Effective Retention Strategies and Policies by Administrative Leaders at Historically Black Colleges and Universities: A Case Study
[Thesis]
Blackwell-Muhammad, Sonya Corette
Rice, Donna
Northcentral University
2020
137 p.
Ed.D.
Northcentral University
2020
Since their inception over a century ago, Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) have been providing education to individuals who encountered centuries of open discrimination and were disenfranchised because of the nature of the early segregated society in the United States. At one time, over 75% of the Black population graduated from an HBCU to become professional doctors, lawyers, business executives, and educators. HBCUs have been described as a community in crisis in response to the decline in graduation rates. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to address the problem of low student retention rates at HBCUs, to discover the strategies and policies HBCU leaders use to retain students to complete their degree programs, and to explore the effects of retention on other aspects, such as diversity, financial sustainability, and the accreditation of the institution. Leaders of HBCUs have different perspectives and methods of retaining students that make it difficult to isolate one specific theory to assign to these institutions. The Bourdieusian sociological theory incorporates a portion of a variety of theories (i.e., human capital, social capital, agency, critical race, and self-efficacy) and provided the framework of the study. Three leaders from different HBCUs, along with other leaders, identified strategies to improve student retention. They agreed more data-driven results are needed to track institution and student success to assist with accreditation. Leaders need to build a business plan and attend conferences and forums to obtain suggestions to improve retention, increase alumni participation, and work with the community to increase their endowment. It is recommended that leaders at HBCUs provide data about student retention strategies and policies at their institutions, as well as engage in communication with other leaders and interviews with the general public.