In the last issue of Academic Leader, I discussed the reasons student retention is important to colleges and universities and to the institutional individuals who are responsible for assuring that the issue is addressed. In this article, I present an outline of specific campus-level programs that have proven or have strong potential to be efficacious in increasing retention and other performance metrics of success (e.g., GPA) at an urban, public campus.
Beyond Programs: Leadership Lessons from Ireland’s Inclusive Universities
During a recent sabbatical studying inclusive postsecondary education in Ireland, I visited four universities—University College Cork, Trinity College Dublin, Dún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, and Mary Immaculate
Ashley Rodrigues
July 20, 2026
