UA News

Enrollment into programs increase retention and grade-point averages for the third year in a row.

Those students who traditionally are at risk for dropping out of college are retained at higher rates after participating in student success programs offered by The University of Arizona's division of Multicultural Affairs and Student Success, or MASS.

A recent UA retention study revealed that for the third year in a row students who fall into categories where the risk for attrition is higher, and who enrolled in these programs had higher grades and lower drop out rates. Those risk factors include coming from an ethnic minority or a low-income family, or being the first member of the family to attend college

There are several programs designed to increase the retention of the University's underrepresented students. They include African American Student Affairs, Asian Pacific American Student Affairs, Chicano/Hispano Student Affairs, Native American Student Affairs and Undergraduate Initiatives, the mass unit which houses TRIO Student Support Services, Maximum Educational Results In Two Years, or MERITS, and the New Start Summer Program.

This year New Start is celebrating its 40th year at the UA.

Almost 16 percent of all African-American, Asian-Pacific Islander, Hispanic and Native American first-time, full-time freshmen at the UA participated in MASS programs in 2007-2008.

Compared to their peers who were eligible to participate but did not, students enrolled in MASS programs had higher retention rates: 6.5 percent higher for Asian-Pacific Islander students, 3.2 percent higher for Native American students and 10 percent higher for Hispanic students.

The study evaluating the New Start Summer Program showed significant success for students who completed the program. The program serves incoming students during the critical transition period between high school graduation and the beginning first year of college.

Data from the study showed that students who successfully completed the program were significantly more likely to have a first-year grade point average that is .13 percent higher and retention rate 9 percent higher than those students who did not participate.

"These programs have set the bar for retention benchmarks," said Kendal Washington White, director of Multicultural Affairs and Student Success. "Our goal now is to build upon their success and design programs that appeal to and can benefit a greater number of students," she added.