SOUTHEAST JOINS RETENTION PROJECT

Southeast Missouri State University will participate in a national project on improving participation, retention and graduation of students.

The university was recently selected to participate in the American Association of State Colleges and Universities (AASCU)/Student Loan Marketing Association (Sallie Mae) National Retention Project.

Southeast was chosen for the program based on its accomplishments in developing programs that promote student retention and degree achievement, said SueAnn Strom, vice president for student affairs at Southeast.

The national project is a three-year effort, established in 1992-93. Two Missouri institutions participated in the first year of the program. Southeast is the only Missouri school participating in the 1993-94 project, said Strom.

Each year, about 36 institutions are invited to participate based on survey results from the schools that apply. The survey examines retention practices, policies and tracking systems on campus.

Under this year's program, Southeast will participate with 12 to 14 other campuses in the central region in a spring 1994 retention conference at Ball State University in Indiana.

Southeast also will participate in a fall 1994 national meeting of all institutions selected for the retention project. At that meeting, successful strategies for student retention and graduation will be discussed.