How Advising and Retention of Students Improves Fiscal Stability

A consistent theme expressed in the literature today is the need for universities to become more efficient and businesslike in their approach to fiscal management. Fiscal accountability is being required of all institutions; therefore, institutions must reorganize, reengineer, and become more efficient to demonstrate accountability and fiscal responsibility. Upon fiscal review, student advising centers are often seen as non-central to the instructional mission of the university and, therefore, allocations are reduced. This article discusses one approach used at a regional comprehensive university to demonstrate how a student advising center can improve fiscal stability by increasing retention and graduation rates. thereby increasing appropriations when based on an enrollment-driven formula.