1. Effectively Serving Adult Learners to Reach Postsecondary Attainment Goals Go Higher Ohio – Summit on Postsecondary Education Attainment Columbus, Ohio May 9, 2016

2. Session Overview Background Common Challenges that States and Institutions Face Promising Strategies for Recruiting, Retaining, and Graduating Adult Learners Q & A

3. Background

4. Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education – “WICHE” Promotes access and excellence in higher education for all citizens of the West

5. Non-traditional No More: Policy Solutions for Adult Learners Funded by Lumina Foundation for Education To stimulate and guide state and institutional policy and practice changes so that adults with prior college credit can earn college degrees

6. Adult College Completion Network Unites diverse organizations and agencies working to increase college completion by adults with prior college credits but no degree in a collaborative learning network National in scope Funded by Lumina Foundation www.adultcollegecompletion.org Mission: Share promising policies and practices among all stakeholders to increase degree and certificate completion by adults with prior college credit.

7. Adult College Completion Network Listserv In-person meetings Connections Website Twitter Blog News & Research Policy Briefs Webinars Shared resources Resources

8. Common Challenges for States, Systems, and Institutions

9. Common Challenges Too Many Assumptions (you know the saying)! Adult Learners Your Campus Other Campuses The State or System “Assumptions are the termites of relationships.” -Henry Winkler

10. Common Challenges Understanding the Problem Knowing Where to Start Securing Buy-In State or System Different Types of Institutions Institutional Leaders Faculty

11. Common Challenges Changing Institutional Policy, Practice, and/or Attitudes to Reach Goals Data Academic Affairs Student Services Financial Aid Marketing

12. Promising Strategies for Recruiting, Retaining, and Graduating Adult Learners

13. 1. Understand Where You Are “Secret Shopper”

14. 2. Gather Data See What Your Data Really Tell You Who are these students? Why did they leave? Where are they now? What were there majors? What prevents them from coming back?

15. Example: South Dakota Academic Performance 90% in good academic standing 98% had passed the Collegiate Assessment of Academic Proficiency (CAAP) “Life Happens” Cumulative GPA – 2.72 Final Term GPA – 1.68 35% - 0.00 in Final Term 31% - 3.00 or higher in Final Term

16. 3. Build and Sustain Relationships to Inform Institutions Systems Policymakers

17. 3. Build and Sustain Relationships to Inform Institutions Systems Policymakers

18. 4. Identify Champions and Leverage Experts Identify and Rely on Champions Look at your faculty, continuing education departments, student ratings, advisors, etc. Work to ensure that these leaders have a role in determining policies/enacting practices (make sure their voices are heard) Leverage Experts Inside and Outside of Ohio

19. 5. Employ Incentives and Supports Enhanced Institutional Results Outcomes-based funding Completion numbers State-Supported Efforts State/institutional working group coordination Offer institutions enrollment leads Ex. Indiana, Tennessee, Connecticut

20. 6. Commit for the Long Term Data gathering and analysis Develop/adjust policies, programs, and services Conduct outreach and communications Reengage adult learners Enjoy Graduation

21. Data gathering and analysis Develop/adjust, policies, programs, and services Conduct outreach and communications Reengage adult learners Provide completion- focused support 6. Commit for the Long Term

22. 7. Don’t Reinvent the Wheel Learn From Those who are Already Doing this Work Well Internally – Technical centers and community colleges Externally (e.g., Indiana, Connecticut, Georgia, Charter Oak State College, SUNY Empire State College) Leverage and Scale up what you Already Have in Place Example: All institutions offered evening and weekend classes in Fall 2014; how do your student services compare?

23. 8. Evaluate and Adjust Set Clear Goals and Targets Conduct Robust Analyses of Your Effort Are you accomplishing what you intended? Are there any unintended consequences? Adjust and Improve!!

24. Questions?

25. Contact Information Demi Michelau Director of Policy Analysis dmichelau@wiche.edu Christina Sedney Project Coordinator csedney@wiche.edu www.adultcollegcompletion.org