Examining Factors That Impact Student Retention • Gerome Bell (Instructor of Counseling, Eastern)
Transfer counselor Gerome Bell knows the only Black counselor at the largest community college in the SUNY system. He also knows this is a problem. Research is clear that minoritized students need to see people who look like them in positions like his. In his video linked above, Professor Bell discusses the critical importance of examining the factors that impact student retention, especially among minoritized students. They need to feel like they belong. Professor Bell also discusses the need to increase representation of Black and Latinx faculty as well as the need to be more inclusive in all matters—and that means everyone at the college: from students to administrators to faculty to staff. Even seemingly little things, like including pronouns in your email signature, can make a big difference.