Retention Models for Minority College Students.

This paper discusses retention techniques that can be used with minority students at predominantly white colleges, focusing on four phases that are critical to the retention and academic achievement of minority students: acceptance, acclimatization, responsibility, and productivity. In the acceptance phase, the college community should attempt to convince minority students very early that it is interested in them and that help is available for them to maximize their potential. The acclimatization phase involves building a positive racial climate and the incorporation of clearly stated retention policies. To foster minority student responsibility, minority program directors should organize a leadership seminar that addresses the organizational structure of the college and its relationship to the community, profiles an effective leader, parliamentary procedures for conducting an effective meeting, and an overview of management skills. In the productivity phase, the minority networking milieu should endeavor to destroy the stereotypes that hinder acceptance into the mainstream of academic life at white colleges. (Contains 11 references.) (MDM) ******************************************************************************** * Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made * * from the original document. * ******************************************************************************** Retention Models for Minority College Students Festus E. Obiakor, Ph.D. Professor of Special Education *Pauline Harris -Obiakor Graduate Student-Counselor Education (Student Personnel) Emporia State University Emporia, Kansas 66801 (316) 341-6451 (w) Poster Session presented at the Research and Creativity Forum, Office of Graduate Studies and Research, Emporia State University, Emporia, KS April 16, 1997 U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION Office of Educational Research and Improvement EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC) his document has been reproduced as received from the person or organization originating it. 0 Minor changes have been made to improve reproduction quality. Points of vier onions stated in this document do not t o necepissarily represent official OERI position or policy BEST COPY AVAILABLE *Direct all inquiries to the second author.