College student retention has been and continues to be one of the most important issues facing the higher education community. Despite this importance, little is known about the type and methodological rigor of institutional efforts to increase student retention. This article presents the findings of a study which attempted to gain a clearer picture of the types of activities institutions of higher education are engaged in with respect to the understanding and reducing of student dropout. Findings suggest the need for institutions to engage in more methodologically rigorous studies of student retention and the need for greater transparency from institutions with regard to the types of activities they are engaged in to address retention.
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