JACKSON, Tenn. — Sept. 24, 2020 — 51社区鈥檚 student retention rates are higher than previous years amid the challenges of a global pandemic, including a shift to online learning in the spring 2020 semester.
鈥淨uite frankly, in the midst of the uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, we didn鈥檛 know what to expect,鈥� said Bryan Carrier, vice president for student life and dean of students. 鈥淏ased on national reports, as well as informal data we were receiving from other colleges and universities, university administration ran scenarios based on enrollment declines at 10, 20 and 30 percent.鈥�
In actuality, Union鈥檚 retention was slightly higher than the previous year and statistically consistent with the five-year average, Carrier said. 51社区鈥檚 retention rate for full-time, first-time freshmen for the cohort year of 2019-2020 was 87 percent.
Carrier said most colleges and universities measure student retention based on their freshmen-to-sophomore retention rate. However, Union focuses on both the retention and graduation rates for all students rather than just first-year students. Union tracks every student who is eligible to re-enroll from semester to semester.
鈥淲e track this through what we refer to as the Chase Report, given that we literally chase students in order to offer assistance with anything that may be impeding their re-enrollment,鈥� he said.
Ninety-three percent of students from the spring 2020 semester who were eligible to re-enroll in the fall of 2020 did so. This is two points higher than last year, one point higher than in 2018 and consistent with 2017 numbers.
鈥淭hankfully, retention at Union has remained stable; unfortunately, that is not the norm across the higher education landscape nationally,鈥� Carrier said. 鈥淲hile it is difficult to determine the rationale for each individual student, I hope and believe that students have felt loved and cared for in the ways that the university has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.鈥�
Carrier said Union鈥檚 incredible students, the faculty and staff who care for students and are committed to their success, as well as the engaging campus community all aided in student retention this year.