An Easy, Cost-Effective Way To Remain Current With Student Success
Twelve presentations are selected from the top rated sessions at our National Symposium on Student Retention each year for live presentation as webinars.
All webinars take place from 1:00 – 2:00 pm Central Time on the designated date, during which time participants may ask questions and provide feedback. An unlimited number of colleagues from the registrant’s institution may attend. CSRDE members and non-members are invited to participate. Each registration includes 5 weeks of access to the recorded podcast.
"We have found the CSRDE webinars to be an essential value-added component of our membership.
The menu of award-winning presentations by colleagues who have “walked the walk” makes this option a
convenient, efficient, and economical way to maintain both currency and contacts in our field.
This webinar platform provides easy scheduling along with - yet another featured bonus! - options to
share within our organizations. The level of coordination and support of these programs from the
CSRDE staff/team is always amazing, always professional."
John Rollins, Director, Academic Performance Studies
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Webinar Cost
-
CSRDE members:
One to six webinars are included with membership, depending on level -
Add'l webinars for members:
$129 each
$79 each for blocks of 3 or more -
Non-CSRDE members:
$229 each
2025 - 2026 Webinar Series
Mike Freel & Sharon Rea of Bellevue University
Academic institutions often measure bottom-line performance using student enrollment. However, the actual number of students who matriculate through to graduation have a significant impact on program and institutional success. In 2023, Bellevue University undertook an initiative to examine prior evidence-based research as the foundation for an internal investigation focused on a student-centered analysis that identified strategies for assessing current trends in student persistence and retention rates. The assessment took a pragmatic, applied perspective to identify university best-practices and analyzed data related to academic programs demonstrating high performance through specific, targeted metrics. Furthermore, interviews with administrators of the top-performing programs provided a cross-section of different curriculum delivery modalities (online or face-to-face) at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Five university programs with exceptionally high retention percentages were examined. Findings identified four categories of best-practices contributing to student retention including a focus on faculty engagement, modes of engagement, communication strategies, and practical and experiential curricula. Six recommendations were supported through the data analysis. Specific examples of student-centered changes are provided. A guide for assisting academic institutions to complete an internal analysis is presented.Lisa Richardson & Lorena Lopez of Waubonsee Community College
In the aftermath of the “Great Resignation,” community college staffing has been disproportionately impacted. When colleges are expected to do more for their students with fewer resources, two major concerns arise: how to keep current employees engaged and satisfied for retention while providing the support, resources and services students need to be successful. This is especially important for first-point-of-contact staff directly engaging with students. At Waubonsee Community College (WCC), we learned from employee and student feedback that roles were not clear in terms of responsibilities and how they interface with students and campus partners. An initiative was created by the Student Success and Retention division to address this feedback to boost employee engagement and quality of student support. This presentation will explore the work done related to role clarity activities, including a diagnostic assessment, positional goals revision, shared case management plan outlining responsibilities, and professional development. This initiative resulted in a 10.5% increase in work priorities clarity for the SSR division in comparison to the rest of the college, and an increase of 14.4% in comparison to the rest of the college’s Engagement Survey responses in 2021. In turn, WCC saw a 5% increase in enrollment of continuing students above pandemic years.Robert Terry, George Bogaski & Nicole Campbell of University of Oklahoma
Since the onset of COVID-19 in 2020, many universities have either eliminated standardized tests or instituted a test-optional system for admissions decisions. Our previous data analytic solutions to admissions, placement and academic interventions relied on standardized tests to augment other information. Because our university has implemented the test-optional admissions policy, rethinking our data analytic strategy is warranted. We investigate numerous alternative solutions, including modeling test-optional applicants as a separate population from the test-available applicants. Using a series of logistic regression analyses, we conclude that it is feasible to use the same predictive model for both test-optional and test-available applicants with little loss of predictive accuracy, in contrast to pre-COVID findings. Further work using the findings of Taylor and Russell (1939) supports our conclusions based on the predictive accuracy of our model, the selectivity of our admissions process, and the overall base rate of success. Finally, we discuss one caveat to eliminating the standardized test entirely. We still find the test valuable when making math placement decisions.Kim Williams, Sarah Wray Marshall, Adrienne Pollard & Alicia Caruso of University of South Florida
