An estimated one million students drop out of school each year; this is but one indicator of the failure of schools to provide equal educational opportunity for all children. One main reason is the failure to take into account the diverse backgrounds of the students. In particular, schools have been structured in a manner that discriminates…

Key strategies for improving the achievement levels of minority group students in predominantly white institutions include pre-college programs and services addressing preparation problems and the academic environment, promoting student involvement in campus life, and close attention to campus racial climate. (MSE)

Georgia State's minority retention program provides academic and social support for black freshmen by referral to appropriate campus personnel or resources for assistance with academic, financial, personal, social, and career planning problems. It uses peer counseling, faculty mentors, nonacademic staff participation, and social events to…

Presents seven statements synthesizing the literature on the relationship between educational advising and student retention. Provides an advisement model designed to increase institutional holding power through ethical recruitment, honest orientation, continuous dissemination of information, and a developmental approach to the advising process.…

Considers mechanisms for recruiting lifelong learners to adult education programs, including outreach courses, media, surveys, scholarships, referral systems, special orientation sessions, satellite centers, and individualized support system. Describes the benefits of an increased adult enrollment to the community, the college, and the students.…

Examines issues in the development of campus programming for distance learners, including creating effective orientation programs, promoting participation in student government and student organizations, providing service learning opportunities, and offering wellness and recreational sports opportunities. (MSE)

Explores balancing ethics with the conflicting goals for student orientation sources. Ethical standards, including those developed by the Council for the Advancement of Standards (CAS), related to the development and assessment of orientation programs, as well as specific issues unique to orientation, are considered. Offers models for ethical…

Issues unique to community college campus activities programing are examined, including rapid turnover of student leaders, wide range of skill levels among leaders, diverse student needs, and lack of staff support. Some solutions are offered including close academic monitoring of leaders, orientation, leadership development training, involvement…

Describes an Auburn University (Alabama) summer program that brings high school students into the veterinary medicine and molecular biology programs, focusing on recruitment and selection of students, aspects of faculty participation, parent involvement, orientation, laboratory work, and student grouping and mentoring. Results of the program to…

There has been very little previous evaluation research that examines the effects of interventions on persistence.

This paper describes the Buddy Program for international teaching assistants (ITAs) at Michigan State University (MSU) in East Lansing and presents brief case studies of the program in action. The Buddy Program pairs new ITAs with undergraduates at MSU to help familiarize ITAs with student life at the school and help them assimilate into their new…

In California community colleges, state-mandated matriculation consists of services intended to enhance student success and processes to improve institutional effectiveness by developing capacities for evaluation, coordination, and training. Each year, the Chancellor's Office conducts evaluations to assess the extent to which matriculation is…

In California community colleges, state-mandated matriculation consists of services intended to enhance student success and processes to improve institutional effectiveness by developing capacities for evaluation, coordination, and training. Each year, the Chancellor's Office conducts evaluations to assess the extent to which matriculation is…

In California community colleges, state-mandated matriculation consists of services intended to enhance student success and processes to improve institutional effectiveness by developing capacities for evaluation, coordination, and training. Each year, the Chancellor's Office conducts evaluations to assess the extent to which matriculation is…

Using data from a larger intervention study of youth at risk for substance abuse, this study examined the impact of school transition on middle school and high school youth at high risk for alcohol and other drug abuse. Subjects for the larger study were 279 students from 30 secondary schools; approximately 10 students from each school were…