FY 2014 Project Abstracts for New Awards: Title III Part A Strengthening Institutions Program

KentuckyWesleyan College

Owensboro, KY

KentuckyWesleyan College (KWC)is a small, liberal arts college located inOwensboro, Kentucky.KWC’s currentenrollment is668,full time enrollment—anunsustainable size. We have sharpened ourmarketing and arerecruitingstudents more likelytosucceed; still, weproject a fall2013enrollment ofonly625full-time students.It is clearthat wecannotgrowbyjust recruitingmorestudents. Ouronlyrecourseis to improve retentionandgraduation rates, and therebyincreasetotalenrollment. Ourfirst-to-secondyearretentionrate is currently54 percent; our six-yeargraduationrate is 50 percent. Thereforewe have set one objectiveforthe TitleIIIproject:Improve retention offirst-year students from54 percentto75 percent;improveoursix-year graduationrate from50 percentto60 percent; and thereby increase full-time enrollmentfrom625 to 1,000 by September 30, 2018.An enrollment of1,000will bringus to sustainability.Our strategic planprojects eventualenrollments of 1,200 an even moresustainable level.

In pursuit of that objectivewewill employtwo strategies:

1.Provide faculty, staff, and studentswith the informationtheyneedtomake data-drivendecisions. Since1999, ourstudent informationsystemhasbeen aJenzabarproduct that isobsolete,dysfunctional, and no longersupported bythe manufacturer. Wewill replace it withEllucian, a state-of-the-art,web-based student informationsystemthat willprovidealluserswith the information theyneed in ausable form.Wewill train all users,includingfacultyacademic advisers.Aswe introduceadvisers to Ellucianas an academic-advisingtool, wewill alsotrainthem to useitas a tool forpro-active andintrusiveadvising.

2.Increaseactive-learningexperiencesthroughout the KWCcurriculumand co-curricular activities. Most of our facultyteach thewaytheyweretaught—bylecturing.Consequently, ourstudents are not deeplyengagedin theircoursework.Wewill create theCenterfor Engaged TeachingandLearning(CETL) to provide leadershipand support forfaculty,staff,and students as we infuse high-impact,active-learningpedagogiesthroughoutour curriculum, includingundergraduate research, scholarly, and creative activity;problem/inquiry-based instruction;smallgroup/guideddiscussion;andcollaborative/cooperative learning. CETLstaffwill also help faculty,staff,and students create andmanage co-curricular active-learning activities:internationalprograms/study abroad;internships and otherfieldexperiences;andservicelearning, includingacampus-wideclearinghouseforactive-learningopportunities.

Wewill assess everycomponent ofthis project continuouslyso thatwecan improve it, andevaluate the degree to which we havemet our objectives at the completionof eachprojectyear.

This proposalincludes five pagesdevoted to the twoCompetitivePriorities—IncreasingPostsecondarySuccess:CollegeCompletionandImprovingProductivity.

Contact:Dr. Paula Dehn, Vice-President forAcademic AffairsandDean ofthe CollegeKentuckyWesleyan College, 3000 Frederica Street, Owensboro, KY42301

270-852-3117,

North Iowa Area Community College

Mason City, IA

Located in MasonCity,Iowa,NorthIowa Area CommunityCollege(NIACC) servesalmost4,000 square miles coveringnine ruralcounties ofNorthIowa withanaggregate population ofover 138,000. Onaverage, the College serves over3,500 degree studentseachyear.NIACCoperates on thepremisethat studentsuccess is paramount,and the question“Is it what is bestforourstudents?” guides the decisionmakingprocess. The leadershipatNIACChasimplemented aphilosophyof continuousimprovement,which is intrinsic to everydepartment across campus.

Thispremise and philosophyprovided thefoundation for the developmentoftheKeepingNIACCFirst in StudentSuccess and CompletionTitleIII project.

