Student-Athlete Attrition Among Selected Liberal Arts Colleges.

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 058 834

HE 002 763

AUTHOR

Stier, William F., Jr.

TITLE

Student-Athlete Attrition Among Selected Liberal Arts

Colleges.

INSTITUTION

Briar Cliff Coll., Sioux City, Iowa.

PUB DATE

21 May 71

NOTE

17p.

EDRS PRICE

MF-$0.65 HC-$3.29

DESCRIPTORS

*Athletes; *College Students; Dropout Identification;

*Dropout Prevention; Dropouts; *Guidance Counseling;

*Higher Education

ABSTRACT

The problem of student attrition at our colleges and

universities has been a major concern of educators and parents alike

for many years. This report has as the focal point the plight of the

student-athlete in the dropout syndrome. A 5-page questionnaire

designed to solicit information regarding selective screening

procedures, detection of potential dropouts, and techniques of

guidance and counseling, was developed and sent to the athletic

directors of 55 liberal arts colleges in Iowa, Nebraska, South

Dakota, and Minnesota. Thirty-eight of the 55 questionnaires were

completed and returned; the data are presented along with opinions

that were obtained.

(HS)

STU:DEM -A T5LETE ATTRITION A MON G

C:ELE C TED -LIBERAL ARV.7. CorLEGE,T.

by t

Chairman:

Ilealth Science, *Physical

William F. Stier, Jr

'Education and Recreation

Athletic Director

Briar Cliff College

Siotoc City, Iowa

nay 21, 1971

1.11.

DEPARTMENT

OF WEALTH.

EDUCATION &

WELFARE

OFFICE OF

EDUCATION

THIS

DOCUMENT

HAS BEEN

REPRO-

DUCED

EXACTLY AS

RECEIVED

FROM

THE PERSON

ORGANIZATION

ORIG-

INATING IT.

POINTS OF

VIEW OR

OPIN-

IONS STATED

DO NOT

NECESSARILY

REPRESENT

OFFICIAL

OFFICE OF

EDU-

CATION

POSITION OR

POLICY.

The problem of student attrition in our

colleges and universities has been a major concern

of educ,Itors and parents alike for many years.

mreat number of research investimations ac

well as

various :Ittempts at self-analysis dealing

with the

subject of student attrition have been undertaken

by the academic community with the end

result being

a far better understanding of the

various factors

wIlich play a significant part in

hindering the

individual student's normal progres: through

the

academic market place.

Based upon the available

research in respect to the general college

attrition

problem, many preventative or corrective measures

are currently in existence on many campuses

through-

out the country in an attempt to diminish or

other-

wise overcome the diffinities created by the

college

dropout.

These preventative measures often take the

form of a variety of techniques designed to

assist

the student to find himself, to help the

individual

student to recognize nis own particular

needs, his

strengths, his weaknesses and to

allow the student

to formulate (with professional

assistance and

guidance if necessary) realistic and meaningful

goals, goals which will not only serve tl-,e student

during his brief four year stint at the institution

but life's goals as well.

Motivation, whether it

be extrinsic, intrinsic, or both, plays a major

role in the counseling ond directing processes so

evident on today's modern campus.

Close personal

contact between the individual student and the

institution through one of its representatives

whether a faculty member or a professional

counselorwould seem to establish a firm foundation

for creating empathy and a meaningful bond between

the student and the academic institution.

The available research and literature seems

to indicate 3 nec'd for the establishment of an

active channel of communication through which

meaningful dialogue may flow in both directions between

the student and the college.

The existence of these

commlinication channels enables the institution to be

more cognizant of each student's individual

needs,

his abilities, and his problems.

This awarenesr, or

insight on behalf of the institution into the

problems and difficulties faced by the students

enableE: the college to take aprropriate measures to

essi.st the student to find his rightful "place" in

society, to determine whether or not this "place"

society necessarily demands four years to be

snent at a particuls::- institution of higher

learning or at any institution of higher education.

The general discussion of student attrition

may be conceptualized as revolving

around four

basic components:

selective screening

detection-recognition of needs

guidance and .::ounseling

follow-up

Examining each of these four nhases or segments

enables one to renlize that student attrition is

indeed El

very complicated issue and that

just as

no single factor may be pointed out as

the

cause

of students drop-ing out of college, no one

technique or method of countering the dropout

syndrom may be tholight of as bein[p all inclusive.

