest in the conference By HEATIIER R"F.:SF.: tion is to do whatever we can to the college campus or a place where Sayre also feels that the First to how committed a person is to Staff iVriter make students form a bond with they belong, whether it be athlet- Year Program was a positive strat- this type of education. The retention task force and the the college," said Sayre. ics, greek life, clubs, or a good re- egy in the step to raising retention, And many families with chil- administration of WMC are work- The task force felt that one way lationship with their peer mentor he feels that the school should not dren earning below average grades ing tirelessly to find out why stu- to do this was through a peer men- they will be more likely to stay. lower the standards to improve re- are not willing to pay for theirchil- dents are leaving so that they can tor program to help first year stu- Dean Sayre agrees, "We've put tention, rather they should help stu- dren to attend. fix the problem and improve rcten- dents adjust to the rigors of col- a fair amount of time into helping dents who are having a hard lime Homeff added that the school meeting the standards. can notsimply rely on students As a result, the school only re- who stay at WMC to tell them Retention of Freshman Students I leased two students this year. what is wrong with the school and why people are leaving. feels that the most im- Horneff portant step in a smooth transition When a student lets the school from high school to college is know that he or she is not return- learning to budget time, and her ing Homeff conducts an exit in- Dickenson I think that it is becoming increasingly Muhlenberg harder to get into Western Maryland. I don't think that it's harder to stay, the first Gettysburg year program is teaching students to be Ursinus more responsible academically, athletically, Johns Hopkins and socially. F&M Dean Barbara Homeff Swarthmore o 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100 position helps students do just that. terview with the student, unfortu- are An additional nately she feels these interviews step to helping students graduate from WMC is often inconclusive. She said that the leave of absence policy which she can spend almost a half an hour tion, which is the lowest in the lege life. first year students to form a bond lets students take a semester off with a student and in the end he or Centennial Conference. The program, which was de- with the college." without reapplying for admissions. she is leaving for personal reasons. The task force, which was signed by students, has been Martha O'Connell, director of "Some students need to know "Western Maryland strives to be originally to be a one time deal, implemented for three years now admissions, feels that it is vital to that the door to Western Maryland better, the only way we can do that was designed to give suggestions and Barbara Horneff, associate find a niche on campus and if stu- is always open. They can explore is to know why you come and why for retention improvement to the dean of the first year program, dents don't they are not as happy as they could be. "People who leave We found the most important thing we can us don't have a passion about WMC and I want to know why, we need do to improve retention is to do whatever to find out." feels that Junior Melissa we can to make students form a bond with her college experience Farrell at WMC has the college. been a ·good one and she attributes this to her involvement in campus Dean Phillip Sayre activities. "I try to get involved. It gives you something to do and you can meet more people," she people who can make the changes. feels that it is getting stronger ev- said. However, President Chambers ery year. Dean Philip Sayre, chair of the has since decided that the task "We try to group orientors and retention ways task force can cite many has al- that the school other force was something that the students with similar interests ready started making changes. This school needed 'as an on going and majors so they can be steered includes looking into renovations to a new opportunity and come you are leaving," said Horneff. the pub to create a more social en- back," she explained. "Bigger, less expensive, larger vironment where students can meet And if students choose not to schools, closer to home - that's and hang out. return because they've gone to a where students are going," she said. Another specific way that the bigger school, Horneff feels that Hcmcff feels thai retention is .very Satisfied college has tried to improve reten- WMC has fulfilled it's obligation. not 'the responsibility of one spe- []Satislied tion was through the creation of "If some students go on to a cific group. o Somewhat Satisfied Dean Homcff's position as Associ- bigger, more prestigious school She feels that the entire campus o Dissatisfied ate Dean of the First Year Program. .very dissatisfied "The creation of my position to better focus on the first year expe- Bigger, less expensive, larger schools, rience was a positive strategy," she closer to home - that's where students are stated. . Horneff feels thai alone time going WMC was an easy school to get into, but a hard school to stay in, Dean Barbara Horneff however she not longer feels that is the case. then we have done our job. We needs to get involved. thing, said Philip S~~re, chair of the in the right direction. we want "1 think that it is becoming in- have prepared them to go on. It "Everyone, the students, faculty, retention task force. And since the to help students make connections creasingly harder to get into West- doesn't look good on retention, but and administration need to be more task force was started in 1992 some, so that they can say 'I'm glad I ern Maryland. 1 don't think that it's haven't we then done our job," she excited about where we are. Each of their suggestions.have already graduated from Western Maryland harder to stay, the first year program said. . person who comes here plays a very been put into play. College," she commented. is teaching students to be more re- High tuition is also cited as a vital role. it is a great privilege to "We found the. most important Dean Horneff feels that if stu- sponsible academically, athletically, major reason why students leave, be here," said Horneff. thing we can do to improve reten- dents are able to find a niche in and socially," she said. but Sayre feels that it comes down