Transcript Document

Achieving the Dream
at Durham Technical Community College
Fall 2005 Non-returning
Student Survey
Teaching and Learning Center Presentation
September 20, 2006
Presentation Overview
Achieving the Dream
 Survey History/Purpose
 Fall 2004 Non-returning Students
 Fall 2005 Non-returning Students
 Comparison/Contrast
 Achieving the Dream Student Challenges
 Durham Tech Supports Students

Achieving the Dream
at Durham Tech
Student centered vision
 Culture of evidence and accountability
 Commitment to excellence and equity

Durham Tech is committed to increasing
the percentage of students who…
complete remedial courses and move on to
credit-bearing courses.
 enroll in and complete “gatekeeper” courses
such as introductory math and English.
 complete the courses they take, earning a
grade of C or higher.
 re-enroll from one semester to the next.
 earn certificates and/or degrees.

Survey History
Developed and implemented a short phone
survey, Spring 2005
 Minor revisions, Spring 2006

Purpose
To understand why students choose not to reenroll at Durham Tech
Ultimate Goal
To increase the success of Durham Tech
students, particularly those in groups that have
been underserved
Fall Semester 2004 Cohort
577 new students enrolled at Durham Tech
 147 (25%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2005)
 56 students surveyed by phone
(February/March)

Fall Semester 2005 Cohort
604 new students enrolled at Durham Tech
 167 (28%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2006)
 47 students surveyed by phone
(March/April)

Non-returning
Student Demographics
Fall 2004
Fall 2005
Gender of Non-Returning
Achieving the Dream Students
100
74
80
60
93
89
58
40
20
0
Male
Female
2004 (N=147)
58
89
2005 (N=167)
74
93
Race of Non-Returning
Achieving the Dream Students
100
75
80
60
59
81
64
40
20
0
1 1
3 6
2
10
7 5
White
Black
Indian
Hispanic
Asian
Other
2004 (N=147)
59
75
1
3
2
7
2005 (N=167)
64
81
1
6
10
5
GPA Distribution for Non-Returning Achieving the
Dream Students
100
70
80
66
60
40
20
0
29
25
7
7
12 19 11
14 13
2
2004 (N=147)
2005 (N=167)
GPA unrecorded
25
29
GPA=0
66
70
0<GPA<1
7
2
1<GPA<2
7
14
2<GPA<3
12
13
3<GPA<4
19
27
GPA=4
11
12
27
12
Top Programs
of Non-returning Students
Associate in Arts
 Associate in Nursing
 Associate in Science
 Associate in Business Administration
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Top Programs
of Non-returning Students
(Developmental Percentages)
Associate in Arts (66%)
 Associate in Nursing (100%)
 Associate in Science (56%)
 Associate in Business Administration (67%)

Important
100 of the 167 non-returning students were
developmental students
Students are not returning
Why?
Reasons Why Survey Students
Did Not Re-enroll, Spring 2005
Work related responsibilities
 Personal/family obligations
 Financial
 Transferred to another school
 Other

24%
22%
16%
10%
28%
Reasons Why Survey Students
Did Not Re-enroll, Spring 2006
Personal/family obligations
 Transferred to another school
 Work related responsibilities
 Transportation
 Financial
 Other

32%
16%
13%
13%
7%
19%
National Student Clearinghouse Data
21 (13%) of the 167 students who did not
return to Durham Tech transferred to another
community college or university.
What Students Said…
Greatest Challenges, 2006
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“Juggling school, child, home life”
“Balancing everyday schedule with classes”
“Scheduling my work and classes”
“Getting my financial aid”
“Very challenging taking a full course load”
“Understanding course material”
“Waiting to pay money for the class”
“Homework, not used to doing homework. I’ve
been out of school for a while.”
“Preparing for classes”
“Traveling from Raleigh”
“Making class after work on Monday nights”
“Going to school at age 60”
“I feel I played around a lot, but I
want to buckle down now.”
Survey respondent who plans to re-enroll
“I have a lot on my plate with a
baby, job and other personal
obligations.”
Survey respondent who plans to re-enroll
Goal Setting
“Some students are so mired in the
complexity of staying alive that they
may not even be able to understand
what goals are and how they could
be important.”
Glenn Gabbard, Ed.D., Data Facilitator
Achieving the Dream Project
Question
How many of the 47 students surveyed said
that Durham Tech deserved an “A” for the
support they received during their first
semester?
Letter Grade for Support
Grade from Durham Tech Students
A
B
C
D
F
19
17
9
0
1
One student did not participate
If students feel supported,
then why aren’t they returning?
Missed Opportunity
Many of our Achieving the Dream students do
not realize their potential. Instead of seeking
help, they choose not to re-enroll.
Perspective
“Today, pre-collegiate courses are
more likely to be populated by
students recently out of high school
where, in fact, they never mastered
these essential skills of English and
math.”
Rose Asera
“Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”
“If I have lost confidence in myself,
I have the universe against me.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
Essayist and Poet (1803-1882)
Perspective
“Many of these students have had
years of negative experiences with
school and need courses in which
they can, in effect, more successfully
learn the content and learn to be
students.”
Rose Asera
“Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”
A Positive Survey Vibe, 2005
25 students (45%) plan to re-enroll
 11 were “not sure”
 13 responded they would not be returning
 Most students referred to Counseling and
Student Development indicated an interest
in returning

A Positive Survey Vibe, 2006
17 students plan to re-enroll
 13 were “not sure”
 16 responded they would not be returning
 1 transferred to another school

Durham Tech
Supports Students
How DTCC Supports Students
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Early Alert
Mentoring program
Minority male mentoring
Single parent club
Campus Learning Center
Writing and math labs
Student Senate
College prep program
Student success workshops
Accessible instructors
“Self-confidence is the first requisite
to great undertakings.”
Samuel Johnson
English author (1709-1784)