NMC retention rate lower than US level

The Northern Marianas College loses a significant number of students year after year, as reflected in the institution’s standing retention rate which is lower than the national 40 to 45 percent average.

Based on latest figures, NMC saw a steady decline in its student retention rate, approximately at 27 percent as opposed to the national norm.

“Retention rate of students in our academic programs is considerably lower than the national average. We have begun to recognize this and have put together a long-range plan to increase our retention rate significantly, “said NMC President Jack Sablan.

In an effort to explore strategies that would entice students to stay in school, NMC last week hosted a Retention Workshop that brought in a nationally-recognized authority on the subject.

An executive consultant for retention services from Noel-Levitz, visiting expert Teresa Farnum offered extensive hands-on experience and a special ability to diagnose retention opportunities and plan effective strategic interventions.

“There is a lot of research on what’s effective. One of the strong recommendations is to update retention rate figures that will give the college direction on the next steps,” said Ms. Farnum, in an interview.

In a nutshell, the expert enumerated a nurturing environment, services that are geared towards students, support for the academic success, customer service, among many others as factors that contribute to a successful academic experience.

In a workshop session with NMC faculty and student services staff, ideas on how to create a more student-friendly environment were raised.

Some faculty members floated the idea of developing a child care center for student mothers, in a bid to assist them cope better between domestic responsibilities and course load.

Other suggestions being eyed to contribute to student retention include slating more customer service training or workshops, promotion of student clubs and more faculty involvement, and uplifting the quality of instruction.

The proposed measures were arrived at during the Retention Workshop session which was directed at determining the next steps needed to achieve higher student retention at CNMI’s lone college.

The goal of the workshop was to provide participants with a clearer understanding about retention strategies that work.

NMC last year formed an alliance of different college departments to include the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Counseling Center, and the Office of Admissions, Records and Financial Aid, in an effort to probe the reasons behind the dismal student retention figures.

The key departments recently launched the NMC Retention Program where a satisfaction survey was distributed to students in order to clearer answers as to why a significant percentage of NMC freshmen do not return to the college for their sophomore year.

In the past, the college has reportedly initiated efforts to compile retention rate figures but have unfortunately been unable to come out with plans of action to correct the desperate situation.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness, a newly-developed arm under NMC, has been created to focus on providing solutions that would improve the college’s services to students, teachers, and the community at large.