Student Success and Retention in a Community College An Integrated Approach

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Student Success and Retention in a Community
College An Integrated Approach

• National Consortium for Continuous Improvement
• July 26-29, 2007
• New Orleans, LA
• Presenter
• Dr. Patricia Leonard, Dean of Students
• St. Clair County Community College

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SESSION GOALS

• Provide an overview of the efforts to address
  student success and retention in a small
  community college
• Goals
• Present process for structuring a success and
  retention effort
• Identification of benchmark data for assessment
  and planning
• Identification of possible issues in the
  development of a success and retention program
• Identification of success and retention strategies

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St. Clair County Community College

• It is the mission of SC4 to provide quality
  learning opportunities.
• Founded in 1923
• Port Huron, Michigan
• NCA Accreditation
• 25 acres, 10 buildings
• Faculty Unionized
• 70-75 Part-time
• 25-30 Full-time

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Programs of Study
CREDIT

• On campus, off campus, online, hybrid, fast track
• Certificate
• Associate of Applied Arts and Science
• Transfer Programs
• Associate Degrees Arts, Science, Business,
  Engineering, and General Education
• Certificate Program General Studies Transfer
• University Center-bachelors, masters and
  doctorate programs on campus/ on-line

NON-CREDIT

• Workforce Training Institute

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State County Statistics

• Only 12.6 of residents have a bachelors degree
  or higher
• High unemployment rate
• Port Huron 11.2
• St. Clair County 7.9
• Michigan 6.4

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SC4 Students

• 6080 Credit and Non-credit students served per
  year
• Typical Fall head count 4800
• Freshman Fall New Enrollment is approximately
  1000 students
• 25 is the average age
• About 40 are traditional age (18 yrs)
• 61 female, 30 male
• 44 attend Full-time
• Majority are employed 20-40 hrs per week
• 4100 Degree seeking students annually
• 89 of students complete FASFA, 50-60 receive
  aid
• Goals 40 plan to transfer, 55 occupational
• Annual Graduation approximately 15.7 Based on
  Credit seeking enrollment
• Not cohort rate

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SC4 Student Needs

• Developmental Education
• Many students are under prepared

45 test into developmental English 41 test into
developmental Reading 65 test into developmental
Math
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Campus Support Service

• Comprehensive library
• Free tutoring for qualified students
• Financial aid and scholarships
• Child care center
• Academic advising and educational planning
• Lifetime employment assistance
• Internships and job shadowing
• Career planning
• Services for students with disabilities
• Study skill assistance
• Athletic Program
• Campus clubs and organizations

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National Collegiate Retention and Persistence to
Degree Rates2006 Report

• ACT Educational Services www.act.org/path/postsec/
  index.html
• Institutional Data questionnaire (IDQ)
• 1800 institutions on-line data collection
• First to Second Year Retention Rates
• Persistence to Degree Rates by Institutional
  Types

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WHAT MATTERS?

• How can we increase student success and
  retention?
• Enhance learning and engagement
• Increase comfort/fit
• Increase opportunities/options

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SOME THOUGHTS ON STUDENT RETENTION

• SIMPLE BUT COMPLEX!
• If we can improve STUDENT LIFE AND LEARNING
  (GOAL) to meet STUDENT NEEDS AND EXPECTATIONS,
  IMPROVED STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION (OUTCOME)
• will follow!

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SOME THOUGHTS ON STUDENT RETENTION

• Important Institutional Factors
• People
• Places
• Processes/Procedures
• Policies
• Culture/Climate

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SOME THOUGHTS ON STUDENT RETENTION

• VINCENT TINTO
• Key to retention is integration into the college
  community
• Integration is facilitated by
• Providing students with the knowledge and skills
  to be successful
• Providing an environment that is conducive to a
  sense of belonging or fit
• NURTURING ENVIRONMENT
• FIT BELONGING SUCCESS
  RETENTION
• SKILLS/ KNOWLEDGE

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SOME THOUGHTS ON STUDENT RETENTION

• NOEL- LEVITZ
• Comprehensive campus-wide systematic effort
  rather than disparate initiatives
• Set of strategies that combine to enhance the
  quality of student life, learning and
  satisfaction
• ACT
• Focus on high impact, high value-added strategies
• Although attrition is typically greatest during
  the first year, institutional efforts should
  extend beyond that
• Findings of the ACT longitudinal effort What
  Works in Student Retention?