Rather, the trentment of this topic necessitates

close examination of the selective screening process,

the means of detection of potential dropouts, the

techniques utilized in enabling the student himself

to overcome his difficulties or to recognize

his

actual and realistic goals, and the fol3ow-up

techniques utilized to determine the progress

achieved

by the student following professional

assistance.

At one time it was thought that by increasing

the effectiveness of the selective screening process

for entrance to the institution, the problems of

the college dropout would be greatly reduced if

not almost totally eliminated.

This has not been

the case althourrh selective screening can and does,

in many institutions, significantly reduce the

likelihood of having great numbers of potential

dropouts enroll at an institution by refusing

admittance to those very high risk candidates.

This is where the knowledge and expertise gained

through past experience with sbudents whc have

dropred out, thriugh past experience with the

detection and recognition of problems and through

experience in as-isting students with a wide

multitude of difficulties, enables the institution

dPny admission to tho:-e students whose past

achievements and future

potential demonstrate that

this particular college community and all that it

offers will rot enable that individual person to

realize his particular needs, goals and potential.

Recognizing that not every college is suitable for

every individual the institution

would be doinR a

great disservice to persons not suitable for

the

college community if they encouraged the

enrollment

of such studnts only to find later that such

admission created an overwhelming burden to the

student resulting in the individual's dismissal

or voluntary absense from the campus.

It must

be remembered however, that selective screening

is but one of the techni4ues utili cd in meeting

the challenge of the potential dropout.

Once the student has gained admit4-ance to

the collef7e or university a somewhat different

pr-)cess is involved on behalf of the institution

in its effDrts to combat the dropout protlem.

This process is concerned with the techniques and

methods of detection and the :anticipation of

problems and needs of students.

Some of 1,he

potential trouble areaq which maysplversely affect

some college students include:

homesickness

financial difficulties

grades

family difricultios

student's on persona)ity

problems with the opl7osite sex

dislike of the campus

dislike of faculty members

failure to ociliove suc-ess

10.

desire to transfer to another institution

11.

desire to "find" oneself in the

"outside

world"

12,

too high expectations of what college in

general would be

13.

competition is too g2eat

1'1.'1 poor peer acceptance

15.

protest against society, war, environment

16.

lack of clearly descernable goals

Detection of potential dropouts once they

have been enrolled at the institution is

ci:rrently

based upon anticipation (based on

experience) of sudents' problems and the presenre

of meaningful com-unication

channels being crested

and utilized.

It is imperative that avenues

available through which students way

make known their

desire 3nd need for as:Astance.

The preFense of

readily availnble counseling

asFistance by professional

counselors as well as by the regular

faculty members

is a necessity.

Not all students, however,

wir

volunta-rily avail themselves, to these

"offiial"

channels either through failure to

recognize their

own ne-ds or thror7h

ignorance of, fenr of, or

embarrassment toward the guidance

and counseling

rrocess.

Thus, institutions utilize various

detection

techniques inclmling the periodic

meetings betwen

the student ard his appointed

acac'emic cOvisor.

The formal and informal internctiors between

the

student and his advisor (or L,ny

faculty or staff

member) enable- the advisor or faculty member

examine grades and tests results as

well ap to

develop a mutual respect and a

bond of confidence

with the student thereby enabling

the advisor or

instructor to grasp a better glimpse of

the indivi-

dual student and the world which the

student finds

himself in within the institution.

Closely connected with and perhaps

inrlepar'Jble

to the processes involved in

detection are the processes

of guiding and colmseling the

student.

Whether these

processes ore informal or

formal; whether they are

undertaken by a faculty 7embrm an

appointed advisor

or by a staff member in

the glidance and counseling

office, thc ultimate objectives

remains thc same.

'hat is, to enable the student to see

himself as he

really is, to realize his limitations

and attributes,

to recognize his difficulties for

what they really are

and to enable the student to elect

to choose the

appropriate course of action which

will be most

advantageous for him, the student.

To determine the extent of the

effectiveness

of the assistance given to the

student is the

responsibility of the institution and

its staff.

Often such follow-up techniques take the

form of a

continuous attempt on behalf of the

institution to

provide services and assistance to

the student.

Guidance is not a "one shot deal" but

rather a

continuous process.

Guidance cannot be "despensed"

like a patent medicine leaving the

student on his

own to digest the remedy.

