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Student and Institutional Success (SIS)

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A 1% increase in completion

could look like your brother,

aunt, best friend, or child —

the difference is you.

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i

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

. . . .

ii

FOREWORD

. . . .

iii

INTRODUCTION

. . . .

iv

SECTION I

:

Meeting the Student Success Challenge . . . .

3

SECTION II

:

The Guide . . . .

7

Core Components of the Guide . . . .

8

The Value of Conducting a Self-Assessment and Review . . . .

9

The Importance of Connecting Self-Assessment with Action Planning . . . .

9

Identifying a Self-Assessment Team . . . .

10

Conducting an Informed Self-Assessment Process . . . .

10

SECTION III

:

Indicators of Student Success . . . .

13

SECTION IV

:

Inventory of Current Institutional Practices . . . .

17

SECTION V

:

Inquiry and Review of Student Success Strategies . . . .

21

Conducting the Inquiry and Review . . . .

24

Strategic Action Checklist and Planning Template . . .

25

Strategic Action Plan Key Components . . . .

26

Who Should Participate in Developing the Action Plan? . . . .

27

Institutional Commitment to Student Success . . . .

28

College Readiness and Student Support . . . .

34

Developmental Education . . . .

42

Retention, Completion, and Career Readiness . . . .

48

Data, Evaluation, and Quality Improvement . . . .

56

SECTION VI

:

Certificate and Degree Completion Resource List . . . .

65

Organizations, Foundations, and Associations . . . .

66

Research Reports and Articles . . . .

67

SECTION VII

:

Appendices . . . .

73

Table of

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ii

Acknowledgements

TG wishes to acknowledge JBL Associates, Inc. for its work in researching and writing much

of the content in this publication. Specifically, we recognize JBL President Dr. John Lee and

primary contributor, Dr. William Munn.

TG also wishes to thank its own Elizabeth H. Stanley, director of student persistence and

success, for her role in the creation and development of this publication.

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iii

Foreword

In 2002, TG created the Student Persistence and Success team to provide tools, resources,

and content to inform institutional policy and practice, which enable and support student

and institutional success. TG has remained on the cutting edge of the student success

movement by providing up-to-date research, conference presentations, student success

symposia for institutional teams, an Enrollment Management Journal, the only academic,

blind-refereed journal for enrollment management in the country during its time of

publication, and collaborative efforts with other institutions, associations, and organizations.

One of TG’s newest initiatives, the Certificate and Degree Completion (CDC) Program, has

been under development since October 2010.

As we well know, the world has become increasingly competitive economically — requiring countries wishing to maintain economic viability to have an educated citizenry and workforce . Many reports warn that the United States is losing its competitive edge, prompting many organizations, associations, state, and federal entities to seek new methods for increasing the number of individuals earning certificates or degrees . There is a negative cost associated with increasing enrollments without a corresponding increase in completion . The intrinsic long-term value to students and institutions is lost when we fail to increase retention, completion, and career readiness .

The Certificate and Degree Completion Program facilitates relationships within institutions of higher education in achieving comprehensive campus integration of student success and completion strategies by providing high-quality tools and training on issues ranging from strategic planning, to program measurement and monitoring, organizational development, and staff professional development . This guide for institutional self-assessment offers a

set of easy-to-use tools with which institutional leaders and practitioners can collectively assess, and critically reflect upon their institution’s practices, programs, and policies — and more broadly, its culture . A blend of assessment tools, discussion questions, and data collection templates enable institutions to develop a more thorough understanding of their student success effort and to uncover key gaps and weak links that may challenge their effectiveness at improving student outcomes .

It is our hope here at TG, that you will not only find this information helpful to increasing completion, but that you will share this resource with your colleagues and constituents across the academy . Together, we can build a student-centric momentum that will empower all of our students, whether they are recent high school graduates or adult learners, to achieve their goal of certificate or degree attainment . Towards that end, TG welcomes the opportunity to join you as a thought partner .

Jacob Fraire

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iv

Introduction

Expecting a high return on investment, postsecondary institutions throughout the

academy annually spend hundreds of thousands of dollars recruiting and enrolling a new

class of students. Despite the fiercely competitive and costly process, efforts to retain and

graduate those very matriculates pale in comparison. We must prioritize recruitment,

enrollment, retention, completion, and career readiness at equally high levels.

The student, institution, and community suffer adverse effects when a student fails to complete their certificate or degree . For the student, the financial repercussions of repaying an educational loan for an unrealized dream risks placing them in a worse state than had they initially chosen not to enroll . Attrition affects institutional accountability ratings, reputation, funding, and worse — a broken promise to the student, their family, and their community . Attrition costs are exponentially costlier than recruitment costs . Subsequently, institutional leadership, faculty, and staff must invest energy and resources in strategies that will yield the greatest return . New, innovative approaches to achieving student and institutional success are rendering status quo obsolete . However, no strategy or technique can replace the success that comes when those entrusted with the privilege of educating decide student success begins with them . The Certificate and Degree Completion Program is an effort to support institutions of higher education in stemming the

tide of attrition, refocusing the lens on addressing the needs of students as they seek to not only access college, but also complete their program of study and successfully enter their chosen career .

The purpose of the Certificate and Degree Completion Program is not to increase student engagement specifically; although an outgrowth of the program is heightened student engagement and retention . However, the institutional self-assessment examines organizational culture, structure, systems, programs, policies, staff function, and more to measure and evaluate whether they facilitate or inhibit student success, retention, completion, and career readiness . The program walks institutional leadership, faculty, and staff through a process of self-assessment, strategic planning, and implementation to improve student and institutional success . Institutions can plan strategically and successfully for increased student retention, completion, and career readiness; the content within these pages provide a starting point .

