University of New England

UNE receives $225,000 grant from MELMAC Foundation to enhance 1st-year student retention efforts

The University of New England recently received a nearly quarter-million-dollar grant from the MELMAC Education Foundation to fund a four-year, first-year student retention project. The project will center on reducing overall attrition rates at the University, focusing particularly on first-year students, who are the most at risk.

The $225,000 grant will be awarded to the University over four years. The University Campus in Biddeford, which houses 78% of UNE's undergraduate population, will be the primary recipient of the money. The grant program was developed through the collaborative efforts of the University's Undergraduate Retention Committee.

Individualized Advising
As proposed, an Office of First Year Student Advisement will be established where staff and peer mentors will have the opportunity to provide individualized advising sessions to new students to develop mutually agreed-upon plans of academic and student life success. A new requirement for all incoming first-year students will be to complete an online Noel-Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI), allowing the University to collect data on individual students' needs and strengths. This will aid staff in pinpointing students who are most at risk for attrition from the University and will provide them with needed support services indicated by their CSI responses.

Student Involvement
Other goals of the project include integrating instruction of college-level academic success skills, such as strategic reading, note taking and time management in key first-year courses. Also planned is the implementation of a comprehensive first-year student program designed to encourage students to attend co-curricular and extra-curricular activities that promote successful student adjustment to college life.

The project will be co-directed by John Langevin, Ph.D., assistant dean of Student Affairs for Student Support Services and director of Counseling, and John Tumiel, associate dean, College or Arts and Sciences coordinator of undergraduate student advisement on the University Campus. Staff from Student Support Services and Student Affairs, as well as faculty and student peer mentors, will provide additional support for the project.

"This is an excellent opportunity for the University to expand support services for our students," remarked Langevin. "It will help us tailor those services to the students' stated needs, thus increasing our retention and [students'] satisfaction."

"The Foundation is impressed with the strong leadership and campus-wide support of the University of New England's retention initiative," noted Wendy L. Ault, executive director of the MELMAC Education Foundation. "The University has clearly identified challenges their students face and developed these retention strategies, which the foundation is funding, to support student success toward a timely graduation. The Foundation looks forward to partnering with the University in this effort."

The MELMAC Education Foundation supports high-quality initiatives that serve the purpose of increasing educational opportunities for Maine people. The Foundation believes that Maine people and the State of Maine will thrive in the new economy by providing access to the appropriate education, skills and training at all levels.

(Press release issued April 18, 2006)