Rather, it is the school's

responsibility to not only cooperate with

the student

in determining the need, selecting an

alternative

but also to vork with the student

in an effort to

determine the end result, to determine

wherth:,r

the student's needs have been

met.

PURPOSE OF THIS INVESTIGATION

While there is an abundance of

research and

related literature

concerning the pressing problem

of student dropouts from

institutions of higher

education, there seems to be little

if any

published reports which have as the

focal point

the plight of the student-athlete

in respect to the

dropout syndrom.

An investigation was conducted

during the 1970-71 academic year to

determine

specific facts as well as opinions from

selected

educators which might shed a revealing

light on

the subject of student-athlete

attrition in liberal

arts colleges located in four

midwestern states.

A five page questionnaire was

developed

especially for this investigation.

The instrument

was sent to the

director of athletics of fifty-five

selected liberal arts institutions of

higher learning

in the

midwestern states of Iowa, Minnesota,

Nebraska and South Dakota.

The institutions which

served as the population included:

.CIRV21!-Zlet!rMrVAPATTZT 1.34T,trovr?r7rn..rtit.rrnernnewm

State of Iowa

St. Ambrose College

Simpson College

University of Dubuque

Upper Iowa University

Wartburg College

William Penn College

Iowa Wesleyan College

Loras College

Luther College

State of Nebraska

Chadron State College

Concordia Teachers College

Dana College

Doane College

Wayne State College

State of South Dakota

Augustana College

Dakota Wesleyan University

Huron College

Northern State College

South Dakota School of Mines

Yankton College

State of Minnesota

Augsburg College

Bemidiji State College

Bethel College

Carleton College

Moorehead State College

St. Cloud State College

St. John's University

College of St. Thomas

Buena Vista College

Central College

Coe College

Cornell College

Graceland College

Grinnell College

Morningside College

Northwestern College

Parsons College

Hastings College

Kearney State College

Midland Lutheran College

Peru State College

Nebraska Wesleyan University

Black Hills State College

Dakota State College

Mount Marty College

Sioux Falls College

Southern State College

Concordia College-Morehead

Concordia College-St. Paul

Gustavius Adulphus College

Hamlin University

Macalester College

St. Mary's College

St. Olaf's College

Winona State College

The questionnaire waS so constructed as to

solicit information regarding selective screening

-procedUres, detectiOn.potential dropouts:,

teOhniqtes Of guidanbe and :counselitg as well as

:fol.lOWupHprobedUresYin evidence Within these.

IIKqlPedrnnwnnr4mnwro.rrrewnrr.wnmn+....r...ov.s.r.aa

institutions.

This investigation was initiated in

an attempt to provide insight

into the problem of

student-athlete attrition within the small liberal

arts institution in an effort to facilitate the

academic-athletic relationships which exists

among the athletes and the institution

and faculty

and coaching staff.

Many of the items included within

the instrument were presented in an open-end type

of format in an effort to allow and in fact

encourage individual responses at

length.

Thirty-

eight.percent of the institutions surveyed participated

in the investigation.

PREc'ENTATION OF THE FINDINGS

In response to the question:

Does the

institution maintain official records and statistics

of general student attrition?

The responses indicated:

Yes

72%

19%

Not answered

Every institution which had a policy of

maintaining such records also makes such information

available to all faculty members.

Only eleven percent of the athletic departments

surveyed maintain current recorde of attrition

respect to athletes at their institution.

The institutions investigated had enrollments

ranging from a low of 515 students to a high

5200 students.

The number of students porticipating

in athletics ranged from 85 to 330

stud-nt-athletes.

In respect to the dropout rate of

all students

at the institutions, thirty percent was

the average

percentage cited as being the rate of

attrition of the

general student body from the freshman year

through

graduation.

In responf_e to the question as to

whether

athletes experience greater difficulti.es in

respect

to staying in school, fifty-six

percent of the

institutions indicated that athletes experienced

less difficulties, five percent thought that

student-

athletes had more difficulty while thirty-nine

percent indicated that there was no

distinction

between the athlete and non-athlete in respect

the attrition related difficulties.

ixty-two percent of the respondents

thought that the general topic of athletic

attrition

should not be thought of as any different

from that

of the entire student body.

Thirty-eight percent

indicated that the problems of attrition of

the

non-athlete and the athlete are indeed different

and should be thought of and should be acted upon

in a manner dictated by the distinctive causes

of each.

