ELRC 7611

Faculty Influence on Retention and Persistence of

Henry M. Hebert
Community College Transfer Students December 2, 2020
SCHOOL OF EDUCATION

Introduction Methods Discussion

Research Problem: This study highlights three
transfer students from community colleges to LSU
and analyzes the faculty role as an influence on
retention. The purpose of this study is to identify the
most influential parts of faculty interaction and
transfer orientation. This study examines students’
interactions with faculty at community colleges as
well as LSU to detect key interactions which
influence retention.
Research Questions:
1. What are the most influential aspects of faculty-
to-students interaction in regard to retention and
persistence?
2. Is transfer orientation a beneficial program for
transfer students? If so, what piece is the most
beneficial?
Data Source: Students who had attended a community college before attending Limitations:
LSU. Two of the participants were current LSU students and one was an LSU • Small sample size of 3 participants at one
graduate. university within one senior college.
• Virtual interview might limit interaction with
Sample: Participants included 2 males and 1 female. 1 male and 1 female participants in the study.
attended OOS community colleges while 1 male attended a Louisiana community • Virtual learning influenced interaction with faculty.
college.
Discussion:
Qualitative Design: • Community college faculty facilitated more
•8 questions. engaging learning environments with smaller
•Interview questions were designed to analyze the students’ relationship with classes.
faculty members at community colleges and LSU. • Transfer orientation was either not attended or
•Participants were asked about the transfer orientation process at LSU. deemed less beneficial than meeting with faculty
•Students were also asked about involvement with faculty outside of the classroom advisors.
and if their involvement with faculty led to their decision to continue at LSU. • Faculty relationships, when fostered, greatly
increased retention and persistence.
• Comparison between CC instructors and LSU
professors.

Literature Review Findings Conclusions

Academic Advising & Mentorship Faculty Influence at Community College Conclusion:

•Advisors and faculty counsel students on a variety
of academic and non-academic issues such as
scheduling, work-life-school balance, and academic
struggles. (Jaggars et al., 2017).
•Faculty mentors urge students who have high
ability, but poor self-image, to aim higher during
their college experience (Berger 2007).
Fostering Educational Environments
•The classroom environment faculty create is critical
to a student’s success. Clear expectations, timely
support, feedback on assessment, and engaging
pedagogies enhance the classroom experience.
(Tinto 2012).
•Class size and programs like Honors Colleges
increase the level of faculty-to-student interaction
(Jarzombek et al., 2017).
•Learning collaboratively led to greater levels of
positive peer interactions, which in turn led to
increased odds for persisting to the 2nd year of
college (Loes et al., 2017).
• Participants felt instructors “cared about my success in the course” and “courses
were thoughtfully constructed and well designed”.
• “My community college courses were thoughtfully constructed and well
designed. The flow of the class made sense, and I could tell the professor spent
a lot of time putting the course together.”
• Participants noted instructors being “more personable and caring”.
Faculty Influence at LSU
• All participants noted a stronger relationship with major specific professors.
• 2 out of 3 participants expressed their interaction with faculty was limited to
instruction and advising.
• All participants felt professors were willing to help if approached, however, only 1
felt professors were proactive in fostering relationships with students.
Transfer Orientation at LSU
• Participants noted an uninterest in orientations stating, “I didn’t see the need in
it” and “I already knew how to succeed in college coursework”.
• All participants noted that meeting with a faculty advisor was the most beneficial
part of the transfer process, however, not that was not always part or orientation.
Influence On Retention and Persistence
• 2 of the 3 participants noted that faculty interaction influenced their decision.
• “My faculty advisor has become my friend. I have cried in her office, laughed in
her office, and gone to her with personal problems unrelated to school.”
• 1 participant noted that faculty had no influence on their persistence.
• “I was here for a reason and faculty (good and bad) were never a factor in me
deciding to continue at LSU.”
• Community college instructors were perceived as
welcoming and caring. Smaller class sizes were
preferred.
• Faculty advising was most influential interaction
with LSU faculty.
• Faculty advising should extend beyond course
selection and include sense of belonging, etc.
• Transfer orientation was not perceived as needed.
Implications for Policy and Practice:
• LSU should facilitate best practices trainings for
new faculty on instruction and advising.
• LSU faculty appointments should incorporate and
value academic advising.
• LSU transfer orientation must include faculty
interaction to increase participation and student
satisfaction.
• Smaller class sizes need to be implemented to
provide similar learning experiences students
received at community colleges.