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

2. 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

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

4. Interventions (con’t.)
ACA Conference 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

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

6. 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

7. Highlights/ Lowlights (cont’d)
ACA Conference 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

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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

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

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

13. 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