There was an average of 6.86 student-

athletes who were actual dropouts at each

institution surveyed during the 1969-70

academic

year.

Ybe most popular time for athletes to

dropout of the surveyed institutions was

during 1;he

freshmen year-as indicated by ninety-four percent

the respondents.

As to the time of the academic year during

which the student-athlete actually leaves the

institution, the majority of the athletic directors

indicated that the spring of the year was the most

popular time for athletes to actually make

their

move away from the institution.

Each atlaletic director was asked to provide

a ranking of the underlying causes

behind student-

athletes leaving the institution.

The listing

below provides the ranking of the causes

from

highest to lowest.

money

grades

homesickness

competition is too great (academic, social,

athletic)

personality of the individual

family problems

failure to achieve success in athletics

too great expectations of what college

in general would be like

lack of recognized Goals

,M1117i..-.10041 VOW 7INOMIWOK.V111.4001,1

msesararve.

--eratrrt.m.^1.9127,1,1,:

10.

desire to transfer to another institution

11.

too high expectations of whf:.t

col]ece would be like

his srecific

12.

girl friend problems

13.

dislike of campus

14.

desire to find himself in the

world"

"outside

15.

poor peer acceptance

16.

protest against society, war,

environment

17.

dislike of coaching staff

It is interesting to note that the athletic directors

classified dislike of coaching staff as being least

likely to influence a student-athlete to 1Pave his

particular institution.

Forty-four percent of the respondents felt

that there is no significant difference in the

attrition rate

of athletes in one sport over those

in other activities.

Fifty-six percent disagreed.

However, on the basis of the actual dropouts

which took place during 1969-70, football seems to

be the sport activity which experiences the greatest

number of dropouts--perhaps because of the number

of athletes involved.

Wriestling, followed by both

track and baseball seem to have

more dropouts than

other athletic activities.

Only thirty-three percent of the departments

of athletics have a standing operation plan to

utilize in guiding the departmont s efforts in dealing

with the problem of athletic attrition.

ITIONVVIMM. PlirWrrrASINPY,Itrngrit

Seventy-two percent of the athletic

directors

indicated that athletes are encouraged to

take their

problems to the athletic staff rather

than to the

guidance departments.

Twenty-eight percent revealed

the policy of encouraging the

student-athlete to

confide both in the coaching staff as

well as to

professionnl staff of the counseling

department.

Fifty-two percent of the respondents indicated

that they felt that the athletic dropouts

in their

institutions do in fdct state their real reasons

for leaving the institutions.

Forty-eight percent

indicated that dropouts fail to reveal the

true motives

underlying their decision to leave the

institution.

Athletic directors -(88 percenOfelt that

athletes do not tend to leave school because

of an

increased pressure or stress placed upon the students

since the students have assumed the dual

role of

student and athlete.

Fifty-nine percent believed that the rate

of attrition for student-athletes is not

significantly

different from non-athletes.

Forty-one percent

indicated that the attrition rate for

athletes

tended to be lower than for non-athletes.

Tutors or extra academic assistance of the

type not available to non-athletes

is provided in

fourteen percent of the institutions.

Eighty-six

percent of the institutions which provided exti

academic assistance for athletes indicated that the

identicn1 assistance is avail?ble for the entire

student body.

The athletic directors were evenly divided

in their response as to whether athletes are treated

in a different manner from non-athletes because

they were on an athletic squad. Preferential

treatment for athletes revolvedq,around methods of

dectection, types of assistance given to student-

athletes in terms of academic guidance as well

as the efforts made to reinstate the studrsnt-athlete

once he has dropred out of school.

The athletic directors of the institutions

surveyed gave freely of their opinions in respect

to ways of reducing student-athlete attrition.

The responses were grouped under the general

categories of:

1. methods of increasing personal contact

techniques of keeping the student-

athlete happy

3. methods of developing better contact

with the student, his parents, his

other teachers

recommendations pertaining to more

selective entrance requirements

recommendations pertaining to guidance

for the student-athlete once he arrives

on campus

sug estions relative to treating athletes

as students first

suggestions relative to emphasizing

that studies remain as the first

priority

8. recommendal;ions for more cooperation

and active involvement by all faculty

and staff in dection, guidance and

general counseling of the individual

student-athlete.