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SECTION I:

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3

Student success in higher education has never been more important than it is today. The

economic and social advantages resulting from certificate or degree attainment have a positive

impact across a person’s lifetime. However, a high percentage of individuals who enter a college

or university fall short of completion. Staying in college and completing a course of study

requires significant effort on the part of students, and for reasons that are often as numerous as

they are varied, many students do not graduate.

Institutions in both the two- and four-year college communities have responded to the challenge of improving student success rates by embarking on often sweeping changes in the way they work to meet the needs of students . Yet, as college leaders and practitioners, as well as their community partners, know well, the barriers to success can be high, especially for under-represented student populations . Institutions face many challenges in helping students overcome these barriers to achieve successful outcomes . The Certificate and Degree Completion Guide is designed to assist colleges and universities to more effectively address the student success challenge . It offers a set of easy-to-use tools with which institutional leaders and practitioners can collectively assess, and critically reflect upon, their institution’s practices, programs, and policies — and more broadly, its culture . A blend of assessment tools, discussion questions, and data collection templates enables institutions to develop a more thorough understanding of their student success effort and to

uncover key gaps and weak links that may challenge their effectiveness at improving student outcomes . A wide range of key strategies and best and promising practices is introduced throughout . They serve as focal points for the self-assessment and review process, and as suggested alternatives for institutions to consider incorporating into their current inventory of intervention strategies .

Importantly, this Guide encourages institutions to reach beyond self-analysis into the critical domain of strategic planning and action . It directs them to connect the assessment process with the development of a strategic action plan for improving practices and adopting new intervention strategies . Creating this link will better position institutions to develop and implement effective academic and career pathways that motivate and guide students to successfully achieve their academic goals in a timely manner, and with the skills they need to become trained professionals or to continue their higher education .

Meeting the Student

Success Challenge

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SECTION II:

The Guide

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7 The process begins with the collection of student

outcomes data using a variety of indicators pertaining to student readiness, retention, completion, and career readiness . It then moves to an accounting of the practices, programs, and policies currently in place at the institution aimed at supporting the success of students . The inventory offers the opportunity to not only identify strategies but also to consider their objectives, identify outcomes and the methods used to track their effectiveness, and indicate the type and source of data collected to support evaluation .

The process then shifts to a review of the institution’s student success efforts using a comprehensive set of intervention strategies as a framework for inquiry and

review . The strategies not only serve as an analytical lens through which to consider current institutional practices, programs and policies but also serve as potential alternatives for institutions to adopt to strengthen their student support efforts . The strategies are grouped into five action areas, each representing a different sphere of institutional activity related to student success . At the conclusion of each area, self-assessment team members are encouraged to bring together the information, knowledge, and ideas generated from the assessment tools to determine where action needs to be taken to improve institutional practices and, importantly, to begin the process of building strategic plans for action and improvement .

The Certificate and Degree Completion Guide assists institutional leaders and

practitioners through an assessment process that provides numerous opportunities

for discussion, information gathering, reflection, self-analysis, and action planning.

The Guide

SECTION II:

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8

Core Components of the Guide

In summary, the Guide is comprised of four interrelated components:

Four Components:

Framing Questions:

1

Indicators of Student Success: A data collection template is provided for building a quantitative overview of student achievement and performance at the institution . The template includes twenty outcome measures, which are sorted into three areas: student preparation for college-level work; student retention toward a degree or certificate; and student completion, transfer, and entry into the labor force .

Do we have the data we need? Are we meeting our goals? Where are our strengths and weaknesses?

Where do we need to do better?

2

Inventory of Current Institutional

Practices: A model is provided for developing an inventory of student success-oriented practices, programs, and policies currently in operation at the institution . The template provides space to identify the initiatives and to gather descriptive information related to objectives, outcomes, evaluation, and data collection and use .

What are we doing now?

Are our practices designed well? How comprehensive is our effort? Are we tracking what we do?

3

Inquiry and Review of Student Success Strategies: A series of strategies aimed at supporting student success and institutional effectiveness is introduced as a basis for reviewing, in a comprehensive manner, the institution’s student success efforts . Institutions are asked to discuss and reflect upon the strategies as well as their perceived effectiveness for improving student achievement, retention, and completion . A variety of questions and prompts guide discussion and analysis and a worksheet is provided for identifying whether action is needed in the context of each strategy and the type of action to be taken to improve institutional effectiveness .

What do our students need? How well do we meet the needs of students?

Are there strategies we need to adopt? Where are the gaps in our services?

4

Strategic Action Planning: Planning templates are provided for formulating and implementing objectives, goals, and action steps to strengthen the institution’s student success effort . This template is a tool for strategic action planning and is designed to facilitate the transformation of results from the self-assessment and review process into a coherent and comprehensive plan for change at the institutional or program level .

What actions need to be taken? How will we close the gaps? What is our plan for improvement? How will we monitor our progress?

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9

The Value of Conducting a Self-Assessment and Review

An important step your college or university can take to strengthen its capacity to improve student achievement is to conduct a regular review of its practices, programs, and policies . Self-assessment is a widely used method for reviewing what you are doing, why you are doing it, and what needs to be done to improve institutional effectiveness in supporting student success . The most valuable review process produces meaningful information and insights that lead directly to strategic action . A self-assessment can provide a range of benefits for your institution, its community stakeholders, and ultimately, for its students .

