Leading the charge to improve student persistence to graduation.
Everyone knows students who began college with high expectations and lofty goals, but were unable to stay enrolled and graduate. Across the country, one-third of students who entered college in fall 2018 did not return to classes at the same institution the following year. While UB’s retention rate far exceeds the national average, we aim to do better.
We believe in the value and distinctiveness of the UB experience and a UB degree. We also believe in every student’s academic, professional and civic potential. And we embrace our role in motivating students to persist to their second year and on to graduate with a UB degree. As a university community, we have a commitment to work together to achieve this goal.
A commitment to our students.
When we enroll a student at our institution, we commit to promoting a sense of belonging and sustaining the process of becoming a college student, UB community member and a consequential civic contributor. We do this because we know the far-ranging benefits of higher education and the excellence of UB’s programs.
Our collective effort is about being a student-ready university. It’s about meeting all students where they are and ensuring that, regardless of their starting point, they have the framework, resources and support to succeed
Working together as educational leaders.
College is transformational, yet the transition into and journey throughout the first year can be difficult for many students.
BOLD AMBITION
Achieve 93% student retention by cultivating students’ intellectual growth, identify development, emplacement and professional advancement.
As a university, we need to assess our educational experiences and outcomes, address institutional and financial barriers, and develop collaborative action plans to support student learning and success. These efforts benefit everyone at UB; they create a university culture that motivates students to return to UB from their first campus visit until they graduate, preparing them to enter a workforce where the need to have a college degree is higher than ever.
In February 2020, UB convened a task force to focus on a collaborative and integrative campus-wide approach to addressing first-to-second year retention.
The task force is a diversified cross-section of campus membership with representation from students, faculty and staff. Working along with various subcommittees, the task force will ultimately recommend high-impact strategies that align with the university’s philosophy on student retention for implementation throughout campus.
Achieving Our Ambition
By working collaboratively across administrative units and disciplines, UB provides an engaging and strengthening environment where all students have what they need to persist, succeed and graduate. We do this by:
- Embracing a shared culture of student fulfillment and success by all members of the UB community.
- Opening paths to academic opportunity and achievement—enhancing the educational experience and amplifying students’ academic dexterity.
- Clearing administrative, procedural and financial barriers.
- Cultivating each student’s sense of self, connectedness, professionalism, responsibility and purpose.
- Working together as one university to prioritize and support student persistence and success.