Final 1/23/15

Enrollment Management Task Force

Institutional Commitment to Enrollment Management Recommendations Presented the President of the College, January 23, 2015

Background Cerro Coso Community College has never had a committee or working group specifically charged with oversight of enrollment management. Throughout much of its history, the college’s landlocked geography meant students coming to the community college in the service area had only one option. Starting in 2000, a period of sustained growth took place across California and the nation that, for several years on end, seemed limitless. This was fueled primarily by distance education, which Cerro Coso was uniquely positioned to capitalize on. CC-Online grew 55% between Fall 2008 and Fall 2010, up to a record 10,000 enrollments. By spring 2011, distance education accounted for 52.4% of the college’s FTES. But little of this growth was intentionally managed at Cerro Coso. Sections that could fill were opened; onsite options were trimmed, including classes needed to complete degrees and certificates; entire programs moved online where the students were; and expensive-to-print schedules and catalogs were no longer distributed but made available only on the college website. By 2011, however, this period of growth had come to an end. Contributing factors were the resurging economy, system-wide policy changes, the growth of unaccredited career colleges, and the aggressive marketing by online competitors, including other California community colleges. Because the college had not managed growth on the way up, it was in no position to effectively address the shortfall on the way down. Moreover, the fact that so many of the college’s enrollments were online now meant it had become particularly vulnerable to online competition—a state of affairs that continues to be a challenge with system-wide efforts like the Open Education Initiative. By Fall 2013, first-day enrollments were down 25% across the college from what they had been just three years before, with each campus location feeling the decline. For these reasons, in Spring 2014, the President appointed the Enrollment Management Task Force to define enrollment management’s purpose, strategies, and key performance indicators; to develop recommendations for improving enrollment management practice at Cerro Coso Community College; and to recommend a structure for institutionalization of enrollment management oversight. Parallel to the work of the task force have been a number of initiatives and planning efforts associated with state legislation and the college’s ongoing efforts to improve student achievement. Tactics associated with the Student Success and Support Program, Achieving the Dream, and Student Equity include comprehensive action plans that overlap with enrollment management strategies. Where appropriate, these plans have been referenced in the resources section of this document to indicate where action plans already address a point on the continuum of the student experience pathway. Members Deanna Campbell Clifford Davis Tom Foggia Pamela Godfrey Matt Hightower Corey Marvin, Chair Rene Mora

Final 1/23/15

Mary O’Neal Heather Ostash Jennifer San Nicolas Paula Suorez Proceedings The Task Force had its initial meeting on May 9, 2014. It quickly determined that enrollment management was more than scheduling sections but encompassed activities as wide-ranging as identifying student populations, reaching and attracting them effectively, removing barriers to application and registration, improving access to information, providing clear pathways to degrees and certificates, and enabling persistence and completion. In short, it encompassed the entire student experience. For that reason, the committee established the following purpose of enrollment management:

Enrollment management is a comprehensive process designed to help achieve and maintain optimum enrollment. It has an effect at all points of the student experience: recruitment, intake, first year, second year, and graduation. Institution-wide, it relies on all employee groups and permeates every aspect of the college’s function and culture.

It set the following goals:

Stabilize enrollments

Increase persistence and retention

Increase completion

Improve the link between academic and student services programs

Improve access to information for both internal and external constituencies

Reduce vulnerability to demographic changes and improve tactical response to changing economic forces And it identified the following key performance indicators as signs of effective enrollment management practice at Cerro Coso Community College (source of data in parentheses):

30-Unit Rate (CCCCO Scorecard)

Adult participation rate (College in Review)

Attrition rate (ODS)

Completion rate for CTE (CCCCO Scorecard)

Completion rate for degree/transfer (CCCCO Scorecard)

English remediation rate (CCCCO Scorecard)

Enrollment at first day, census, and end of term (ODS)

FTES (ODS)

Headcount (ODS)

High school yield (College in Review)

Math remediation rate (CCCCO Scorecard)

Number of majors in programs (Annual Program Review Data)

Percentage of students completing core services (ODS)

Percentage of students with an informed educational goal (ODS)

Persistence Rate (CCCCO Scorecard)

Productivity (ODS)

Retention rate (ODS)

Success rate (ODS)

Final 1/23/15

During a series of five videoconferenced meetings in Fall 2014, the task force reviewed existing procedures and strategies, examined literature on best practices, and created recommendations for the following categories of the student experience at Cerro Coso Community College:

A. Outreach and Recruitment B. Intake C. First Year D. Program Completion E. Graduation

The background; recommendations with timelines, outcomes, budget implications, rationales, and key performance indicators; and resources for each of the above stages follow.

Final 1/23/15

A. Outreach and Recruitment

Introduction

A strong enrollment management strategy starts with identifying students and attracting them to the college’s programs. Questions to ask are what types of students can we serve well and what are the most advantageous recruitment strategies for these segments? Currently, the college provides blanket outreach events, such as College Preview Day and I’m Going to College. But it needs to follow other schools in more effectively identifying students within specific populations and using targeted strategies to attract them to the institution. This is a much more effortful and intentional process than the college has been used to. Moreover, as a school with 50% online enrollment, Cerro Coso Community College is particularly vulnerable to online competition. “Our” students could go anywhere. What are we doing to attract them to us? A more intentional recruitment effort would stabilize enrollments, increase persistence and retention, and increase completion, but its primary value is reducing vulnerability to demographic changes.

