Action Project #6:
Improving Student Retention
| Challenging | X | Easy | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Simple | X | Complex | ||||
| High Payoff | X | Low Payoff |
AQIP Criterion to which this primarily relates:
Helping Students Learn
Subsidiary AQIP Criteria:
Understanding Students' and Other Stakeholders' Needs
Index
- What is the business case of this project?
- What is the preliminary analysis of the problem; what is the opportunity?
- Briefly describe the scope of the project as well as the assumptions and restraints that are made. Do not proffer opinions on accountability or on the exact course of action that is needed.
- Which constituencies or stakeholders ought to serve on this Action Project team; which positions ought to be included in the team's membership?
- What guidelines should the team recognize as it responds to this Action project?
- What are the elements, milestones, and deliverables, that are envisioned for the project-and when should the team achieve these?
- Who are the most important stakeholders for this project?
- Who is (are) the Action Project Sponsor(s) for this project? How has support from the sponsor(s) been confirmed?
- Who are the AQIP Champions assigned to this project?
- Who will prepare a process map (if appropriate) of the areas in which measurement will be focused?
What is the business case of this project?
Improving retention and student success will increase enrollment, which will enhance institutional funding.
What is the preliminary analysis of the problem; what is the opportunity?
Too many students do not persist in entry-level classes, semester to semester, fall to fall, or to program completion. This project will provide the opportunity to address student persistence and retention and thus enhance student success, satisfaction, and program completion.
Briefly describe the scope of the project as well as the assumptions and restraints that are made. Do not proffer opinions on accountability or on the exact course of action that is needed.
The project's goals are the following:
- To evaluate the efficacy of existing strategies and establish mechanisms for utilizing this feedback to improve retention practices;
- To develop new initiatives for enhancing student retention which will yield measurable results that will serve as the basis for further process improvements.
- To evaluate the effectiveness of the recommended improvements relevant to the completion of the students' educational goals.
Which constituencies or stakeholders ought to serve on this Action Project team; which positions ought to be included in the team's membership?
The Action Project team should be comprised of SWIC faculty and administrators. Positions on the team should include transfer and non-transfer area faculty, an instructional dean, the Director of Student Success Programs, a campus vice provost, and a representative from Counseling, Financial Aid, College Activities, ABE, Information Technology/Institutional Research, the TRIO Program, Admissions and Records, and Administrative Services.
What guidelines should the team recognize as it responds to this Action project?
- The Action Project team should communicate routinely with the Developmental Education team to prevent duplication of effort.
- Action Project recommendations are subject to approval by the SPC and are subsequently reviewed with the Board of Trustees.
- The Action Project team will adhere to the timelines for the project.
What are the elements, milestones, and deliverables, that are envisioned for the project-and when should the team achieve these?
The elements of the project include the review, prioritization and development of intervention strategies that positively impact student success and persistence. The projected timeline is as follows:
- Form the full Action Project team and begin deliberations by April 2006
- Implement at least one currently underutilized retention strategy by fall semester of 2006.
- Complete review of retention literature and best retention practices at peer institutions by October 2006.
- Establish a prioritized list of retention strategies for the project by November 2006.
- Implement at least one new retention initiative as a pilot by January 2007.
- Measure and analyze the results of the fall 2006 strategy initiative by February 2007.
- Measure and analyze the results of the spring 2007 pilot by June 2007.
- Implement new retention initiatives by fall 2007.
- Assess the fall to fall retention of the fall 2006 subject group by September 2007.
- Assess the semester to semester retention rate for students involved in the fall 2007 initiatives by February 2008.
- Submit a final Action Project report of the accomplishments/recommendations made by March 2008.
- Embed into program review process - the evaluation of the effectiveness of the recommendations that resulted from this action project.
Who are the most important stakeholders for this project?
Students and their families, the entire college community, and area employers.
Who is (are) the Action Project Sponsor(s) for this project? How has support from the sponsor(s) been confirmed?
The Sponsors will be the divisions of Instruction, Student Development, and Community Services.
Who are the AQIP Champions assigned to this project?
Deborah Alford, Cindy Lewis, Patricia Pou, and Paul Wreford.