Student Retention Concerns

Only about 65% of students who enroll in colleges and universities in the U.S. graduate within 6 years (U.S. Department of Education, 2021). This alarming figure has triggered significant concern regarding student retention and persistence towards graduation. While colleges and universities are investing in various student support initiatives, including advising, campus community programming, and learning centers, there’s one area that has received relatively little attention: the role of faculty.

We all recognize that faculty-student relationships matter deeply (Tinto, 1987), yet a recent Gallup poll of 32,000 undergraduate students from across the country revealed that relatively few students reported feeling that their professors genuinely care about them (Crabtree, 2019). These findings painted a concerning picture: among those in arts and humanities, roughly 39% felt their professors cared about them; rates dropped sharply among students in business (26%), social science (29%), and science/engineering (23%).

A Light-Touch Intervention

In light of these disheartening statistics, Carrell and Kurlaender (2023) examined whether a small nudge of concern from faculty might move the needle on student perceptions of care and course performance. In their 2020 study, “My Professor Cares”, Carell and Kurlaender explored the efficacy of a simple, light-touch intervention that faculty could implement to improve student motivation and academic performance. This intervention involved sending 2-3 strategically timed and personalized emails to students, with the following elements:

• Demonstrating awareness of the student’s course performance.
• Providing a summary of key success factors in the course.
• Emphasizing the professor’s availability for additional support during office hours.

Initially promising results

An initial pilot (Carrell & Kurlaender, 2020) used a targeted approach. Students who failed to submit their first assignment were randomly assigned to either a treatment group that received personalized messages or a control group that did not. Later in the term, students in the treatment group received a second message tailored to their midterm performance.

The outcomes were promising. Students who received these personalized emails not only had more positive perceptions of their professors but also earned higher grades in the course compared to those in the control group. Qualitative evaluations of student responses to the messages indicated that the effect was largely mediated by increased motivation to excel in their courses. Examples of student responses include:

• I’d…like to thank you for offering your help in such a kind manner, I’ve rarely seen teachers at this school respond to missed assignments the way you have. I’ll be sure to complete future assignments in a timely manner, the first practice homework was indeed pretty helpful.
• Thanks for talking to me about my homework and test scores. Even though you have a couple hundred students, I really appreciate the effort you put into making it personal for your students. I would have gone to office hours the first time you emailed me, but I simply forgot by the end of the week.
• This class is fulfilling a GE for me and my other classes do rank higher on my list. While I do enjoy microeconomics and usually aim to only take GE’s that interest me, I’m just too busy to spend too much time on the homework. I definitely plan to study and practice extensively for the tests, but not make it a priority, which I know is not ideal but a reality for this quarter. But once again, thanks for the email, I really appreciate what you’re doing and I do wish more professors do what you are doing. (Carell & Kurlaender, 2020, pp. 14-15)

Scaling Up for Widespread Impact

Building on the success of the pilot project, Carrell and Kurlaender (2020) expanded their study to include 30 large undergraduate courses across 20 different subjects. Participating faculty received template emails and were encouraged to personalize their messages, as long as they included personalization to the student, recognition of their course performance, and a reminder of behaviors that tend to yield better course performance.

The impact was again significant. Students in the treatment group exhibited significantly higher course grades and felt more positively about their professors, finding them approachable, available, and caring. Moreover, these effects extended beyond the participating course; students in the treatment group also performed better in their other courses that semester. Importantly, these effects were more pronounced among male students of color (Black and Latino), who typically have lower college graduation rates than other demographic groups.

A Lasting Impact

This intervention not only had a clear impact on students’ academic performance and perceptions of their professors’ care but also influenced the faculty’s experience. Participating faculty members expressed enthusiasm about the process and were surprised by how grateful students were for the feedback. Five years later, 58% of participating faculty continued this practice with all of their students, with even more focusing on struggling students.

The “My Professor Cares” intervention demonstrates the transformative potential of simple, personalized communication between faculty and students. This approach not only boosts academic performance but also fosters a sense of care and belonging, especially among students who need it the most. As faculty, you have the power to make a lasting impact on our students’ educational journeys and, ultimately, their success.

Author note:

Chat GPT (OpenAI, 2023) provided final editorial support for the writing of this article using the following prompt: “Provide recommendations to streamline and improve the writing in the following piece.”

References 

Carrell, S. E., & Kurlaender, M. (2020). My professor cares: Experimental evidence on the role of faculty engagement (No. w27312). National Bureau of Economic Research.  

Crabtree, S. (2019). Student Support From Faculty, Mentors Varies by Major. Gallup.  

OpenAI (2023). ChatGPT (September 8 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat/

Tinto, V. (1987). Leaving college. Chicago: University of Chicago Press.  

U.S. Department of Education (2021). National Center for Education Statistics, Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), Winter 2020–21, Graduation Rates component.