Transcript Document
Transfer Success: Skills to Succeed in a Baccalaureate Program Charlene A. Stinard, Director Transfer and Transition Services University of Central Florida March 7, 2014 Miami Dade College Staff Development Day Objectives • Identify critical elements of successful transfer • Maximize resources in support of transfer success • Collaborate for student success • Review examples of “best practices” and innovative programs • Assess program success Establishing the Context • Increasing enrollments in community colleges (Adelman 2006) • Community college to university remains the most prevalent pathway (Handel 2007) • President Obama’s support: American Graduation Initiative Institutional Context George Kuh identifies “High Impact Practices” • Define student success as high levels of learning and student development • Emphasize preparing students to become, not just to do (citizenship, lifelong learning, not just a job) • Encourage engagement: compensatory effects of engagement MDC Context • Large, diverse, public college • Demographics, significant “risk” factors – Hispanic/Black majority (gender differences) – First generation (learning “the ropes”) – Working, older (less connected to campus community) – Low income (financial literacy) – Levels of “college readiness” UCF Model: Transfer and Transition Services • Help students before they transfer • Work with them during the transition/first semester • Help them graduate by promoting engagement Focus on Preparation • Establish academic expectations early • Academic plans – First year success class – Exploring majors and careers – Completing GEP, taking prerequisites before transfer • Mandatory orientation and advising • Student Services/Faculty collaboration Partnerships • Academic preparation: advisors crucial role – Choosing a degree program – Confusion about AA or AS programs – Finding the appropriate major • Career Services to promote early decisions • Academic support programs Questions to Consider Partnerships at MDC • • • • Who are your partners? Who should be your partners? What programs promote collaboration? What are the barriers to collaboration? Partnerships • Involving academic and career advisors – Student affairs/services – Faculty – Other relevant relationships? • Promoting collaboration – Whose responsibility? • Identifying partners at receiving institutions – Administration, admissions, transfer office, student affairs/services, career center, financial aid, faculty Collaboration • Sharing data between institutions – Student success (GPA, retention/graduation rates) • Providing information and resources – Transfer Advising Workshop – annual updates – Dedicated transfer staff – Website: transfer information and resources • Regular joint meetings Strategies • Most effective strategies for improving student retention and college completion – Academic support programs – Mandatory advising – Programs for first-year students – Programs for honors students Noel-Levitz, 2013 Student Retention and College Completion Practices Report for Four-Year and Two-Year Institutions Strategies (2) • Identify targeted (at-risk) populations – GPA < 2.5 – Difficult majors: STEM, business – First generation, low income, minorities – Returning veterans – Students with Disabilities • Develop specific interventions, programs Strategies (3) • Resources for Students – Academic advising (mandatory) – Outreach programs (information about majors, careers) – Dedicated transfer staff: sending and receiving – Websites, targeted communications – Transfer checklists, steps to successful transitions Questions to Consider MDC Programs • Who are your best partners? Why does that work? • Where are the problems in encouraging collaboration? • What successful programs are in place for transferring students? Innovative Programs • Full-time TTS advisor at partner college • DirectConnect to UCF – early advising, guaranteed admission • S.E.E. UCF (Successful Early Exploration) – FTICs visit campus to explore majors and careers • Brother to Brother program – Multicultural and first generation men • Identifying “meta-major” interests Innovations • TTS Peer Mentor program – Pre-admission academic advisors – Establishing personal connections – Getting the student’s perspective – Listening to the “student voice” • New MASS project: Engaging Latino Students for Transfer and College Completion Program Planning and Assessment • Needs Assessment • Data analyses • Strategic planning factors – Institutional goals and needs – Community needs – Enrollment growth Assessment Cycle 2+ Direct Measures Student Learning Outcomes SMART Assess changes CHANGE Procedures Resources Outcomes Measures Determine evidence needed MATURE Collect data What is next? Report Results Who, what, when? Data Analyses and Assessment • Starting from scratch: who are your at-risk students? – Determining “at-risk” • Non-persistence, lack of progress, failure to complete their degree – Exploring strategies • Your experience, colleagues at peer institutions • State, regional, national trends Data Analysis • Types of student data and analyses – Admissions, enrollment – Demographics – Expectations, experiences, satisfaction – Retention, progression, graduation – Institutional, division, program data – Surveys, focus groups, interviews Program Effectiveness • Measuring the value of specific programs – Participant evaluations – Student surveys – Focus groups • Use information/data – Improve programming – Reach targeted student groups Assessment • Transfer student success – Transfer Shock: GPA information – Retention, graduation rates • Program assessment – How do we know what’s working? – Survey/focus group: What did students think? – Keep, revise, or scrap? Questions to Consider Assessment at MDC • Who is responsible for data gathering and analysis? • Do you have access to the data you need? • Is there support for program assessment? Next Steps • Program planning, development, and implementation strategies – Think “outside the box” – Benchmark similar institutions – Utilize institutional data – Promote collaborations and partnerships Finally.. • • • • Start with small pilot programs Establish baselines Develop a communications/marketing plan Attend to budget considerations early • Private funding - foundations • Federal funding – grants • Community resources Comments and Questions Thank you! Contact Information Charlene A. Stinard Transfer and Transition Services University of Central Florida 407-823-2231 [email protected]