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INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

• Change Process Essentials

• Culture of Evidence on all critical factors
• Culture of Caring

• Use data to
• Assess status
• Direct Change
• Evaluate outcomes
• Openness
• Concern
• Awareness
• Responsiveness

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INSTITUTIONAL CHANGE

• Consider and React to
• Institutional Culture
• Conflict
• Openness/Resistance to change
• Values
• Student Characteristics/Culture
• Cognitive
• Affective
• Social
• Behavioral
• Learning Environment/Culture
• Instructional Experience
• Values/Goals
• Options/Structures

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A GOOD FIT

• Best Interventions Promote a Nexus Between
  Student and the Institution

• Greatest Congruence on the Most Important Factors
  
• Greater Satisfaction and Best Adjustment

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INSTITUTIONAL FACTORS

• Focus should be on the major areas that impact
  the students experience
• INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM
• INSTITUTIONAL POLICIES AND STRUCTURES
• INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE
• SERVICES AND SUPPORTS

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INSTRUCTIONAL PROGRAM

• Relevant Programs for Career and Educational
  Goals
• Concerned Involved Faculty
• Culture Focused on Student Learning
• High Quality Course Content
• Appropriate Use of Technology
• Delivery Options
• Academic Support System
• Options for Development of Under-Prepared Students

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POLICIES and STRUCTURES

• Course Placement System
• Orientation for college success
• Early Notification of Grades
• Learning Support Systems
• Monitoring for Academic Progress
• Learning Communities
• Intervention for Academic Issues

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INSTITUTIONAL CULTURE

• Service Excellence
• Engagement (academic, social, psychological)
• Culture of Caring
• Fostering Connection (Integration)
• Student Centered Philosophy
• Options and Flexibility

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SERVICES AND SUPPORTS

• Academic Advising
• Supplemental Instruction
• Tutoring
• Comprehensive Learning Assistance Centers
• Career Decision Making and Goal Setting
• Employment Services
• Financial Aid
• Affective Assessment and Intervention
  (institutional and individual levels)
• Counseling Services
• Life Skills Training
• Learning Skills Instruction (time management,
  study and testing skills, note taking, decision
  making, etc.)

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STRATEGIES

• ACT STUDY What Works in Student Retention? Two
  Year Public Colleges
• (Habley and McClanahan, 2004)
• (www.act.org/path/postsec/droptables/index.html)
• Comprehensive study of retention institutional
  practices, student characteristics, retention
  rates, and administrator perceptions
• Accredited post-secondary institutions (1061/2995
  35.4 response)
• Conducted 1980, 1987, 2004
• Some Findings Practices Having Greatest Impact
  on Retention
• Academic Advising (intrusive targeted)
• Learning Support Services (tutoring, labs,
  required developmental coursework)
• Assessment (including mandatory course placement)

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STRUCTURE FOR COMPREHENSIVE STUDENT SUCCESS and
RETENTION PROGRAM

• Obtain Institutional Support for Campus-Wide
  Initiative
• Establish Structure to Oversee the Initiative
• Collect Relevant Data on Assess Key Variables
• Student Factors
• Institutional Factors, Characteristics,
  Indicators
• Potential Interventions
• Develop Campus Plan and Criteria for
• Identify Goals for Success/Retention
• Identify Strategies
• Identify Outcome Measures
• Implement Intervention Plan
• Evaluate Outcomes
• Review and Revise

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General Guidelines

• Student focused initiatives
• Total campus involvement
• Measurements
• Systemic support
• Broad scope
• Continuous improvement
• Quality educational experiences
• Support for making good educational and career
  decisions (PEP)
• Intrusive efforts to promote persistence to goal
  completion

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION COMMITTEE 2006-07
Campus-wide Initiative Presidential Committee and
Appointments
ADMINISTRATORS
FACULTY
STAFF

• Vice President for Student and Instructional
  Support Services
• Dean of Instruction
• Dean of Students
• Dean of Learning Resource Center
• Associate Dean of eLearning and Instructional
  Technology
• Provost

