Cengage Learning and Noel-Levitz Partner to Provide Retention and Training Services to Developmental Educators

STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Cengage Learning, a leading global provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions, and Noel-Levitz, the recognized student retention and recruitment authority, today announced a partnership to provide retention and training services to developmental education programs across the country.

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Colleges and universities across the United States are being challenged to dramatically increase graduation rates.  According to the U.S. Department of Education, only 17 percent of high school graduates who require at least one remedial reading course and 27 percent who require a remedial math course earn a bachelor's degree.  With developmental education students at the greatest risk of dropping out, institutions are focused on identifying strategies to help these students successfully complete their coursework and persist to graduation. Through this partnership, Cengage Learning and Noel-Levitz will help institutions increase student completion rates by assessing their developmental education programs, generating urgency and buy-in with key campus personnel, and creating and implementing strategies that rally the campus around student success.

The new partnership will pair the Noel-Levitz Student Retention Consulting Team, retention strategists with 38 years of experience working at and consulting with over 2,700 colleges and universities, with Cengage Learning's TeamUP Faculty Programs, a team of educators who, for more than a decade, have helped faculty reach and engage students through peer-to-peer consultations, workshops, and professional development.

Noel-Levitz and Cengage Learning will work with schools to assist with the collection of data and information needed to improve success in the gateway course(s).  Together they will also aid in the development of outcomes and outcomes assessment measures that will be used to track effectiveness. Noel-Levitz will provide strategy recommendations and Cengage Learning's TeamUP educators will deliver training that will enable each college or university to achieve their desired developmental education outcomes.

"We are pleased to partner with Noel-Levitz, the recognized leader in higher education consulting, said Sean Wakely, Executive Vice President, Academic Solutions, Arts & Sciences, Cengage Learning. "This partnership pairs the expertise of the leading authority on student retention with classroom-oriented peer-to-peer training offered through Cengage Learning's TeamUP Faculty Programs.  Together we will provide an unparalleled retention analysis and training program that will help developmental educators improve both the retention and graduation rates of their students."

"This unique partnership with Cengage Learning helps us attack long-standing barriers to success in college," said Tim Culver, Noel-Levitz Vice President of Consulting Services. "We are determined to help college students improve their chances of succeeding in developmental courses."

About Cengage Learning

Cengage Learning is a leading provider of innovative teaching, learning and research solutions for the academic, professional and library markets worldwide. The company's products and services are designed to foster academic excellence and professional development, increase student engagement, improve learning outcomes and deliver authoritative information to people whenever and wherever they need it. Through the company's unique position within both the library and academic markets, Cengage Learning is providing integrated learning solutions that bridge from the library to the classroom.  Cengage Learning's brands include Brooks/Cole, Course Technology, Delmar, Gale, Heinle, South-Western and Wadsworth, among others. Cengage Learning is headquartered in Stamford, CT.  For more information on Cengage Learning please visit www.cengage.com.

About Noel-Levitz

Noel-Levitz is a nationally recognized higher education consulting firm that focuses on strategic planning for enrollment and student success. Each year, campus executives meet regularly with Noel-Levitz to accomplish their goals for student recruitment, marketing, student retention, and strategic enrollment management. The firm offers consulting, custom research, benchmark data, innovative tools and technologies, side-by-side plan development and execution, and resources for professional development. For more information, visit www.noellevitz.com.

SOURCE Cengage Learning