The problems with which this dissertation is concerned are undergraduate student attrition and ways to reduce it. This study describes the problem of undergraduate student attrition by presenting an overview of the extent of such attrition. As a result of this study, the following conclusions, among others, are advanced: 1) Approximately 50 per cent of those who undertake a baccalaureate degree program complete their programs within four years. 2) Attrition data provide a measure of efficiency of higher education. 3) Undergraduates who do not complete course or degree requirements in either attendance or academic performance contribute to and constitute a measure of waste in the economic sense of (a) the labor of teachers, (b) the use of classrooms, laboratories, and equipment, (c) the failure of colleges and universities to achieve educational objectives, and (d) the competent individuals who never enter college. 4) Attrition is a distinct, interactive process. 5) Institutions of higher learning are responsible for changing their characteristics and environments when such variables adversely affect congruence of otherwise qualified and competent students. 6) Texas' senior college presidents who were surveyed believe that an extremely important variable in reducing attrition is the establishment of a relationship between the student and …

The problem of this study was the status of classified staff decision making participation in policy determination, administrative practices, and working conditions in Texas public junior/community colleges as reported by their presidents and those persons, chief personnel officers, on each campus who have responsibility for classified staff employees. The conclusions to the study, with respect to Texas public junior/community colleges, were (1) the classified staff employees may not be aware of the total college goals, (2) classified staff employees may have little motivation to perform their jobs effectively, (3) future turnover rates among classified staff employees could increase, (4) the classified staff employees' input appears to have a low priority in the area of decision making, (5) classified staff employees may be seeking jobs with open participation in decision making, and (6) the exclusion of classified staff employees from participation in decisions could lead to formal bargaining in the future.