• Communications Department
• Business Department
• Developmental Education/ Communications
• Computer Information Systems Department

• Registrar
• Director of Financial Aid
• Academic Advisor
• Program Coordinator Workforce Development

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Committee Strategy

• Faculty strong, supportive, respected,
  influential
• Staff decision making authority in student
  service areas
• Administrators interest, influence, authority

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ROLE OF STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION
COMMITTEEStrategic Plan Goals 2005 - 2009

• 5. Enhance/Improve

• 1. Plan/ Focus
• College Efforts
• Resources

• 4. Promote/Advocate
• Awareness of student success and retention issues
  and efforts
• Professional development
• Strategy development

• 6. STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION

• 2. Review/Report
• Data
• Practices

• 3. Coordinate/Recommend
• Practices and Projects

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• OPERATIONAL PLAN
• MISSION
• To provide direction and oversight to the College
  in its efforts to promote and enhance student
  retention and success.
• The pursuit of this Student Success and Retention
  Committee mission supports the following
  Colleges Strategic Plan (2005) Goals
• Position the College for Success
• Increase the Quality and Accessibility of
  Education
• Assess Institutional Effectiveness

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• GOALS, OBJECTIES AND INIATIVES
• Provide a Plan for College Success and Retention
  Efforts
• To Develop and maintain a College strategic
  plan for student success and retention.
• 1.1 Develop Strategic Plan for St. Clair
  County Community
• College Student Success and Retention

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• GOALS, OBJECTIES AND INIATIVES
• Provide Oversight for College Success and
  Retention Efforts
• To provide oversight relative to practices and
  services which promote optimum levels of student
  retention and success.
• 2.1 To provide reports and recommendations for
  policies, services and procedures that offer
  systemic and comprehensive approach(s) to
  enhancing student success and retention to
  Provost Council College departments
  disciplines functional units committees and
  groups and the College administration.
• 2.2 To receive and act upon charges and
  requests for Provosts Council and other entities
  as appropriate

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• GOALS, OBJECTIES AND INIATIVES
• Utilize Research Concerning Student Success and
  Persistence
• To promote acquisition and application national
  and institutional data and theory and practices
  related to student success and retention.
• 3.1 To make recommendations concerning areas
  for institutional research.
• 3.2 To monitor institutional criteria and/or
  benchmarks for assessing student success and
  retention and to review reports for information
  and action.
• 3.3 Make recommendations for benchmark and
  institutional data.

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• GOALS, OBJECTIES AND INIATIVES
• Promote Student Success and Retention Efforts and
  Awareness
• To increase awareness and support of student
  success and retention initiatives, concepts, and
  research.
• 4.1 To promote initiatives that enhance student
  success and retention across the College
  including (based on review of college process,
  services and outcomes data).
• 4.2 To seek grants to fund departmental
  ventures that support student success and
  retention.
• 4.3 To enhance communication among College
  departments, disciplines and functional units,
  committees and groups
• 4.4 To promote knowledge of student success and
  retention among SSRC members.
• 4.5 To encourage sharing of College success and
  efforts with external audiences in community and
  among professional colleagues.
• 4.6 To increase awareness of best practices
  concerning student success and retention

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STUDENT SUCCESS and RETENTION STRATEGIC
PLANJANUARY 2005 JUNE 2009

• GOALS, OBJECTIES AND INIATIVES
• Increase Student Success and Retention in
  accordance with College Goals
• 5.1 To increase student success on selected
  indicators through initiatives relative to
  support services, academic experiences, and
  campus culture for all students and subgroups as
  appropriate.
• 5.2 To increase student retention on selected
  indicators through initiatives relative to
  support services, academic experiences, and
  campus culture for all students and sub-groups as
  appropriate.