• Practitioners and leaders develop a more thorough understanding of the institution’s approach to supporting student success, including what strategies are, or are not, in place to support readiness, learning, retention, and completion .

• Data and information related to student progress and outcomes, as well as program implementation, is collected and can be used to enhance decision-making, evaluate program effectiveness, and strengthen quality improvement efforts .

• Gaps in institutional capacity and performance are uncovered, as are program-level strengths and weaknesses that may influence the delivery and efficacy of services and the allocation of resources .

• Members of the college community have the opportunity to come together to review their practices and other relevant factors for student success . This supports teamwork and cross-unit communication and collaboration .

• Awareness is raised to those aspects of the institutional culture, including shared expectations and values, which may affect student success and the outcomes of student success intervention strategies .

There is no guarantee, of course, that embarking on a self-assessment will lead to each of these outcomes . However, such an experience holds the potential to be a catalyst for meaningful deliberation, knowledge gathering, and idea sharing across the campus community, and for institutional learning that can lead to innovation and improvement . Importantly, a self-assessment process can also strengthen the willingness of college leadership groups to reach further to ensure that student success is an institution-wide priority .

The Importance of Connecting Self-Assessment with Action Planning

An effective self-assessment begins with outcomes in mind and an intention to transform what is learned into an action plan for change . The Guide urges institutions to make the move to action by including a practical, comprehensive, and easy-to-use strategic action planning template . A template is provided at the conclusion of each section of the Inquiry and Review of Student Success Strategies . It can be used at any point, however, to help transform ideas into objectives, goals, and action steps .

Institutions are encouraged to use the information generated by the inquiry and review to identify strengths and weaknesses, actions that need to be taken, objectives to be achieved and, finally, to build a game plan for execution that will improve institutional effectiveness .

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Identifying a Self-Assessment Team

The review and strategic planning processes will be best served by involving individuals representing various departments and organizational areas from across the institution . This will introduce a diversity of perspectives and experiences into the discussion and produce a more robust set of actionable ideas . In addition, it may promote greater levels of shared ownership of the student success agenda and enhance buy-in and legitimacy of the results of the assessment and proposed action planning . The institution should avoid creating an assessment process that is fragmented along administrative boundaries or that supports existing silos within the organizational setting . The self-assessment team should draw from the ranks of administration, faculty, program staff, and community stakeholders . Learning support and student services staff and other front-line practitioners should be actively involved in the assessment process . These individuals will bring to the table extensive knowledge gained from working closely with students . They are well positioned

to identify strengths as well as performance gaps and weaknesses in student success strategies, and to understand the challenges to success faced by students . They are also best placed to identify strategic alternatives that will address these challenges and strengthen institutional effectiveness within the applied setting . The self-assessment team leader should be a senior-level administrator, program director, or senior member of the faculty . This will signal that the assessment is an institutional priority, and it will enhance the possibility that the process will receive broad-based support . Community members, representatives from community-based organizations, and local employers should also be recruited as team members . Their involvement may enable the development of more informed and effective solutions to improve student outcomes . Including external stakeholders also has the potential to strengthen the institution’s working relationship with its community partners, while strengthening its student success agenda .

A variety of methods may be used by team members to collect information for the four components of the Guide . These include interviews, surveys, focus groups, stakeholder dialogues, campus conversations, and data collection and analysis . It is recommended that assessment team members spend time listening to a number of voices on the college campus and in the community, in addition to those

on the self-assessment team .

Self-assessment team members should meet on a regular basis in order to facilitate the review process and to build momentum for knowledge sharing and idea generation . A consistent practice of open discussion and collaboration will enhance the ability of team members to uncover valuable information that can be directly applied to strategic action planning and generally strengthening the institution’s student success efforts .

Conducting an Informed Self-Assessment Process

The self-assessment team should include:

Community groups and

local employers

Faculty and administrators from

local K–12 schools

Full-time and adjunct faculty

Full-time and part-time students

Institutional research staff

Learning support staff

and specialists

Senior college administrators

Student services professionals

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SECTION III:

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13 Collecting and reporting the data will serve

several purposes within the context of the self-assessment process .

• Creating a more evidence-based conversation among faculty, practitioners, and institutional leaders about questions concerning student success and institutional effectiveness .

• Flagging areas of strength and weakness in the institution’s student success effort, along with potential gaps in services, for closer scrutiny during the review process .

• Uncovering gaps or weak links in the availability and/ or quality of student outcomes data at the institution .

• Facilitating strategic action planning to improve institutional effectiveness, including the selection of intervention strategies for adoption and the prioritization of action steps .

The data collection template prompts your institution to report aggregate student outcomes data and those data most recently available . Most of the information that is requested should be readily available using current reporting mechanisms at the institution . The majority of these data are available through administrative records . Transfer data, if not available through administrative records, can be obtained from the National Student Clearinghouse (www .studentclearinghouse .org) . Collecting employment outcomes data may prove to be challenging . However, two sources that should be considered are Unemployment Insurance (UI) wage record matches available from the state’s Unemployment Insurance database and the results of current surveys of employers and/or graduates conducted by the career services, or similar department, at the institution .

The first step in the self-assessment process is to build a quantitative overview of student

readiness, achievement, and performance at your institution using a variety of student

success indicators. A data collection template is provided on the following page to guide

the institution’s assessment team through this initial process. The template consists of

twenty outcome measures which are sorted into three areas: (1) student preparation for

college-level work; (2) student retention toward a degree or certificate; and (3) student

completion, transfer, and entry into the labor force.