CDP ProblemsAddressed.AlthoughNIACC strives to make data-drivendecisions,data andanalyticsrelated to student learningandengagementare not accessibledueto limitedInstitutionalResearchresourcesandexpertise.TheCollege continues to be challengedwith lowcompletionandretentionrates, particularlyfor part-time students.Additionally, a highpercentage (53 percent)offirst-time,full-time studentsplace into atleast onedevelopmental educationcourse,and threedevelopmental educationcourseswere identifiedas havinghigh DFWIpercentages in the institutionalSelf-Study.NIACCalsoidentifiedthatthere is inadequatefocuson masteryof contentand studentlearningoutcomes, andthat too few facultyintegratecurrentinstructionalstrategies and technologies into curriculumandteaching.Bothof whichreflect theneedfor morefacultydevelopmentopportunities.Finally,NIACClags behindIowapeerinstitutionsin the number of coursesdelivered viaalternative methods, includingonline/hybridcourses,acceleratedcourses,andcoursesthatintegrate learningcommunitiesfor increasedengagementand academic support.

Project Description.The proposedprojectfocuses on improvinginstitutionalresourcesandservices to increase student successandcompletion.Strategiesandactivitiesare evidence based,aligned to theNIACCinstitutionalplan,andaddress both Competitive PreferencePriorities.

NIACCproposes to: redesign three developmentaleducationcourses to a competency-basedinstructionalmodelandenhance studentsupportinthese courses via computer-based instruction;increase the number of coursesdelivered via online,hybrid,andacceleratedformatsas well asincrease the number of coursesthatintegrate learningcommunities;increase opportunitiesforfacultydevelopmentwithconcentrations in TeachingLearning,Academic ResearchTechnology, and StudentDevelopment;implement a strongstudentengagementprogramforpart-time students;increase the level ofuseoftechnologytools includingdeployinga studentresponse system, enhancingtools for lecturecapture,andinstallingclassroomtechnology.

Project Outcomes.As aresult ofthe proposed project, NIACCanticipatesachievingthefollowingoutcomes:increasedstudentsuccess indevelopmentaleducation;increasedfocus on content masteryand student assessment;increaseduseof learninganalyticsanddata;increasedretentionandcompletionfor full-time andpart-time students;increased opportunities for student participation in online courses,hybridcourses,acceleratedcourses,and learningcommunities;andimprovedinstructionas a result offacultycompletion of professionaldevelopmentactivities.

Budget.The budgetrequest of$2,245,576 is reasonable and necessaryto achieve projectoutcomesandcontributeto the institutionalizationof projectactivities.The totalrequestreflects39 percent for Personnel; 19 percent for Fringe; 19 percent for supplies; 18 percent for Contractual;one 1 percent for Travel;and; four percent for Other.NIACC will contribute resources,facilities,andstaffingthroughout the project toensure institutionalizationandincrease self-sufficiency.

Queens University of Charlotte

Charlotte, NC

Queens University of Charlotte is afour-yearindependent,comprehensivemaster'suniversityandPresbyterianChurchaffiliate.Queenshasanenrollmentof2,386students(headcount)ofwhich1,869areundergraduates.The universityhasanoperatingbudgetof$54million.

ContactPerson: ChandlerBarrett,Director,OSRPE-MailAddress:

Phone:(704)337-2582,FAX(704)337-2503

AsQueenshasemergedfromasmall,liberalartscollegetoacomprehensiveUniversity,dramaticgrowthinthediversityofitsstudentsandacademicprogramshasoccurredwithoutdevelopmentofitsacademicsupportservices,generaleducationcurriculum,oreducationaltechnology.Fragmentedprogramsandservicesareinneedofrevisionandintegrationtoprovidecontinuousandmeaningfuldegreepathwaysforstudents.Keyeffectivenessindicatorsare:

  • A32 percentincreaseinthepercentageoffull-time,degree-seeking,undergraduatestudentsenrolled,or400studentsoverthefive-yearperiod;
  • Anincreaseinretentionofourfirst-time,full-time,degree-seekingundergraduatestothethirdsemesteraminimumof10 percent,orfrom70 percentto80 percent, and
  • Anincreaseinthe percentageoffirst-time,full-time,degree-seekingundergraduatestudentsthatgraduatewithinsixyearsofenrollmentbyaminimumof10 percent.

