Turning the Revolving Door into the Staircase of Academic Success for

Basic Skills Students

NACADAOctober 5, 2011

Presented by: Marti Demarest

Assistant Director, Student Success Center (former)

Director, Gateway to College, Front Range CC Paula Yanish

Director, Student Success Center

Program Overview:

About Aims Community College District

National (USA), Colorado & Institutional Retention Data

Institutional Strategies Emerging Scholars Accomplishments

Campuses:• Greeley, CO• Fort Lupton, CO• Loveland, CO• Windsor, CO • Online

Founded:• 1967

• Over 130 degree & certificate programs

About Aims

Weld County 3,992 Square MilesElevation: 4,658 ft.

Climate: Snowfall: 33.7” Days Sunshine: 340

Aims College Enrollment

Retention – National Data First to Second Year Retention Rates

(ACT Institutional Data File 2010)

Institution Type N Mean %

Two-year public 824 55.7%

Two-year private 102 58.6%

BA/BS public 78 67.6%

BA/BS private 390 68.7%

Lack of “College-Readiness”(National Center for Educational Statistics, US Department of Education, 2007)

Percentage of U.S. College Students Needing Remediation in 2007

2009 Colorado High School Graduates Requiring Remediation at Two-Year Public Schools Colorado Commission on Higher Education 2011 Legislative Report—02/11

Aims Data

Comparison of Remedial Needs of New Students at Aims

Institutional Strategies for Improving Student Retention

• Fall 2006 – STAR pilot (STudent Achievement and Retention) – Title III grant funded (US Department of Education) High-risk students (1st generation, low income,

undecided/undeclared, academic probation) 74% of cohort required remediation Services include intensive academic advising,

extended orientation, early alert 60% retention of first term cohort

Theoretical Framework

• Nevitt Sanford – Challenge & Support

• Vincent Tinto– Academic/Social Integration – Goal/Institutional Commitment

• Nancy Schlossberg– Mattering vs. Marginality

Staff Working with Emerging Scholars Program

• Assistant Director

• Retention Advisor—full-time

• 3 part-time Retention Advisors

• Advisors at outlying campuses

• College Prep Faculty

• First-Year Experience Course Coordinator

• Financial Aid Director

Emerging Scholars Admission Criteria

New to Aims Community College• Unless concurrently enrolled in high school

Degree or Certificate Seeking Have 2 or more academic deficiencies

(English, Math, Reading)—optional Have 3 or more needs—highly recommended

Cohort Goal – 300 students

Emerging Scholars Program Requirements

Fill out an ES application during first registration period Meet 3 times each semester with the assigned advisor Allow the institution to place a registration hold on his/her

account requiring an approval for any changes Enroll in and complete college prep courses with a “C” or

better and limit enrollment on other academic courses Enroll in and complete a college success (FYE) course—1st

semester Attend a minimum of 2 student success workshops during

each semester after 1st term Financial incentive

College Success Class (AAA 101)• Topics include:

Welcome, class overview, college jargon Time management Reading your textbook Note-taking from a textbook Campus resources on the web Note-taking from a lecture Stress free math Students rights and responsibilities Memory and concentration Wellness and health issues Mastering self-management (setting priorities and goals) Paying for college Test taking strategies and final exam preparation Career exploration College pathways – transferring and career

Emerging Scholars - Fall 2007 Demographic Breakdown

95 participants in Fall 2007 Age

• 60% are 18-19 years of age Ethnicity

• 49% White• 42% Hispanic• 3% Native American• 2% Black• 3% Unknown

Gender• 63% Female• 34% Male

Status• 62% Full-time students

Academic Needs• 26% with 2 academic needs• 74% with 3 academic needs

Emerging Scholars Outcomes

Emerging Scholars vs. Control Group Comparison of GPA

Fall 2007

2.35

2.01

1.8

1.9

2

2.1

2.2

2.3

2.4

Emerging ScholarsControl Group

Emerging Scholars vs. Control Group Comparison of RetentionFall 2007 to Spring 2008

76.8%

58.6%

0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

80.0%

90.0%

Emerging ScholarsControl Group

Emerging Scholars Outcomes

Emerging Scholars Outcomes

Institutional OutcomesNew Students with Academic Needs in Fall

Semesters 03, 04, 05, 06, 07 and Their Overall Retention

39.33%

45.95%

48.48%47.22%

53.70%

26.39%

33.44% 33.24%

29.88%

45.59%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

55%

Fall 03 - TotalNew Students

1383

Fall 04 - TotalNew Students

1199

Fall 05 - TotalNew Students

1023

Fall 06 - TotalNew Students

1205

Fall 07 - TotalNew Students

987

% Students With Academic Needs % Students With Academic Needs Retained

Emerging ScholarsFall ‘07 Emerging Scholars Cohort vs. Control Group

Fall to Fall Retention Comparison

Emerging Scholars – Spring 2008 Demographic Breakdown

117 participants in Spring 2008 Age

• 43% are <18-19 years of age• 17% are 30+ years of ages

Ethnicity• 47% White• 42% Hispanic• 2% Native American• 2% Black• 1% Asian• 6% Unknown

Gender• 57% Female• 41% Male

Status• 53% Full-time students

Academic Needs• 32.5% with 2 academic needs• 67.5% with 3 academic needs

Emerging Scholars OutcomesEmerging Scholars vs. Control Group

Comparison of GPA Spring 2008

2.25

2.03

2

2.1

2.2

2.3

Emerging ScholarsControl Group

Emerging Scholars Outcomes

Emerging ScholarsSpring ‘08 Emerging Scholars Cohort vs. Control Group

Spring to Spring Retention Comparison

  Emerging Scholars Retention, GPA, Success

 Emerging Scholars Total by Semester

Retained to Spring semester

% Retained to Spring Semester

GPA First Semester

Retained Fall to Fall

% Retained Fall to Fall

Fall 07 95 72 76% 2.35 55 58%

Fall 08 274 195 71% 2.23 140 51%

Fall 09 361 276 76% 2.40 163 45%

Fall 10 225 160 71% 2.26   110 49% 

 

 Emerging Scholars Total by Semester

Retained to Fall semester

% Retained to Fall Semester

GPA First Semester

Retained Spring to Spring

% Retained Spring to Spring

Spring 08 126 83 66% 2.53 43 34%

Spring 09 278 162 58% 2.38 139 50%

Spring 10 407 200 49% 2.31 161 40%

Spring 11 257 151 58.9%       

Quantitative Results

Some Key Accomplishments Served over 1,185 students since Fall 2007 Moved to a new location within Learning

Commons (STAR Center) Established a Peer Mentoring Program Received TG Grant Program ($115,750) Instrumental in developing and implementing the

institutional “Mandatory Course Placement Chart” and procedure

Modified financial incentive model from grant to scholarship with support of Financial Aid Director

Contact Information Dr. Patricia A. Matijevic Paula Yanish

Dean for Student Services Director, Student Success Center

970-339-6374 patricia.matijevic@aims.edu 970-339-6537 paula.yanish@aims.edu

Marti Demarest Shannon McCasland

Director, Gateway to College Assistant Director, Student Life

Marti.Demarest@frontrange.edu 970-339-6563 shannon.mccasland@aims.edu

303-404-5167