In September 1992, a peer mentoring program was initiated at Santa Rosa Junior College (SRJC), in California, to address the disproportionately low enrollment and retention rates of minority and disabled students. This handbook is designed for colleges considering establishing similar mentoring programs and provides background information on…

Laney's Success Model for First-Year Students attempts to increase retention by accommodating students and encouraging learning. It requires an institutional commitment for student academic success and tries to dispel the forces of attrition: academic boredom, difficulty adjusting to college life, and academic underpreparedness. The first-year…