Goals and Strategies
Driving Success
5 Goals of SSI
The college measures its success through the core SSI goals and employs multiple intervening strategies to achieve them.
Goal 1: Increase Persistence (Term-to-Term & Fall to Fall)
Context: The college holds mandatory orientation sessions to ensure first-time college students receive valuable information on getting started at ACC. This is the first of many steps that transition new students into the college experience and connect them early to staff and resources to help them succeed. Each campus holds half-day sessions before the fall and spring semesters, with an online version always an option.
Strategies:
- Mandatory student orientation (TOP) for first-time college students (FTIC)
- Enhance First Year Experience
Goal Leader: Dr. Kathleen Christensen, Vice President of Student Services and Success Systems
Goal 2: Complete Developmental and Adult Education course progression to credit courses
Context: Nationwide, statistics are daunting: At least half of all underprepared students drop out of college within the first year. To turn these numbers around at ACC, Developmental Education is replacing the traditional classroom/lecture model with more supportive learning communities, lab-oriented learning with personalized instruction, and Supplemental Instructional to extend learning opportunities. In addition, our Adult Education Division boasts a College Connection program that helps GED graduates successfully transition into college and on their way to a degree.
Strategies for 2012-2013:
- Scale-up MATD 0385
- Adult Education College Prep expansion
Goal 3: Increase Completion of All Attempted Courses with a 'C' or Better
Context: College students seeking an associate degree must complete a core curriculum of English, math, science, history, and other general education subjects before they take classes in their major. These gateway courses can be a significant roadblock for new college students. Professors in ACC’s Faculty Coaches Program analyze SSI data to provide solutions to identified learning gaps. Solutions often include revising course curriculum, adopting individualized communication tactics, and improving professional development opportunities for faculty.
Strategies (version 2.0):
- Enhance and Institutionalize Faculty Coaches Program
- Focus and scale up Supplemental Instruction
- Implement learning communities where appropriate
- Implement Faculty Development Office
Goal Leader: Mike Midgley, Vice President of Instruction
Goal 4: Increase Degree/Certificate Graduates and Transfer Rates
Context: Completion of college degrees and/or certificates correlates highly with significant social and economic gains for both the individual and for society. However, despite the intent by the majority of community college students to achieve these goals, completions and transfer rates remain low. Community colleges across the country have begun working strategically to increase the numbers of students who complete certificates and degrees and who transfer to universities. Increasing degree and certificate completions and increasing transfer rates is a key Student Success Initiative goal for ACC.
| Primary Metrics | Baseline (2009) | Goal (2015) | Increase # | Increase % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate/Degree Completions | 1,913 | 2,286* | 373 | 19.5%** |
| 6 Year Transfer Rates | 17% | 21% | n/a | 23.5% |
| Secondary Metrics | ||||
| Declared Majors *** | 93% | 100% | n/a | 7.5% |
*Closing the Gaps 2015 Institutional Goal.
**Longer term goal is 50% increase in completions by 2020 and is based on the American Graduation Initiative.
***Declaring a major correlates highly with degree/certificate completion.
Strategies:
- Increase Career Planning services
- Enhance and scale up Transfer services
- Increase Transfer resources, including Reverse Transfer
- Implement Automated Degree Audit
Goal 5: Increase success equity across all racial/ethnic/gender/income groups
Context: The fastest growing populations in Central Texas are the least likely to graduate high school and enroll in higher education. For the region to sustain its economic vitality, we must close the education gaps, increase graduation rates, and build a well-educated, well-trained workforce for the future.
Strategies:
- Enhance and integrate the Black Student Success Committee’s (BSSC) academic networking events with First Year Experience
- Expand and institutionalize Men of Distinction Program (.pdf)
- Baseline Data
