Center for Community College Student Engagement April 7, 2009 - Phoenix, AZ

1. High Expectations & High SupportHow Leaders are Changing the Formula for Student Engagement and Success Center for Community College Student Engagement April 7, 2009 - Phoenix, AZ Community College of Allegheny County

2. Alex Johnson President Community College of Allegheny County (PA) Maria Sheehan President Truckee Meadows Community College (NV)

3. What is CCSSE? • Benchmarking instrument — established national norms on educational practice and performance by community and technical colleges • Diagnostic tool — identifying areas in which a college can enhance students’ educational experiences • Monitoring device — documenting and improving institutional effectiveness over time • CCSSE 2010 registration: www.ccsse.org/join

4. 2008 CCSSE Cohort (2006, 2007, 2008) • Quantitative data from: • 343,000 students • 585 institutions • 48 states, plus the • Marshall Islands • and Nova Scotia • Qualitative data from the Center’s Starting Right Initiative • College vignettes

5. Old Formula P/R=G ODDS OF SUCCESS: Will the student complete his or her academic goals? PREPARATION: Student’s combination of innate ability and K-12 experiences RIGOR: defined by individual institutions’ requirements, placement-exam cut scores, and difficulty of work Carey, K. (2008, November 28). No one rises to low expectations. Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(14), p. A99. www.ccsse.org/news/press.cfm

6. New Formula Px(E+S)=G ODDS OF SUCCESS: Will the student complete his or her academic goals? PREPARATION: Student’s combination of innate ability and K-12 experiences RIGOR: EXPECTATIONS + SUPPORT Carey, K. (2008, November 28). No one rises to low expectations. Chronicle of Higher Education, 55(14), p. A99. www.ccsse.org/news/press.cfm

7. Alex Johnson President Community College of Allegheny County (PA)

8. About CCAC • Four campuses and six centers • Serving Allegheny county (1.3 million residents) • More than 30,000 credit students • 60% part-time • 21% minority • 25% receive Pell • 50% require developmental classes • 54% in career and technical programs • 35,000 - workforce, professional development, and related programs • 2nd largest producer of registered nurses • 4th largest producer of allied health professionals • Joined Achieving the Dream in 2006 • First administered CCSSE in 2007

9. Leadership for Learning • Everyone involved in the learning college is a learner “who will learn continuously how to improve learning” • Define the “ideal learner” • Everyone is a learner • Everyone contributes to learning • Every area of the college supports the CCAC learning principles (“a culture of evidence”) • How does this action improve and expand learning? • How do we know this action improves and expands learning?

10. Leadership for Learning • Facilitating learning is a “social” event • Collective responsibility is a requisite to developing the learning college • Break down silos • “Active and collaborative learning, student effort, academic challenge, student-faculty interaction, and support for learners” • The learning college must be critical of itself (“Culture of Evidence”) • Acknowledge and reward innovation

11. Implications for the College • Learning Development • Interaction in and outside the classroom • Learning communities and redesigned learning environments • Technology applications • Scholarship and experimentation • Learner as Participant in Learning • Engagement • Empowerment • Institutional Transformation • Preference for outcomes not processes • Responsibility is developed, expected, and rewarded • Structure is appropriate and understood • Ongoing evaluation promotes growth • Strategic and tactical plans produce incremental results • Culture is the context for change

12. High Expectations As an Achieving the Dream institution, CCAC expects students to: • Progress from developmental to credit-bearing courses • Enroll in and complete gatekeeper courses • Complete the courses they take with a C or better • Re-enroll from one term to the next • Earn certificates and degrees

13. High Support To help students exceed our expectations, CCAC has: • Developed the Faculty Resource Program • Expanded services to help targeted populations (Example - Pittsburgh Promise) • Expanded early intervention • Implemented the D-policy (2007) • Eliminated late registration (2008)

14. Example – Early Intervention • Evidence: CCAC scored in the bottom 10% for CCSSE’s Support for Learners benchmark • Action: Expanded early intervention to include all students (Fall 2008) • Fall 2008 Results: • Number of referrals doubled (N = 906) • 50% success rate for students who were contacted compared to 35% for students who could not be reached

15. Example – D policy • Evidence: Students earning a D in a developmental course had a 44% chance of being successful in the subsequent course • Action: Eliminated D as a passing grade in developmental courses (Fall 2007) • 2007-08 Results: • Before policy change, 60% success rate in subsequent course • After policy change, 64% success rate (expected result - removing the D students increased the success rate in the next course)

16. Maria Sheehan President Truckee Meadows Community College (NV)

17. About TMCC • 5 Campus Sites Throughout the Service Area • Dandini Campus, Meadowood Center, TMCC/IGT Applied Technology Center, Nell J. Redfield Foundation Performing Arts Center, Redfield Campus • Students • 56% between 18-24 Years of Age • 25% Minority Students • 18% Enrolled Full Time • 91% Nevada Residents • 21% of TMCC students are enrolled in one or more developmental course

18. Organization’s Overview • TMCC was named as one of the top 50 fastest growing community colleges in the nation (among community colleges with 10,000+ students) • Unique characteristics • Depth of research capacity • Flagship programs: • Dental Hygiene • First Responder Training

19. Focus on Achieving Excellence • Opening Address (Fall 2008) • President’s Advisory Council • President’s Brown Bag Lunches • Focus: Benchmark Assessment • Targeting College Message • Not All Things To All People

20. Primary Message • Excellence is Measurable • Benchmarks – Starting Point • Definitions • Inventory of Current Practices • What We Know About Our Students • Primary Goals 2008-2009 • Strategic Master Plan • Planning and Budget Development Process • Define Message • Determine Top Student Success Goals/Benchmarks

21. High Expectations Role in Communicating Vision of High Expectations • Campus Forums • Monthly Video Updates • Faculty Senate Meetings • Department Chair Meetings • Weekly President’s Cabinet Meetings • President’s Brown Bag Meetings

22. High Support Role In Communicating Vision of High Expectations and High Support • Foundation Focus • Grant Writing Focus • Shifting of Resources • Acknowledgement of Steps Forward

24. Next Steps Taken • Focus on student success in the Strategic Master Plan • Series of college-wide Developmental Education Forums • Identified best practices already in place • Comprehensive Tutoring & Learning Center • Research -based cut scores for mandatory placement, etc. • Working on expanding best practices

25. Latest Steps • Master Plan, Policy and Recommendation Work Groups: • Discusses policy issues, recommendations relating to the Master Plan initiatives and Student Success benchmarks and priorities • Faculty involved

26. Policy/Strategy Issues • Students who place into a developmental course are not required to enroll in such a course. • A significant number of students tested do not read at the college level. • New students are not required to take a college skills course designed to improve course completion.

27. Operational Steps • Removing Administrative Barriers • “W’s” • Drop dates • Refund policies • No shows • Supporting • Learning communities • Required College Success Courses for developmental students • Careful follow-up of first-time, full-time degree seeking students

28. Operational Steps • Academic Changes • Required Orientation for online students • Screening for online developmental students • Supplemental Infrastructure Electronic Support • Review of retention rates in all classes

29. Q & ADiscussion

30. Karla Fisher College Relations Coordinator (CCSSE, CCFSSE, SENSE) Center for Community College Student Engagement 3316 Grandview Street Austin, TX 78705 Tel. 512-232-8247 Mbl. 801-792-4103 www.ccsse.org www.enteringstudent.org