Life is Simpler When We Know What’s Essential The Role of the First-Year Experience in Preparing Community College Students for Successful Transitions Rico R. Reed

Outcomes of this Session Explore how the First-Year Experience in the community college sets the foundation for a successful transition process Highlight the characteristics of two-year and four-year institutions that support comprehensive and effective first-year experiences that lead to effective transitions Provide rationale and highlight best practices for establishing an efficient and effective pipeline for best supporting students as they strive for what’s essential to their success.

Fulfilling the Promise of the Community College: Increasing First-Year Student Engagement and Success

Transfer Students in Higher Education: Building Foundations for Policies, Programs and Services That Foster Student Success

Thriving in Transitions: A Research-Based Approach to College Student Success

Institute on First-Year Success in the Community College November 2012

Life’s Greatest Lessons: 20 Things that Matter

6 Essentials of Life 1.Choose a good attitude, no matter what the circumstances. 2.Build your life on a foundation of respect. 3.Make integrity the cornerstone of your life. 4.Accept the difficulties and challenges of life. 5.Have a passion to learn. 6.Enjoy life.

6 Essentials of Life 1.Choose a good attitude, no matter what the circumstances. 2.Build your life on a foundation of respect. 3.Make integrity the cornerstone of your life. 4.Accept the difficulties and challenges of life. 5.Have a passion to learn. 6.Enjoy life.

Why are you here? What are your biggest challenges? What do your students need? Why hasn’t this been done in the past?

What resources do you have? Who are your champions? Who are your supporters? What’s the ultimate payoff?

12 What Is a First-Year Seminar? A course designed to “assist students in their academic and social development and in their transition to college. A seminar, by definition, is a small discussion-based course in which students and their instructors exchange ideas and information. In most cases, there is a strong emphasis on creating community in the classroom.” (Hunter & Linder, 2005, pp ).

Types of First-Year Seminars Extended orientation seminars Academic seminars with generally uniform content Academic seminars on various topics Professional or discipline-based seminars Basic study skills seminars Hybrid seminars (Barefoot, 1994)

Describes the distinctive characteristics of first- year student experiences and challenges in community college based on research and effective practice.

Community colleges have gone from being the stepchild to being the golden child… Dr. Frank Chong, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Community Colleges Key to nation’s effort’s to double the number of college graduates in the next ten years

The first-year, indeed the first few weeks of the beginning semester, is a pivotal point in students’ academic careers. Brown, King, & Stanley, 2011

We Know That … community colleges will play a central role in improving educational access for increasing numbers of U.S. college students In order for increased access to be meaningful, students must persist in college, complete their programs, and where applicable, transfer to four-year institutions. Effective first-year programs turn access into success by keeping students in college and helping them overcome barriers that might otherwise prevent them from reaching their goals.

Two important themes …. (a) The first-year, as the springboard for student success, matters just as much in two-year institutions as it does in their four- year counterparts, and (b) even when considering specific institutional contexts and cultures, standards of best practice for institutional support and success of first-year students in community colleges are emerging.

Students whose first experiences are positive … are more likely to persist toward their goals, whether that is a certificate, an associate degree, or transferring to a four-year institution.

Overarching principles... The learning college movement: how do you know what students are learning and achieving

21 Overarching principles... The multiple missions of community colleges make them unique in the nation and world

Overarching principles... Measures of students success differ between two and four-year colleges due to diversity of students

The Evolution of Colleges of Opportunity Community Colleges have evolved to include workforce and community development, lifelong learning and developmental education.

Distinctive Characteristics of Community Colleges Access, to Persistence, and Inclusion Community Responsiveness and Innovation Small class-size and a focus on teaching

The Learning College Model and the Success and Completion Agenda now includes: Achieving the Dream Gates Foundation Postsecondary Success Initiative The Obama Administration Higher Education Agenda Voluntary Framework of Accountability

Learning from Student Voices Dr. Kay McClenney, Director of the Center for Community College Student Engagement, created a portrait of the new community college student Asked why they persisted, students typically referred to a strong early connection to someone at the college…

Research Reports on College Transitions, No National Survey of First-Year Seminars: Ongoing Efforts to Support Students in Transition

National Survey of First-Year Seminars Methodology for 2009 administration Administration: Oct. 30 – Dec. 18, 2010 Invitation sent to 3,225 institutions in 3 waves Incentive program 1,028 responses (32% response rate) 87.3% of 2009 respondents (N=890) reported having a first-year seminar

Survey Participants Institution TypeNumberPercentage Two-year29829 Four-year73171 Public52952 Private, not-for-profit42241 Private, for-profit68 7 *Remaining data focuses on two-year campuses in sample (N=298)

Administrative Home of First-Year Seminar Unit2009 Academic department32.9% Academic affairs30.1% Student affairs17.4% College or school5.0% First-year program office3.7%

Administration of Seminars Average size of seminar program is around sections A majority of seminars have classes enrolling students students/section: 41.6% students/section: 23.1% Approximately 31.5% of institutions require all first-years to take the seminar

Credit Hours 11% offered FYS for no credit

Grading and Credit Most seminars (84.9%) are letter graded 72.2% of seminars are one term (quarter or semester) in length Seminar credit applies toward graduation in most cases As an elective: 59.8% General education: 33.0% To the major: 9.8%

Who Teaches the Seminar? Instructors2009 Adjunct faculty61.7 FT non-tenure track faculty46.0 Student affairs professionals45.1 Tenure-track faculty41.7 Other campus professionals23.8 *Peer instruction is not present in community colleges

