Beyond the Plateau: Designing Retention Experiments While the System Is Still Moving

Retention is often treated like a finish line, where you hit the number and move on.This conversation pushes back on that. When outcomes improve, the work doesn't settle down, it gets more precise. The obvious fixes are gone, and what's left takes more attention, better questions, and a willingness to keep testing things that aren't guaranteed to work. John Rindy, Assistant Vice President for Career and Academic Progress, and Emily McClain, Associate Director for Academic Success Design at Slippery Rock University, talk about how they approach that reality. They rely heavily on data, but not just to report results. They use it to spot patterns, challenge assumptions, and decide where to experiment next. That includes looking at second-semester drop-off, rethinking how they define "at-risk" students, and building partnerships across campus that don't always come easily. We also talk about how this shows up in practice. A student organization becomes the basis for a retention experiment. Tutoring is taken directly to students instead of waiting for them to ask. Faculty conversations get uncomfortable when data pushes back on long-held beliefs. Underneath all of it is a consistent idea that student success isn't a fixed system, it's something you keep adjusting as students, expectations, and conditions change.   Show Notes: [02:11] John walks us through his role at the university and gives an overview of the school and its programs. [03:07] Emily explains her role in academic success design and how she works with coaching and student support. [03:52] We get into retention and why improving the numbers doesn't make the work easier. It actually gets more complex. [04:37] We talk about how they use data to ask better questions and turn those into things they can test and try. [05:48] Early retention gains come from obvious fixes, but once those are handled, it's harder to see what needs attention. [06:58] A pattern shows up with more students leaving after the second semester, which gives them something new to dig into. [08:06] The idea of complacency comes up and why strong results can actually be a risky place to stop learning. [08:51] The shift to using quartiles instead of broad "at-risk" labels to get a clearer picture of students. [09:29]Campus culture and how much it matters when trying to work across departments. [10:43] Instead of waiting for students to ask for help, they bring support directly to where students already are. [11:57] We talk about breaking down the stigma around asking for help so students actually use the resources available. [13:22] How focusing on testing ideas, adjusting, and improving over time is better than one-time solutions. [14:11] A retention experiment through a student organization, built around connection and mentorship. [15:57] Student relationships and sense of belonging come up as major factors in whether students stay. [17:06] That idea expands into thinking about how more student organizations could play a role in retention. [18:18] Faculty pushback comes up, especially when data challenges how courses or outcomes are viewed. [19:53] Trust and relationships make those conversations easier and more productive. [21:14] They share a framework for building stronger connections across campus, centered on care and engagement. [22:58] Over time, consistency and being open with data help build momentum with campus partners. [25:46] The focus shifts to assumptions and how they can shape decisions about students without people realizing it. [26:44] They question why some schools retain nearly all of their students and what might be driving that difference. [27:36] Clear expectations for students are set early, pushing back on the idea of just "trying" college. [28:42] Their focus on student potential instead of looking at students as lacking something. [30:23] The idea of value and why students are more likely to stay when they see the value in their experience. [31:37] Creating space for students to think about purpose and direction is part of helping them stay engaged. [32:41] A quick story from a campus tour shows how they communicate opportunities in a simple, clear way. [33:53] Leadership support comes through as a key factor in being able to experiment and try new ideas. [34:39] They stress the importance of stepping back and questioning what's actually working and what isn't. [35:52] We wrap with the idea that this work is ongoing and always changing.   Links and Resources: Civitas Learning Slippery Rock University John Rindy - Slippery Rock University Emily McClaine - LinkedIn Relationship-Rich Education: How Human Connections Drive Success in College