THE ACHILLES HEEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION

194 Pages·2010·1.68 MB·English

THE ACHILLES HEEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION: MINORITY STUDENT
RETENTION

By

Sheila Pierre

A Thesis

Presented to
The Faculty of Humboldt State University

In Partial Fulfillment
of the Requirements for the Degree
Master of Arts
In Sociology
May 2010
THE ACHILLES HEEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION: MINORITY STUDENT
RETENTION

By

Sheila Pierre

Approved by the Master‘s Thesis & Project Committee:

Dr. Sing C. Chew, Major Professor, PhD Date

Dr. Sheila L. Steinberg, Committee Member, PhD Date

Dr. Jennifer L. Eichstedt, Committee Member, PhD Date

Dr. Sheila L. Steinberg, Graduate Coordinator, PhD Date

Jena Burges, Vice Provost Date
ABSTRACT
THE ACHILLES HEEL OF HIGHER EDUCATION: MINORITY STUDENT
RETENTION

Sheila Pierre

In American institutions of higher learning all around the country, educators—teachers,
counselors, and administrators—have made significant progress in identifying and
recruiting diverse populations. Despite these efforts, many students of color (e.g., African
Americans, Hispanic Americans and Native Americans) are not faring as well as their
white peers. A number of factors have been identified as important to the retention and
success of minority students in American colleges and universities. Among these factors
are academic and social integration. Some of these social and cultural obstacles (e.g.,
racial and ethnic prejudice, negative peer pressure, poor parental involvement, negative
teacher and counselor expectations, etc.) that Students of Color face in educational
institutions are also well known. The purpose of this thesis is to model the relationship
between college experience and retention for minority students enrolled in American
institutions of higher learning (using Humboldt State University as a case study). This
thesis looks at two studies done at HSU that focus on the experiences and profiles of
students. The first study conducted by the Humboldt State University Office of Student
Affairs examines students who began as first‐time HSU freshmen Fall, 2006 but did not
return for their junior year. The second study conducted by the Office of Diversity &
Inclusion looks at a cross-section of ethnic/racial minority students, in order to discuss
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with these students a range of issues relevant to diversity on the HSU campus. The focus
group project also aims to fill in the gaps in analyses (such as the information collected
and statistical data that already exists on campus) and to help administration, staff, and
faculty understand why some groups of students are doing so much better or worse than
other students. Also, more broadly, this project collected student feedback on a wider
range of issues, such as perceptions of HSU‘s commitment to diversity, trends in student
interaction across different groups, and the quality of different groups of students‘
experiences on this campus. Primary findings are reported and a model of the college
experience consistent with past research is proposed here. In order to improve minority
student retention, it is clear that institutions must do more than implementing programs
(student activities, clubs, college survival workshops, etc). Recruitment is an important
component for increasing the number of minority students, but retaining our students is
equally important and institutional programs are not enough. Using multiple frameworks,
this thesis examines the notion of retention and its many challenges and offers
recommendations for improving the retention of minority students.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The completion of this thesis requires thanks to many individuals. I would like to thank
the Sociology Department at Humboldt State University. Thanks specifically to Alicia
Cuevas, Linda McMaster, and Barbara Klessig for their assistance from the very
beginning. I do not think people realize how important you women are to the Sociology
Department. You all have always directed me in the right direction when I have needed
assistance and I thank you for just being so kind and patient with me.

Dr. Sing C. Chew, thank you for being my advisor and the chair of my committee. I
could not imagine having anyone else. You have set a standard that I will continue
attempting to reach as I hopefully pursue my doctorate in the future. Your continuous
support and guidance is very much forever appreciated, especially through the earliest
and roughest drafts of this thesis. Thank you for welcoming me into your home and
making my time here at Humboldt a great one.

Dr. Jennifer Lynn Eichstedt, thank you as well for being my advisor. You know where I
have come from and where I want to go. Your support, encouragement, and caring
approach has made it possible for me to achieve what I thought was never possible. I am
grateful for the connections you gave me with the Office of Diversity & Inclusion in
which I was able to acquire my placements and numerous other assistantships.
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Dr. Sheila Lakshmi Steinberg, thank you for being blunt, straight forward and real. Your
honest and straightforward approach has encouraged me to push myself through times
when I thought I would never make it. This university needs more individuals with your
demeanor. Your guidance through this process has also been invaluable, and your
enthusiasm was integral in motivating me to get through this.

