Eighteen percent of incoming Kansas University freshmen don’t make it to their sophomore year.

“That is too high a rate of loss,” new Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Richard Lariviere said Thursday. “It is a waste of our efforts, of institutional resources, and deleterious to the students who do not make it past their first year.”

In his first formal address to faculty and staff, Lariviere vowed to focus on student retention, admissions, a new tuition proposal, research and other issues. Lariviere spoke to a crowd of several hundred Thursday in Budig Hall as part of KU’s annual faculty and staff convocation.

Lariviere said KU’s admissions process is a key part of improving student retention. KU’s admissions standards, and those of all Kansas Board of Regents institutions, are set by state law. Incoming freshmen from Kansas schools must pass one of three hurdles: an ACT score of at least 21 or an SAT score of at least 980; a 2.0 grade-point average; or a ranking in the top one-third of their high school class.

“KU needs to have the freedom to shape our entering classes to the optimum benefit,” Lariviere said. “We cannot be bound by one or two metrics.”

He also touched on KU’s proposal for a guaranteed tuition plan that would give entering freshmen a set rate over their four years.

Citing a survey conducted by KU staff, he said the majority of KU seniors – 56 percent – have no loan debt. The remaining students have an average debt of $16,359. Such figures, he said, are an important part of KU’s discussions regarding tuition.

Lariviere also turned to research, telling the audience members that it should be their first responsibility and that researchers are expected to make significant discoveries and share the new knowledge with students and others.

Bringing in grant funding is key, he said.

“KU must continue to make strides in the area of funded research,” he said.

And Lariviere called on faculty to convey to others their value and importance. Lariviere has asked each dean to give him a statement about why each school exists, and he wants the same from each department.

“I want every one of you to be able to tell me why you are here,” he said. “I don’t just mean why you are at KU. I mean, why do you do what you do?”

Such actions are imperative, he said.

“If we cannot effectively explain why our work matters to larger audiences beyond the campus, they will decide for themselves how or even if we matter.”

He provided a statement of his own purpose.

“I want to invest what skills and talents I have to promote the fortunes of one of the great public institutions that has grown out of the national interest in higher education – the University of Kansas,” he said.

KU law professor John Head, winner of the 2006 Provost’s Award for Leadership in International Education, said he was pleased Lariviere issued the call to faculty. He said faculty could convey their importance by writing books and articles and participating in public dialogue.

Head said he believes in Kansas and, particularly at KU, there is an institutional modesty that can prevent some from entering more boldly into public life.

“We probably could do more to influence public discourse than we do,” he said.