Activity I-$784,465(35 percent)Strengthening of AcademicSupport ServicesthroughQueens'CenterforStudentSuccesswillimprovestudentacademicperformance,persistenceanddegree completion. TheCenterwillintegrateacademicsupportservicesandprovideacentrallocationfortheircoordination.AStudentSuccessCoordinator(about$236,000)willcoordinateacademicservicesfortheprojectandwillbe incrementallyinstitutionalized.Expansionofourresearch­ basedpeermentoring($94,000)and peertutoringprograms($216,000)willsupporthigh-needstudentsinattainingacademicsuccess.TheExcelInstitute($116,000)willprovideservicesforprovisionallyadmittedstudents.TechnologyfortheCoordinator,tutoringprogram($26,000)andretentioneffectivenesssoftware($75,000)willenablemonitoringofearlyalert, referralandtheeffectivenessofoursupportservices.Fundingfortravel($20,000)willsupportattendanceatTitleIIIDirector'smeetingsandfor professionaldevelopment.

Activity II- $602,400 (27 percent) Increasing Academic Program Quality will beaccomplishedthroughanannualTeachingandLearningInstitute($188,000)increasingfacultyexpertiseininstructionalmethodologies,e.g.inquiry-basedlearning,useofdigitallearningtechnologies;Integrationofundergraduateresearchprojectsintoacademiccourses($136,000); RevisionoftheGeneralEducationcurriculum($121,000)toimproveintegrativeandinterdisciplinarylearning,andincorporationofFirst-YearSeminarsintothegeneraleducationcurriculum($24,000).Digitallearningtechnologies($113,000)willbemadeavailableinclassrooms,and($20,000)willsupporttravelforfacultydevelopment.

EndowmentFunding-$370,523(17 percent)SustainingStudentSuccess.FundsraisedthroughQueens'fundraisingteameffortswillbematchedwithfederalfundsestablishinga $740,000endowmentsustainingstudentsuccessinitiativesforhigh-needstudents.

ProjectAdministration -$465,750(21 percent).OurAssociateProvost/Dean ofUniversityPrograms(10 percenttimecommitment)andaTitleIIIProjectCoordinator(100 percenttime)willoverseeprojectactivities.AnITSpecialistat50 percent($50,000)willoverseetechnologicalimprovementsandtrainingsduringthefirsttwoyearsoftheproject,andanexternalevaluator($50,000)willoverseeandreporton projecteffectiveness.

NortheasternJuniorCollege

Sterling, CO

Northeastern Junior College(NJC) is an open-enrollment,public,two-yearcollege innortheasternColorado that enrolls approximately2,000 students (headcount) in 51 transferprograms and 15career/technicalprograms. TheCollege’sexpansive andlargelyrural serviceareacovers approximately8,000 squaremiles andmedianhouseholdincomelevelsare32percent below the state average.NJC is unique inthat it is Colorado’slargest public residentialtwo-yearcollege, with over 600 ofits approximately1,100 full-time students livingon-campus.While NJChas historicallyattracted high-achievinghighschoolstudentswith cleargoals totransfer toa four-yearcollege, the incomingstudent population israpidlyshiftingtoward lowerhighschoolachievementand less goal-orientation.More than60 percent offull-timestudentsareunderprepared to succeedin college-levelcoursesandrequire developmentalcoursework.

Based ona thoroughanalysis of institutional strengths,weaknessesand problems, theCollege is proposinga single,comprehensive activitywith threecomponents to resolve its keyproblems:

