Permanent funding for existing retention and persistence programs – Title III currently provides support for three university programs directly targeting student retention and success. These programs will be the primary focus of KSU's retention efforts and will make a significant and immediate impact on retention.

Enhanced academic advising and contact system – A projection model based on institutions similar to KSU predicts that a retention management system can help increase retention by 2% over 3 years and ultimately produce 19 additional graduates after 4 years. With improved retention, KSU would potentially gain $3.6 million over 4 years in tuition revenue.

Warning and Probation Program – This intervention, based on the IMPACT program at Louisiana State University, will include a mandatory workshop that uses metacognition to help students improve learning, time and resource management skills as well as an academic coaching requirement to help students implement strategies. Participants in the IMPACT model were retained at a 20% higher rate with higher GPA than non-participants.

Expanded Academic Support – Implement the International Supplemental Instruction model to provide direct course support to the top 20 100-200 level courses that have a DFW rate of 30% or higher.

Summer scholarships targeting 4-year progression – The cost of college continues to be a significant barrier to completion for many KSU students. Providing summer scholarships for 25 students per year will help these students stay on track to complete 30 hours of coursework per academic year. This initiative will make a measurable impact on 4-year and 6-year graduation rates over time.

Targeted aid for financially at-risk students – Enhanced aid is needed for students losing Pell Grant eligibility and for upper division students that are on track to graduate but are facing financial setbacks. Providing these resources for on-track students who are at risk due to financial setbacks will be a significant aid in increasing our graduation rate. The program will also reach out to students who have left in the past two years, but are close to completion. It is anticipated that up to 50 additional students per year can receive assistance through this program.

Institute a Summer Success Academy for at-risk freshmen – Data shows that there are identifiable characteristics of some admitted students that correlate highly to academic struggles and attrition. Rather than defer admission for the weakest students we propose piloting a Summer Success Academy beginning in 2016. Students will be admitted for the fall on the condition that they attend the Academy—a 7-week long, 7-credit-hour program in which all students will be enrolled in Freshman Learning Communities (that extend into fall and spring) and