Blog 21: Chapter 21: The New 3 R’s

During the 1990’s as undergraduate enrollment and outside funding decreased, college and universities turned to the New 3’R’s. What happened to the Old 3 R’s of education? (reading, ’riting and rithmetic). The New 3 R’s: Recruitment of students, Retention of current students and Renewal of alumni support. “In the twenty-first century, a growing number of schools will probably substitute the New 3 R’s and sports entertainment for general undergraduate education” (Sperber 249). One in every four freshman does not return for sophomore year. Retention rates at smaller colleges and private schools are a little higher because students don’t feel so lost. The only way to get students to come back for their second year is to get them to enjoy their required courses they take freshman year. This was made possible by rewarding professors, limiting class size, offering very few lecture classes and to build a relationship between student and teacher. They key factor is to build a community amongst its students. This will keep freshman on campus and they will become so attached and loyal to the campus community; they will come back. Once they graduate they will be the contributors to the alumni. Please think back to how upset professors were when they had to teach a required course that was so far off from their research. If the students are happy, they will return to campus, increasing the revenue for the universities. The more revenue support from the alumni, the more recruiting the university will be able to do to bring in more students. The bottom line for the New 3 R’s is retention, retention and retention. Retention of new students must be number one on the priority list.