  • Redesigndevelopmentaleducation to improvethesuccess of students withdevelopmental needs through: a) animproveddevelopmental curriculumbased on theAcceleratedLearningProgrammodel; b) onlineself-paced remediation;c)learningcommunitiesthat link developmentalandgatewaycourses; d) peer-led tutoring;ande)facultydevelopment.
  • Strengthenretention andtransferratesthrough: a)anexpandedorientationandnewfamilyoutreachprogram;b) aseries of initiatives to fosterstudentcareer and goaldevelopment,includingspecial interest learningcommunities, focusgroups forundeclaredmajors, transfer eventsand a four-yearcollege visit program; c)college-widefaculty/staffworkshops to provide insight about the changingstudent bodyandstrategiesforstudent success.
  • Strengthen technologyuseto increase student success and improveresponsiveness tochangingstudent needsthrough: a) expanded availabilityoftechnology-supportedclassrooms; b)aconsultantand outside presenters to help facultydevelop instruction thatutilizes technologyto improve learning;c) the redesign ofaminimum of 30 courses toutilize technologyto improvelearning,and d)thepurchaseand implementation ofa datadashboard to providereal-timeinsight into keymetrics thatarecrucialforstudentsuccess.

Keymeasures of successwill beto: a) increase retention of first-time,full-time studentswithdevelopmental needs by10percent; b) decrease the percentage ofdevelopmentalstudentswhodo not succeed in “gatekeeper” college-levelcoursesbyeightpercent;c) increase retention offirst-time,full-time,first-generationstudents by10percent;d)increase transfer rates into four-yearcollegesbyeightpercent; e) increase successrates in coursesredesignedto take advantageof current technologybyfive percent; and f) increase the College's nationalranking forstudentresponse to"collegeexperience metexpectations"by10 percent.

California State Polytechnic University, Pomona

Pomona, CA

The purpose of this proposed Title III Strengthening Institutions Program is to buildinstitutionalcapacity, strengthen academicquality,enhance institutional management, andstrengthen fiscal stability through engaging students, faculty, andthe administration inacultureof undergraduate research. Undergraduate research isathoroughly documented evidence-basedpractice for improving the retention and graduation of high need students.Althoughthisprojectwill focus on low income, minority, and first generation STEM (science, technology,engineering, and mathematics) students, the quasi-experimentalevaluation design will helpdisseminate these practices to allstudentsatCalifornia State Polytechnic University Pomona andwillpositionthe project to serve asa credible model for otherhigher education institutions.

Thefollowingactivitiesformthecoreofthiseffort:atwo-year,forcredit, team-taughtEarly Career Research Training course focusingon lower division students; placement of trainedupperdivisionstudentsinscientificresearch laboratories during summer and the academic yearboth on and off campus; a wealth of support services designed to supplement and enhance thosealreadyofferedbythe institution including Peer Mentors,accesstotrainingworkshops,scholarships,participation inan annual campus-wideUndergraduate Research Conference, anddevelopment of an electronic repository of information on undergraduate research designed toinspire and informstudents and faculty interestedinpursuingthisoption.Facultywillbetrainedand supported in mentoring undergraduate studentsand employing themasresearchassistants.

A permanentUndergraduate Research Office willbeestablishedtooverseeexpansionandinstitutionalization of these efforts once Title III funding ends.

Wilson College

Chambersburg, PA

Wilson College (Wilson) is a private, residential, four-year liberal arts institution located in Chambersburg in south central Pennsylvania. Historically a college for women, Wilson currently has an enrollment of 695 undergraduate and graduate students, 88 percent of whom are female; by fall 2014, the college will enroll its first completely co-educational freshmen class.

The goal of the proposed Title III project is to improve enrollment, retention, persistence, and graduation rates for Wilson College students through strengthened academic programs, academic support services, academic and institutional technology, and professional development.

ProjectedOutcomes andResults: Undergraduateenrollment will increasefrom 621to 1,185.Thefall to fallretention rate willincrease from69percent to 85 percent.Thepercentage ofstudents graduating within sixyearswith aBachelor’sdegree will increasefrom53 percent to 65percent.Morealarmingis the factthat currentlyonly5 percentofour academicallyunderprepared students graduatewithin sixyearswith a Bachelor’s degreefrom Wilson; our goalis to increase that rate to57 percent. The percentage ofenteringstudents who areacademicallyunderprepared inatleastone academic competency whore-enroll the followingfall semesterafter taking atleast one developmental coursewill increase from 45 percentto 65 percent. TheCollege also will haveastrengthened technologyinfrastructure,strengthened data-drivendecision-makingcapability,andacomprehensiveprofessional development program to enableachievement of theseresults and outcomes. The project has fiveobjectives and20 keytasks.

