Recruitment and Recruitment and Retention Strategies for Retention Strategies for Latino Students in Latino Students in Tennessee’s Private 4-Tennessee’s Private 4-year Institutionsyear Institutions
Presented to the Tennessee Independent Colleges and Universities Association
By Carrie Abood, Darwin Mason, and Chris White
About TICUAAbout TICUA
• TICUA's 34 member colleges and universities represent East, West, and Middle TN• 76,000 students educated, representing every county in the state and all 50 states in the nation (24% total number of students attending college in TN)
Purpose of the StudyPurpose of the Study
•…to identify the perceived effective perceived effective strategiesstrategies utilized by colleges and universities to recruit, retain, and recruit, retain, and graduategraduate Latino students
•…specifically, to focus on how TICUA member institutionsTICUA member institutions can recruit and retain Latino students in their institutions
Significance of the StudySignificance of the Study•Unique focus• Four-year private institution• Non-border state
•Pertinent focus• Population increase in the Southeast• Political and legal climate
•Personal focus• Qualitative study• Student perspectives
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
• Q1: What factor(s) did Latino students in TICUA member institutions perceive as influential in their decision to enroll at a particular institution?
• Q2: What factor(s) do Latino students in TICUA member institutions perceive as influential in their decision to persist at that institution?
Research QuestionsResearch Questions
• Q3: What effective strategies should TICUA member institutions implement to recruit and enroll Latino students?
• Q4: What effective strategies should TICUA member institutions implement to retain Latino students?
FindingsFindings
Survey – the “big” picture•From the 13 possible Yes/No/Unsure questions, 8 of those had more No responses than Yes•Average number of Yes responses by an institution: 5 out of 13•Four institutions had 10+ Yes responses
Implementation is occurring, but there is room to increase practices
in TICUA member institutions
FindingsFindings•Five themes emerged from Interviews:• Administrative Commitment, Relationships, Financial Commitment, Intentionality, Student Support
•Four themes emerged from Focus Groups:• Financial Incentives, Institutional Fit, Campus Community, Influences
Findings – Interview Findings – Interview ThemesThemes• Mentioned by participants at all four
institutions• “In word and deed”• “Champion”• “I want [the institution] to be, to come to
a point where we don’t have to talk about diversity because we are diversity. I want us to be the leading example of it.”
Findings – Interview Findings – Interview ThemesThemes• Faculty-student relationships: “faculty
availability,” “bicultural,” “mentoring” • “You know, our faculty is not afraid to pull
the students, out of class and say, okay, you’re slacking. And it’s not a, what are you dealing with what’s wrong with you. It’s okay, I see this. What’s going on? Is it life? Is it the class? Is it the professor? What could we do to help?”
Findings – Interview Findings – Interview ThemesThemes• Financial commitment was defined as the
institution’s willingness to ensure financial resources are allocated for recruiting and retaining Latino, and other minority, students• Manifested in values, budgets, and
various means of providing financial assistance • Direct aid to the student or allocation of
funds• Creative, flexible, case-by-case
Findings – Interview Findings – Interview ThemesThemes• Mentioned at all four case study
institutions• Intentionality and deliberativeness
demonstrated value and showed priority to Latino students• Examples: Formal diversity positions,
Community partnerships, Family outreach, Development of faculty and staff
Findings – Interview Findings – Interview ThemesThemes• Student support services help to acclimate
to college life and encourage retention
• Examples: Formal diversity office on campus, mentoring programs, community partnerships, and clubs that value diversity
Findings – Focus Group Findings – Focus Group ThemesThemes
• Money was the most significant barrier for students when considering college• Scholarships & grants specific to Latinos or
students of color opened doors • “…the scholarship is really what got me
here.”• Undocumented students – greater reliance on
private donors and institutional aid
Findings – Focus Group Findings – Focus Group ThemesThemes• Specific codes: fate, welcoming, school size,
comfort, Christian environment, relational, polite, and safety
• Environment • “I believe [the institution] not only helps
grow the students academically, but also morally and spiritually, and I think that’s just a big part of being human after they get out of [the institution].”
• “It’s like we’re all family and most of the time we know each other because it’s a small campus.”
Findings – Focus Group Findings – Focus Group ThemesThemes• Communion and Unity• “I think everyone is really, like, united.”
• Student-to-student• “The family that I formed here, that’s what makes
me stay here.”• Faculty-to-student • “I think the professors have a lot to do with it
because the professors are incredibly open to speak to you, get to know you…invite you to their home.”
• Opportunities to engage the community off campus
Findings – Focus Group Findings – Focus Group ThemesThemes• Institutional or Personal• Institutional Influences: prestige, mentoring,
tutoring, Admissions recruiter, partnerships, organizations, professional connections
• Personal Influences: Family, motivation for a better life, sense of obligation
• “You stay in [home city], you go to the same community college that your mother went to…and you do like one of the five or six well-paying jobs there, you know, and then you get married and you have kids and your kids go to the same schools that you went to. It’s a cycle. It’s very much a cycle.”
RecommendationsRecommendations
• Institutional leaders demonstrate commitment to serving the Latino student population• Provide financial aid that is specific to
Latino students• Create a multicultural affairs
department or office• Develop community partnerships• Increase the cultural competence of
faculty and staff
Discussion Questions• Which recommendation(s) would you
implement at your institution? • Does one recommendation stand out as most
important for your institution? If so, why?• Do you have a “champion” on campus, ready
to implement your recommendations?• What community partners exist in your area?
How can you work with these partners to increase Latino enrollment and improve their experiences on campus?• Which recommendation(s) seem “out of
reach” for your institution right now? Why?