PASS Program (Project Assuring Student Success) [at] Mercy College of Northwest Ohio: An Unpublished Paper

Community colleges have many concerns over attrition and retention rates. Studies show that 50% of freshmen drop out before completion of a degree or certificate, and nearly half of all attending students are 25 years or older yet lack basic math, reading, and writing skills. Students experiencing learning difficulties, and older students such as single moms have an especially hard time making a transition into higher education, but they are still a growing population in the educational arena. Mercy College (Ohio) has experienced many of the same statistics within its institution and decided to implement the PASS (Project Assuring Student Success) program to address the declining retention rates. Objectives of PASS are to provide academic and other support services for students, develop a comprehensive retention model that addresses the needs of a diverse student population, and disseminate results of the program to other institutions who might benefit from its implications. All entering students must attend an orientation meeting and enroll in a student success strategies course. Mentoring, mid-term progress reports, and academic advising are some of the many aspects of the PASS program. After implementation of this program, retention rates at Mercy College rose from 82% to 89.7%. Retention rates are expected to continue to rise. (CJW)