Graduation pipelines need to be tended throughout the undergraduate student life cycle to enhance graduation rates. Beyond first-year attrition, national data demonstrate that there are significant enrollment drops in the second and third years that impact these rates for four- and six-year graduation. The progression academic advocates at the University of South Florida identify and case manage students who are experiencing barriers to improve graduation metrics and minimize attrition. The academic advocacy model is a holistic student success approach that relies on timely student interventions, data-informed practices and practitioner insights. Using a data analytic platform designed by the advocates for their work, they monitor large cohorts of students and provide individual support to those most in need based upon their unique circumstances. The advantage of this holistic case management approach is that graduation rates at this institution continue to improve, and this cultural shift has elevated the institution’s undergraduate student success profile. This paper will address common barriers, demonstrate how practitioner-informed data drives academic advocacy, and discuss the significance of this approach in improving equity in student outcomes.David Leasure & Kathleen Hogan of University of Maryland Global Campus
The University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) developed a straightforward model that focuses on competency development through holistic approaches such as project-based learning, assessment of competencies, personalization, coaching and penalty-free revisions. This model fosters student engagement and motivation by aligning educational activities with their goals in a respectful and supportive environment. Faculty receive training to provide personalized, culturally sensitive feedback, enhancing students' sense of belonging and confidence in their skills. A two-tier coaching system supports both faculty and student development, leading to improved academic excellence and personal growth. Research on the course results revealed significant improvements from coaching and penalty-free revision: competency attainment (passing or higher) increased from 81% on first submission to 98% on final submission. Additional research on a two-tiered model showed course completion rates grew by two percentage points from pre- to post-implementation. These achievements highlight the model's success in enhancing student and faculty satisfaction, learning and completion, and suggest the model is a viable course framework that supports competency-based learning and fits within traditional financial aid and accrediting structures.Rocio Morello, Mohammed Moizuddin, Monika Rohde & Erikka Vaughan of New York Institue of Technology
The Achieving Collegiate Excellence (ACE) program is an evidence-informed initiative that mobilizes faculty and staff to serve as academic coaches to support students at risk of losing their institutional scholarships. ACE, with its holistic approach, provides participating students with personalized support through coach meetings, student success modules and access to engagement activities. Students who successfully complete the program can maintain their institutional scholarship. Implementation of ACE is associated with improved retention and graduation rates for the target group of students, particularly among Pell-eligible, first-generation and BIPOC students, indicating its benefit for student success and efficacy in promoting equitable outcomes. Notably, our data suggest improved retention is due to participation in the program above and beyond scholarship renewal alone. The success of ACE has fostered a culture of continuous improvement through coach conversations, emphasizing mental health support, financial literacy and other emerging areas that students and coaches have identified. Moreover, ACE has prompted institutional changes in policies and practices, such as simplifying GPA criteria for scholarship renewal. Overall, ACE has impacted New York Tech at many levels—in student success and well-being, as well as faculty, staff, alumni and institutional development.Grant J. Matthews of Lane Community College, Michael Morsches, John Halliwell & Laura Hernandez Corkrey of Moraine Valley Community College
Over the past 10 years, the developmental education program at Moraine Valley Community College has been involved in longitudinal assessment aimed at evaluating the efficacy of course changes in terms of student retention and promotion. The plan began when the department decided to redevelop coursework and course sequences to improve retention. The faculty looked beyond simple success and failure rates in order to establish a baseline. They looked at less traditional metrics such as the ratios of grades awarded, the percentage of students passed who did not formally withdraw from the course, the ratio of withdrawals to passing grades, and the probability of students passing a course and then passing the subsequent course in succession. Eventually, the data served as a proactive tool leading to new questions and new programming. When developing the baseline data, the faculty had no idea of the two significant issues on the horizon—The COVID-19 pandemic and the Developmental Education Reform Act in Illinois. The latter limited the number of developmental courses a student could take to one per subject. This session will focus on how the team answered the question, "How are we doing?" and the follow-up, "How are we doing despite....?"George Bogaski, Nicole Campbell, Cassandra Negron & Robert Terry of University of Oklahoma
University College created a five-question survey that students take in preparation for their academic advising appointment. The survey captures their self-assessment in the following areas: major confidence, academic performance, financial situation, connectedness, and mental and physical wellness. The survey was initially designed to identify potential areas of concern that might need to be addressed in the advising appointment. Subsequent statistical analyses revealed a single factor underlying the five items. The aggregate score—the “Thrive Index”—provides a holistic snapshot of student wellbeing and is predictive of student retention. Our presentation will navigate the development, implementation and statistical analysis of this “Thrive Index.” Our hope is to help you replicate our success.Jennifer A. Wade-Berg, Rachel E. Myers, Deborah Baxter, Kandice Porter, Janeen Amason, Brian Etheridge, Rebecca Shabo & Monica H. Swan of Kennesaw State University
