Currently, in the United States, there is a high dropout rate in higher learning institutions. Additionally, there is a great disparity among the student dropout and retention rates in institutions of higher learning. This is because students of color, such as African-Americans and Hispanics, have a higher dropout rate and lower retention rates than their White counterparts. Therefore, one of the vital goals for all higher learning institutions is to retain students to ensure that they complete their degrees. A significant amount of research has documented best practices, theoretical frameworks, as well as research investigations that focus on student retention. Nonetheless, there is limited literature that has focused on the role of faculty in retaining African-American students in colleges. This research bridges this gap by investigating the faculty role in retaining African-American students at Milwaukee Colleges. The research questions are: (a) How do African-American students attending Milwaukee Colleges perceive their experiences regarding student retention? and (b) What are the perceptions of African-American students attending Milwaukee Colleges on the role of faculty regarding student retention? [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]