Sophomore Plan at University of Richmond Helps Keep Second-Year Men in College
April 26, 2006
Colleges and universities for years have focused their retention plans on freshmen. Freshman year experience programs, freshmen residence programs, undeclared academic advising programs are just a few geared toward first-year students’ adjustment to college life.
Administrators at the University of Richmond have discovered that the attrition rate among sophomore men is more critical even than the rate among freshmen.
Richmond has a coordinate structure, with a separate dean of students for all-male Richmond College and all-female Westhampton College. Stephen D. Bisese, dean, and Daniel J. Fabian, associate dean of Richmond College found that male students at the university were four times more likely to be placed on academic probation than women.
That was a bit puzzling because men entered with just about the same SAT scores as women, 1260-1370 range for men and a 1270-1370 range for women.
Two things are at work, they believe. Research shows that men don’t talk about their issues or struggles as much as women and they also feel societal pressures to be the protectors and wage earners in their families.
Richmond’s Counseling and Psychological Services Center conducted a 2004 survey. Information gathered from 339 men shows that 20 percent “worried abut getting a job,” 20 percent “worried about getting into graduate school,” and 18 percent “worried about their plans.”
Bisese and Fabian decide to develop a sophomore plan based on what they learned from that research. It would focus on developing more positive relationships with faculty outside the classroom, developing more meaningful relationships with peers and addressing the stress in career planning.
The dean’s office sent a letter to all sophomore men during the summer after freshman year. It explained that sophomore year can be stressful due to concerns over issues such as: Is my major really going to get me a job? Did I choose the wrong school? The social life here is not all it’s cracked up to be. I’m not really connected with a group of friends. I did not get into a fraternity. My roommate was awful.
A similar letter was sent to parents. Students were encouraged to make a half-hour appointment with one of the deans to discuss personal issues, major and career concerns, and relationships with faculty and other students. Then a plan was developed that might include visits to other offices on campus.
Seventy-five of the 400 sophomore men responded to the letter. Seventy-five percent indicated academic and career concerns rather than social. One of the measures to evaluate the program was to track the number of sophomore men who visited the Career Development Center. The number increased by 15 percent.
To reach sophomores who did not respond to the letter, the Dean’s Office organized two regular events. One, “The Road Less Traveled” invited successful alumni to talk about their majors and careers. The second, “First Fridays” had the deans visit sophomore residence halls on the first Friday of each month to encourage visits to the Career Development Center.
In response to sophomores who felt they did not fit in or who did not have a positive peer group, the staff developed a pilot living-learning program to develop meaningful relationships with other students and faculty. The first program was the “Outdoor House,” where 19
sophomores lived together and took a literature course together. They also joined a faculty member in outdoor adventure activities. A second program focusing on civic engagement will be introduced in August 2006.
So far, the deans say, the results have been positive. The key to it all, they believe, is personal contact with a spirit of cooperation between faculty and student affairs personnel.