Indicators of

Student Success

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Student readiness for college-level work

(Most recent data available)

Data

Percentage of at-risk students who placed below college level at time of entry

Percentage of entering students receiving merit scholarships or Honor’s College inclusion

Percentage of entering students who completed a First-Year-Experience, College Success, or a similar type of course

Percentage of students completing first college-level math or English with a “C” or better

Percentage of developmental education students who enrolled in college-level courses

Percentage of students enrolled who completed ABE/ESL/GED/Bridge program or enrolled due to being age 21 and a high school graduate

Percentage of non-credit or certificate students who subsequently enrolled for credit or as degree-seeking students

Student retention toward certificate or degree completion

(Most recent data available)

Data

Percentage of attempted credits completed

Percentage of entering students persisting to the next fall term

Percentage of bachelor’s degree-seeking students who finish 45 credits in four semesters (or associate-seeking students who finish 30 credits in 3 semesters)

Percentage of students who successfully complete all courses with a grade of “C” or better

Percentage of developmental education students who completed their basic skills course requirements in their first year of college

Percentage of students enrolled in degree or certificate programs who withdraw from or fail a class, by semester or quarter

Student transfer, completion, and entry into the labor force

(Most recent data available)

Data

Percentage of students who transferred to a four-year institution (or transferring in from a two-year institution)

Average time to certificate or degree

Percentage of students on track for completion within 100% of program length

Percentage of students on track for completion within 125% of program length

Percentage of students earning a degree or certificate within 150% of program length

Average number of units completed by students who leave the school within one academic year, and do not earn a credential or transfer to another school

Percentage of students who completed ABE/ESL/GED/Bridge program, developmental education, or enrolled due to being age 21 and a high school graduate to successfully earn a certificate or degree

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SECTION IV:

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17 A thorough accounting of the institution’s student

success effort offers several benefits that support the self-assessment and review process . Among these, it provides an aggregated vantage point from which to observe the diverse collection of initiatives used to support desired student outcomes . This type of summative assessment also helps leaders and practitioners map points of convergence among various intervention strategies and identify gaps in coverage . Both types of analysis enable areas of strength and weakness to be identified for purposes of further review and possibly strategic action planning . In addition, an inventory may foster a more informed appreciation of the interconnection among student success-related activities as well as those individuals, departments, or areas of the institution responsible for their development and implementation . This in turn may lead to a more effective flow of

information and ideas among stakeholders that can strengthen institutional effectiveness .

The inventory takes the user through a process of inquiry and information gathering that involves building a list of core programs, practices, and policies that support student success, collecting a range of qualitative information for each listed strategy, and identifying the resources required to develop the inventory successfully . Information collection is organized into four analytic categories: (1) objectives,

(2) outcomes, (3) evaluation, and (4) data . Importantly, the rubric encourages team members to move beyond the development of a catalog of strategies toward closely examining the character and function of each activity, and thus to constructing a more substantive understanding of the institution’s student success effort .

The second step in the self-assessment process is for your institution to take stock

of the initiatives currently in place to support student achievement, retention, and

completion. The Inventory of Current Institutional Practices included on the next page

of the Guide provides a practical approach to facilitate this important exercise.

Inventory of Current

Institutional Practices

SECTION IV:

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18

Inventory of Current Institutional Practices that Support Student Success

Strategies

Core programs, practices, and policies currently in place that support the success of students.

1)

Objectives

2)

Outcomes

3)

Evaluation

4)

Data

Primary purpose of each strategy, including intended change and/or benefit .

Manner in which the strategy actually benefits students and supports student success .

Methods used to track outcomes and evaluate the effectiveness of the strategy; frequency of the review .

Type and source of data used to monitor strategy implementation and evaluate its effectiveness .

Identify the Following: Inventory Development Team:

Names and titles of individuals who will participate in developing the inventory .

Required Resources:

Resources required for successfully developing the inventory, including personnel, materials, and technology .

Sample Inventory

Strategies

Achieving Your Personal Best: Orientation workshop repeated in 3rd week of all Freshman Composition classes . Explains life in college, continuous enrollment benefit, and student account payment . Conducted by Academic Advising, Financial Aid, and Student Affairs .

1)

Objectives

2)

Outcomes

3)

Evaluation

4)

Data

To help students

transition into college life and begin thinkingmore seriously about

personalresponsibility . Another objective is to help students understandthings they can do that will best position themselves for graduation on time .

Students report having received a lot of important information that they did not know before . Most never remember having listened to the same content during orientation .

Participants are given an evaluation survey at the end of the presentation, responses are tracked, and future presentations are guided by the constructive feedback gathered .

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SECTION V:

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21 Twelve factors for student success are presented to

frame the inquiry and review process and to guide group discussion . The factors are accompanied by over sixty more detailed strategies or methodologies that direct the attention of self-assessment team members to ‘what is’ and ‘what is not’ being done within the setting of the institution to help students to achieve their educational goals . The strategies serve as touchstones for promoting critical reflection, conversation, and idea formation . They also offer an analytic lens through which self-assessment team members may view and assess the character and scope of the institution’s student success strategies as well as related elements of the institutional culture .

A thorough consideration of each of the factors and related strategies will enable team members to:

• Identify gaps and weak links in the institution’s student success efforts

• Note areas of service delivery that are strong or in need of improvement

• Compare approaches in key intervention areas

• Weigh various methods and practices that may or may not be in place at the institution

This section of the Guide provides your institution an opportunity to assess its student

success efforts through a framework of key factors and strategies for supporting student

success. The inquiry and review is aimed at enhancing the ability of institutions to develop

a more thorough understanding of their practices and policies as a path to more effectively

meet the needs of students from entry through completion of a degree or certificate.

