Building Your Institution’s Commitment to Adult Learner Persistence
From leadership engagement to long-term resource planning, there are practical steps every institution can take to empower adult learners.
Ensuring adult learners persist from term to term requires a united, intentional effort to break down barriers, offer tailored support, and create a campus-wide culture that prioritizes every learner’s success.
One key component is leadership. When presidents, provosts, and other senior leaders champion adult learner success, their actions set the tone for the entire institution. But leadership is just the starting point. Persistence requires a cohesive institutional effort. This shift can have a significant impacton outcomes and inspire systemic change.
In this blog, we’ll explore four strategies to build an institutional commitment to adult learner persistence to help your institution find ways to enhance persistence rates and ultimately boost retention.
1. Secure leadership buy-in
Senior leaders are key to driving adult learner persistence. Their commitment can spark action and accountability across the institution.
Action Steps:
- Secure visible support from campus leadership.
- Establish a clear and measurable vision for adult learner persistence and communicate it broadly across the institution.
- Lead by example through policy changes and resource allocations.
Quick Tip:
Invite leadership to attend persistence-focused committee meetings to show their support in a tangible way.
2. Build cross-functional collaboration
Adult learners interact with multiple areas of an institution—from academic advising to financial aid. Forming cross-functional teams ensures that these departments work together to eliminate barriers and create a seamless experience for students.
Action Steps:
- Create committees with representatives from all major areas, including administration, advising, faculty, and student services.
- Set measurable goals tied to persistence metrics, and review them regularly.
- Foster open communication between departments to share insights and challenges.
Quick Tip:
To keep everyone aligned, set a consistent schedule for committee check-ins and progress reviews.
Want examples of institutional commitment in action? Download our free guide with practical insights and real-world examples of institution-wide support for adult learner persistence.
3. Invest in long-term resources
Persistence initiatives often require more than enthusiasm; they require sustainable investment. Institutions that allocate resources strategically are better positioned to meet adult learners’ unique needs.
Action Steps:
- Budget for key supports like coaching programs and early intervention technology.
- Use predictive analytics to identify at-risk students and proactively address their needs. For example, ReUp data from 42,000 adult learner responses shows that life balance (25%) and finances (24%) are top reasons for initial stop-outs. To address these challenges, we recommend institutions explore innovative strategies to reduce learner expenses and alleviate financial pressures.
- Partner with external organizations to extend services, like financial grants or career development support.
Quick Tip:
Make resource allocation decisions data-driven by analyzing which investments most impact persistence rates.
4. Adapt policies to remove barriers
Policies and practices can either enable or inhibit persistence. Institutions need to routinely evaluate their policies from an adult learner’s perspective, eliminating hurdles and implementing supports that foster re-engagement.
Action Steps:
- Reduce barriers to re-enrollment, such as re-entry penalties or inflexible payment plans.
- Implement policies like debt forgiveness or retroactive credentialing to support returning learners.
- Gather feedback from students to ensure policies reflect their needs.
Quick Tip:
Regularly seek input from current and former students on policy changes. Their insights can guide meaningful adjustments.
Champion persistence at every level of your institution
To see how institutions are making adult learner persistence a top priority download our comprehensive guide, “Creating a Culture of Persistence: Institutional Commitment.” It’s filled with tips and real-world examples your institution can adapt to increase collaboration and visibility for adult learners.
Let’s start the conversation
Schedule a call with a ReUp team member to learn more about what a ReUp partnership could do for your institution.