The University of Rhode Island is working to retain student enrollment and success through the Academic Enhancement Center and re-enrolling students lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The university has seen an increased interest in students seeking academic support within the past few years, according to Jennifer Burgess, the director of the academic enhancement center. One reason for this is the loss of learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Students are comfortable asking for help when they need it, Burgess said. When students begin to feel overwhelmed or like they are struggling, they can reach out to academic support resources like peer tutoring and consultation within the Academic Enhancement Center.
URI’s center for academic skills coaching is made up of student consultants who work one-on-one with undergraduates, according to the AEC website . C onsultants help find effective strategies to meet students’ academic needs in 50-minute sessions. Some needs include studying efficiently for exams, managing time, staying motivated and being held accountable.
The number of student interest in the AEC is measured every fall semester, Burgess said. AEC visit numbers have dropped from 2023 to 2024. In 2023, there were 8,108 students who signed up for tutoring, while this year, the number was around 7,120.
“I don’t think [the decrease] is because of lack of interest,” Burgess said. “I actually think it’s pretty much our program reaching capacity.”
There’s about a 7% retention loss between the fall and spring semesters, according to Dean Libutti, the associate vice president for enrollment management and student success. This number is more about the number of students who graduate midyear than those who dropout. Out of around 17,000 students, about 500 to 600 attend midyear commencement. The students graduating are included in the retention loss.
Additionally, there are students who take leave of absence during their school year, Libutti said. That is not an example of retention loss, but instead an instance of physical health, mental health, wellness or emergencies. Enrollment sees around 100 students each semester take time off who then re-enroll.
Kim White, the re-enrollment coordinator, reaches out to students who take leave to see if they want to re-enroll, Libutti said. For example, during COVID-19, there was a large decrease in students. They might have felt that college was too challenging. After the pandemic, White reached out to the students to see if they wanted to come back.
Dozens of students have returned each semester, Libutti said. When a student wants to come back, the goal is to make the process as easy as possible for re-enrollment.