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As higher education is resuming for another semester of learning, campuses are navigating how to retain and onboard students in a consistently changing environment. Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black (he/him), the president for the Association of Orientation, Transition, and Retention in Higher Education (NODA) and vice president for student life at Reed College in Portland, OR, shares how campuses can evolve to further improve student retention and support students in the new normal.
Andrew Hibel, HigherEdJobs: As institutions begin to emerge from the pandemic shut-down campuses may be forced to evolve and one way is in new student orientation. What are some ways that institutions and orientation staff can pivot to make orientations this fall and in future semesters effective, welcoming, but obviously safe as well?
Dr. Karnell McConnell-Black, NODA: Institutions should consider and reframe the way they onboard new students to their community. No longer are the days that students only have one option for their onboarding experience; specifically showing up for a physical program. There are more environmental realities and lived experiences to center as part of the orientation program paradigms (ie. students who have financial difficulties traveling without assistance, international students who can’t arrive in advance to select classes, or providing access to programs that were inaccessible). The pandemic highlighted the opportunities for the use of technology in engaging students in meaningful and safe ways. Note: technology does not replace the in-person experience and should not be the only consideration because it saves institutions money, but rather used to complement in person experiences that might occur at the beginning of an academic term. Additionally, the impact of racial reckoning in our country has reinforced the need to center our students’ identities and lived experience as part of our orientation programs from the beginning. This acknowledgement creates a welcoming environment that emphasizes a sense of belonging and demonstrates to our students that they can bring their full selves to our campuses. Professionals who run orientation programs have new tools to assist them in developing a transition experience that reflects the needs of students.
Hibel: In general, does orientation differ greatly, or not, from previous fall semesters?
McConnell-Black: One of the major differences I’ve seen between previous fall semesters is that institutions are more intentional about the amount of information that is shared in advance. They have learned the art of scaffolding the information that students get during the summer and then put to practice when the academic term starts. Technology platforms that support the scaffolding model have been instrumental in the transition of our students to the campus experience. It has traditionally been a model of “drinking from the fire house.” The profession has recognized that does not work and that we have to allow students time to pace themselves and the summer months are perfect for the delivery of specific, usable, and timely content that will impact the student’s transition to a campus.
Hibel: The incoming class of Freshmen undergraduate students experienced a great deal of change in their high school studies the past year and did not experience a traditional senior year. How are institutions addressing this and ensuring incoming freshmen are prepared for their college coursework?
McConnell-Black: Some institutions have developed strategies to engage first year students in a year-long transition experience. These programs include first-year seminars, academic peer mentor programs, connecting with enrollment colleagues to get a sense of academic preparedness that might be different than prior first-year classes, working with faculty to address academic curriculum for STEM majors, increase in the availability of academic support services, etc. Institutions are utilizing data to understand how students are going to engage their experience now that they will mostly be back on a physical campus. This year will feel like an experiment in many ways as most benchmarks and indicators have been interrupted by the pandemic.
Hibel: Are sophomores who have not been primarily on campus as freshmen going through a different orientation?
McConnell-Black: Institutions are inviting sophomore students to first year orientation and transition programs. These students lost the opportunity to connect more deeply with their peers during the last year. In addition, many sophomore students have not had the opportunity to be on campus and learn the folklore and traditions of their campus. It is important that institutions create events and programs that help instill a sense of institutional pride and spirit with sophomore students. They need to know that they too belong here and that we care about their success.
Hibel: How are campuses welcoming students who deferred enrollment and are now starting their on-campus experiences?
McConnell-Black: Similar to the incoming first-year and sophomore classes, institutions are providing opportunities for students to engage in meaningful ways with peers, ensuring that they have the resources necessary to be successful academically, and that there are intentional checkpoints throughout the academic year to assist them in course correcting as appropriate.
Hibel: How have retention strategies changed in the past year?
McConnell-Black: A focus on holistic student development was a key strategy this past year that will continue into the new academic year. Specifically focusing on wellbeing and mental health as key strategies to support students. Institutional offices are collaborating across functional units more effectively in this area. This ranges from understanding the needs of the entering class through admission data to leverage technology through IT services, to connecting students to programs and events with the support of marketing and communications. Every functional unit at an institution had a role to play in the retention strategy this past year. The strategy is that retention has to be part of everyone’s role including our colleagues in facilities and dining services. Those units created physical spaces that did not exist before the pandemic and ensured safety measures were followed for students to have the necessary nutrients to engage fully in their academic studies.
Hibel: Were there lessons learned in innovation or creativity from forced remote orientation due to the pandemic in terms of how orientation can be held in the future? In other words, are there practices, procedures, activities that are no longer needed or on the flip side, some that should stick?
McConnell-Black: The use of digital media and technology to broaden access to critical information and resources has been a major game changer for orientation programs. This has allowed for more and varied modalities based on students’ needs. The digital tools have allowed for a more robust and scaffolded orientation experience for students. There is still a need for physical orientation programs as the community building elements cannot be replicated in the same way in a virtual setting. Recognizing this need, institutions have had to get creative on how they do programming that contributes to the vibrancy of the campus community. This includes pack and go programs, leveraging the outdoors when available, and centralizing all events so that students can find and attend them.
Hibel: As the format of student orientations may change, do you see campus orientation staffing changing as well? If so, how?
McConnell-Black: Orientation programs are still relevant and connected to the institution meeting its enrollment and retention goals. One aspect of orientation staffing that is evolving is determining the senior level reporting structure that the office/programs fall under. Some institutions are making strategic efforts to have orientation fall under enrollment management, while others are keeping it in the traditional portfolios of student affairs or academic affairs.
