Retention and Responsibility Ensuring Student Success at MSUM

MSU Moorhead
Office of the President
203 Owens Hall
1104 Seventh Ave. S.
Moorhead, MN 56563
(218) 477-2243

Retention and Responsibility
Ensuring Student Success at MSUM

2002 President's Summer Retreat
June 11-12, 2002

Call the President's Office to Register: 236-2243.

An Invitation
From the President

We share a common goal at Minnesota State University Moorhead — ensuring the success of our students. This summer, I have selected the topic of "Retention and responsibility: Ensuring student success at MSUM," as the focus of the President’s Retreat. To maintain the viability of MSUM now and into the future, we must reflect on the roles each one of us plays in encouraging student success. I am particularly interested in examining the ways in which we can enhance the experience of students in their first year at MSUM.

This summer, I turn to you, the university community, for your insight into advancing student success. What strategies are we using that are effective? How can we improve? And how can faculty, staff, administrators and students, work together to better assist our students in their quest for a university education?

The purpose of the annual President’s Summer Retreat is to open campus dialogue on specific issues that are significant to the health of the university. Participants in the retreat will come away energized. As President, I will leave the retreat with an idea of what retreat participants consider to be important. The retreat series is always an initial step in the administrative process to determine what we are doing well and how we can improve in the future.

All members of the university community are invited to attend. Faculty on duty the first summer session are particularly encouraged to participate in this important discussion.

Sincerely,

Roland Barden
President

Schedule

All events are in the Comstock Memorial Union Ballroom unless otherwise noted.

Tuesday, June 11

8 a.m Registration

8:30 Welcome and Keynote Breakfast
Retreat moderator: Susanne Williams, assistant to the president

9 Redefining retention: The challenge of the first year of university lif
Keynote Address followed by questions and discussion

Presented by John Gardner, founder and senior fellow, National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and distinguished professor emeritus, Library and Information Science, University of South Carolina

10 Break

10:15 Panel: The Transition Experience at MSUM

Sara Leigh, director, Advising Support Programs
Jim Anderson, assistant director, Admissions
Margaret Klindworth, director, New Center
Sandy Schuette, co-coordinator, SYE
Kerri Barchenger, May 2002 graduate, former SYE student

11:15 Response and Discussion moderated by John Gardner

11:45 Lunch served in the Comstock Room
Enjoy your lunch seated anywhere in or around CMU.

12:30 p.m. Panel: Profiling Student Culture

Gina Monson, director, Admissions
Carolyn Zehren, director, Financial Aid
Kevin Thompson, professor of sociology, North Dakota State University
Julie Poseley, MSUM chemical health educator
Elizabeth Jacobs, MSUM student peer educator

1:45 Response and Discussion moderated by John Gardner

2:30 Break

2:45 Panel: Why do Students Stop/Drop Out?

Cliff Schuette, director, Counseling Center and Career Services
Janet Haak Aarness, director, Academic Support Programs
Melissa Iverson, student complex coordinator, M SUM Residence Halls

3:45 Response and Discussion moderated by John Gardner

4:30 Adjourn

Wednesday, June 12

11 a.m Information Tables on display in the CMU Ballroom.
Bring your lunch, browse the displays.

1 p.m Reconvene retreat
Welcome and remarks by President Barden

1:15 Small Group Discussions in assigned rooms

Small groups and moderators are pre-assigned.
A computer and online submission form will be in each discussion room.

2:30 Refreshments in the ballroom

2:45 Small Group Discussions in assigned rooms

3:45 Wrap-up Session in the ballroom

Each group will share their single best idea with all retreat participants.

4 Review of Past President’s Retreat Developments/Successes
President Barden

4:30 Adjourn

5:30 Reception at President Barden’s home (Maps will be available at the retreat)

Keynote Presentation
John N. Gardner

John N. Gardner has led an international movement to enhance the first and senior-years on campuses across the country and around the world. He is founder and senior fellow of the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition and distinguished professor emeritus of Library and Information Science at the University of South Carolina. From 1974 to 1999, Gardner served as executive director of the National Resource Center, and of the nationally acclaimed University 101 program at USC. He is currently the executive director of the Policy Center on the First Year of College, funded by grants from The Atlantic Philanthropies and The Pew Charitable Trusts and based at Brevard College, where he is also distinguished professor of educational leadership.