Student Success Project P3: Past, Present, Projected Santa Monica College April 30, 2001 Brenda Johnson-Benson Judy Penchansky Erica LeBlanc Merril Simon Esau Tovar

Need for Project To address the high probationary rates and low persistence rates of SMC students Using an innovative orientation program and specialized instructional modules, the project examined the effect on first semester students’ GPA, Retention, Persistence and Probationary status

Interventions Special Orientation Presented by teams of counseling and instructional faculty 7.5 hours (vs. control group of 2 hours) Available for course credit

Interventions (con’t.) ACA Conference 2000 -- Simon & Gonzalez Interventions (con’t.) Classes Offered: Collaboratively taught English & math classes Courses from other disciplines Student Success Seminar (Human Development 20) Out-of-Class Activities 10

Interventions (cont’d.) ACA Conference 2000 -- Simon & Gonzalez Interventions (cont’d.) Follow-up Services Follow-up Orientation Developmental Advising/ Counseling (academic, personal, & career) 11

ACA Conference 2000 -- Simon & Gonzalez Results Highlights: Participants in the SSP Orientation are more likely to: complete a greater number of units attain a higher GPA be retained persist have lower academic and lack of progress probation rates 18

Highlights/ Lowlights (cont’d) ACA Conference 2000 -- Simon & Gonzalez Highlights/ Lowlights (cont’d) Lowlights: The two factors most often  mentioned by students as  success inhibitors were: (1) job responsibilities and (2) commuting Challenges working with individual faculty 20

ACA Conference 2000 -- Simon & Gonzalez SSP Grant Year 2 Continue to track SSP students in study groups and compare their outcome with those who attend the general orientation or no orientation at all. Provide more inservice training to student services faculty and increased use of intrusive advisement. Provide professional development for faculty on teaching/learning approaches with special emphasis on collaborative learning. Implement out-of-class activities that promote collaborative approaches and relate to in-class learning/assignments. 22

Need for Probationary Student Program Term Enrollment Probation Percentage F’99 27,813 2,834 10.2 F’98 25,930 2,195 8.5 F’97 23,230 1,848 8.0 F’96 22,374 1,727 7.7 F’95 20,627 1,475 7.2

Next Steps…(new grant) Develop program that uses successful SSP interventions with first-time probationary students: Outreach “Re-Orientation” Solution-Focused Advisement Collaboratively Taught Classes Academic & Social Integration

Needed Resources Personnel Project Director (1 full-time) Counselors (4 half-time) Support staff: Secretarial support Counseling aides Teaching assistants Student workers

Funding Sources FII Grant (plan to apply) Matriculation Title III District PFE

Personnel Personnel With FII Funds No FII Funds Project Director Matriculation 50% Counselor Title III District 2 50% Counselors FII 50% Secretarial Help Support Staff