Strategy 5 Stories: Ensuring Student Success
5. Partner with the Division of Enrollment Management and Student Affairs to increase the diversity of our student body.
The narratives below define and bring clarity to what each of the University Strategic Goals means to Academic Affairs. The narratives express our values and beliefs, and create a context to guide implementation efforts. To learn more about the specific strategies and tactics involved in ensuring student success, please view our Academic Affairs Strategic Plan.
Partnering with the divisions of EMSA and DEI, Kent State has realized significant enrollment growth in AALANA students since 2007. At the Kent Campus, undergraduate AALANA student enrollment has increased by 63% from Fall 2007 to Fall 2013 and our graduate AALANA student enrollment has increased by 81% over the same time period. The first year retention rate for AALANA students is 73% at the Kent Campus, which represents a slight increase from last year.
Furthermore, it appears that our community is becoming more inclusive. Our non-returning survey showed that racial tension was the least selected reason for students leaving KSU. Only 3.9% of the respondents selected it.
| Fall Cohort | Enrolled | After 1 Year | After 2 Years | After 3 Years | After 4 Years | After 5 Years | After 6 Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | 456 | 69.30% | 56.36% | 53.73% | 47.81% | 46.27% | 45.83% |
| 2008 | 458 | 75.98% | 63.10% | 57.42% | 51.75% | 49.56% | ---- |
| 2009 | 483 | 73.91% | 59.83% | 54.45% | 50.10% | ---- | ---- |
| 2010 | 551 | 64.61% | 55.72% | 48.82% | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| 2011 | 719 | 72.74% | 60.50% | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
| 2012 | 663 | 73.00% | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- | ---- |
College and department faculty and representatives have been helping EMSA with recruiting initiatives by participating in prospective student visitation programs hosted by the Admissions Office. Faculty share valuable information at a college fair type setting and give presentations and tours specifically focused on their academic specialty. Prospective students and parents are seeking this direct contact with the academic program of interest as they engage in their college search. Examples of some of the programs include Preview KSU for high school seniors, Preview KSU for high school juniors, Multicultural Visit Days, Golden Flash Days (yield programs for admitted students), etc.
Academic departments also partner with Admissions by offering regular academic information sessions to prospective students and their family members who come for the daily campus tours. These session times are promoted on the website with the visit campus information. Faculty, staff, and current students in academic areas also make direct contact with admitted students through telephone calls and/or email to encourage them to come to Kent State.
