Redesigning America’s Community Colleges ACC Futures Institute – Spring 2016 Campus Update: Guided Pathways

The Community College Landscape • Community colleges enroll about 43% of all undergraduates nationally; 54% in Texas • Community colleges enroll a disproportionate number of lowincome, immigrant, first generation, and ethnic minority students • Nationally, fewer than 40% of cc students complete any type of degree/certificate within 6 years • The 6-year completion rates for Texas are 32.9% for FT students, 22.7% for PT students; the 6-year comp rates for ACC are 26.1% for FT and 12% for PT students (CB Website) Spring 2016

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A Critical Need for Greater Student Success • Most jobs today require some post-secondary education • Higher level education credentials lead to higher incomes • Increasing demand for HE, but decreasing state funding have driven costs up for students • Low completion rates have fueled greater demands for accountability • US has fallen to 12th in percentage of 25-34 year olds that have obtained a post-secondary credential • New Texas plan for HE calls for “60x30” – 60% of Texans to have a post-sec credential by 2030 Spring 2016

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Redesign Needed Redesigning America’s Community Colleges: a Clearer Path to Student Success Thomas R. Bailey Shanna Smith Jaggars Davis Jenkins Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2015 Spring 2016

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Redesign Needed Present – Cafeteria-Style

Future – Guided Pathways

• Focus on Courses • Limited advising, focus on registration (enrollments), poor tracking of progress • Primary instructional technique one of “knowledge transmission” • Developmental ed with inadequate diagnosis, lengthy pre-requisites, noncontextualized, uninspiring

• Focus on Programs • Focus on early actions to help students identify and clarify goals; continuous tracking of progress • Primary instructional technique of “learning facilitation” • Developmental ed as “onramp” – contextualized, accelerated, personalized

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Futures Institute & Recommendations Fall 2015 • Research/Discussion • Presentations/Gather feedback • Sept 25: Davis Jenkins • Advisory Committee • Visits: Miami-Dade, City Colleges of Chicago, Sinclair College • Report

Spring/Summer 2016 • Operationalize Pathways • Redesign Student Onboarding Processes • Improve tracking, early alert and support processes • Develop comprehensive training and professional development for advising

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ACC Areas of Study (AoS) 1) Arts, Digital Media and Communications

7) Liberal Arts (Humanities & Social Sciences)

2) Business

8) Design, Manufacturing, Construction and Applied Technologies

3) Computer & Information Sciences 4) Culinary, Hospitality, and Tourism 5) Education

9) Public and Social Services 10) Science, Engineering, and Math

6) Health Sciences Spring 2016

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Areas of Study Program Mapping Sessions Sessions facilitate conversations across programs and between instruction and student services.

Timeline for Program Mapping • • • • •

Mapping Sessions conducted January – April 2016 Developmental Education Session held in April 2016 Development of Website and printed program maps Inclusion of new course sequences in the student registration system Establish a process to use and distribute maps

Session Participants • • • •

Area of Study Department Chairs Advisors and Counselors Continuing Education (CE) Adult Basic Education (ABE)

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Developmental Education Transfer Library Services Instructional Designers

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Goals of Program Mapping 1. Identify a course sequence that effectively introduces and offers students opportunities to master program student learning outcomes (SLOs) and clearly demonstrates progression towards an award. 2. Determine default common electives that best align with program SLOs across an Area of Study and meet transfer and/or career requirements. 3. Develop common semesters across Areas of Study Programs incorporating, as appropriate, opportunities for experiential learning (co-ops, internships, service learning, etc.) 4. Ensure program student learning outcomes (SLOs) effectively prepare students for job entry/career opportunities and/or transfer into a baccalaureate program. 5. Outline a viable set of continuing education and/or college-credit stackable credentials, as appropriate, in the form of marketable skills achiever (MSA), certificates, and degree awards. 6. Incorporate as appropriate industry certifications. Spring 2016

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Improved Student On-boarding 1.

New “First Step” module – Introduce/Explain Areas of Study (AOS) – Prepare students to complete application requirements 2. Updated application – Students choose an AOS – Identify students’ intent (certificate, degree at ACC and/or transfer institution, casual, continuing education or post-baccalaureate) – Schedule an AOS information session 3. Implementation of AOS Information Sessions – Provide information on pathway (major) and courses – Offer career and transfer information about AOS programs – Introduce advisors, counselors and AOS faculty – Overview ACC and AOS services and resources – Discuss key educational expectations and growth mindset – Begin engagement with students and build community Spring 2016

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Structured On-boarding New Credential-Seeking Students New to college or new to ACC with less than 12 SCH of college credit – Complete TSI testing if necessary – Complete First Step – pre-application module – Attend AOS Information Sessions conducted by advisors, counselors, and faculty – Take student success course as required in pathway (major) in first semester – Take required developmental courses in first semester paired with a college credit course

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Student Services for returning students • Advisors – provide general assistance as needed to students within assigned Area of Study • Counselors – provide assistance to students with “high-risk” characteristics within assigned Area of Study – Academic suspension and probation – Mental health and wellness issues – Programming for drug and alcohol abuse prevention, suicide prevention, healthy relationships, etc. Spring 2016

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Feedback on Futures Institute? Please give us your feedback! How can our interactions with students be improved at the following stages? • • • •

Connection (recruitment, preparation) Entry (application, testing, advising, registration) Progress (helping students stay on track, make progress) Completion (crossing the goal line!)

Go to http://www.austincc.edu/futures Spring 2016

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