This performance improvement-based dissertation in practice analyzed and addressed a retention performance problem embedded in a higher education setting. A problem of practice is defined as an ongoing performance problem that exists in the context of a scholar-practitioner's workplace (Burrington & Throne, 2021) which, if addressed, can lead to improved organizational performance (Carnegie Project on the Education Doctorate, 2022). The problem of practice of this study was that of low first-to-second year Academic Progress Rate (APR) performance in the College of Health (COH) at University X, a public, regional comprehensive university operating within the State University System of Florida (SUSF). As one of 12 institutions in the SUSF, University X operates under a Performance-Based Funding (PBF) model, which allocates institutional funding based on assigned performance metrics (Cornelius & Cavanaugh, 2016; Hermes, 2012; State University System of Florida [SUSF], 2021). Metric 5, which measures First-Time-In-College (FTIC) student first-to-second year retention (SUSF, 2020), has been prioritized as a key performance metric by the administrative leadership at University X due to historically lower performance scores relative to average compared to other SUSF institutions. While each college within University X contributes to the institution's cumulative Metric 5 score, the College of Health (COH) at the site institution was specifically chosen for this change effort because the COH dean identified APR as an area of concern at the time of this study. The COH was an important contributor to the overall Metric 5 score because of its high FTIC student enrollment and recent drop in APR from the previous academic year, which led to concern among COH leadership. Thus, this problem of practice was identified by leadership stakeholders as an urgent and actionable performance problem that aligned with the university's strategic focus. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]