Objective 1: To increase enrollment through strengthening academic programs that will increase student retention:(1)Develop and implement a developmental readinglab; (2)Strengthendevelopmentalmathematicscourses; and (3)Develop and implementanInformationFluencyProgram.

Objective 2: To increase retention and graduation rates for underprepared students: (4)Implementbest practices that support at-risk students (including comprehensiveassessment,academic andcareerplanning,anda strengthenedearlyalert system); (5) First-YearExperiencerevitalization; (6)Establish theLearningCommons within theLibraryBuilding; (7)Establish theAcademic Support Center within theLearningCommons; (8) Strengthenand linkacademic,career,andpersonal advising; and (9) Develop aLearningCommunityforUnderpreparedStudents.

Objective 3: To strengthen academic technology infrastructure, leadership, and applications of technology to instruction and academic support: (10)Create a Chief InformationOfficer position; (11) Provide expanded academictechnologyassistance intheLearningCommons; (12) Develop online and hybrid courses; (13) Acquire Data Warehouse software;and (14) Improve the Academic Technology Infrastructure.

Objective 4: To build capacity for data-driven academic and institutional decision-making: (15)Develop and maintain a datawarehouseas aresource for data-drivenacademic andinstitutionaldecision-making,and(16)Establish andregularlyupdate a comprehensiveplan fordatacollection,analysis,andreportingto informacademicandinstitutionaldecision-making.

Objective 5: To provide a professional development program for faculty, administrators, and staff: Create and deliver a professional development programthat enablesaccomplishment of the Objectives 1– 4 and associated Tasks.

Competitive PreferencePrioritiesoneandtwoalsoareaddressed.

UniversityofCharleston

Charleston, WV

The University:

Founded in 1888 as BarboursvilleSeminary, the UniversityofCharleston (UC) is a private, not-for-profit institution based in Charleston, West Virginia.Charleston is thestate’scapitalcityand islocated in the centralpartof thestate. West Virginia is highlyrural withmountainousterrain. Thestate suffersfrom high povertyrate(17.5 percent). Thestate lacksracial orculturaldiversity,with 94.1 percent ofits population reportingas Whiteon the 2010 U.S. census. West Virginiahas low educationalattainment, with only17.6 percentofthe populationage 25orolderhavingobtained apostsecondarydegree.UCoffersdegreesin the liberalarts, business and healthsciencesat the associate,baccalaureate,master’s level, and the PharmD.Thereare 72undergraduateand 36graduatefull-time facultymembers.Thenumber ofpart-time facultyvariesbysemester.In fall 2012 there were 33 adjunct faculty.Enrollment fall 2012 was 1,427,with 1,026 undergraduateand 401graduate students. 97 percentof undergraduate students arefull-time. The student population is 61 percentwhite, 10 percentBlack or African American, 2 percentHispanic/Latino, 2 percentAsian, 1 percent NativeHawaiian or PacificIslander, 1 percenttwo ormoreraces,and15 percent Unknown. Thestudent: facultyratio in fall 2012 was 15:1.On January1, 2013 UCexpanded to newlocationsin BeckleyandMartinsburg,West Virginiato expand its regionalpresenceandgain the physical spacenecessaryto expand programs and enrollment.

The Project:Increasing PostsecondarySuccessthrough Support for DistanceLearning:$1,999,727

UC proposes oneactivitytoprovide support fordistance learning. Theactivityis builtaround bestpracticesasnoted in the. TheUniversityof Charlestonprojectwill: 1)hire two 100 percenttime Academic Advisorsto provide advisingservices to onlinelearners; 2)fund stipendsandprovideupdatedlaptops for fifteen(15)facultyeachyear to develop online orhybridversions ofexistingface-to-face coursesor designnewcourses; 3) hirea100 percenttimefacultymember to teachonline versions of courses critical todeliveryof theinstitution’s unique curriculumandsuccessfulstudent achievement of institutionaloutcomes; 4) expandtutoringandcareerdevelopmentservices to online learnersthroughweb-based,commercialservices; 5) hirea100 percenttime Educational TechnologySpecialist to createonline trainingmodules,provide trainingusingexistingCisco WebExconference software,andpresentin-seat workshops forfacultyandstudents enrolled in all modalities of learning;and6)hirea100 percenttime HelpDeskAdministratorand a100 percenttimeTechnologySupportSpecialistto serve ascore personnelfor anextendedhoursHelpDeskthat will alsouse University-paid student workers to providehardwareand softwaresupport for students and facultyat all University of Charlestonlocations.