Radha Webley, thank you for being a wonderful supervisor for both my placement and
the data that I have incorporated in this thesis. Thank you one hundred times. You have
no idea what an impact you have been during my stay here at Humboldt State University.
Thank you for all you assistance and help.

Lastly, a never ending thanks to my beautiful, Haitian family for whom this thesis is
dedicated. Beso! Asemblee loue l'eternel, il est vivant!!! For my Mum and my Dad,
Laura Remy and Othello Pierre, their continuous support, encouragement,
thoughtfulness, and struggles have made this entire task possible. I write this for them.
For Patricia, Samuel, and Stephanie Pierre, my lovely siblings, thank you for being you. I
remember looking out of our windows in the projects yelling at the trains. ―Choo Choo
America…America!‖ we would say to each train that passed by. I finally got on it! Even
though it was a frightening experience I toughed it out. And will continue to tough it out
the farther I push and the farther I go.
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PREFACE
Difference is of the essence of humanity. Difference is an accident of birth and it should
therefore never be the source of hatred or conflict. The answer to difference is to respect
it. Therein lies a most fundamental principle of peace: respect for diversity.
- John Hume, 1998

What we have to do... is to find a way to celebrate our diversity and debate our
differences without fracturing our communities.
- Hillary Clinton, 1993

Diversity may be the hardest thing for a society to live with, and perhaps the most
dangerous thing for a society to be without.
- William Sloane Coffin, Jr., 1999

I do not want my house to be walled in on all sides and my windows to be stifled. I want
all the cultures of all lands to be blown about my house as freely as possible.
- Mohandas K. Gandhi, 1932

If we cannot end now our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for
diversity.
-John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the US 1961-1963
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v
PREFACE ......................................................................................................................... vii
TABLE OF CONTENTS ................................................................................................. viii
LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... xiv
LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................ xv
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 2: THE STUDY SITE (HUMBOLDT STATE UNIVERSITY) ..................... 6
Humboldt State University Statements ........................................................................... 9
HSU Vision Statement ................................................................................................ 9
HSU Mission Statement ............................................................................................ 10
HSU Core Values ...................................................................................................... 10
President Richmond‘s Address to Faculty and Staff .................................................... 12
CHAPTER 3: ISSUE EXAMINED – STUDENT RETENTION AT HSU ..................... 14
Student Retention at Humboldt State University .......................................................... 14
Retention in Higher Education ...................................................................................... 17
CHAPTER 4: LITERATURE REVIEW .......................................................................... 22
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Less Focus on Access, More Focus on Success ........................................................... 22
Why Do Students Leave College? ................................................................................ 25
Student Progression Models ......................................................................................... 25
Tinto‘s Student Integration Model ............................................................................ 26
Bean and Eaton‘s Psychological Model ................................................................... 30
Shortcomings of Both Models .................................................................................. 33
Factors Related to Retention ......................................................................................... 35
Academic Preparedness ............................................................................................ 35
Scholastic Aptitude Test (SAT) ................................................................................ 37
Campus Climate ........................................................................................................ 38
Student Commitment to Educational Goals and the Institution................................ 44
Social & Academic Integration ................................................................................. 47
Faculty as Role Models ............................................................................................. 48
Financial Aid & College Costs ................................................................................. 49
Financial Aid and College Persistence. .................................................................... 51
College Persistence by Race and Ethnicity ............................................................... 53
CHAPTER 5: CONCEPTURAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................... 56
Campus Climate ............................................................................................................ 60
Financial Aid ................................................................................................................. 61
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Student Services ............................................................................................................ 63
Academic Services ........................................................................................................ 64
Recruitment & Admissions ........................................................................................... 65
Curriculum & Instruction .............................................................................................. 68
Hypotheses .................................................................................................................... 69
CHAPTER 6: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................... 71
National Survey of Student Engagement (NSSE Data) ................................................ 71
Student Sample ......................................................................................................... 72
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 74
Limitations with NSSE Data:.................................................................................... 74
Study 1 Background: The Office of Student Affairs and HSU .................................... 75
Student Sample ......................................................................................................... 76
Instrument Design ..................................................................................................... 78
Measures ................................................................................................................... 79
Survey Administration .............................................................................................. 79
Data Analysis ............................................................................................................ 79
Limitations of the Study............................................................................................ 80
Study 2 Background: Office of Diversity & Inclusion and HSU ................................. 81
Student Sample ......................................................................................................... 82
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