Duquesne Experiences a Record-Setting Freshman Retention Rate

This fall, a record high percentage of Duquesne freshmen made the transition to becoming members of the sophomore class.

Not only is this fall’s sophomore class large in absolute terms, comprised as it is of the 1,550 students that made up last year’s freshman class—the largest group of incoming freshmen in University history—but a record 89.8 percent of them have chosen to continue their studies at Duquesne. The University’s previous high for freshman-sophomore retention, a statistic widely considered a key indicator of student satisfaction, was in 2004, when 89.2 percent of freshmen chose to return as sophomores.

According to J.D. Douglas, director of retention and advising in the University’s Enrollment Management Group, Duquesne’s newly set record for freshman-to-sophomore retention is dramatically higher than the national average, whether that rate is aggregated for all four-year institutions of higher learning or calculated for private universities. Additionally, Douglas pointed out that the fall-to-spring semester retention rate in the 2013 academic year, calculated for this particular freshman class, marked a new high of 97.1 percent.

Setting twin records for freshman retention, Douglas explained, indicates that Duquesne’s early alert systems, created to detect and assist students encountering difficulties, whether academic, financial or personal in nature, are working well. “For the past several years, a University-wide Retention Committee has analyzed and improved the technological tools and human interactions at our disposal to remove obstacles that could prevent our students from remaining at Duquesne, and we are achieving results,” he said.

Paul-James Cukanna, associate provost for enrollment management, elaborated on the significance of achieving high retention rates. “A private university like Duquesne is not a low-cost choice for education,” he said. “Students and parents expect more—they expect value—and it is clear that we are delivering on our promise to provide it.”

Cukanna added that retention success results from teamwork and commitment. “We would not be successful if we did not have the support for our efforts from President Dougherty, Provost Austin and our many partners across the University,” he said. “A high retention rate also indicates that Duquesne students, even as freshmen, form a strong bond, a clear sense of belonging.”

In addition to retention rates being an indicator of effectively addressing the concerns of students and parents as education consumers, Cukanna stressed that these statistics, throughout the cycle of matriculation, are a benchmark used for establishing credit ratings and rankings on academic-quality surveys, and they are critical for recruiting and retaining faculty members and other key personnel.