The Tassel's Worth the Hassle: College-wide Efforts to ... Tassel's Worth the Hassle!: College-wide Efforts to Increase Graduation Rate Presented by Ms. Estela LeVario-Guttierrez,

The Tassel's Worth the Hassle!: College-wide Efforts to Increase Graduation Rate

Presented by Ms. Estela LeVario-Guttierrez,

Dean of Students Services

Ms. Elena Bubnova, Director of Institutional Research

2011 Association for Institutional Research

Toronto, Canada May 23, 2011

1

Agenda

• Importance of Graduation Rates • Connection of Reporting to Other College

Operations • Collective Analysis of Factors Contributing to

Graduation Rates • New College Initiatives to Improve Graduation

Rates • Questions, discussion

The Tassel’s Worth the Hassle – AIR 2011

Institutional Overview

Multiple Sites 5 main sites 30+ additional sites throughout the community

Total Budget: approx. $49M

Enrollment Growth (since 2000) Almost 42% in AAFTE Approx. 21% growth in headcount

Institutional Profile (Fall 2010) Headcount: 13,139 FTE Students: 7,152 Full-time Faculty: 174 Part-time Faculty: 409

Student Profile

54% between 18-24 years of age 32% minority students Approx. 60% of FTE in Transfer/Gen Ed courses


3

Importance of Graduation

• Challenge for many institutions, especially community colleges – Student enrollment patterns and motivation – Streamlined reporting and data validity

• Need to research factors contributing to degree attainment

• Importance of close collaboration with other areas of the college, such as Student Services

• GRS is one of the primary performance indicator used by the external public The Tassel’s Worth the Hassle – AIR 2011

4

TMCC GRS Trends


8%

5%

6%

10%

6%

9%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

Fall 1999 Fall 2000 Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004

Graduation Rate by Cohort 1999-04 Cohorts

Presenter

Presentation Notes

-New President -Very Low grad rates historically -This is where we started

5

Work Group • ‘Graduation Count Down’ Work Group

– IR – Student Services (A&R, Advising, Testing, Fin Aid) – PIO/Marketing

• Identified Point Persons • Outlined Responsibilities

– IR: generating lists of students and providing it to Student Services according to agreed upon time lines

– Student Services: contacting students; DARs analysis; on-campus event

– PIO/Marketing: design of reach out materials (letters, etc.) – Etc.

• Discussed Resources


6

Reporting and College Operations

• In-take processes and principles that facilitate flow of student data into the resident databases

• Front-end operations and reporting of data – Ed goal identification – Admit type data

• IR’s involvement with many business process decisions in student services areas that might impact the data – Changes in application for admission – Tracking student cohorts


7

Analysis of Graduation Factors

• Educating the campus community regarding GRS – Survey methodology – Student cohort – GRS cohort characteristics and educational

experiences – Entering Freshman Class – GRS cycle (150% of time to graduation)


Presenter

Presentation Notes

Educating the campus on re GRS – the 1st step Surprising lack of understanding

8 8

Educating College Community

WHO?

New Full-time

Degree-seeking

IPEDS Graduation Rate

•NSHE Performance Benchmark •Most widely used outcome measure in HE

•Highly publicized •Likely result expected by general public

WHEN?

Entering every Fall semester

WHAT?

Graduate with degree or certificate

HOW?

Within 150% of the allotted time (2 yrs for CT; 3 yrs

for degree)


Presenter

Presentation Notes

This was the visual that was created to educate campus community re GRS and who it impacts.

