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Division of Undergraduate Education
Undergraduate Retention Initiatives and Success Engagement (U-RISE)
Undergraduate Retention Initiatives and Success EngagementSSTAR LabSSTAR Lab Insights

SSTAR Lab Insights

Research in Action

Edition #2 | October 2025

Welcome to our second edition of SSTAR Lab Insights: Research in Action! This edition takes us “into the archives” to explore one of the foundational frameworks on student retention often referenced in higher education research and literature. We hope this serves as an introduction to the theory for some and a refresher for others who may be familiar with the work of Vincent Tinto.

Featured Study

Tinto, V. (1975). Dropout from higher education: A theoretical synthesis of recent research. Review of Educational Research, 45(1), 89-125.

Quick Take: One of the most influential frameworks in higher education, Vincent Tinto’s theory of retention posits that student persistence is strongly tied to their academic and social integration into the institution. According to the model:

  • Students who feel academically connected and socially integrated are more likely to persist and graduate.
  • The model emphasizes the importance of institutional commitment and how well the university creates an environment that supports student success.

This theory laid the groundwork for many institutional practices like learning communities, early alert systems, and student support initiatives to promote retention.

Deeper Dive

Why this matters for all higher ed professionals:

According to this model, a student’s decision to persist at their university is influenced by the extent to which they are socially and intellectually integrated into the campus community. As students engage with the academic and social components of their college experience over time, their goals and institutional commitment are either strengthened or diminished. Academic and social integration can occur in both formal and informal ways:

  • Students’ engagement in the learning process
  • Receiving feedback on academic performance / earning grades
  • Interactions with faculty when attending office hours
  • Interactions with staff during advising meetings or while navigating campus resources
  • Participation in official university activities such as clubs or co-curriculars
  • Peer group interactions at campus events or in residence halls 

Ultimately, institutions can capitalize on opportunities to promote positive social and academic experiences for students. We as higher education professionals should consider the degree to which these formal and informal interactions occur and students’ perceived quality of these relationships. Fortunately, we can encourage students to build relationships with their peers, faculty, and staff to increase their sense of belonging and foster meaningful academic interactions. 

  
Try This

How to apply this framework, no matter your role:

Micro Student Journey Audit

As discussed above, one of the key tenets of Tinto’s theory involves students' integration into the college environment and the positive outcomes on retention. 

Below we have provided a brief “audit” that we challenge you to take! The purpose of this audit is to give you a quick way to inventory one or more recent student interactions you’ve had. With this inventory, you can reflect on what you have done well, what you can improve, and how Tinto’s framework can be applied to every interaction we have with students. 

Step 1: Pick a recent interaction you had with a student (this can be an advising session, tutoring appointment, outreach phone call, student supervision, etc.). 

Step 2: Examine the following questions about the interaction:

  • If the student were to review your conversation, would they state they felt seen and heard by you?  Would they feel the interaction promoted connection or disconnection? 
  • Is the student experiencing any barriers to participation (financial, cultural, procedural)? 
  • How did you try to address those barriers? Are there any barriers that you were unable to address yourself due to barriers out of your control? 
  • What is one word/phrase you utilized in your interaction that helped promote integration?
  • If you were meeting with the student again right now, what else would you say to them to improve their experience?

 

Theory Through the Years

Read how Tinto's theory has developed over the years, including more updated and modern takes!

Student characteristics and enrollment trends outlined in the 1975 article are clearly outdated and untrue among today’s undergraduates. Tinto acknowledges these drawbacks as well, and his theory has evolved over the years to be inclusive of diverse experiences of college students. Core elements of the original theory still hold true and serve as a foundation for understanding student retention.

 

Research Roundup

Want to learn more about this topic? Here's what we've been reading...

 

Have a research topic you'd like us to cover? Email Jennifer.S.Rodriguez@stonybrook.edu 

 

Archived Editions of SSTAR Lab Insights