Cross-Campus Robust Retention Initiative: The Vortex Approach

ABSTRACT

Robust strategic enrollment management plans include an integrated focus on student retention. While Piedmont University has seen steady new student growth over the past few years, retention rates had dropped from the mid-70s to an all-time low of 62 percent. Significant and immediate action was necessary. The Retention Vortex was created as a internal communication protocol that pulls together disparate units across the campus with an ultimate result of increasing the retention rate to 77 percent in three years. This article describes the Vortex and other successful student retention initiatives.