North Central State College

Mansfield, Ohio

InstitutionalInformation:NorthCentral State College(NCSC) is locatedin RichlandCounty, anorth central Ohiocountywith Mansfield as the countyseat. Mansfield, with apopulation of 47,767 accordingto the2010 Census, has beencharacterizedas a small citywith its shareof “big-cityissues.” A public two-yearcommunity-based institution,NCSCoffershighquality,technicaleducation in more than 60 associatedegree and certificateprograms in Health,Business, Public Service andEngineeringTechnologies, as wellascustomizedworkforce trainingprograms.Chartered in 1961, NCSC is accreditedbytheHigherLearningCommission of the NorthCentralAssociation of CollegesandSchoolsand is a National Achievingthe DreamLeaderCollege.

FacultyCharacteristics:TheCollege employs 200 full-time employeesof whom61 arefull-timefaculty. An additional134 adjunct facultymembers serve NCSC. Thestudent tofacultyratio is 17:1.

Student Body Characteristics:NCSC’s head countenrollment forfall 2010 was 3,236,calculatedFTE of2,472.Details of thestudent bodyshow, 65 percent of thestudentsenrolledparttime, 65 percent female,301 (9 percent) minoritiesAmongallstudents, 29percentareunder age20;27 percentareages 20-24, and 13 percent areages 25-29 and19 percentages30-39,with 13 percent age40 andolder.Amongallundergraduates, 87percentarewhite/non-Hispanic;sixpercent are black/non-Hispanic; one percent areHispanic,and the remainder areother races or ethnic groups.Approximately50 percentof first-time,full-timestudentsare first-generationcollege attendees.

ProjectDescription:AdvisingAcross theContinuum. NCSC seeks to improveretentionthrough enhancement ofitsadvisingcapabilities. Theproject seeks to instituteintrusiveadvisingandadvisingsupport to all students,beginningwithnewapplicants to theCollege,and includingcollege-readystudents in their secondsemesters, supportingstudents with careerand transfer advisingastheynear completion oftheir intendedacademic plan.Theproject seeks to improve the numberof full-timedegree-seekingundergraduatesenrolled,the percentage of full-time degree-seekingstudents who areretained for asecondyearand the percentage offirst-time, full-timedegree-seekingundergraduatestudents completingtheircoursework and/orgraduating within threeyearsof enrollment. Theproject will invest in personnel and technologyin order to strengthenthe institution andprovide neededadvisingsupport to helpstudentsachieveacademicsuccess.

Funding Request:Total fundingrequestedforthefive-yeargrantperiod is$2,008,509.

OklahomaCityCommunityCollege

Oklahoma City, OK

OklahomaCityCommunityCollege(OCCC)isacomprehensive,public,two-yearinstitutionservingaregionwithapopulationinexcessofonemillion.WhiletheCollege'sserviceareaextendsoverfivecounties,themajority(71 percent)ofstudentsresidewithintheregion'slargestcities- Oklahoma City (population 562,461), Norman (population 109,821) and Moore (population 55,081).

OklahomaCity(OKC)willforeverbeknownasthetargetofthe1995terroristattackontheAlfredP.MurrahFederalBuilding. Theeventsofthatdayandthe extraordinaryresponseofarea citizenswhoflockedtothesitetolendaidtothoseinneedwouldinmanywaysdefinetheregion and lend voice to what would become the state creed -The Oklahoma Standard.

