1. Team co-chairs: Patti Trepkowski Jennifer Batten

2. Team Members Ann Alexander (Business) Janice Balyeat (English) Frank Conner (Psychology) Bill Faber (SAS Dean’s Office) Heather Richards (Social Sciences) Elaine Kampmueller (Physical Sciences) Laura Kennett (Exercise Science) Mike Light (Social Sciences) Susan Mowers (English) Oscar Neal (Mathematics) Diane Patrick (Registrar) Shelly Richter (Nursing) Anna Rose (ISIS) Tamara Scott (Language and Thought) Fred Zomer (Counseling and Career Center)

3. Team’s Guiding Principles GRCC’s Graduation Requirements should: align with (main) transfer institution requirements align with MTA requirements give students and programs flexibility align with program accreditation requirements support GRCC ILOs and Values allow for efficiency and enhance graduation rates

4. Positive Feedback From AGC and Departments The proposal shared on September 8 th : aligns better with MTA. gives students more options. aligns better with transfer school’s requirements. gives programs more flexibility and helps with prescriptive accreditation issues. removes barriers to graduation. supports teaching the Dimensions of Wellness.

5. Other Feedback From AGC and Departments FeedbackTeam Response EN 102 is needed to earn a B.A./B.S. at most of our transfer institutions. Programs would still have the option to require EN 102. Students would need to be made aware of this through advising. While not unanimous, the Team would recommend that a direct pathway (testing, SAT scores, etc.) to EN 102 be developed. GRCC could require 6 credits of English composition and a communication course. The Team is proposing minimum graduation requirements. Adding more credits could negatively impact some programs. Programs could and do require all 3 courses. Removing PS 110 would mean that students would learn less about the U.S. system of government. Programs could still require this course and students could still opt to take this course even if this course were no longer a graduation requirement. There are many important topics and programs should include courses most necessary to their field of study. Students should be able to select social science courses that transfer in their programs and apply to GRCC graduation. The proposal did not follow the Team's Guiding Principles around the issue of Wellness. Generally, the Team agreed with this assessment, though some felt that requiring a Wellness course aligned with two of the principles: our values and ILOs.

6. Other Feedback From AGC and Departments FeedbackTeam Response Feedback showed much support for the removal of the Wellness credit as a graduation requirement. As with all the proposed changes, the Team considered this feedback carefully and our discussion is reflected in the updated proposal. If removed, programs could still require this course and students could still opt to take this course even if this course were no longer a graduation requirement. There has been no data that shows that the PS 110 and Wellness requirements hurt graduation. The Team did share reverse transfer data in April 2015. The Team requested the following query (Registrar’s Office): Enrolled in either S14, F14 and/or W15 Cumulative GPA 2.0 or higher Cumulative credits of 45 or higher Does not already have a degree Has not applied for a degree Is not enrolled for Fall 2015 Total Number of Students: 2154 No letter grade A through D- in a WE course: 962 students or 44.7% No letter grade A through D- in PS 110: 676 students or 31.4% The Team shared college graduation rates (13%) in April 2015. Many would prefer to vote on each issue separately. The Team was charged to put forth the College’s graduation requirements; however, this issue could be further discussed.

7. The Team’s Process (continued) On September 18 th the team met to discuss the feedback from AGC and Departments and to review our proposal. After much discussion, the Team came to the following conclusions: PS 110 should be removed as a graduation requirement. Graduation should require 6 credits of English composition or 3 credits of English composition and 3 credits of an MTA aligned communication course. The Wellness credit should be removed as a graduation requirement.

8. The Team’s Proposal PS 110 should be removed as a graduation requirement. Benefits: This change allows students more flexibility in selecting social science courses that best fit their needs/interests. The removal of this requirement allows faculty/programs to require coursework that is most applicable to workforce needs and/or discipline and still remain within maximum credit hour limits. * PS 110 is not a requirement at transfer institutions and its removal as a graduation requirement will allow better alignment of our pre-major programs with our partners’ programs. The removal of this course as a graduation requirement may help boost GRCC graduation rates. This change does not alter the number of social science courses needed for graduation.** Drawbacks: This course provides an opportunity for students to better understand the United States’ system of government and fewer students may take this opportunity. *credit hour limits are enforced by accrediting bodies **Students in occupational programs require only one social science course, while students completing the MTA requirements must complete two courses.

9. The Team’s Proposal Graduation would require 6 credits of English composition or 3 credits of English composition and 3 credits of an MTA aligned communication course. Benefits: This change allows faculty/programs /pre-major programs flexibility to require coursework that is most applicable to workforce needs and/or discipline without going over maximum credit limits. Transfer students will have more choice in course selection while at GRCC as several transfer partners (CMU, EMU, and FSU) require a communication course for graduation. This proposal recognizes that there are many forms of communication. The proposed change aligns with the MTA. Drawbacks: Not requiring two semesters of composition will reduce some students’ exposure to evidence based writing. Most transfer students will still need to complete English Composition 2 to attain a B.A./B.S. degree and students will need to be informed of this requirement. Three transfer institutions require a communication course for B.A./B.S. degrees and students will need to be made aware of this requirement.

10. The Team’s Proposal Wellness should be removed as a graduation requirement. Benefits: SAS students are not required to obtain an Associate degree before transfer and removing this graduation requirement may positively impact GRCC graduation rates. With the exception of WMU, our top transfer programs do not require wellness type courses and students most often don’t need these courses to obtain a B.A. or B.S. degree. Individual programs and pre-majors that value this content would still have the option to require wellness courses for graduation even if they were not general graduation requirements. This change better aligns with MTA as Wellness is not a requirement. Drawbacks: Wellness courses at GRCC now require the Dimensions of Wellness as course components and this content may lead to a better understanding of general physical and mental wellbeing and students would no longer be required to learn this content to graduate. Data shows that community college students are more at risk for health issues and they may benefit from these courses. Maintaining the Wellness requirement would preserve a category of required study.

11. Proposed Graduation Requirements Have completed at least 60 credits of course work. Have completed at least 15 credits of course work at GRCC. Have completed the coursework outlined in the GRCC catalog for the program in which they are enrolled. Have earned a cumulative grade point average of at least 2.0 in all course work completed at GRCC. Have earned at least 6 credits of English composition or at least 3 credits of English composition and 3 credits in a MTA aligned communication course for all Associate degrees. Have earned credit for the appropriate general education Group Distribution Requirements for the degree they are seeking. No courses below 100 level will be used toward graduation requirements, including the minimum number of credits that need to be completed.

12. Why is Graduation Important? The goal of a program is completion and we want our students to leave with a complete set of skills for work or transfer. Students with associate’s degrees have greater earning power than those with only some college or a high school diploma.* Students who transfer with an associate’s degree (71%)are more likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 4 years than those who transfer without a degree (55%). Persistence rates are 79 versus 68%.** Graduation rates are a measure of the value students place on our programs as a whole. If students remain at GRCC to graduate, all courses and programs benefit. Outcomes based funding is coming and the value of GRCC will in part be measured by the number of associate’s degrees earned. GRCC has a 13% graduation rate and a 24% transfer out rate at three years.*** *http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm **http://nscresearchcenter.org/wp-content/uploads/SnapshotReport8-GradRates2-4Transfers.pdf ***https://www.grcc.edu/sites/default/files/docs/compliance/student_outcomes_update.pdf

13. Next Steps Please discuss the College’s Graduation Requirements with your departments. th Please send any feedback to Patti Trepkowski (ptrepkowski@grcc.edu) and Jennifer Batten (jbatten@grcc.edu) by October 28 th. We will vote on this proposal on November 10 th.