Recommendations

The Enrollment Management Task Force recommends that

1. Faculty chairs and the Director of Student Activities, Outreach, and Recruitment work with discipline faculty, deans, directors, and the Manager of Public Relations, Marketing, and Development to develop and implement recruitment plans for each program offered at each site, including online. While faculty chairs and discipline faculty will play a primary role in developing and guiding implementation of the plans, significant support will be provided by student services, management, and operations in providing an infrastructure of communication, research, and event planning. At a minimum, the plans must address the following:

a. Identification of the program’s primary target population(s) b. Analysis of where the target population(s) exists and how to reach it c. Description of specific activities, events, and marketing strategies that can be used to reach

the target population(s) Timeline: Summer 2015 Outcome: Plan developed by May 2015; planned activities, events, and marketing beginning Summer 2015 Budget Implications: Costs associated with new activities, events, and marketing strategies Rationale: It is no longer enough to open sections on the internet as a way to generate enrollment. It has been several years since the college printed schedules and catalogs and direct-mailed them as a marketing strategy. But even this is not targeted enough in this era of offering programs rather than classes. Where are these students? How do we reach them? How do we attract them to the college? In short, how are we ensuring that we have enough students to start programs? Because it would stabilize enrollments, establishing a pipeline through targeted outreach efforts will serve us well not only in good times but also bad. Key Performance Indicator: Number of majors in programs

2. The Manager, Public Relations, Marketing and Development implement a marketing campaign that brands Cerro Coso Community College as the “school of choice” for students in the service area, particularly high school students. This campaign must stress the quality of education at the college as well as its value, and it is highly recommended that faculty be used centrally in the marketing of programs. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcome: Development of ads, news stories, promotions, flyers, direct mailers, and other marketing strategies that promote “School of Choice” brand, as applicable in both the onground and online environments

Final 1/23/15

Budget Implications: Costs associated with new marketing strategies Rationale: While the literature suggests that a community college is likely to be missing many opportunities to tap into under-utilized markets—such as international students, Hispanic young adults, 50+ job seekers, and those high school students who don’t have proper “college knowledge,” those who don’t see a connection between higher education and work, and those who don’t see the value proposition of the community college—the one common denominator for reaching all of these segments is making the college the best higher education option in the service area. This baseline branding must emphasize the quality as well as the value of the community college path. Key Performance Indicators: High school yield, adult participation rate

3. The President direct the establishment of an ongoing enrollment management oversight committee. It is recommended that the group mirror the Institutional Effectiveness Committee in being principally made up of faculty and management leaders involved in closely associated committees, such as the Student Success and Support Council and the Marketing Committee. Timeline: Spring 2015 Outcome: Committee established Budget Implications: None Rationale: It is important that the college have an ongoing work group that oversees enrollment management strategies and efforts. Most enrollment management branches are located in Student Services and closely tied with advising services, financial aid, and Admissions and Records. By being part of a triad of closely associated committees with the Student Success and Support Council and the college’s marketing committee, the new enrollment management committee would be composed of those faculty and staff most involved in the initiatives and strategies recommended in this report. Key Performance Indicators: N/A

Resources

“Parkland College Enrollment Management Model.” Seldman, A. ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED 384 375) Future Students, Future Revenues. Educational Advisory Board. Turning High School Partnerships into College Enrollments. Educational Advisory Board, 2014. Student Equity Plan- Access Indicator Action Plans

Final 1/23/15

B. Intake

Introduction

Getting students to the doorstep of the college is the first crucial step of enrollment management. Getting them inside the door and enrolled into classes is the second. Historically, Cerro Coso Community College has had a well-defined intake process, but this process has been undergoing significant revision and review based on changes in state legislation and on a wealth of results coming from such initiatives the Completion Agenda and Achieving the Dream. The following recommendations at the intake stage will help stabilize enrollments, increase persistence and retention, improve the link between academic and student services programs, and improve access to information for both internal and external constituencies.

Recommendations

The Enrollment Management Task Force recommends that

1. The Vice President of Student Services work with the Director of Counseling and others to improve intake services and increase the number of students completing the intake process. The following strategies, identified in the Achieving the Dream Priority Work Plan for 2014, are endorsed by the task force:

a. Implement a process for requiring students to participate in core services that make up the intake process (orientation, assessment, counseling, and education planning)

b. Implement improvements based on the gaps identified in the mapping of intake processes c. Develop materials and resources to engage faculty in the campaign for students to complete

matriculation components, particularly orientation d. Implement identified technology solutions for scaling up matriculation services to students e. Develop a schedule of sufficient number of workshops, open houses, orientations,

assessments, etc. to meet increased student demand Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcomes: More faculty engaged in orientation and other matriculation stages, implementation of the EAB intake tool, implementation of a test preparation tool for Accuplacer, development of a sufficient number of matriculation activities to meet student demand Budget Implications: Costs associated with these activities are high. Categorical funds are available and committed to these efforts. Rationale: The state has renewed the focus on and support for core services (Matriculation) because research suggests that it would have a positive impact on student outcomes. Cerro Coso has a relatively low percentage of students participating in core services and completing the intake process, particularly for online students. Increasing the number of students completing core services and improving those processes is an opportunity for the college to have a significant impact on student outcomes. Key Performance Indicators: Percentage of students completing core services

