“Retention” rarely appears on those lists of higher ed jargon to avoid. While college students can identify countless unwelcoming phrases and acronyms, employees in higher education have no trouble agreeing on retention’s definition: keeping enrolled students enrolled. But when university leaders call retention the responsibility of every faculty and staff member, confusion may follow. When those same university leaders prioritize retention efforts, both strategy and culture have to shift and align with the goal of helping students succeed.
From “Rename and Remain” to “Reframe and Regain”: Reimagining Campus Inclusiveness
In my last article, I highlighted the crucial strategies of “person-first” and “targeted universalism” amid the wave of anti-DEI legislation in higher education. Initially, many of us embraced a “rename
Molly Kerby
July 7, 2025
