Natriez Peterson Dissertation Defense, Monday, December 1, 2025 @ 11:00 am Central Time
December 1 @ 11:00 am - 12:00 pm
COMMITTEE CHAIR: Dr. Jerrel Moore
TITLE A CAUSAL-COMPARATIVE STUDY OF RETENTION RATES AMONG PUBLIC LAND-GRANT UNIVERSITIES BASED ON CARNEGIE ENGAGEMENT CLASSIFICATION STATUS
ABSTRACT: According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) data, in 2019–2020, public four-year institutions had a retention rate of 81.5%, compared to 68.8% at private, for-profit institutions. Public universities use such metrics to address concerns about institutional effectiveness and educational value (Stryker, 1999; Tinto, 2017; Kelchen, 2018). This causal-comparative quantitative study examined whether first-year retention rates differ significantly between Carnegie-classified community engagement institutions and non-classified public land-grant universities, while controlling for institutional social support services. A two-way ANOVA tested the effects of Carnegie Engagement Classification Status and the presence of institutional social support services on student retention. By assessing the interaction between Carnegie Community Engagement Status and support services, this study seeks to confirm how institutional engagement influences student retention and mental health outcomes. Findings will inform higher education leadership on strategies for enhancing student success and community-university collaboration. The analysis revealed a statistically significant interaction effect between the availability of mental health counseling services and Carnegie Community Engagement Classification, F (1, 55) = 4.46, p = .039, ?²? = .08. However, the main effect of Carnegie Community Engagement Classification alone was not statistically significant, indicating that engagement classification type, by itself, did not significantly influence retention rates.
Keywords: Morrill Act, land-grant universities, community engagement, student retention, social support, student involvement theory
Location Online:
Zoom Link: https://pvpanther.zoom.us/j/92646239620?pwd=FbwKv4VSi2eoo35RwfbQj4DnWTabMx.1
Meeting ID: 926 4623 9620
Passcode: 555749
