Retaining at USC: A Cualitative and Quantitative Approach.

After an interesting week, reading a lot of information found in papers, articles, cases of study, doctoral tesis dissertations, published in the internet and other valuable sources availables since four decades ago, about how the universities are dealing and handling the retaining and implement action plans to avoid the "leak of students in the first year transition from high school to the university". Improving strategies to increase retainings and the percentage of graduations.

Begining the second decade of the XXI century, the post-secondary institutions needs to find alternatives in creative ways to retain, review curriculum and present "value added" offerings, like more on-line courses, to hooks the freshmen students in an "personal affective connection" between boths parties.

Our one century old campus, it's like a "big green lung" or a "peaceful oasis" in the middle of the metropolitan city of San Juan, with well maintained gardens and facilities, close to the anything with easy access to the major roads and public transportation commuters.

With an estimated size of six thousands students attending the present year 2011. Five thousands for undergraduate courses(80%), one thousand in graduated programs(20%), Four hundred of them in on-line distance courses. The specific division by programs regarding the facts provided by the planification and statistics office of the USC show that a 11% taking an associated degree, 56% a bachelor's degree, 27% a master's degree and a 4% in combined studies.

In addition, I think the students, specially the new ones need to know in advance who teach the matters to attend in the future. The institution will present to the entire community the bank of talent holded, display his/her ethics, values, morale welfare, the distinguished professors, prestige faculty, his/her backgrounds, their researchs, investigations, awards, books published, articles, papers, who is the writer resident, the poet, the artist, the sports team members and goals accomplished. Because first year students, needs identify role models to play.

Recently, in a survey provided by the company Education Dynamics and answered by USC, the results show that; in a 60 different questions with 5 possible alternative answers to know about the status of the institution regarding the issue of retaining and first year experience strategies. The weight inclined the balance to the first two answers(lowest performance) in a 60% and a modest 40% in the remaining three possible answers (highest performance).

Hoffman and McKenzie said; "The investigations show; the high debt and financial stress it is the first reason to dropouts followed by the poor academic performance and a lack of integration to the university life". For these reasons the team of Project Title V are working together.

Seidman added; We can not assume, the students gave the first step to get help...the institution needs to assures the student aid and focusing in the quality service and support system in an intense and proactive manner to take action.

Today, due to the economic and financial crisis in our creole economy stag in an inusual long recession. The employers want to hire only young workers with more than a high school diploma, but less than a bachelor degree. Because they represent less money. Maybe this is one of our threats if we use the SWOT analysis (strenghts, weaknesses, opportunities and threats).

For this reason we need to improve the opportunity to a recruit back with an aggresive promotion to elevate the comebacks addmissions. Another threat is the part-time status of a large group of professors, working in a different kind of occupations the rest of the time contributing in breaking the "emotional connection" with the institution and the students.

If the USC may offers more full time positions to the part-time faculty, this action contribute to create an academic atmosphere of more productivity, investigations, research and development, increasing the publishing of articles, papers, books, findings, etc. to involve professors and students with a net benefit to the institution.

It's time to a reengineering all processes; admissions, registration, orientation, counseling, financial aid, economic assistance, work and study programs, others resources, library, training faculty, administrative workers, assistance personnel, etc.

This semester january 2011, USC earn over 600 new students, a vast majority due to the strike conflict at the University of P.R., another opportunity to grow and retain.

We need to continue developing a total care system in a "One Stop", where quality and customer service is first; to be "Partners in Excellence" in a "Five Stars" learning community.