Danielle Champagne enrolled in the University in 2006, studied rigorously for years while working full-time, and last year, she withdrew. Champagne’s story is not uncommon. About 34 percent of students who entered the University in fall 2005 did not return for their senior year, said Robert Kuhn, associate vice chancellor for the Office of Budget and Planning. Kuhn said retention rates have increased steadily since 1988 when the University began implementing stricter admission requirements, but the administration is still working to improve the percentage of graduating students.He said 58.9 percent of the 2002 freshman class graduated within six years — an almost 20 percent increase, from 39.4 percent, since the 1987 freshman class.  “We’re not where we want to be as an institution, but we’re a far better institution in terms of the quality of faculty, students and graduates than we were in 1987,” Kuhn said. “We’ve come a long way in a relatively short time.” Many degree plans are based on a four-year schedule, but the national evaluation standard for retention rates allots students six years to graduate. Only 26.2 percent of students who entered the University in 2002 graduated within four years, according to Office of Budget and Planning data. COMPARING THE NUMBERSLSU’s 2007 retention rate, 58.4 percent, was the second lowest of 12 peer institutions and beat the lowest retention rate at Kansas State University by only one-tenth percent. The highest retention rate among the peers was 81.9 percent at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, and the average rate was 70 percent. The Office of Budget and Planning chose to compare LSU with four-year public schools that were very highly active Carnegie Research Universities and members of the National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges. Only one of the peer institutions, University of Tennessee, had a medical school.Kuhn said increasing admission standards like higher ACT scores and GPA requirements are linked directly to increasing retention rates but are not the only contributing factors. He said LSU is focusing on implementing other methods to raise rates to at least the peer average. Paul Ivey, associate dean for the University College, said his office will soon begin using the Comprehensive Academic Tracking System to notify students who are not fulfilling graduation requirements on schedule. LEAVING THE UNIVERSITYLSU loses most of its students after their first or second year, according to Office of Budget and Planning data. Kuhn said LSU’s first-year retention rate for fall 2006, 83 percent, is not far behind peer rates. The average first-year retention rate for the other universities is 87 percent, he said.Kuhn said students often drop out or move to other institutions after failing to complete necessary requirements to enter senior colleges, commonly the E.J. Ourso College of Business or the Manship School of Mass Communication. The standard University resignation form includes only four reasons for withdrawal: to serve in the U.S. armed forces, to serve on an official church mission, to serve in government foreign aid or simply “other.” Ivey said students often do not specify reasons for leaving on the forms, although many students resign from his college because of financial and personal issues. Ivey said UCAC will begin surveying students about their reasons for leaving the University this semester. A draft of UCAC’s survey includes 10 possible reasons why students might resign, including financial hardship, physical or mental health issues and academic challenges. Joyce Wakefield, University Center for Freshman Year counselor, said most students resign because of problems transitioning to college life. “LSU’s not a fit for everyone,” Wakefield said. “But it’s hard to know that until you get here.” Champagne said she will not return to the LSU because of financial aid issues and trouble scheduling classes. Champagne left the University during her third year, but she said she would not have graduated for another three years. “In the end, an art degree just isn’t worth it for me,” Champagne said. Champagne said she tried to re-enroll this semester but had “difficulties with administration” and paperwork. She said she may pursue a degree from a smaller university in a few years. —-Contact Emily Holden at [email protected]