Adherencetothatstandardremainsintheheartsofarearesidentsanditiswhatwerelyonintimesofneed.Itishowweendured,andeventhrivedamidst,thenation'srecenteconomicdownturn,howwerebuiltOKCfollowingtheterroristattack,howwearenowhelpingresidentsrecoverfromanEF5tornadothatravagedMooreonMay20,2013,andhowwewilldowhatisnecessarytoturnthetideoflowacademicperformance,persistence,anddegreecompletionforthe neediest of students.

OCCCstudentsareprimarilyresidentsoftheOKCMetropolitanStatisticalArea(MSA)innercore.Removedfromtheregion'sprosperousindustriesduetolackofeducationandtraining,theseresidentsgrapplewithextremepoverty(31 percent)andlowlevelsofbachelordegreecompletion(asfewas15.9 percent).Inresponsetohighfailureinbasic skillscourses,OCCCrecentlyunderwentamajorredesignofitsdevelopmentaleducationprogram.

As a result, we have experienced significantimprovementinbasicskillsandnowfaceanequallyalarmingtrendofextremelylowsuccessincollege-levelgatewaycourses-upto58 percentbelowcollegelevelinkey1000levelmathcourses.Unsurprisingly,falltofallretentionforfirst-timestudentsandcohortgraduationratesremainlow (44 percent and seven percent respectively).

Comprehensiveanalysishasshedlightonmajorinstitutionalproblems related toinstructionalstrategies,limitedfacultydevelopment,ineffectiveadvisingprocesses,andnon-existentdegreeplanningmechanisms.Inresponsetotheseidentifiedweaknesses,OCCChasdesignedacomprehensiveTitleIIIproject.WeproposeasingleactivitytocreateA Model for Improved Student Experiences: Strengthening Academic Programs and Student Services.Werequestatotalof$2,249,652overfiveyearsto:1) Strengthen Student Learning via Gateway Course Redesign groundedinestablishedlearningtheory,facilitatedbyextensivefacultydevelopment,andincorporatingbestpracticesforteachingtheat-riskcommunitycollegestudent;and2) Strengthening Student Learning via Comprehensive Advisement and Degree PlanningincludinganalysisandformalizingofalldegreeplansandimplementationofAcademicPlanning software to improve student persistence and degree completion.

Our proposed project addresses bothCompetitive Preference Priorities:

1IncreasingPostsecondarySuccess:CollegeCompletionofhigh-need(low-income,academically underprepared, high attrition, low graduation) students.

2ImprovingProductivityviaeffectiveandefficientutilizationoftime,staff,moneyandotherresources to maximize positive impact of project initiatives.

OCCC Student Characteristics,Fall2012

(OCCC Institutional Research, 2013)

Student Characteristics / Number and/or Percent
TotalEnrollment / 14,153
Requiring Remediation(New Students) / 79.2%
Caring for Dependents / 60.0%
FirstGenerationCollege / 57%
WorkingatLeastPart-Time / 71%
Part-Time / 34.1%
ReceivingNeed-Based FinancialAid / 5,220
Minority / 39.4%
Average Age / 26

ForsythTechnicalCommunityCollege

Winston-Salem, NC

Overview:ForsythTechnicalCommunityCollegeisfifth-largestofNorthCarolina’s58communitycolleges,primarilyservingForsyth(population358,137)andStokes(population46,783)counties.ForsythTechhashad49 percentenrollmentgrowthsince2007;itserved13,907creditstudentsfromfall2011tosummer2012.Full-timefacultytaught47 percentofcurriculumcoursesinfall2011,rangingfrom39.2 percentofcoursesintheMathScienceTechnologiesDivisionto93 percentofcoursesintheHealthSciencesDivision.The Collegehad238full-timeand824part-timefacultyinfall2012.TheCollegeservescurriculumstudentsonitsmaincampusandfiveotherlocationsinForsythandStokescounties.Part-timefacultytaught53 percentofcoursesinfall2011.About28 percentofthe College’scurriculumcourses wereofferedonline-onlyinfall 2012.

