Heidi Athey, Timothy Dorsey, and Karen Miller from Cuyahoga Community College (Tri-C) presented a session on efforts in program completion. IPEDS reports 25,500 students enrolled in Fall 2015. College publications indicate the College serves more than 55,000 students annually in credit and non-credit programs. Tri-C includes a number of satellite locations in the Cleveland, Ohio area.
Presenters described their President’s call several years ago for improvements in the graduation/completion rates for students, with goals that required immediate action. From the first, faculty were involved, and the effort became college-wide. Initially, Tri-C focused on students in the IPEDS cohort, with the goal of improving the IPEDS graduation data.
They followed an evidence-based case-management approach through which they identified students where some pro-active efforts could improve or assure their graduation. Initially their strategies focused on students with potential to graduate within one term. Their tactics included completion scholarships for those who may have needed assistance for the last several credits, timely consideration of course waivers and substitutions, independent study options for courses needed but not offered, and individualized contacts to learn about and solve barriers to graduation.
The lessons learned along the way resulted in the creation of a position solely focused on the completion strategy – a position that uses data to identify, connect and track students in the IPEDS cohorts, and to coordinate college-wide efforts. Tactics have expanded to include a “15+ Perks” program which provides a partial refund of tuition for credits over 15, and an extended communications plan to assure connections with students at key decision moments, such as at mid-terms, and for students with holds on their accounts. Tri-C has also expanded its efforts to reduce the equity gaps, noticing that some populations need additional interventions.
This work has resulted in significant improvement in their completion rates, but it has also demonstrated how much more can be done. The commitment of their President, their faculty, and many areas around campus, and their case management approach, seem to be key to their success.
Download handouts from "Completion and Cultural Change... It works!" (Monday 10:30 AM session) here.