The College of Professional Studies is raising its retention rate, or the number of students who start at NIU and graduate from NIU in the field.

ICPS 101 is the orientation course to professional studies and NIU which focuses on NIU’s structure, operation and basic resources and services. Also, students’ interests, abilities and expectations for completion of a major from the CPS are evaluated.

The course reviews college life and creates a relationship between the student and faculty member, said James Lankford, CPS associate dean.

Statistics have noted that students who take the course do better in school, compared to students who do not take the course. Since the fall of 1987, 63 percent of students who took the class persisted for four years and 49 percent of students who did not take the course persisted for four years.

“The difference between the 49 and 63 percent is significant,” academic counselor and ICPS instructor Sandy Kuchynka said.

The class is open during the fall semester to 20 CPS freshmen. Three sections were offered and filled for the 1989 fall semester and hopefully the program will expand to five sections next fall, Kuchynka said.

Making the class available to all incoming freshmen has been discussed, but Kuchynka would not like to see the program be required.

Students who took the class were required to participate in all student activities, but seemed more confident when the class ended, Kuchynka said.

Other programs on campus which help students make the college transition are the Career Planning and Placement Center and NIU’s Student Counseling and Development Center.