I shared some thoughts on the trends and false beliefs that are promoting these discussions of change. Rather than feeling powerless due to these dismal forecasts, now is the time for us to take action. In thinking about the upcoming year, I have five words for you to consider as you take action. The first word is retention. I had an enjoyable discussion at the International Committee Reception at the recent NADE conference with a colleague from Australia.
Words are important.
His concern was that we must be careful in the selection of the name since many outside of our field may misunderstand us. We must conduct research to document the effectiveness of our programs regarding student retention and graduation rates. If you are not already conducting studies concerning the effectiveness of your program regarding these outcome variables, do so today. Do not wait till an up line administrator asks for them. By then it may be too late.