9


IPEDS Cohort

Reported to IPEDS

To Count, Must Graduate by:

Fall 08 Spring 12 Summer 11 Fall 09 Spring 13 Summer 12

Fall 10 Spring 14 Summer 13

*During any given AY, there are 3 GRS cohorts on campus that are all at different points in their journey towards graduation


10 10

New, Full-Time, Degree-Seeking Students 3-Year Outcomes (Fall 2005 Cohort N = 524)

Current Grad Rate as reported to

IPEDS:

9% (N = 49)

Combined Graduation /

Transfer-out / Still Enrolled /

Successful Transition Rate:

63% (N = 330)

Current Transfer-Out Rate as

reported to IPEDS:

17% (N = 88)

Still Enrolled After 3 Years

(Persister):

26% (N = 134)

Successful Transition to

Higher Ed (30+ credits):

11% (N = 59)



Presenter

Presentation Notes

This was an exercise with current grad rate data to demonstrate current low grad rates and what it takes to move them -Is it really the case that only 49 out 524 NW, FT degree-seekers were the only once really wanting a degree from us and the rest 475 never really intended? - Unlikely -Is it possible that there is at least a few students among these 475 NON-grads that were eligible or with a few extra courses could have been eligible to graduate from us? Absolutely -we only pick up another 2 dozen students from the ‘still enrolled’ and ‘successful transition’ categories even if you give them 300%

11

Potential Grads • Fall 05 Cohort (focus of Spr 09 report)

– 10 students appear to have all the requirements for a certificate of general education

– This would increase grad rate to over 11%, making it highest ever

– Another 121 students appear to have all the requirements for a certificate of general education except the human relations requirement (72 have diversity credit)



Presenter

Presentation Notes

-These students had a different ed goal, but would any of them turn down the CT if offered the opportunity, probably not.

12

Educating College Community Potential Grads • Students with 30 credits – no degree • Students with 60 credits – no degree • Pre-nursing students not admitted into the

nursing program

All with significant amount of relevant course work

All with a pretty good chance of NEVER graduating


13


• Importance of completing math during first year – Students who complete math during their first year graduate at

higher rates

• Importance of completing remedial courses immediately upon matriculation – New freshmen students who complete all required developmental

courses early graduate at a rate nearly double that of our college-wide graduation rate

• Importance of 2nd semester persistence – If students do not persist to 2nd semester they do not graduate – Only 1 in 20 will graduate , if they do not persist fall to fall


Presenter

Presentation Notes

-Math completion during 1st semester: those have graduation rate that is 3-5% higher than those that do not complete. -Completion of remedial early and graduation: that stat is based on the earlier analysis GRS cohort of 2001) and shows students completing developmental courses early graduate at a rate of 15% vs 6% college-wide -Persistence: those students that do NOT persist fall to fall (i.e. drop out and then come back), have only 1 in 20 chance to graduate. Out of those that do not persist fall to fall 1% graduate, vs. almost 20% graduating out of those that do persist fall to fall

14


• Accuracy of proper ed goal identification – Missing ed goal data being converted to AA – Transfer students taking few classes

• Students with severe deficiencies in basic skills – ATB policy

• Starting a campus-wide discussion of graduation importance

• Demonstrating outcomes beyond GRS


15

Proposed Plan

Education Experience at TMCC

Year 1 *Fall cohort enters

*On-campus event

during 1st semester

Year 2 *Touch currently enrolled

*Outreach to drop-out w

at least 30 credits

during 1st semester

Year 3 *Outreach to near grads

*Research grad prospects

and award

*Count of your

blessings (i.e. compute

GR)


16

New Initiatives – Year 1 • Nurture each graduation cohort

– Welcome to campus during 1st semester – Let students know they are part of a group with similar goals – Outline advantages of staying on track – Emphasize assistance available, etc.

• Enhanced matriculation services

– Assessment and Placement – Advising – Orientation


17

New Initiatives – Year 1 • Study Skills and College Success Courses

• Some student population are encouraged to address developmental deficiencies before enrolling Full-time – 9 credit limit policy

• Better tracking

– GRS cohorts flagged in PS – Easy identification of GRS students by faculty on class roasters


18

New Initiatives – Year 2, 3

• Pay attention to what they are doing, not what they are saying (i.e. ed goal) – DARs – Analysis of course work beyond declared major

• Help them stay on track

– Mid-semester progress reports

• Proactive outreach by Student Services to grads and near grads

• Reverse transfer


19

New Initiatives - Overall

• Collaboration between IR, Student Services, Advancement and Fin Aid offices – Scholarship opportunities for the members of the GRS cohort

• Faculty advising initiative in progress

• Collaboration with local school district

• Communication – Stay in touch with them throughout the 3 yrs – Alert to upcoming registration – Copies of DARs reports


20

New Initiatives - Overall

• Collaborations with local school district to connect academic experiences in high school to post-secondary success – ACCUPLACER placement exam administration in high schools

to help address basic skills deficiencies early

– Summer bridge program to give incoming students a jump start


21

TMCC Class of 2010 • Nurture each graduation cohort

– Welcome to campus during 1st semester – Let students know they are part of a group with similar goals – Outline advantages of staying on track – Emphasize assistance available, etc.

