Developing and sustaining successful first-year programs : a guide for practitioners

First-year programs and interventions have become critical launching pads for student success and retention in higher education. However, these programs often flounder not because of what they are trying to do, but because of the ways in which they are implemented. Copublished with the National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition, this is a comprehensive, practical, how-to guide to developing new first-year programs and enhancing existing programs. It identifies and discusses the multiple elements that contribute to sustained student success and to programs that have the capacity to continue to meet student needs and make efficient use of resources. Discussion is included on critical partnerships, organizational structures, personnel, and fiscal issues as they relate to the design, delivery, and assessment of effective interventions.