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.

Not Just a No-Show: Understanding Faculty Absence at Graduation
Each spring, university campuses are spruced up: Lawns are mowed and stages assembled, and rows of chairs fill the arena. Graduation is a time-honored tradition, celebrating students’ hard work and


