Location
Comstock Memorial Union, MSUM
Document Type
Presentation
Event Website
https://www.mnstate.edu/sac/
Description
Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This dissertation study aimed to explore faculty and staff perceptions of the factors that influence retention with a qualitative-dominant explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. In the first phase, twenty-three faculty and staff at a two-year community college in southeastern Minnesota participated in an online questionnaire. Key findings from Phase One included faculty and staff perceived Academic Integration, Academic Conscientiousness, Support Service Satisfaction, and Financial Strain as having a significant impact on retention of FGCS and they perceive themselves as slightly prepared to advise FGCS on topics related to Financial Strain. In the second phase, eight faculty and staff from the same institution participated in an interview. Key findings from Phase Two included 50% of faculty and staff commented that the institution’s support systems for FGCS were effective; of those, 66.6% of staff commented these support systems were effective whereas 40% of faculty perceived the supports as effective.
Included in
Academic Advising Commons, Adult and Continuing Education Commons, Adult and Continuing Education Administration Commons, Community College Education Administration Commons, Community College Leadership Commons, Higher Education Administration Commons
Retaining First-Generation College Students: Faculty and Staff Perceptions
Comstock Memorial Union, MSUM
Research showed faculty-student interactions impact student engagement and was a primary factor to student retention (Kuh & Hu, 2001; Means & Pyne, 2017; Swecker et al., 2013; Tinto, 1987). The literature revealed while retention may be an issue for many institutions, there is a greater need to address retention specifically related to first-generation college students (FGCS). Students often seek advice from faculty and staff when faced with questions about their academic progress. Faculty and staff voices need to be collected regarding their perceptions of the effectiveness of the support systems used within an institution that promote retention for FGCS. This dissertation study aimed to explore faculty and staff perceptions of the factors that influence retention with a qualitative-dominant explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design. In the first phase, twenty-three faculty and staff at a two-year community college in southeastern Minnesota participated in an online questionnaire. Key findings from Phase One included faculty and staff perceived Academic Integration, Academic Conscientiousness, Support Service Satisfaction, and Financial Strain as having a significant impact on retention of FGCS and they perceive themselves as slightly prepared to advise FGCS on topics related to Financial Strain. In the second phase, eight faculty and staff from the same institution participated in an interview. Key findings from Phase Two included 50% of faculty and staff commented that the institution’s support systems for FGCS were effective; of those, 66.6% of staff commented these support systems were effective whereas 40% of faculty perceived the supports as effective.
https://red.mnstate.edu/sac/2023/cehs/2
Comments
Full dissertation can be found at https://red.mnstate.edu/thesis/766/
Citation: Wolff, David Shawn, "How do faculty and staff perceive the effectiveness of student support systems that promote the retention of First-Generation College Students?" (2023). Dissertations, Theses, and Projects. 766.