Why retention matters
In a time when many universities are facing challenges in keeping students engaged, our rising retention rate is something we should all be proud of. For those of us working closely with students, the increase in retention isn’t just a data point. It’s a sign that the work we’re doing together to create a supportive, engaging learning environment is paying off.
When students return for their second year, it means they’re not only succeeding academically but also feeling connected to the university community and supported in ways that matter. Whether they’re connecting with faculty, finding a sense of community on campus, or accessing the resources they need to succeed, a strong retention rate means we’re offering something that keeps them coming back.
What’s driving our progress?
Building on long-term strengths in Bloomington, we are continuing to advance several additional strategies to bolster support and connect students more fully to the university community, including:
- Academic support and advising: Requiring advising for all undergraduates helps students navigate their academic paths more effectively, ensuring they receive the guidance they need early in their college careers. This also includes prioritizing experiential learning, which intentionally connects classroom knowledge to real-world experiences, fostering deeper engagement.
- Gateway course support: Thanks to faculty leadership, focused efforts to help students succeed in key gateway courses — often a major hurdle in their academic journey — ensure they have the foundational skills and support needed to progress.
- Additional first-year programs: Reimagined welcome weeks and additional programming, including through academic schools, for entering students play a critical role in building early connections, fostering a sense of belonging from day one.
- Enhanced campus and residential experiences: From expanding residential programs to improving campus facilities and resources, these efforts help students feel at home and part of a broader community.
- Support for targeted populations: Proven long-term programs like Groups Scholars join newer efforts aimed at finding pathways for pre-business, pre-nursing, and transfer students to ensure all students find a meaningful connection to their studies.
And from a more cohesive first-year experience to a new first-year seminar for all students, along with new technology to simplify student degree planning and advising, there is much more to come.
The bigger picture
Ultimately, retention is about more than just keeping students enrolled — it’s about creating an environment that helps them thrive. When students feel supported, engaged, and connected, they’re more likely to succeed academically, persist to graduation, and become productive leaders and contributors in our world. And that’s our ultimate goal.
As we continue our journey with the IUB 2030 strategic plan and focus on retention, it’s important that we keep our eyes on the broader picture: building a university community that is welcoming, inclusive, and supportive for all year-round. That’s a dynamic process that requires ongoing effort and adaptation from all of us. While we’re proud of where we are, we still have room to grow, particularly in comparison to several of our Big Ten peers.
It’s important that we continue to engage in conversations across campus about what more can be done to support students — both in their academic pursuits and in their overall experience at IU Bloomington. Thank you to everyone—faculty, staff, and students, university offices like Student Life, Undergraduate Education, and Enrollment Management, academic schools, and many others— whose efforts have led to these important steps forward. I’m excited to see where we can go from here.
