Faculty Senate reviews strengths and challenges in retention rates

Faculty Senate heard feedback from student reviews and considered student retention at their Tuesday meeting. The senate also received updates on COVID-19 screening kits and passed the renaming of a University of Idaho College of Natural Resources degree.  

Student retention  

Dean Kahler, vice provost of strategic enrollment management, kicked off his presentation covering current UI retention rates, challenges and strengths. Kahler said institutional strengths from student feedback included excellent instruction in a student’s major, most of the faculty being knowledgeable in their studies and ability to experience intellectual growth.  

“To experience intellectual growth was a great finding for us,” Kahler said. “Those are the top areas our students care about and where we are meeting their expectations.” 

Kahler covered challenges students presently face, including cost of schooling, not receiving adequate preparation for future careers and conflict when registering for classes.  

The Fall 2021 retention rate is around 74%. At the same time, 38.2% of students follow a four-year track graduation.  

Kahler listed several factors for lack of retention, specifically for first and second year students. Along the financial track, availability of work and scholarships play a role in a student’s ability to attend the university.  

“We’ve been taking this information and working hard in the financial aid office to see if we can do some financial aid awards earlier, and to coordinate some of the aid that’s available to our students,” Kahler said. 

Other retention factors mentioned by Kahler is a sense of community and academic preparedness.  

Those involved with the presentation plan on moving forward by meeting with campus leadership organizations such as ASUI and leadership teams on campus. Learning what needs to be a part of the strategic enrollment plan process will help new measures be implemented.  

COVID-19 testing kits  

Provost and Executive Vice President Torrey Lawrence remined faculty members of the COVID-19 testing kits available to students, staff and faculty. The testing tent is set up next to the UI Vandal Health Center. Lawrence said a referral isn’t required to receive a test.  

Vaccine clinics will also continue on the Moscow campus with the next one scheduled for Nov. 3.  

Rangeland Conservation degree 

Charles Goebel, a professor in the department of forest, rangeland and fire, presented the change to the title of the Rangeland Conservation degree.  

Goebel explained that the recent name change that was established in 2016 has pushed prospective students away from entering the field.  

The name of the degree was originally Rangeland Ecology and Management and has successfully returned with a vote from Faculty Senate. 

“In response to discussions with our stakeholders and part of the industry summit that we had with the rangelands stakeholders, pre-COVID, we would like to change the name back to where we were historically,” Goebel said. “And see this as a positive change to reinforce our connection with our traditional stakeholders.” 

Sierra Pesnell can be reached at [email protected]