One of the biggest problems that I see in retention is poor setting of expectations by the admissions personnel.  I am not trying to place all of the problems of the world or the system on them .. but I have heard from too many students over the years statements such as:

But my admissions rep said that it would be OK for me to be 30 minutes late for class each night.

I was told that you would work with me on my needing to be absent.

I need to get out of class early to because my husband and I share the car and he needs to get to work.  My rep said that it would be no problem. 

I understand the need to make quota, I know the push from above.  But how are we to deal with the promises that were made to the student in an attempt to get them in the door?  We as instructors hear the comments from too many students for there not to be some validity to them.

The students then think that it is the instructor"s fault, they have formed a bond with the admissions rep by then, and we all are having to play crisis management to get the student's issues resolved to keep them enrolled.