When John Hand left the university in 2000, it was not because he couldn't handle the work.
Like many students who leave, Hand said he just wasn't adjusting to campus life and had nowhere to turn to for help, getting bounced around from advisers to other offices.
Now the sociology junior is back and he created a Web site to increase retention at the UA by providing students with a central location for information.
Called UofAcampus.com, Hand said he hopes the Web site will build a sense of community among UA students by giving them a place to exchange information, such as class notes, dish out advice on professors and even arrange activities like hiking.
Although UA retention rates are on par with peer institutions with freshman to sophomore retention at 78 percent and graduation at 57 percent, administrators have identified recruitment and retention as two key areas they want the UA to improve.
"Failing is not the word I would use," said Patti Ota, vice president of enrollment management. "But we can always do better, both in recruitment and retention."
In the past, President Peter Likins has said he wants to see the graduation rate to eventually reach 75 percent.
As a result, a 40-member Retention Coordinating Group was established last year and they are working on four goals for retention, along with a number of action plans per goal.
Ota will hear the committee's four goals and their plan to increase retention April 28. If approved, the plan would take effect in the fall.
The four goals administrators are aiming to reach include increased freshman retention, higher sophomore and junior persistence rates, a higher graduation rate and increased retention among transfer students, said Glenda Wilkes, a college retention development specialist and a member of the retention group.
In addition to encouraging students to live on campus their freshman year, Wilkes said the group wants to begin a program called SuccessNet, which would allow instructors and teaching assistants who suspect a student needs assistance to notify their adviser early on.
But retaining students requires more than just facilitating their academics, Wilkes said.
As early as the third week of school, Wilkes said students are gauging whether or not they want to stay at the university because of factors such as environment, social scenes, emotional adjustment and their connection with campus activities.
That's why Hand said his Web site was designed with the intention of building and maintaining a sense of community at the UA, with features such as party announcements, streaming video and audio, funny photos, campus polls, hourly news updates and a forum where students can discuss anything that is on their minds.
The site also includes a place to post and obtain class notes, and students can also post free ads in the classified section, Hand said.
Each member of the site will also have 10 megabytes of space to upload files, which can be accessed from any Internet connection.
Hand said he could not sell the site to the Retention Coordinating Group because the UA would have to censor the site because of liability issues.
Beth Harrison, assistant director of the University Teaching Center who saw Hand's presentation, said the Web site is an effective way to build community among students.
"It would be a great way for students to share their thoughts and ideas in a medium that is interesting to them and is part of their lives," said Harrison, a member of the recruitment group.
Another aspect of student life the group wants to change is getting more students to work on campus instead of off campus, Wilkes said, because the school pays competitive wages and students will feel more connected to the university by working on campus.
Still, Hand said he believes the best solution for students is to turn to each other. By joining the free Web site, Hand said he hopes more students will interact, learn and be entertained.
Anyone who joins the Web site will be given the option to be entered into a drawing for free iPod Shuffles. One iPod Shuffle will be given away through a random drawing, and a second will be given away if 500 people register. Two more iPod Shuffles will be given away to the first two people to refer 50 people to the Web site.
Registration is free and requires a UA e-mail account. To learn more, visit www.UofACampus.com.