Inquiry and Review

of Student Success

Strategies

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22

Deliberation of the accompanying discussion questions is also critical . These strategies are designed to support students and to promote institutional effectiveness . The factors and strategies presented to guide the inquiry and review were drawn from a variety of sources, including –reports and articles from the student retention and completion literature, selections from best and promising practices, internal planning documents generated by postsecondary institutions, field observations, and discussions with practitioners, leaders, and subject matter experts involved in postsecondary education . The list of factors and strategies does not include the full range of

possible institutional practices and approaches that are effectively being used to support student success . Nor do they cover all possible areas of the college experience that may affect the ability of students to achieve their goals . In this regard, members of the self-assessment team are encouraged to identify and discuss additional strategies not identified in the Inquiry and Review, yet considered effective in supporting student achievement, retention, and completion at their institution .

A set of six commonly held propositions were used as a framework for identifying and formulating the factors and strategies, and for the subsequent development of the assessment instrument .

Six Propositions for Identifying and Formulating Factors and Strategies:

Student success in higher education is a dynamic and complex experience

,

framed by individual aspirations, that ultimately develops, conditioned through the interplay of a wide assortment of unique factors and forces .

Students are better positioned to establish and achieve their goals if they

have clear expectations of academic rigor and college life

, a supportive foundation of academic preparation from which to build, and experience meaningful integration into an institution’s academic and social environments, a person definition of success, and a plan to reach their goals .

Institutions are better positioned to empower students

to achieve their academic goals and help them build learning momentum if they are committed to creating conditions that promote student learning and engagement, and to sustaining a ‘way of life’ on campus that is student-centric, community-oriented, and service-driven .

There is no single approach for designing and managing an institution’s student

success effort

. However, having a student success plan that is proactive, strategic, possessing broad stakeholder buy-in and leadership advocacy provides a strong foundation for institutional effectiveness at empowering students to succeed .

Student-centric support practices provide student benefits throughout their

education pathway

and help them build learning momentum at critical points of transition and decision-making . Aggressive early intervention, targeted and ongoing guidance, advising, and frequent interaction with faculty, staff, and peers are just a few practices with proven results .

Institutions are more effective at achieving their strategic goals

when they promote the values of shared responsibility, informed decision-making, critical inquiry, collaboration, knowledge sharing, and continuous quality improvement .

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23 The factors and strategies are arranged into five broad

action areas . This design feature will be helpful for assessment team members in planning and conducting their review, and in bringing together the information gathered from the tools provided in the Guide for purposes of strategic planning .

The five broad action areas are:

1) institutional commitment to student success; 2) college readiness and student support; 3) developmental education;

4) student retention, completion, and career readiness; and

5) data, evaluation, and quality improvement .

Action Areas and Core Factors

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

• A student-centered and success-oriented institutional culture is a core commitment of the institution and is evident across institutional practices .

• A comprehensive and long-term student success plan guides the development and implementation of student success initiatives at the institution .

College Readiness and Student Support

• A network of practices and policies facilitates student transition from high school or the workforce to postsecondary education and supports college readiness .

• A student-centered approach to teaching and learning emphasizes student engagement with course content, collaborative learning, and high-quality student-student and student-faculty interaction .

• An integrated and coordinated network of student support services characterized by extensive collaboration among faculty, learning support specialists, and student services professionals .

Developmental Education

• Proactively addressing the needs of at-risk students and preparing them for college-level coursework is an institutional priority .

• Instructional and student support services are integrated and coordinated to provide wrap-around support and address the needs of developmental education students and advancing them to college-level coursework .

Retention, Completion, and Career Readiness

• Curricular, instructional, and program strategies effectively help students build learning momentum, encourage retention, and reduce time to completion .

• Career readiness, the development of job-related skills and competencies, and preparation for transfer to four-year or post-baccalaureate education are institutional priorities and integral to the institution’s student success plan .

• Partnerships with community-based organizations and employers enhance student learning and career readiness and are integral to the institution’s efforts to improve employment outcomes .

Data, Evaluation, and Improvement

• The institution’s data collection and evaluation system provides a comprehensive understanding of student outcomes and supports continuous quality improvement of student success initiatives .

• Strategic planning, systematic program review, and continuous quality improvement are embedded strategies that support institutional effectiveness and guide efforts to improve student outcomes .

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Conducting the Inquiry and Review

The opening page of the Inquiry and Review for each of the action areas prompts assessment team members to identify the names and titles of those individuals who will participate in the self-assessment for that area and to identify the departments or areas of the college that will be represented in the review process . In addition, a short list of group discussion questions is introduced for the assessment team to explore . The questions are open-ended and designed to initiate the process of inquiry and review . They also provide a general context for the more specific self-analysis and idea exchange around the factors and strategies for student success that will follow . Team members are encouraged to discuss thoroughly each question before turning their attention to the more detailed review .

