BHSU retention improves most

By Kayla Gahagan, Journal staff | Thursday, December 13, 2007

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More students are staying at South Dakota colleges, according to information prepared for the Board of Regents.

According to the most recent numbers, seven of every 10 first-year students at South Dakota's public universities returned to campus this fall, 2 percentage points higher than the previous year's rate. A retention rate is the percentage of a group of students enrolled at a later date.

Included in the report were students who transferred to another public university campus to continue their education. That resulted in an overall retention rate of 74.1 percent.

It's progress, but not enough, said Tad Perry, executive director for the Board of Regents.

"We are pleased with the direction, and we are impatient," he said in a prepared statement. "It would be wonderful to get to 80 percent, but that is very difficult."

Black Hills State University had a 50 percent retention rate a year ago and has moved to 57.9 percent. The regents have set a target of increasing 8 percent over four years.

The South Dakota School of Mines & Technology's same-campus rate was 75.8 percent, a significant increase over previous years.

Julie Smoragiewicz, vice president for university and public relations, said some of the credit should go to the university's higher admission standards that were put into place two years ago.

"The incoming freshman have stronger academic credentials," she said, which makes them more likely candidates to contine the next year. "We're delighted that retention rates are climbing."

According to the university, class credentials reflected increases in both ACT composite and math scores and increased grade-point averages for incoming students and their class rank in high school. In addition, one in every two incoming, first-time freshmen from South Dakota are designated as Opportunity Scholars, a statement to their academic preparedness.

School of Mines president Charles Ruch said it's a combination of factors.

"That these students chose to return to the School of Mines speaks to the quality of the education that they receive and the support they receive from our outstanding faculty and staff," he said in a prepared statement. "The outstanding retention rate of our 2006 class is also a testament to the success of our new admission standards."

According to the National Education Writers Association, freshmen-to-sophomore retention is considered important because studies show students are more likely to drop out during the first year than any other time.

Dakota State University in Madison has used a federal grant to increase retention. Last year, the rate was 63.4 percent; this fall, it was 68.8 percent.

Students who transfer to private, tribal or out-of-state institutions are not counted as retained, although they are continuing their education, according to a brief prepared by the regents.

Other same-campus retention rates were 61.4 percent at Northern State and 70.4 percent at the University of South Dakota.

Smoragiewicz said some of the issues she hears from students when considering leaving school are financial reasons or not being academically prepared. Because the School of Mines is specialized for math and science, some students leave because they change their minds about what they want to study.

"Some don't understand what science and engineering is about, and if they get here and realize it's not what they want, they have no choice but to transfer," she said.

She said the best advice she can give students is to make sure finances are set up well in advance and make sure to be prepared academically, especially in math and science.

"We want students to come prepared to come and start with calculus," she said.

"It's so important for the science classes."

She said retention will continue to be an issue at the School of Mines.

"If we agree to accept a student, we want them to be successful," she said.

Contact Kayla Gahagan at 394-8410 or kayla.gahagan@rapidcityjournal.com