Persistence &
Retention
F
of an ever-changing student population, higher education
must respond to the external environment, including the
following challenges cited by the task force:
Globalization
➤ Increasingly integrated, interdependent economies
➤ Expanding and highly complex international knowledge
networks
➤ Intensifying availability of communication and information technology
➤ Movement of millions of students and scholars around
the world—learning, teaching, conducting research, disseminating knowledge, and spreading cultural influences
Demand for Higher Education
➤ Dramatic increase in demand fueled by postindustrial,
knowledge-driven shifts in economies
➤ Expansion of education systems, especially in Europe,
Japan, Latin America, India, and China
➤ Increased pressure on college infrastructures as a result of
increased enrollment
➤ Predicted increase in life expectancies and corresponding
increases in the world population
Gaps in Educational Attainment and Achievement
➤ Anticipated increases in higher education participation
of under-represented minority and lower socioeconomic
groups, creating new opportunities
➤ Widening gap in literacy and numeracy skills across
diverse U.S. school-age and adult populations
➤ Significant population increases among people of
Hispanic or Latino origin, raising the importance of
understanding multiple cultures
➤ Glaring inequities across economic and cultural groups
in access to opportunities in higher education
Expanding Technologies
➤ Developing electronic technologies multiply the modes
and accelerate the speed of communications
➤ Expanding distance education offerings increase demand
for services beyond traditional timeframes
➤ Enlarging social network systems have implications for
teaching, learning, and education services
➤ Increasing electronic media venues enhance the capabilities of student organizations and dissent beyond public
physical acts
Economic Fluctuations and Higher Education
➤ Restricted public funding, leading to greater reliance on
tuition and fees as well as private support
➤ Intensified pressure for educational access, affordability,
higher quality, and better outcomes
➤ Shift of education costs to the individual, requiring
greater accountability for student services to be seen as
central to the educational core
➤ Creation of legislative initiatives that include unfunded
mandates and compliance requirements
