Focus on retention spawns changes to freshmen ‘Move-in’

CSC renames New Student Orientation as “Move-In” to ease the transition for new students and help with retention.
After renaming the spring and early summer “Signing Days” to “New Eagle Registration and Orientation,” the NSO committee renamed the fall events to “better clarify the intention of each event and the importance,” said Danielle Lecher, director of market development and student services.
Unlike previous years, move-in on Thursday will be solely designated to its title: moving in.
“We really backed off some of our programming in the past because it became very clear to us that students, and their parents, have one thing on their mind and that is usually making sure they have a trash can, maybe ramen noodles and making sure that the dorm room is set,” Lecher said. “Trying to program and create competition with that is hard.”
Consequently, Friday will be the “heavy” information day.
Parents and students will be separated into information sessions specifically tailored to each group’s needs.
With understanding billing and financial aid, finalizing schedules, and learning campus resources as a focus during New Eagle Registration and Orientation, new students will delve into what will be expected of them in and out of the classroom. They will also learn the roles of the START team and their academic advisers.
New Eagle Registration is part of the onboarding phase of CSC’s new Strategic Enrollment Management Plan unveiled early this term. Revamping move-in and creating connections with students’ advisers and other faculty from the initial meeting on campus is a part of the plan to retain students.
“The more times we can connect a student with CSC early on in the process, the more likely they are to actually show up in August….” Lecher said. “I noticed at the All-Campus meeting, the students were basically saying that the first time they realized their adviser was a real person was the reason they decided to stay in that program and at CSC. So if they can have that “ah-ha” moment with somebody, then they are more likely to graduate.”
The number of those attending Move-In are “comparative to last year’s numbers” but not clearly defined according to Lecher. After pushing the move-in time back from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. and eliminating programing, she is unsure of how busy move-in day will compare to previous years, even with similar numbers.