2012 NASPA Annual Conference Ignite Leadership, Influence Change

1. Academic and Student Affairs: Weaving College-wide Assessment to Support Retention, Graduation, and Transfer Initiatives 2012 NASPA Annual Conference Ignite Leadership, Influence Change

2. Origin of Retention, Graduation, and Transfer Initiatives at the University System of Georgia: Beginning largely in 2005, the issue of student retention and graduation has been an important consideration for Georgia Perimeter College since the USG requested both information and action regarding retention and graduation rates at each member institution. More specifically, the USG requested evidence of strategic efforts regarding retention and graduation initiatives across the university system.

3. Georgia Perimeter College Response to the USG Retention, Graduation, and Transfer Initiative Embrace GPC’s Institutional Effectiveness… Vision: • To Provide oversight and assistance to all functional areas of the college to ensure that institutional effectiveness goals are being met. Mission: • To support strategic planning, assessment and improvement of all functional areas of Georgia Perimeter College and to ensure that all functional areas carry these activities out on a regular basis.

4. GPC’s Response Continued… Establish a College-wide Retention and Graduation Council (RGC) that will: Be chaired by the VP’s for Academic Affairs and Student Affairs Develop the College’s retention framework Develop a three-year plan to include: - Appropriate Goals - Performance Indicators and Metrics - Evaluation and Assessment Plans - Accountability

5. GPC’s Response Continued… Implement and Monitor Special efforts to achieve college-wide RGT goals. Identify Internal and External Best Practices. Establish Workshops for Faculty and Staff. Review Appropriate Policies and Programmatic Procedures. Infuse Technology Tools to Support and Measure Effectiveness of RGT efforts across the College.

6. Retention and Graduation Council Model • Demonstrate data-driven research • Identify Initiatives for Improvement • Demonstrate Share Responsibility Institutional Research & Planning Academic Affairs Fiscal and Administrative Services Student Affairs and Enrollment Services Executive Leadership Team Informational Technology

7. Retention and Graduation Council Membership • VP Academic Affairs • VP Student Affairs/Enrollment • Dean of Math, Engineer • Dean of Science • Dean of Business • Director for Online • Director for SSS TRiO – CLK • Director for Student Financial • Asst. VP Stud. Dev./Spec. Prog. • Asst. VP Enrollment Mgmt. • Associate Director ACRS – Online • Director for ACRS • Director for Gov and Policy • Director for Learning and Tutoring • Director for SSS TRiO - DEC • Library Director

8. Historical Perspective of GPC GPC is not your typical two-year college GPC is the transfer engine for the USG GPC is assessed by the same measures as four-year colleges No clear and effective national standards that define and measure student success at two-year transfer colleges

9. Georgia Perimeter College Today Over 25,000 students Largest associate degree-granting college Third largest institution in the USG Admits more students each fall 68% of all transfer students come from GPC

10. Georgia Perimeter College Today Mostly part-time students Mostly female students Approximately 23 years of age In need of remediation (Learning Support) Diverse representation of students

11. GPC Defines First Time/Full Time Students Retained Students - begin in the fall semester and are retained through the following fall semester Graduates - begin in the fall and graduate within three years Transfer Students - transfer before graduating from GPC

12. FT/FT Students at GPC

14. FT/FT Student Retention & Graduation Data Retention Fiscal Year Rate FY 2009-10 57.6% FY 2010-11 60.3% Graduation FY 2006 8.74% FY2007 9.54% FY2008 7.68% Source: Office of Institutional Research and Planning

15. FT/FT Transferability Data The majority of FT/FT students transfer after 3-4 semesters at GPC to other institutions: FY 2006 20.9% FY 2007 18.9% FY2008 24.4% Source: Office of Institutional Research and Planning

16. Retention and Graduation Initiatives Accomplishments • Enrollment Services • Transfer Admission Guarantee Program • Academic Advisement • Enrollment Management Suite/Business Intelligence Tools • Enrollment Suite – Retention Module

17. Retention and Graduation Accomplishments • Special Programs • DECA • GPC Education Achievement Program (GEAP) • Student Support Services • Leadership Academy

18. Retention and Graduation Accomplishments • Academic Programs • Math Learning Support Initiatives • Project DEgree • Louis Stokes Alliance Minority Participation (LSAMP) • First Year Experience (FYE) - GPCS 1010 • Supplemental Instruction

19. Variables Impacting Retention and Graduation Rates • Learning Support • High Fail Rate Courses – W,D, and F • Financial Responsibility & Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Strategies To Improve Retention and Graduation Rates • College-wide First Year Experience • MyFoundationsLab (MFL) Pilot Program • College-wide Learning Community Offerings • Retool Academic Advising – Coordinators SS • SAP Policy of Understanding and Re-alignment

20. RGT Three-Year Strategic PlanFY 2011-2013

28. Initiatives In-Progress • WEAVEOnline • Cognos - Business Intelligence • Operational Data Warehouse (ODS) • Enterprise Data Warehouse (EDW) • Academic Difficulty Communication Campaigns • SAP Communication Campaigns • Graduation and Retention Performance Management Component of EM Suite • Director for Retention and Graduation Initiatives

29. Questions, Answers, and Feedback