Since 1988's all-time high in the college enrollment African Americans enrollment of African, American, declining high school completion figures have contributed to a slower increase in minority college participation After more than a decade of intensely examining factors that influence retention, we seem to be in a period of slippage of minority participation and success at the post-secondary level.

 If a goal of higher education is to effectively assist minority students in their quest for academic success, then it must work to become truly barrier-free, reducing the risk of failure. This can be accomplished by institutions responding to issues surrounding academic preparation financial assistance (scholarships), and an on-going audit of the institutional environment. The integration of minorities into the fabric of the institution's life--via the boardroom classroom, and the staff room--is essential to that goal.

 The goal can become a reality is institutions develop educational initiatives that will create a campus atmosphere where students are presented with a mandate to succeed, not the right to fail.

 A 1996 study of 163 community colleges across the country with enrollments of more than 5,000 students compiled strategies used to recruit, retain and graduate minority students enrolled in vocational programs. The research indicated that student success is highest when retention efforts are coordinated by a centralized office or: person, mating the effort visible, and giving it a sense of importance.

 The most critical person in the retention effort is the college president or top administrator. Without the commitment of the board of trustees and president, retention efforts will not be successful. Institution-wide commitment and involvement provides the greatest impact. Faculty, staff, student service personnel, support services administrators and students must combine their interests and energy to improve the institution's retentive power. Respondents to the study perceived the president, followed by academic and student affairs administrators, faculty and the college board, as tile key stakeholders behind retention.