Problem:OurcomprehensiveanalysisrevealstwooverarchingproblemsatForsythTechthatcontributetoacademic,institutionalandfiscalweaknesses:(1)limitedfacultyprofessionaldevelopmentopportunitiesincontent,delivery,technologyandotheraspectsofinstruction;and(2)inabilitytoidentifyandprovideresourcesforat-riskstudents.Amongotherfactors,theseproblemslikelycontributetolowcoursecompletion,retention,andgraduationrates.In2011, three ofevery10 students failed to completeacoursein agivensemester.

Solution:ForsythTechwilluseTitleIIIfundingto:(1)establishandsustainaCenterforTransformativeLearning(CTL)asacornerstoneoffacultydevelopment;and(2)institutionalizeanacademicearly-warningsystemandcoachingsupportprocessestoidentify andassiststudentsatriskoffailinggatewaycourses.TheCTLwilladvancefacultydevelopmentthroughfacultylearningcommunities(FLC)andtrainingcenteredonthetenetsofadultlearningtheory.The installationofwirelessnetworkingcapacity,theadditionoflearningtechnologiesandthededicationofclassroomspaceatthefiveoff-campuscenterswillensurethattheCTLwillbearesourceforimprovedfacultydevelopmentandstudentachievementacrosstheinstitution.An endowment will providesustainingsupport.

Academic Goal:Studentlearninggainswillberealizedasaresultoffacultyengagementinpurposeful educationandtraining on innovative,effectiveinstructionalmethodologies.

Institutional Goal:Newsystems and processes will support facultywith purposefuleducation ininnovative, effective instructionalmethodologiestobenefit learners.

Fiscal Goal: The ForsythTechFoundation will establish an endowment to support theCTL.

Activity:OurproposedTitleIIIActivityseekstoimprovestudentachievementthroughfacultydevelopmentbuiltontheprinciplesofadultlearning.TheActivityhastwomajorcomponents: (1) promotingstudentachievementthroughfacultydevelopment that incorporatesresearch-basededucationaltechnologiesandinstructionalmethodologies;and(2)promotingcollegecompletionthroughfacultyadoptionofearly-alertsoftwareandtargetedtrainingincoachingstrategiestoidentifyand support students at risk of failingkeygatewaycourses.

Budget: $2,249,343, of which the College will match $225,000 for endowment.

Competitive Preference: ForsythTechwilladdressPriority1(completion)byimplementingitsearly-alert,studentretentionplan,andthroughfacultylearningcommunities;andPriority2(productivity)byestablishingtheCTLtobetterleverageresourcesandworkflowstructure,andbyusingsoftwareandsuccess coaches to boost passingrates in high-risk gatewaycourses.

Universityof Pikeville

Pikeville, KY

Institutional Profile:TheUniversityof Pikeville(UPIKE)is an independent institution inPikeville,Kentucky,founded byPresbyterians in1889.The Universitystands as an opportunityforqualityhigher education in the heart ofAppalachia;97 percentofstudents receive some type offinancialassistance and nearly45 percentarefirst-generationstudents.UPIKE iscomprised oftheCollege ofArts and Sciences (CAS) and theKentuckyCollege of Osteopathic Medicine(KYCOM). UPIKEretains its position as “the leadinguniversityof Central Appalachia” byofferingvaried academic programsrelevant to thespecificneeds of theregion, including 5associatedegrees, 26 bachelor degrees, 2 master’sdegrees,and a doctoratein OsteopathicMedicine. TheUniversity’sfall 2012 enrollment was 2,032. Thestudent-facultyratio is 16.5:1.

Project Title: CreatingaStudent SuccessCentertoIncrease Retention andDegreePersistencein CentralAppalachia

Problems: The retentionrates ofstudents between the freshmenand sophomore yearsfallsignificantlybelow stateandnational levels; themajorityof students enteringasfirst-timefreshmen fail to graduatewithin four to sixyears; too manystudents make inappropriatecourseselections;academic advisingis disconnectedfrom otherstudentservicesfunctions; facultymembersare unpreparedto provide adequate academic advising;UPIKE does nothave theresources to keep pacewith increasedenrollment of underprepared students;poor retentionrateslimit institutionalfundingdedicated for student support services;and the totalinstitutionalendowment is significantlylower than otherinstitutions servingthe Appalachianregion.