September 3, 2009

Student Success

---

Dear Faculty and Staff Colleagues:

Greetings and welcome to the beginning of another exciting academic year. As I write this letter, the campus is already abuzz with the arrival of new freshmen and transfer students.

Yesterday, we formally welcomed our new students with an opening matriculation ceremony. The participation of our students was outstanding, and they were deeply appreciative of the attendance and support demonstrated by our faculty, staff and student ambassadors. The event was a huge success and one that we intend to continue as a signature effort to demonstrate our unwavering commitment and support for students.

We also reminded the students of their responsibility to take advantage of the full-range of experiences found at Western Michigan University. Although many people played a role in making the event possible, special appreciation is extended to the First Year Experience Office—particularly Toni Woolfork-Barnes and Adrienne Fraaza—for their leadership in structuring the ceremony.

As we begin the year, I would appreciate your continuing support and effort to enhance the overall retention of our entering students. Through your good efforts, the retention rate of new students entering in the fall of 2008 was an improvement over the prior year. This is good news and helps our overall enrollment picture.

To stay on course, however, we need your renewed efforts. The data are very clear. The more that a University can touch and reach students on a personal level, the greater the likelihood of the students’ academic success and, therefore, their retention. During the first few weeks of class, I am requesting that faculty and staff reach out to our students in the following ways:

1. Make a special effort to greet students, inquire about their progress, and ask if they need help. Many students, particularly those unfamiliar with the nature of a University, need assistance but are reluctant to ask. Valuable, life-long connections can be made through the simple question, “May I help you?”
2. Check class rolls carefully. Academic affairs has initiated a special program designed to monitor class attendance, details of which will be e-mailed to faculty shortly. We know that taking roll is a small, but powerful method for communicating to students the importance of their participation in class as active and engaged learners. If students are not attending class, please communicate this information via GoWMU so that checks can be made to see if the roll is correct. If a student’s name is on the class roster, but he or she is not attending, the provost’s office has developed a system to contact the student. Efforts to reach out early can make a significant difference.
3. Utilize the course outline to introduce students to your course, its content, expectations, and examination procedures. Share with students your office hours and your commitment to them and their success with the caveat that students must attend class, study, do the assigned readings and make an effort consistent with the course expectations.
4. Provide feedback to students early in the semester so that they can gauge their progress. Many students, particularly new students, have difficulty navigating the shift in study habits from high school to the University. Early feedback is essential in helping students assess their progress and, as we all know, early warnings can lead to corrections before it is too late.
5. As schedule and time permits, meet with students who are not making adequate progress. The issue might be study habits, attendance or, possibly, a personal matter not associated with the class. If the latter is a problem for a student, you can be extremely helpful by identifying other resources in our University community that might make the difference to the student’s success.

Thank you for all that you do to support our students. Your efforts are making a difference in student retention rates and their perception of the University and its support for them and their success. Human capital is far too important to waste, and we have a responsibility to remind students that their future, and the needs of the larger society, are dependent upon their ability to “grab the reins” and maximize the opportunity to receive an education from a distinguished faculty at a great University.

Best regards,

John M. Dunn, President