The second step in the inquiry and review process focuses attention on key factors for student success related to the action area, and on a set of intervention strategies which provide a more detailed expression of the factors . Two to three factors are provided for each action area, and each factor is accompanied by four to seven strategies . Team members are encouraged to closely read and discuss each factor and accompanying strategies, and then indicate whether the listed strategy, or a similar type of practice or initiative, is in place at the institution, and the degree to which it is in place . If there are varying interpretations of the strategy, or disagreement on the extent of implementation, this should be included in the discussion to build shared understanding . It would also benefit the review process for team members to share their experiences with the strategy, or similar type of practice, including perceived benefits and/or drawbacks of its use, where it is implemented at the institution, and what conditions need to be present in order for the strategy to be effective . Team members are also encouraged to explore, when appropriate, the extent to which the strategy aligns with core elements of the institution’s culture, including values, assumptions, and expectations, and its fit with operating procedures and management practices at the institution . A set of three standardized discussion topics is provided below each set of student success strategies to encourage a more in-depth analysis of the approaches, or similar types of practices and initiatives, that were identified by team members as currently in use at the institution . The topics are presented below as they appear on each page of the Inquiry and Review .

Suggested supplemental questions are also included that assessment team members may choose to use to expand their information gathering and deliberation . The supplemental questions are only listed here and not in the main assessment instrument .

1) Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives.

> What programs, practices, and policies are in place at the institution that embed or replicate the student success strategy?

> Has the strategy, as it is implemented, been effective at supporting student achievement, retention, and completion? If so, in what ways?

> Are the outcomes associated with implementation of the strategy regularly tracked and measured? What is the source and use of the data?

2) Identify conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

> What conditions limit or challenge the effectiveness of the strategy, or constitute barriers to implementation?

> Are the limitations related to tangible conditions at the institution, such as resources, organizational structures, or management practices, or to less tangible factors such as knowledge capacity, stakeholder competition, and institutional culture?

3)Describe the actions that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution.

> How can the effectiveness of the strategy in current operation be improved?

> What changes would need to be made to the strategy to strengthen its effectiveness?

> What new initiatives need to be undertaken for the strategy to be more effective?

(31)

25 A Strategic Action Checklist and Strategic Action

Planning Template is included in the Guide following the strategies review section of each action area . Both instruments are designed to help team members transform the findings and related ideas and insights that were generated from reviewing the factors and strategies into concrete and measurable steps for change to improve institutional effectiveness .

The Inquiry and Review, in conjunction with the other tools provided in the Guide, creates opportunities for members from across the campus community to engage in open discussion and review concerning what needs to be done, and what can be accomplished, to ensure their institution better supports student achievement . However, it is critical that institutions take the additional steps of moving the knowledge and information gained during self-assessment into the domain of strategic action and improvement . Developing a strategic action plan takes the process of self-analysis and its outcomes to this next logical and critical phase .

The Strategic Action Checklist provides a worksheet for team members to indicate whether to act, and if so, what type of action needs to be taken, with regard to each student success strategy, or similar type of practice or initiative . The Strategic Action Planning template provides an easy-to-navigate tool for institutions to build a detailed plan for action .

Strategic Action Checklist and Planning Template

The action-planning template guides planners

to take a variety of important steps:

Identify a core strategic goal and

related objectives

Detail required actions that must

be taken to achieve outcomes

Assign responsibility for the successful

completion of the actions

Establish a timeframe for completion

of each action

Identify key stakeholders that may

be affected by the actions

Specify how planners will know when

the actions are accomplished

Identify available and required

resources to carry out the plan

Specify factors that may support

or enable goal achievement

Specify factors that may challenge or

constrain implementation of the plan

(32)

26

Strategic Action Plan Key Components

Strategic Action Goal: A strategic action goal should be action-oriented, achievable, and related directly to the student success challenge to be addressed by the institution . The goal should provide clear purpose and direction for action . Finally, it should be acceptable to those who will execute the action . The most important student success-related goals will be those that directly influence the institution’s ability to improve student learning, retention, and completion .

Core Objective: Objectives focus attention on the actions that need to be taken to realize a plan’s strategic action goal . Objectives should describe what will be done and how it will be accomplished . Several objectives may be needed to frame the action steps that will be taken for goal achievement . The objectives will need to meet several criteria to be effective . They should directly support the goal; be attainable, clear, and specific enough to be measurable; convey responsibility; and be acceptable to those who will be responsible for executing them . Action Steps: Action steps constitute the activities and/or solutions that, when successfully completed, will contribute to the achievement of the stated objectives and the broader strategic goal . Simply stated, action steps identify what will be done . The planning template prompts planners to identify several elements related to each action step . These include the individuals or administrative units who will be responsible for the actions; the stakeholders who may be affected by them; the indicators that will be used to signal that each step has been successfully implemented; and a timeline for completing the action step . Each of these elements constitutes an important strategic decision that can have direct implications for action plan effectiveness .

Resources: A well-designed strategic action plan reflects a clear understanding of resource needs and resource availability . As such, the action plan template prompts planners to identify the resources required to implement the action steps and the resources that are currently available to support the plan successfully . Resources include people, money, time, materials, space, and technology . Building a resource inventory provides planners with an estimate of the type and amount of resources necessary for developing and implementing the intervention strategy . This, in turn, can be compared with available resources to identify gaps that will need to be bridged . Importantly, a resource inventory also can be used to establish a cost basis for carrying out the action steps for purposes of budgetary planning . Conditions: A variety of factors may facilitate successful implementation of the action steps and enable goal achievement or, conversely, may serve as barriers to completion and challenge the ability of the planners to achieve their strategic action goal . In order to ensure an effective strategic planning process, the template prompts planners to identify all the conditions that may support or represent potential challenges to achievement of the actions steps and, more broadly, the strategic action goal . The conditions may be internal or external to the institution . They may also be tangible or intangible, ranging from resource availability and organizational silos to elements of the institutional culture, such as values, assumptions, and tradition .

(33)

27

Who Should Participate in Developing the Action Plan?

