The student retention committee is making first-year experience their priority.
The committee consists of 18 members, 13 of whom are voting members.
The committee meets two to three times a semester to discuss solutions to student retention problems.
Tiffany Warford, associate dance professor and committee chairwoman, said the committee is focusing on the retention of students from fall to spring.
“The mindset with that is that we would start with that first freshman year, and, if we can get a lot of issues done then, hopefully they just retain all the way through their time here,” Warford said.
The committee sent out a survey to new students in July that asked them to rate how they felt about things like housing, safety and dining.
The survey was sent again in September to see if the results changed.
“We are trying to see if any indicators shifted,” Warford said. “Like roommates. It was a zero, and now all of a sudden it’s a five, and we know that we need to send housing over there and to step in a little bit quicker.”
Colbi Beam, coordinator of first-year experience, said she wants to help the students with their problems.
“When I see negative responses, when they’re having a problem with something, I reach out to them personally,” Beam said.
This is the first time the committee has done the surveys.
Kira Konrad-Risteau, psychology senior and German exchange student, said she wishes she had participated in surveys her first year.
“I had to look for everything for myself,” Konrad-Risteau said.
Warford said the committee may consider hosting an open forum for students to voice their concerns.
For more information, email Warford at twarford@okcu.edu.
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