by Dr. Nicole Rovig, University Registrar, Michigan State University
For the City Colleges of Chicago (CCC), taking a multi-faceted approach to student success is making a substantial difference in improving educational outcomes for its 62,000 credit career students attending the seven colleges within the Chicago area. The “reinvention” of CCC includes efforts related to bolstering academic advising, tutoring services, and communication to students. Goals of the initiative include: increasing the number of students earning college credentials of economic value; increasing the rate of transfer to bachelor’s degree programs; improving outcomes for students requiring remediation; and increasing the number of students who advance to college-level courses.
Anne Brennan, Executive Director, Transfer and Articulation, and Alfredo Estrada, District Director of Student Transfer Systems at CCC talked about this reinvention in their exciting presentation "Implementation of an Early Alert and Advising Management System: Evidence of Improving Student Success" at this year's AACRAO Tech and Transfer Conference.
Leveraging technology
Capitalizing upon technology has not only supported these specific initiatives, but also helped move the institution forward. The software product implemented by the CCC in 2012, GradesFirst, was selected for its early alert and advising appointment functionality. Faculty may submit an early alert through GradesFirst, informing students that they are concerned about their progress in the class, and encouraging them to reach out to their academic advisor. Both the student and their advisor receive the alert and within 24-48 hours, the student receives a personal contact. Faculty may also use GradesFirst to capture students’ attendance.
Measurable results
The impact of the “reinvention” efforts has been substantial. According to Brennan, since 2010 the CCC’s graduation rate has increased by 17%, and the number of degrees awarded is up 80% - the highest on record in the history of CCC. And Estrada indicates that advising processes have become much more efficient since the CCC shifted to a caseload advising approach, reduced the student-to-advisor ratio, focused on creating educational pathways, and began using the advising appointment functionality in GradesFirst.
Critical success factors attributing to the successful implementation of the product was streamlining the institutions’ business processes, obtaining faculty support, taking a project management approach, and consistently maintaining a student-centered focus.