Designing and implementing the certificate and degree completion strategic action plan should be a collaborative process . Participation of assessment team members and representatives from key stakeholder groups at the institution is essential to ensure

necessary buy-in and legitimacy at the institution and, when necessary, among community-based groups . A strategic action plan has a better chance of succeeding if it is developed through an inclusive process of

engagement that includes those individuals who are closest to the issue being addressed, those who will be directly involved in the implementation of the intervention strategy, and those directly impacted by the change . A diverse and representative action planning team will be well positioned to create networks that can promote and help generate the conditions for change as they are expressed in the plan .

Identify self-assessment participants Comprehensive strategy review Summarize goal, objective, action steps and

resources

Identify the action needed to improve

the focus area

Identify departments to

be represented

Group discussion

The Strategic Planning Process Cycle

FEED BACK FEED BAC K F EE D B A CK F EED B A CK FEE DBACK FEEDB ACK

(34)

28

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Inquiry and Review

Self-Assessment Team Participants:

Identify the names and titles of those individuals who will participate in this section of the self-assessment . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . Organizational Alignment:

Identify the departments or areas of the college that will be represented in this section of the self-assessment . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 .

Group Discussion: Please explore the following questions.

• How would a student at your institution know that student success is central to institutional culture, including values and expectations, and to campus activities?

• In what ways is the institution’s commitment to student success evident in the actions of senior institutional leaders? What about in the actions of faculty and staff?

• To what extent are conversations about student learning and achievement common among members of your campus community?

(35)

29

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Factor:

A student-centered and success-oriented institutional culture is a core commitment of the institution, and is evident across institutional practices .

Strategies to Support Student Success

Is the strategy in place

at your institution?

No

Partially

Fully

The institution is committed to achieving equity in student outcomes

and closing achievement gaps across racial, ethnic, and income groups .

1

2

3

Institutional leadership groups regularly communicate that success

for every student is central to the institution, and that all members

of the campus community play a significant role in student success .

1

2

3

A dialogue about student success is ongoing at the institution, and

it includes a diversity of voices among faculty, staff, administrators,

and students .

1

2

3

Student perspectives are sought to help understand the causes of achievement gaps, and assist in the development of strategies for

improving student success .

1

2

3

Expectations of performance and accountability are communicated to all

students clearly, early, and often, by members of the campus community .

1

2

3

The institution actively supports faculty and staff professional

development to build core capacity to improve student success outcomes .

1

2

3

Senior leaders prioritize the institutionalization of effective student

success strategies in order to ensure the strategies will endure over time .

1

2

3

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives .

• Identify any conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

• Describe the action steps that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution .

(36)

30

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Factor:

A comprehensive and long-term student success plan guides the development and implementation of student success initiatives at the institution .

Strategies to Support Student Success

Is the strategy in place

at your institution?

No

Partially

Fully

The student success plan incorporates the campus community’s

shared expectations and values regarding student achievement

and completion .

1

2

3

The student success plan is framed by an agreed-upon working definition of student success, and a set of clearly defined objectives

and outcomes .

1

2

3

Institutional leadership groups provide necessary legitimacy for the plan

by publically supporting its provisions and using it in strategic planning .

1

2

3

An administrator or committee is responsible for coordinating student

success initiatives, and for monitoring efforts to improve student success .

1

2

3

The student success plan identifies methods for policy and program

review, including the use of data and evaluation to foster improvement .

1

2

3

The plan is reviewed and updated regularly through a deliberative

process that includes representation from key stakeholder groups at

the institution .

1

2

3

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives .

• Identify any conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

• Describe the action steps that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution .

(37)

31

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Strategic Action Checklist:

What action is needed to improve the institution’s commitment to student success?

Action Needed?

Strategies to Support Student Success

Yes

No

The institution is committed to achieving equity in student outcomes and closing achievement gaps across racial, ethnic, and income groups .

Type of Action:

Institutional leadership groups regularly communicate that success for every student is central to the institution, and that all members of the campus community play a significant role in student success .

Type of Action:

A dialogue about student success is ongoing at the institution, and includes a diversity of voices from faculty, staff, administrators, and students .

Type of Action:

Student perspectives are sought to help understand the causes of achievement gaps, and to inform the development of strategies for improving student success . Type of Action:

Expectations of performance and accountability are communicated to all students clearly, early, and often, by members of the campus community .

Type of Action:

The institution actively supports faculty and staff professional development to build core institutional capacity to improve student success outcomes .

Type of Action:

Senior leaders prioritize the institutionalization of effective student success strategies in order to ensure the strategies will endure over time .

(38)

32

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Strategic Action Checklist:

What action is needed to improve the institution’s commitment to student success?

Action Needed?

Strategies to Support Student Success

Yes

No

The student success plan incorporates the campus community’s shared expectations and values regarding student achievement and completion . Type of Action:

The student success plan is framed by an agreed-upon working definition of student success, and a set of clearly defined objectives and outcomes . Type of Action:

Institutional leadership groups provide necessary legitimacy for the plan by publically supporting its provisions and using it in strategic planning . Type of Action:

Student perspectives are sought to help understand the causes of achievement gaps, and to inform the development of strategies for improving student success . Type of Action:

An administrator or committee is responsible for coordinating student success initiatives, and for monitoring efforts to improve student success .

Type of Action:

The student success plan identifies methods for policy and program review, including the use of data and evaluation to foster improvement .

