Student Achievement: Retention Rate of First-time, Full-time Students
Criteria, Thresholds of Acceptability, Goals
Retention Advisory Board
March 20, 2018
Demonstrating Student Achievement
The Retention Advisory Board identifies retention of first-time, full-time students as a criterion of student
achievement for the University of Mississippi, and discussed and approved the threshold of acceptability and
retention goals during its March 20, 2018, meeting.
The Retention Advisory Board set the threshold of acceptability (minimum expectation) for retention of first-time,
full-time students at 80%. This threshold is based on a review of the UM overall retention rates (see Figure 1) and
the focused and increased institutional commitment to improve retention rates that began in 2007.
Figure 1. UM Overall Retention Rate Trends
The goal for retention of first-time, full-time students is to exceed the average of Mississippi universities that
comprise the Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) and to exceed the average of peer institutions (see Table 1).
Additionally, the Retention Advisory Board, with support from institutional leaders, expects continuous
improvement in retention and aspires to achieve a retention rate comparable to the Southeastern Conference
(SEC) public institutions and Southern University Group (SUG) institutions.
Table 1. UM and Comparison Institution Retention Rates
| Fall 2013 Cohort | Fall 2014 Cohort | Fall 2015 Cohort | |
| UM | 84.7% | 86.5% | 85.3% |
| IHL Average | 71.0% | 74.9% | 74.3% |
| Peer* Average | 85.3% | 84.95% | 84.6% |
| SEC Public Average | 87.1% | 87.3% | 87.2% |
| SUG Average88.1% | 88.1% | 88.2% | 88.0% |