1. Our Role in
Retention
The Library as Liaison to “At Risk” Students
Miami University Hamilton
Kathleen Pickens-French, Krista McDonald, Mark Shores, & Polly Whitaker

2. Adult Learners Videos have been removed to
protect the student’s privacy

3. Adult Learners
Face challenges that may not affect
younger students as much
• Not as computer/technology savvy
• Less recent classroom experience
• Full time jobs or careers
• Family responsibilities – raising
children, elder care
• Health issues
• Involvement in community and church

4. Bad News Good News
These challenges lead to Adult learners
• Anxiety • Bring life experience to
• Frustration learning process
• Have made the decision
• Self consciousness
to learn
• Lack of confidence
• Neediness / As a result, they are often
Overdependence • Highly motivated
• Lack of time to seek • Self-directed
assistance • Interested and dedicated
students

5. Adult Learners by the Numbers
MUH Student population
• 23 and older – 38% Fall 2011
• Hold down jobs – 66%
MUH Nursing Students
• 23 and older – 55%*
• Hold down jobs – 78%*
*Nursing Survey average 2010/2011

6. How can we help these students?
Have the right attitude
• Be friendly – make a connection
• Show empathy and understanding
• Be respectful – not patronizing or condescending
• Work with them patiently
Guide them toward independence
• Lead them through research process
• Be prepared to show them several times
• Set boundaries
• Help them understand the importance of information
literacy in their daily lives

7. How can we help these students?
Offer services that accommodate them
• Research appointments
• Video tutorials & guides
• Frequent Users card
• Circulate equipment overnight
• Offer Library Research course for credit
• Quiet space to study

8. When they don’t come to
the library…find out why
Top reasons given by nursing students
• Lack of time – 60%
• Distance from nursing building – 43%
• Library hours – 27%
• Lack of child care – 9%
• Online class - not on campus – 6%
• Find information elsewhere – 67%
• Unaware of what library offers – 26%
Nursing Survey average 2010/11

9. Meet them where they are
• Offer library office hours in other buildings
• Be available online for research help
– IM / Chat reference
• Offer assistance in course sites
• Create a targeted organization page on
course management system (Blackboard)
• Attend student organization meetings

10. Make sure they know
what we offer
• Connect with faculty
• Offer workshops that meet a
specific need – e.g. NCLEX
• Reach out through creative
marketing
• Collaborate with other campus
offices – e.g. Learning Assistance

11. Foster Care Alumni
• 75% of foster youth WANT to go
to college
• Only 7-13% actually enroll
(compared to 60% of general
population)
• 67% of those who enter drop out
before graduation
Source: Casey.Org

12. Less than 2% will
complete their degree
(compared to 20% of the general
population)

13. Unique Needs
• Housing
• Financial
• Support Systems

14. Ohio Reach
Our Role
• Tours for visiting students
• Working with
Ohio Reach Liason
• Access to Community
Resources
• Educating Faculty &
Increasing Awareness
Number of Foster Care Alumni Enrolled at Miami:
Hamilton Campus 19
Middletown Campus: 17
Main Oxford Campus: 37

16. More Resources
State & National Local Initiatives
• Ohio Reach • HEMI: Higher Education
• Casey.Org Mentoring Initiative
(University of Cincinnati,
Cincinnati State & Great
Oaks Vocational)
• ISN: Independent
Scholars Network from
Wright State

17. Student Veterans
Videos have been removed to
protect the student’s privacy

18. More Start…Fewer Finish
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population
Surveys, annual averages 2000 to 2009.
Prepared by the National Center for Veterans
Analysis and Statistics

19. Barriers
•Lack of Support /
Camaraderie
•Transition Issues
•Combat Stress
Syndrome
•Physical Injury
•56% Increase in
Veteran Patients
•39% Increase in
Disability Recipients
•Cognitive Difficulties
Source:

20. Cognitive Difficulties
PTSD & TBI
Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans have up to a 40% Risk
• Attention and concentration difficulty.
• Information processing challenges.
• Learning and memory deficits.
• Sluggish abstract reasoning.
• Slowed executive functions (problem solving, planning,
insight/awareness, sequencing).
Other challenges often associated with difficulty in performance may
include the effect of additional stressors (home, work, unit, etc.),
sleep disturbance, difficulty with time management, and panic
attacks. Source: American Council on Education
Accommodating Student Veterans with Traumatic
Brain Injury and Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Tips
for Campus Faculty and Staff

21. Creating Connections
• Campus Veterans Day Event
– Library Physical Display
– Online Presence
– Veterans Video

22. Creating Connections
• MUH Student Veterans
– Facebook
– Blackboard
• Access to Resources
– www.ham.muohio.edu/library

23. LGBTQ
• 64% of LGBTQ students were significantly
less likely than their allies to feel very
comfortable or comfortable with classroom
climate
• 61% of LGBTQ students have been the
target of derogatory remarks
• LGBTQ students are more likely to seriously
consider leaving their institution
ource: Rankin, Sue, Genevieve Weber, Warre Blumenfeld, and Somjen Frazer. 2010 State of Higher
Education for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender People. Charlotte, North Carolina: Campus Pride, 2010.

24. LGBTQ Academic
Success and Retention
• Research shows that perception
of campus climate impacts
education and developmental
outcomes
• Reasonable to assume that this is
also true for LGBTQ students

25. Climate at MUH
• Faculty diversity climate survey
comments and stats
• Response to National Coming Out
Day initiative this fall

26. Outreach to GLBTQ
• Programming sponsorship
• Joined Gay Straight Alliance
Student Organization
• Display of LGBTQ materials
• Safe Zone training

27. Again…
How can we help these students?
Offer services that accommodate them
• Research appointments
• Video tutorials & guides
• Frequent Users card
• Circulate equipment overnight
• Offer Library Research course for credit
• Quiet space to study

28. Discussion Points
• How can you get involved with
existing campus resources for “at
risk” students?
• What services/resources do you
already have that can be
marketed to these groups?
• What are additional outreach
strategies?

29. Our Role in
Retention
The Library as Liaison to “At Risk” Students
Miami University Hamilton
Kathleen Pickens-French, Krista McDonald, Mark Shores, & Polly Whitaker