the
Alestle
Thursday, February 28, 2013
www.alestlelive.com
Volume 65, No. 24
University seeks to improve 70 percent retention rate &' $#%'%
Student retention is not how much a student remembers from a general education class taken as a freshman, but rather, a key element in defining the success or failure of SIUE as an institution. The National Center for Educational Statistics defines retention
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2006 of approximately 75 percent. Since 2006, SIUE has hovered closer to the 70 percent mark. As a result of the decrease in student retention, former SIUE Chancellor Vaughn Vandegrift appointed a Student Success Advisory Council made up of faculty and staff. Kevin Thomas, director of Retention and Student Success, said the council came up with 22 recommen-
When you look at comparable schools nationally and within the state, we’re doing OK....
%'#%#'"'#""'("'(&& rate as the percentage of first-time students seeking bachelor’s degrees at a particular institution who return to the same institution to continue their studies the following fall. In 2011, the NCES reported the retention rate for SIUE is 70 percent. This is a noticeable decrease from the retention rate reported in
dations for the university to improve its retention rate. The first recommendation of the council was to create the position that he is currently in. “My position was recently created, and I’ve been here since July,” Thomas said. | pg. 2
Hightower, Simmons, Hinrichs Former student pleads out on SIU board of trustees guilty, gets probation a small bank. “We have to operate on the '#" %$ principle of shared governance,” Gov. Pat Quinn has reHinrichs said. moved three senior members — He said Herrin tried to all from the Metro East — from micro-manage university affairs, the SIU board of trustees amid delving into areas of hiring and their dispute with one of his apcontracts that normally are left pointees. to professional administrators. The trustees removed are The governor’s office did Alton attorney John Simmons, not comment on the controwho had been the board’s chairversy. The big move by the govman, along with Ed ernor resulted Hightower, superfrom turmoil intendent of the that erupted on Edwardsville the board about I have always tried to do what School District, a year ago, acwas best for the students, and construction cording to the executive Mark Southern Illifaculty and staff.... Hinrichs of, O’Falnoisan newspalon, Ill. per, based in Hinrichs, who Carbondale. is the president of Poshard #%!%'%(&' IMPACT Strategies has been a conInc., said the dissistent critic of pute has been simmering for the board’s chairman after sev- Herrin, according to the paper. about a year among the three, eral trustees and Poshard com- Hinrichs said he and the other SIU President Glenn Poshard plained about his alleged trustees who opposed Herrin and Trustee Roger Herrin of bullying style. were told they would be reHarrisburg, a political friend of “[Herrin] has no desire to placed if they did not go along the governor. work with others. He has his with him. Hinrichs said the university own agenda, a unilateral Despite the threat, they resystem will suffer with the loss agenda,” Hinrichs said. placed him as chairman with of three experienced board He said an $800 million in- Simmons. Hinrichs said in a members. The three outgoing stitution such as SIU cannot be telephone interview Tuesday trustees also had been the top operated like a nursing home or | pg. 2
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officers on the board. Simmons was chairman, Hightower was vice chairman, and Hinrichs was the board secretary. Hinrichs said the dispute revolves around the replacement of Herrin, who owns nursing homes and small banks, as chairman. Herrin, who was appointed by Quinn in 2011, was ousted as
said Edwardsville Police Detective Mike Lybarger discovered that A former SIUE student was Roberts was receiving known sentenced to two years probation child pornography files using peerfor possession of child pornogra- to-peer file sharing software. phy. A search warrant was issued Sean Roberts, of Port St. and Roberts was arrested by the Lucie, Fla., accepted Secret Service a plea agreement Electronic Crimes from the Madison Task Force and the County State AttorEdwardsville Poney’s Office. Roberts’ lice Department. pleaded guilty to a According to Class 3 felony charge Roberts’ LinkedIn of possessing a video profile, he left of a female he knew SIUE after his arto be under the age rest and has not reof 18 engaged in sexceived his degree. ual acts with herself. Roberts was a senIn addition to ior at the time of probation, Roberts his arrest. was required to seek As part of the treatment and regisplea deal, the State ter as a sex offender. Attorney’s Office Stephanee Smith, communication dropped two other felony charges director for the Madison County against Roberts. Both charges State Attorney’s Office, said were for possession of a video of a Roberts has complied with the female who Roberts knew to be order to register as a sex offender. under 18 engaged in sex acts with Roberts was also forced to an adult male. surrender an iPhone that was Roberts was the photo editor seized as evidence in the case and for the Alestle during the fall 2010 is required to pay fees and court semester. cost of $1,756. Roberts was arrested on Dec. &' *&"%' 9, 2010. Madison County Assis- "*& &' )#!#% tant State Attorney Neil Schroeder # #* &'