Why Are Students Leaving Old Westbury?

By Selena Hill


Administration at SUNY Old Westbury has been taking steps toward improving the retention rates for years. However, recent retention stats released by the Institutional Research Department show that the trends have been progressing since 2003. During a College Council Meeting earlier this year, the college president, Dr. Calvin O. Butts, shared good news about the growth of retention which currently stands at 72.7%. Accordingly, in the Fall 2007 semester, full time enrollment exceeded their goal to register 3,123 students and instead enrolled 3,152. The school also exceeded its goal to enlist 399 first-year students by 10% and, in fact, recruited 439 students. In addition, the college surpassed its hopes for the return of 2,396 students in the Fall 2007 semester by 5% when, in actuality, 2,503 students came back.

However, despite these figures, there are many students that still feel unsatisfied with Old Westbury’s progress as an institution and seek to transfer out. Maria Davila, a sophomore and resident of the campus, argues that the administration “talks and talks, but never fixes anything.” As the SGA Chief Justice, Davila worked one on one with administration but testifies that when she goes “to discussions that the academic departments have…I get fed up and leave.” For this reason, along with others, Davila says she looks forward to transfering to her “dream school,” SUNY New Paltz, next semester rather than continuing her pursuit for change on campus. Likewise, the current SGA President, Maziely Crisostomo, says her frustration with administration also lead to her examination of other schools. Striving to reform Old Westbury, Crisostomo asserts that she has “brought up many issues [with administration],” however “they’re making baby steps.” In reference to the bursar, residential life, financial aid and transportation, Crisostomo claims that “they’re not putting in enough effort to improve non-friendly offices.” She also protests that “res life is trying to make small improvements [when] they could do so much more.”

Over the summer, SUNY Old Westbury’s own psychology professor, Kathy Greenberg, conducted a research study involving students wishing to transfer. From the results, she concluded that female commuters comprise the largest demographic of non-returning students due to time and pressure. She also affirmed that another cause is the level of immaturity amongst the student body. In agreement, Davila contends that, “I feel like I'm in high school with all the drama and stupid stuff…like I'm in the 14th grade! People here don't take their education seriously.” Michael Catatggio, a freshmen from the Bronx who intends to enroll in SUNY Purchase next year, also insists that many of the residents “just chill outside [and] don’t take college seriously.”

To continue the increase in retention rates, administration plans to hold more student events and execute “one-stop shopping” for financial aid, registration, and bursar in the old bookstore in the Campus Center beginning in Fall 2008. This system would allow students to maneuver faster and smoother with better communication. However, administration is also focusing on raising the standards of the admission process to include demonstration of leadership, exceptional volunteer work, and a personal interview. Nonetheless, this strategy was proposed in the December 2000 issue of the Memorandum of Understanding, which attempts to solve the retention problem by “attracting better students” and encouraging “the College to err on the side of higher standards” (p. 7). However, an undisclosed faculty member questioned this method being that it seeks to change the “type” of student entering Old Westbury instead of the administrative problems causing students to leave. It also neglects the fact that “all level students are leaving,” they argued.

Much of the student body have complained that the events on campus, or lack thereof, play a crucial role in making the best of their college experience. After attending Old Westbury for a year and a half, Davila says that her interests are underrepresented by the social activities and events. She exclaimed that, “I feel like I don't belong here, like there's nothing for me here. This is, well, to put it bluntly.... because I'm white. I've gone to parties and tried to have fun but I just feel uncomfortable and leave…. We have a MSA, Persian Club, African Student Union, Caribbean Club, etc.....where is the European Club?” In effective, she says the absence of a broader sense of cultural diversity has contributed to her reasons for leaving the school.

On the other hand, Saachi Creque, a freshmen student who wants to transfer in the fall, proclaimed that the “events are pretty good; but there can be more.” Speaking on the behalf of residential students, she emphasized that, “on the weekends, there’s really nothing to do; that’s why we all go home.” Similarity, Junior Yussuf, a freshmen resident who wishes to transfer to CW Post or SUNY Purchase, argues that coordinators “should do stuff on a Friday and Saturday” as opposed to just weekday events. He also mentioned that the poor food services provided on the weekends which discourages students from staying stating that “If the den was open [regularly], I would feel better…on the weekend.” In addition, Creque confirmed that campus “activities bring us together,” and without them, many students become disengaged with the school and are more liable to transfer. “If they [students] don’t get involved in school activities, then you have no connection to the school.” said Mariana Valle, a resident of Old Westbury who plans to graduate with a four-year degree. Now in her junior year, Valle says that her involvement with the New Orleans relief volunteer group had a great impact in helping her bond with her Old Westbury and fellow students. “It connected me by introducing me to new cultures and people that I encountered on the trip,” she shared. She also developed a greater appreciation for the school being that she “had a lot to do with planning the trip [2006]” which she “wouldn’t have been able to do at a ‘big’ college.” In essence, Valle also attributes her fondness of Old Westbury to the First-Year Experience and director Dr. Laura Anker whom she says has “built a network with [and] helped her meet people.”

Furthermore, many Old Westbury students say that concern towards the academia is their primary motive for transferring. William Kim, a freshman biology major from East Port HS in Suffolk County , confessed that the biology department “wasn’t what I expected…I thought it would be bigger.” In effect, he plans to apply to SUNY Stonybrook because he is “scared that I won’t be able to enter a medical school from Old Westbury…[because] it’s not a well known school for my major.” Now as a junior, the SGA president announced that her main reason for wanting to transfer centers around the apprehension she feels in regards to achieving a Sociology degree from Old Westbury. Crisostomo stressed the fact that her department needs “more faculty than adjunctions in Sociology [and]…don’t have enough [full-time] professors.” In addition, Crisostomo admits that she is “worried about the value of my degree” and complained that adjuncts teach the majority of her classes. She also stated that “I felt like the school didn’t cater enough to my major. [The] classes don’t prepare you enough for grad school.”

Moreover, Crisostomo says that despite everything, she recently decided to stay at Old Westbury for her last year stating “I have pretty good friends and I’m in tuned with faculty.”