• Communication

– Stay in touch with them throughout the 3 yrs – Alert to upcoming registration – Copies of DARs reports

• Pay attention to what they are doing, not what they are

saying (i.e. ed goal) – DARs – Analysis of course work beyond declared major

• Help them stay on track


Year Term Who What When Purpose Fall 06 Example

Fall ALL on-campus event 10/15* GRS cohort 'orientation'* counselors on hand to review ed plans* dates for spring registration

617

ALL Letter 3/15 * dates for summer/fall reg 617

Here in Spring on-campus event 5/1* celebrate completion of 1st year* counselors on hand to review ed plans* help get students registered for fall

496

Summer 15+ credits (retained) Phone Call 6/15 * call cohort students who are not enrolled for fall term 157

1st YearActivities Spring

Fall ALL Non-Grads Letter 10/15 * dates for spring reg 616

30+ credits (retained) Letter 3/15 * dates for summer/fall reg* cc of DARS report 216

30+ credits (retained)Here in Spring on-campus event 5/1

* celebrate completion of 2nd year* counselors on hand to review ed plans* review DARS reports* help get students registered for fall

182

Summer 30+ credits (retained) Phone Call 6/15 * call cohort students who are not enrolled for fall term 128

2nd YearActivities

Spring

45+ credits (retained or enrolled) or students

within 6 credits of certificate

Letter 10/15 * dates for spring reg* cc of DARS report 184

45+ credits (retained or enrolled) or students

within 6 credits of certificate

Phone Call 12/15 * call cohort students who are not enrolled for spring term* review DARS report 116

Spring 30-59 and 60+ credits (retained or enrolled) Phone Call 3/15

*A&R review of DARs*Contact student if eligible or within 6 credits of cert/degree to enroll in summer

119

Summer 30+ credits retained by non-grads Award 6/1 *A&R review of DARs

*Award/post degree if eligible ?

3rd YearActivities

Fall

IPEDS GRS Cohort Contact Life Cycle (SAMPLE)

23

TMCC GRS Trends


6%

10%

6%

9%

11%

13%

17%

0%

2%

4%

6%

8%

10%

12%

14%

16%

18%

Fall 2001 Fall 2002 Fall 2003 Fall 2004 Fall 2005 Fall 2006 Fall 2007

Graduation Rate by Cohort 2001-07 Cohorts

Presenter

Presentation Notes

-Many of our new initiatives are novel for com coll open door policy -Some worked others not so much -The bottom line – improvements are obvious

24

Ingredients of Success

• Understanding of the graduation rate concept and time frames

• Understanding of the process and goals • Attention to detail • Strong and efficient organization • Ownership of the effort • Investment in the ultimate result – helping

more students graduate The Tassel’s Worth the Hassle – AIR 2011

25

Ingredients of Success

• Some changes in A&R processes may be needed

• Quick turn around at some points of the process

• Thorough understanding of the process and goals

• Need to refine activities and steps


26

QUESTIONS?


Prepared by TMCC Office of Institutional Research

TMCC Student Services 7000 Dandini Blvd, RDMT 200 D

Reno, NV 89512-3999

ph: (775) 673-8240

fax: (775) 674-7981

Visit TMCC IR Web Page at

http://www.tmcc.edu/ir/

Documents

The Tassel's Worth the Hassle: College-wide Efforts to ... Tassel's Worth the Hassle!: College-wide Efforts to Increase Graduation Rate Presented by Ms. Estela LeVario-Guttierrez,