A great deal of emphasis in higher education is centered on questions such as, "Why do students leave college and how can we get them to stay?" Although researchers have pointed to the import of "sense of belonging" in departure decisions, a measure of students' subjective sense of affiliation and identification with the university community has not been developed. The following is an empirical measure of "sense of belonging" which sheds light on factors that contribute to retention. Gaining greater clarity regarding factors important to the development of "sense of belonging" can help institutional policy planners evaluate the effectiveness of retention programs on their campuses, design more effective intervention strategies, and identify students at risk for departure.According to the American College Testing Program (1999), approximately one-quarter of all new college students do not return for their sophomore year. Aside from the personal and practical consequences related to persistence in college, student tuition and fees make up a sizable proportion of higher education revenue. Consequently, student retention continues to be a major concern of college administrators and a great deal of emphasis in higher education is centered 227 Ó 2002, Baywood Publishing Co., Inc.