The University Retention Committee was charged with developing strategies to improve retention and graduation. A major challenge to student persistence and eventual graduation occurs when a grade of D or F is earned or when a student withdraws from a course necessary for graduation. Kent State has defined High DFW courses as those with 30% or more of the students enrolled earn a D, F, or withdraw. To improve student performance in these courses, colleges identified various strategies to be employed in a Fall 2014 pilot program to see if a difference is made at the end of the term. The strategies below may be used in combination:
- Course Signals: Providing feedback to students on their course performance
- Outreach/Tutoring: Encouraging students to take advantage of Supplemental Instruction resources
- Online Modules: Developing support materials to help students with coursework
- ALEKS: Expanding use of ALEKS in other math courses to improve performance
- FPDC: Employing pedagogical strategies to improve learning