Instructor Training & Compensation 68.0% of respondents offer training for first-year seminar instructors 42.9% require training 70.5% of respondents indicate that instructor training is < 1 day long Most frequent compensation is a stipend The second most frequent responses were “None” and “Part of overload”

Top Course Topics Most Important Course Topics2009 Study skills59.6% Campus resources56.2% Academic advising/planning43.4% Time management34.5% Least common: Diversity, Financial literacy, & Specific disciplinary topics

Course Practices Practice2009 Online component61.6% Linked to other courses35.2% Service-learning19.6% Common reading component10.5%

Common Seminar Goals Objective2009 Orient to campus resources66.4% Develop academic skills57.0% Develop a connection w/institution 51.5% Personal development37.0% Create common FYE14.9% Develop support network/friends14.9% Improve sophomore return rates11.9%

Outcomes Measured Outcome2009 Grade point average59.2% Persistence to second year57.7% Satisfaction with faculty53.5% Satisfaction with the institution47.9% Use of campus services42.3% Academic abilities40.8% Persistence to graduation36.6% Participation in campus activities35.2% Connections with peers31.0%

Assessment Strategies Assessment2009 Student course evaluation91.1% Institutional data78.9% Survey instrument72.2% Interviews w/instructors44.4% Focus groups w/instructors42.2% Focus groups w/students36.7% Interviews w/students28.9%

A first-year seminar does not equal a first-year experience FYSFYS Service Learning Learning Community Orientation Common Book Online Learning Development Ed

Benchmarks of Effective Practice with Entering Students some are Early connections Clear academic plan and pathway Academic & social support network

What needs to be done Some are: Build a Culture of Evidence Commit to the discipline of routine student cohort tracking Bring programs to scale

Emerging evidence suggests that certain educational experiences may contribute significantly to the likelihood of students success. Examples include: College orientation programs First-year seminars Student success courses Leaning communities

At some point it behooves community college educators to overcome their reluctance to make mandatory experiences shown to enhance student learning, persistence, and attainment. McClenney, 2011

Recommendations  Create intentionally-designed comprehensive programs  Bring programs to scale  Cultivate support from campus leadership  Build coalitions on campus  Develop community partnerships  Provide campus-wide professional development opportunities  Support transfer  Establish relevant benchmarks for success  Build a culture of evidence

Create intentionally designed comprehensive programs Prioritize student programs and services focused on the initial adjustment to college Include academic and learning support programs Seek innovative and effective interventions

Create intentionally designed comprehensive programs Academic advising and career development are the pillars of a comprehensive program Empower staff to accomplish the program mission Group services together

Bring programs to scale Include a transition plan for movement from: Boutique service to universal student access Grant funding to base budget Link programs to accreditation processes Remember, students don’t do optional! Goal: 75% participation rates for FY students

Cultivate support from campus leadership Include campus leadership in program: Development Implementation Maintenance Communication is key Select the right people to coordinate the program

Cultivate support from campus leadership Connect the program to the mission, vision, values, and culture of the campus Have data to Support program decisions Document effectiveness Draw support from leadership across the campus

Build coalitions on campus Cross-campus collaboration is likely to draw the attention and support of campus leadership Draw upon the “horizontal” nature of FYE to build partnerships New partnerships contribute to program evolution & improvement

Develop community partnerships Enlist political, business, and community leaders Campus messaging should show campus as a destination of choice Include community leaders and members in the communication plan

Develop community partnerships Career focused programs create a bridge to the community Placement services Members of advisory board and committees for career programs Use career programs as a model for other community partnerships

Provide campus-wide professional development opportunities Professional development is an ongoing commitment Opportunities should fit the context: Community college specific Fit with the campus mission and student needs Consider professional development as a requirement

Provide campus-wide professional development opportunities Programs should create a safe space for reflection and innovation Focus on cross-training across roles, programs, disciplines, etc. Integration into reward, recognition, & promotion expectations

Support transfer Successful transfer begins when students enter the community college Examine the connections of current programs with four-year institutions Efforts and initiatives for transfer must be present in marketing efforts

Support transfer Programs at the community college that are critical to successful preparation and transfer include: Academic advising Career development Academic support Initiatives that support STEM students

Establish relevant benchmarks for success Connect success metrics to your institution’s mission, goals, and student needs Create multiple success measures Develop new metrics for success Still need to consider completion

Establish relevant benchmarks for success Establish a realistic timeline to achieve the benchmarks If your benchmarks are normative, be sure to identify appropriate comparison groups Important to commit to accountability

Build a culture of evidence Draw upon quantitative and qualitative data Link assessment data to metrics of success Critical to use consistent definitions Establish comprehensive information and tracking systems

Build a culture of evidence Employ accountability measures that provide meaningful data Model data-driven decision making Engage in national data collection/research efforts Make data widely available to campus partners

63 The FY Seminar at Your Institution If you have a seminar, how is it supporting the goals of students and of the institution? If you don’t have a seminar, how might it be designed to support the culture, curriculum, and population of your college?

6 Essentials of Life 1.Choose a good attitude, no matter what the circumstances. 2.Build your life on a foundation of respect. 3.Make integrity the cornerstone of your life. 4.Accept the difficulties and challenges of life. 5.Have a passion to learn. 6.Enjoy life.

QUESTIONS? ADDITIONAL THOUGHTS?

Institute on Sophomore Student Success April 12-14, 2013

Life’s Simpler When We Know What’s Essential Rico R. Reed Assistant Director for Administration and Resource Development National Resource Center for The First-Year Experience and Students in Transition