In 2019, Kennesaw State University (KSU) adopted a strategy entitled "It's About Engagement" as its Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP). This plan features three high-impact practices: internships, undergraduate research and service-learning. The intent of this QEP is not only to provide engaged learning opportunities for students to increase their critical thinking and communication skills but also to provide them an opportunity for greater connection and belonging with the community (both internally and externally) that can impact overall retention. In the Wellstar College of Health and Human Services (WCHHS), internships and clinical field experiences quickly became a signature pedagogy due to the college's majors and their accreditation standards. Additionally, service-learning and undergraduate research were adopted and integrated further into the curriculum of most majors. This paper examines the definition of high-impact practices (HIPs) and their use as a retention strategy. Data generated from the student perspective are offered to highlight how learning occurs and to identify areas for improvement.Lisa Richardson & Lorena Lopez of Waubonsee Community College
Community college student support services historically have been a “walk-in” service. Students identify that they need help, they connect with a college support service, they (hopefully) get the help they asked for, and they leave, often with no follow-up. This approach is transactional and not proactive, nor does it capture students who might not identify they need help or address all the needs they may have. Waubonsee Community College (WCC) leveraged Title V Grant funding to pilot a success coaching program to provide targeted, in-time support for students. The gains in student success and retention that were made in this coaching pilot informed a redesign of advising services at WCC to a case management model. This paper will explore the success coaching and advising structures and the data demonstrating their impact on student success and retention. This paper will then discuss the process of transitioning from a walk-in model of advising to a case management model and how different positions were leveraged for a larger focus on sub-population student support. Data to be presented include comparisons of student enrollment patterns, gains in continuing and readmitted student enrollment, and the change’s impact on focused populations.Rebekah Welch, Danielle Clarke & Wendy McMillian of University of Alabama
Covid-19 changed everything, and higher education was not immune. During the pandemic, student services and advising offices across the country were forced to shift services offered from mostly in-person to fully virtual within a matter of days. Never before had we offered mass advising virtually, and a unique set of challenges arose during an already very uncertain time. The return to in-person advising took months to years, depending on the institution. As a result, advising appointments were often focused more on course selection and registration with less focus on goal setting, long-term academic planning and the cultivation of habits that contribute to student success. Student expectations of academic advising have also changed in recent years due to the availability of virtual advising as well as Gen Z specific wants and needs. In this session, the presenters will discuss getting “back to the basics” of academic advising for retention by utilizing the NACADA Core Competencies and data-driven best practices with the goal of improving student persistence and graduation rates, particularly for at-risk students.Ashley Dees, Melissa Dennis & Racheal Durham of University of Mississippi
This presentation will delve into the collaboration between the University of Mississippi Libraries (UML) and the Center for Student Success and First-Year Experience (CSSFYE) to boost student success through the First-Year Instruction Initiative (FYII). For a decade this partnership has evolved, significantly contributing to both the achievement of library goals and meeting student learning outcomes for the first-year seminar courses in the CSSFYE. By aligning course objectives with FYII goals, the UML and CSSFYE have strategically integrated information literacy instruction into first-year courses, ensuring that students develop essential critical-thinking skills for academic success. This presentation will focus on recent data comparing library teaching models, goals, and library impact on retention in the first-year experience course, EDHE 105. The assessment aims to provide insight into the outcomes of the long-term partnership that could be replicated at other institutions and identify areas for improvement to further enhance student success.Register
CSRDE institutional members sign up for webinars using their membership registration forms. The number of webinars depends on the level of membership. If your institution is a CSRDE member and you would like to participate in a webinar, email csrde@ou.edu and we will put you in contact with the CSRDE representative on your campus. If you are an individual member, your membership includes one webinar. If neither you nor your institution are CSRDE members, you may use this form to register for a webinar.
If you are interested in purchasing podcasts from previous years’ presentations, please review the information using the dropdown box above for each year.
Accessing the Webinar
For each webinar, CSRDE will send the following emails:
- One to two weeks before webinar – Confirmation of your registration plus instructions to test your computer for compatibility. You may test your system now.
- One day before webinar – Login information and instructions for accessing the webinar
- Registrants will have five weeks in which to access and review the podcast and share the link with other colleagues at your institution.