A collaborative approach to retention between academic affairs and student affairs: The two consecutive absence policy

Abstract

Retention of college students has been increasingly important for institutions of higher education as costs rise and incoming students lack the necessary preparation for the academic rigour they face. Addressing this issue is not simply the domain of academic affairs or student affairs. To be successful, a school’s retention efforts need to be collaborative between the two divisions. The “Two Consecutive Absence Policy,” described in this article, is an example from a North American university of a unique and successful collaborative effort between academic affairs and student affairs to reach out to undergraduates experiencing academic difficulty in order to increase the campus’ retention numbers. The program, briefly outlined here, can easily be replicated at other colleges or universities.