subject: How Valuable Communication Is In Student Retention [print this page] Probably the most serious problem colleges and universities face these days is how to keep their students. The number of students enrolling each year continues to decrease and because of that, administrators are in constant battle to look for ways to effectively run their school. Students drop out from school can be because of many random reasons. These reasons aren't important because the fact remains that educational institutions can still do a lot of things so that their students will stay regardless of the personal problems that they are dealing with.
The reality is, the academic system can't exist in itself without the educators and the students and this is an enough proof that there are factors to be explored to make their relationship better. Communication is important in this relationship, just like all else.
In any organization, just like academic institutions, the importance of communication can't be stressed enough. In schools, communication is everywhere. You can see communication in some of the most basic situations like a student planning to drop out from school. For example, when financial problems are preventing someone from finishing his degree, the existence of a direct channel between the student and the administration will provide everyone a means to come up with a suitable arrangement. The student continues his education and pay his tuition fees on an arrangement made by the school which is reasonable for both parties. While this can delay profit for the school, it is better than having one less enrollee on its master list.
Of course, to supplement such communication channel between a school and its studentry, it is critical for administrators to ensure that the people who will be making this channel possible conduct themselves in a manner that is fit to manage student concerns. No matter how well laid out the system is, if the staff implementing it displays an arrogant and demeaning behavior, it will not work. All of us are emotional by nature and we have the need to be heard and we understand the need of of others to be heard as well. All human relationships are based on this fact.
Education, after all, isn't just about gaining knowledge on different subjects. Education is also about creating that healthy ground to facilitate the growth of wisdom to both the students and the educators altogether. Communication is important so that a healthy relationship can be established.