Type of Action:

The plan is reviewed and updated regularly, through a deliberative process that includes representation from key stakeholder groups at the institution . Type of Action:

(39)

33

Institutional Commitment to Student Success

Certificate and Degree Completion Strategic Action Plan

Strategic Action Goal

Identify a specific goal that will frame your action plan .

Core Objective

Identify (a) core objective(s) that will directly support the achievement of your strategic action goal .

Action Steps Lead(s) Key Stakeholders Implementation Measures Target Date

Identify the action you will take to achieve the core objective.

Individuals responsible for

completing the action step Individuals, departments, and organizations that will be involved in, or affected by, the action step

Indicator(s) that the action step has been successfully implemented

Date for completing action step

Resources Required: What resources will be required to implement the action steps successfully?

Available Resources: What resources are currently available to support implementation of the action steps?

Supportive Conditions: What factors may facilitate successful implementation of the action steps and enable goal achievement?

Potential Challenges: What factors may impede the successful implementation of the action steps, and challenge goal achievement?

Date Last Updated ____/____/____ Strategic Action Plan Template

(40)

34

College Readiness and Student Support

Inquiry and Review

Self-Assessment Team Participants:

Identify the names and titles of those individuals who will participate in this section of the self-assessment . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 . 9 . 10 . Organizational Alignment:

Identify the departments or areas of the college that will be represented in this section of the self-assessment . 1 . 2 . 3 . 4 . 5 . 6 . 7 . 8 .

Group Discussion: Please explore the following questions.

• What does it mean to be ‘college-ready’? Is there a formal definition of ‘college readiness’ that is used to guide the design and implementation of student success initiatives at your institution?

• What steps are taken by your institution to ensure that both traditional and non-traditional students are ready for college-level work, and are motivated to learn?

• In what ways does your institution collaborate with high schools and community-based organizations to help students transition from high school or the workforce to higher education successfully? Are these partnerships effective? If so, how do you know they are effective?

(41)

35

College Readiness and Student Support

Factor:

A network of programs and policies facilitates student transition from high school or the workforce to postsecondary education, and supports college readiness .

Strategies to Support Student Success

Is the strategy in place

at your institution?

No

Partially

Fully

Active partnerships are in place with high schools and postsecondary

institutions that include formal mechanisms to promote dialogue, collaboration, and integrative policy development aimed at strengthening student transition/transfer and student preparation for higher education .

1

2

3

On-campus transition programs such as summer bridge programs and accelerated learning interventions provide intensive academic support

and pre-college enrichment experiences for students .

1

2

3

College readiness and student success courses are required of all

students, and support the development of academic skills, encourage

social engagement, and strengthen self-confidence and motivation .

1

2

3

Students are informed of available financial assistance and receive direct,

regularly scheduled money management and financial aid counseling .

1

2

3

Induction and transition programs address academic, financial, and

social/emotional factors associated with academic preparation and

achievement, and transition into college life .

1

2

3

Students are provided mandatory, early intervention academic counseling

and assessment as part of the institution’s early warning system .

1

2

3

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives .

• Identify any conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

• Describe the action steps that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution .

(42)

36

College Readiness and Student Support

Factor:

A student-centered approach to teaching and learning emphasizes student engagement with course content, collaborative learning, and high-quality student-student and student-faculty interaction .

Strategies to Support Student Success

Is the strategy in place

at your institution?

No

Partially

Fully

Frequent learning assessments, instructor feedback, and self-evaluation

are used to empower students with timely and actionable information

about their academic performance and progress .

1

2

3

Academic and social involvement is encouraged to promote student integration into the campus community and the development of a

meaningful sense of belonging .

1

2

3

Pedagogies of engagement such as learning communities and problem-based learning are used across the curriculum to encourage cooperative and/or collaborative learning and to foster social connectivity .

1

2

3

Classroom instruction is relevant to the lives of students, contextualized

by their personal experiences, and responsive to different learning styles .

1

2

3

Course-related learning assistance, such as tutoring, mentoring, and

supplemental instruction, is used to enhance the academic experience .

1

2

3

Key milestones that students must achieve to earn a credential are clearly

identified, and integrated into academic and vocational programs .

1

2

3

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives .

• Identify any conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

• Describe the action steps that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution .

(43)

37

College Readiness and Student Support

Factor:

An integrated and coordinated network of student support services is characterized by extensive collaboration among faculty, learning support specialists, and student services professionals .

Strategies to Support Student Success

Is the strategy in place

at your institution?

No

Partially

Fully

Students have access to a conveniently located one-stop learning support

center that centralizes and connects services, including enhanced learning assistance, peer-assisted tutoring and mentoring, individualized instruction, academic advising, and student development services .

1

2

3

Alignment and collaboration between academic/instructional affairs and student support services is fostered as a way to improve student

performance and achievement .

1

2

3

Instructional support services are responsive to the individual learning

styles, diverse academic skill levels, and expectations of students .

1

2

3

Strategies are in place across the student support network and in the

classroom to identify and address emerging conditions that may impede

a student’s performance and progress toward completion .

1

2

3

Advising, counseling, and orientation programs are coordinated to address

the diverse needs of residential and non-residential students effectively .

1

2

3

Academic and student support services are regularly reviewed using

formative and summative evaluations, with results used to enhance

the delivery of services .

1

2

3

Discussion Questions:

• Discuss where and how each strategy is used at the institution, and the ways in which the strategy has been supportive of the institution’s student success objectives .

• Identify any conditions that challenge or constrain the implementation and/or effectiveness of each strategy as it currently occurs at the institution .

• Describe the action steps that would need to be taken in order to improve the effectiveness of each strategy as it is currently implemented at the institution .

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