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INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

• Institutional profiles should focus on all
  students, successful and unsuccessful students,
  those who persist and leavers
• Data areas include
• COHORT ANALYSIS
• ACADEMIC FACTORS
• DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS
• AFFECTIVE FACTORS

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INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE COHORT ANALYSIS

• COHORT PERSISTENCE ANALYSIS
• Total number (rate) of returning new students
  (FTIAC) fall-to-fall, year 1 to year 2
• Total number (rate) of returning student
  sub-groups fall-to-fall, year 1 to year 2
• Total number (rate) of returning new students
  (FTIAC) fall-to-fall, multiple years
• COHORT COMPLETION ANALYSIS
• Rate of completion by cohort group (sub-group) by
  years
• NOTESStandard for Degree Completion 150 of
  time allotted)
• Sub-Groups
• Developmental Student, Athletes, Full vs.
  Part-Time,
• Tradition vs. Non-Traditional

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INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

• ACADEMIC FACTORS
• Number of credits earned/ attempted
• Attendance goal
• GPA cumulative/ last semester
• Placement scores
• Remedial course compliance / success
• High school GPA
• Program of study
• DEPARTURE POINT / PROCESS

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INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

• DEMOGRAPHIC FACTORS
• Traditional /non-traditional
• Part-time / full-time
• SES
• First generation college
• Ethnicity
• Gender
• Age
• Family factors

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INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE

• AFFECTIVE FACTORS
• Achievement motivation
• Engagement
• Academic self-concept
• Emotional intelligence
• Social support
• Goal clarity and realism
• Learning and study skills/habits
• Social and academic integration
• Social support
• Satisfaction

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UNDERSTANDING DEPARTURE

• REASONS MAY BE COMPLEX/MULTIPLE
• Time Management
• Illness (self/others)
• Family Responsibility
• Academic Skills Deficits
• Alienation
• Over Extended
• Goal Change
• Comfort /Adjustment
• Service Issues / Quality
• Financial
• Work Related Conflict
• Transferred (specify institution)
• Study Skills /Habit
• FUTURE PLANS
• Plan to return (when?)
• Other plans

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SUCCESS INDICATORS

• GRADUATION RATES
• Associates Degree attainment (3 year
  measurement)
• Certificate attainment (1.5 year measurement)
• Fall-to-fall retention rates for FTIACs and
  sub-sets
• GRADE DATA (INSTITUTIONAL AND INDIVIDUAL
  INDICATOR)
• Grade Distribution including drop, fail, and
  withdrawal rates (Institutional Indicator)
• GPA
• Percentages of successes (C or better) by status
  variables, major, etc.
• WORK AND EDUCATION
• Workforce placement
• Transfer Outcomes
• ENROLLMENT GOAL
• Attainment of attendance goal outcome as
  specified on application

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DATA TO SUPPORT INITIATIVES

• ACT correlation of results to course success
• Trend Analyses
• Grade Analysis
• At Risk Courses
• Developmental Placement at time of entry
• Developmental Study
• Consulting Report

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SC4 INITIATIVES

• POLICIES AND STRUCTURES
• Early Alert (grades)
• Mandated Placement Testing
• Mandated Course Placement
• Remedial Coursework
• Orientation
• Mandatory Academic Advising New Students
• Restructured Academic Support Services

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SC4 INITIATIVES

• Intrusive Developmental Advising Model
• Contacting all undecided students
• Contacting all stop outs with 45 credits or more
• Contacting students that had over 62 credit hours
  but not graduated
• Requiring advising session for all new students
• Degree verify on the WAVE
• Standards for Academic Progress and
  Internventions
• Registration Drives
• Success Seminars
• Student Ambassadors
• College Connections
• Email System

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SC4 INITIATIVES

• Career Spotlights
• Freshman Institute
• Program evaluations/Strategic Plans
• Workshops to include revised adjunct faculty
  agenda and new faculty orientation
• Updated Academic Support (i.e. PLATO,
  SkillsTutor/Bank) merged center with LRC
• Focused on student centeredness and multiple
  positive points of contact

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ISSUES and LESSONS LEARNED. OH MY!

• Campus Climate and Priorities
• Resistance to Change
• Getting Administrative Support
• Generating Campus Awareness and Commitment
• Gathering and Considering Institutional and
  Student Data
• History of Fragmented Efforts with Unknown
  Outcomes and Effectiveness
• Identifying Positive Practices
• Planning for Short and Long Term
• Clarifying Focus of Issues and Efforts
• Prioritizing
• Soliciting Faculty Involvement
• Working for Small Gains
• Evaluation of Outcomes
• Limited Resources

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Questions, Answers, Discussion

• Thank you!
• pleonard_at_sc4.edu