Factors of Student Attrition at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
Advisor Information
Olu Oyinlade
Location
UNO Criss Library, Room 249
Presentation Type
Oral Presentation
Start Date
4-3-2016 10:00 AM
End Date
4-3-2016 10:15 AM
Abstract
This study investigated likely sources of student attrition from an urban university, using the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a case study. Reasons for attrition were investigated under voluntary and compulsory categories of pressures. Primary data were collected through random sampling of the student body, and participants (N = 177) completed an online survey. Students from all six colleges of the university participated in the survey. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze three models to determine the set of variables that best explained and predicted attrition likelihood among the students. The demographic model significantly accounted for 14 percent of attrition likelihood while the voluntary and compulsory models accounted for approximately 9 and 16 percent, respectively, of attrition likelihood. While enrollment in the College of Business and the College of Information Science and Technology significantly predicted attrition likelihood in the first model, college of enrollment was fully mediated in the third (last) model. Only two compulsory pressure variables; campus self-estrangement and life-school conflict predicted attrition likelihood in the last model which accounted for 39 percent of attrition likelihood. This study concluded that while both demographic and voluntary factors were important, the most important predictors of attrition likelihood among the students were compulsory factors.
Factors of Student Attrition at the University of Nebraska at Omaha
UNO Criss Library, Room 249
This study investigated likely sources of student attrition from an urban university, using the University of Nebraska at Omaha as a case study. Reasons for attrition were investigated under voluntary and compulsory categories of pressures. Primary data were collected through random sampling of the student body, and participants (N = 177) completed an online survey. Students from all six colleges of the university participated in the survey. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze three models to determine the set of variables that best explained and predicted attrition likelihood among the students. The demographic model significantly accounted for 14 percent of attrition likelihood while the voluntary and compulsory models accounted for approximately 9 and 16 percent, respectively, of attrition likelihood. While enrollment in the College of Business and the College of Information Science and Technology significantly predicted attrition likelihood in the first model, college of enrollment was fully mediated in the third (last) model. Only two compulsory pressure variables; campus self-estrangement and life-school conflict predicted attrition likelihood in the last model which accounted for 39 percent of attrition likelihood. This study concluded that while both demographic and voluntary factors were important, the most important predictors of attrition likelihood among the students were compulsory factors.