First-Year Initiatives for Retention Enhancement (FIRE)

勒图尔诺大学工程与工程技术学院的年保留率和毕业率下降到明显低于平均水平，促使人们研究其根本原因。对业绩和预测数据的分析，以及对文献和离校学生的调查，根据记录在案的最佳做法提出了几项建议的纠正行动。该项目的举措，以提高保留包括一个协调的教师同行行业指导计划的一年级学生的发展，和一个新的两门课程的序列，其主要目的是通过早期接触到现实世界的工程实践，以刺激一年级学生的兴趣和参与。 这些多方面的举措包括若干最佳做法组成部分，即：为一年级学生发展教师辅导计划;。为一年级学生发展朋辈辅导计划;。为一年级学生制定工业接触指导计划;。在主要的第一年课程中形成学生群;。通过两门采用多学科项目的新课程，实践工程师的演讲，参与合作教育的学生的演讲，以及高级顶点设计项目学生的演讲，接触工程实践。该项目最具体和最直接的目标是将学校的毕业率从目前的五年平均42%提高到五年平均65%。 根据目前每年平均120名学生的第一年队列规模，工程和工程技术毕业生的总数将从每年50人增加到75人以上。 在这项计划的五年期间，将有超过125名毕业生加入工程专业行列。学校的保留改善工作的重点是“第一次在任何大学”（FTIAC）新生。 为达致65%的目标毕业率，新生的一年保留率将由现时的68%增至85%。实施这些最佳实践不仅会提高第一年的保留率，而且会对随后几年的保留率产生积极的影响，因为学生将发扬他们改进的学习习惯，学术支持网络和更高水平的追求工程的承诺。

ABSTRACTA decline in the annual retention and graduation rates of LeTourneau University's School of Engineering and Engineering Technology to significantly subpar levels motivated a study of the underlying causes. An analysis of performance and predictor data, as well as surveys of the literature and of students leaving the school, produced several recommended corrective actions based on documented best practices. The project initiatives to increase retention include the development of a coordinated faculty-peer-industry mentoring program for first-year students, and a new two-course sequence whose primary aim is to stimulate first-year student interest and engagement through early exposure to real-world engineering practice. These multifaceted initiatives include several best-practice components, namely:. the development of the faculty mentoring program for first-year students;. the development of a peer mentoring program for first-year students;. the development of an industrial contact mentoring program for first-year students;. the formation of student clusters in key first-year courses;. exposure to engineering practice through two new courses employing multidisciplinary projects, presentations by practicing engineers, presentations by students involved in co-op education, and presentations by senior capstone design project students.The most specific and immediate goal of this project is to increase the School's graduation rate from its present five-year average of 42% to an improved five-year average of 65%. Based on the current average annual first-year cohort size of 120 students, the total number of engineering and engineering technology graduates will increase from 50 to over 75 per year. Over the five-year period comprising the project, more than 125 additional graduates will be queued to join the ranks of the engineering profession. The School's retention improvement efforts focus on "first time in any college" (FTIAC) freshmen. To achieve the target graduation rate of 65%, 1-year retention of new students will be increased to 85% from its present level of 68%. Implementing these best practices will not only increase first-year retention, but will positively impact retention in subsequent years, as well, since students will carry forward their improved study habits, academic support network, and higher level of commitment to pursue engineering.