2. The Vice President of Student Services will work with District Operations to add major and educational goal information to the class rosters for faculty. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcome: Increase in faculty communicating with students about education planning and goals, improvement in student connection to the program and department Budget Implications: None Rationale: This strategy was identified in the Student Equity Plan for improvement on the certificate and degree completion indicator. Faculty have the most significant and ongoing opportunity to interact with students and are the subject area experts on program information. Students who are

Final 1/23/15

more engaged in and committed to a goal and major are more likely to complete a degree or certificate or other educational goal, like transfer. Key Performance Indicators: Percentage of students with an informed educational goal

3. The Director of Distance Education and the Director of Counseling collaborate to develop and implement a separate orientation for online students. Timeline: Spring 2015 Outcome: Orientation in place and online students required to take it Budget Implications: Rationale: This project was originally called for in the Distance Education Task Force report of 2011 and continues to be a key component in ensuring student preparedness in the online environment. The project was begun in Fall 2014 and needs to be finished and required of all students registering for online courses. Key Performance Indicators: attrition in online courses, retention in online courses

4. The Vice President of Academic Affairs work with the Academic Senate to investigate the development of a mechanism and process for giving incoming students academic credit for prior learning experience. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcome: White paper recommending adoption of a practice and process Budget Implications: No costs associated with the recommendation per se; unknown costs associated with implementation. While some incoming students would not have to take courses to complete programs, thus reducing enrollment and FTES, it is expected that many more students would be attracted to programs offering the option, thus increasing enrollment and FTES. Rationale: One of the obstacles for returning students is having to take a course of formal instruction in an area where they may already have job experience. Every extra semester a returning student has to take classes is an additional semester he or she balances school and family, makes trade-offs with work, pays for tuition and books, and puts his or her future life on hold. Giving credit for prior learning experience is a way to acknowledge the experience many students bring with them as well as make the college an attractive option for returning adults. Key Performance Indicators: Numbers of majors in programs utilizing this option

Resources

Meeting The Completion Challenge: Targeting High-Return Student Success Strategies. Educational Advisory Board, 2012. Cerro Coso Community College Achieving the Dream Implementation Plan, 2014 Cerro Coso Community College Student Success and Support Plan, 2014 Cerro Coso Community College Student Equity Plan, 2014 Cerro Coso Community College Faculty Inquiry Group Themes, April 2014

Final 1/23/15

C. First Year

Introduction

The “First Year” in the title of this stage of enrollment management refers to the important milestones of the start of a student’s time with us—the first day, the first two weeks, the first semester, the first year. These are all stop-out points. Higher persistence through these initial milestones means more students will be returning to take classes, which means more stable enrollments. Over the last three years, Cerro Coso has lost an average of 2,700 enrollments each primary term between first day and census and another 1,600 by the end of the term. A key component of this first year stage is optimum scheduling—students getting the sections they need. A second is giving faculty the tools and training they need to address factors of student stop-out that are within their ability to influence. Recommendations at this stage address stabilizing enrollments, increasing persistence and retention, increasing completion, and improving access to information for both internal and external constituencies.

Recommendations

The Enrollment Management Task Force recommends that:

1. The Vice President of Academic Affairs implement a scheduling strategy based on the following guiding principles, with specific strategies and practices to be developed through the college’s consultative processes:

a. Courses to be offered shall be based on pathways; b. Number of sections of any particular course shall be based on historical offerings with trends

in growth or decline taken into account; c. Sections placed on the schedule shall be committed to and not cancelled for low enrollment; d. A “risk” allocation may be made to a department or program to increase its offerings for a

defined time if growth is reasonably expected based on planning; e. A defined students-per-section target shall be recommended annually for the college; f. Defined student-per-section targets shall be recommended annually for departments; g. Required sections needed to run a program will not be cut for low enrollment, but continued

low enrollment as a pattern will be the basis of a recommendation the Academic Senate for program discontinuance;

Timeline: Spring 2015 Outcome: Scheduling strategy shared with faculty chairs and implemented in Spring 2015 for summer and fall schedule building Budget Implications: None in itself Rationale: A scheduling strategy that is straight-forward, clear, responsive, and committed will position the college well in reducing vulnerabilities to enrollment fluctuations as well as capitalize on growth opportunities. This strategy starts with pathways and historical trends. It commits to sections scheduled (on the philosophy that students should not be penalized for college missteps). It commits to running at least the minimum number of sections required for any program. It provides for a growth allocation if a department can reasonably make a case that it expects growth. And it holds deans and departments responsible for productivity. There is something for everyone here: stability, opportunity, and accountability. Key Performance Indicators: productivity, headcount, FTES, enrollment at first day, census, and end of term

2. The Vice President of Academic Affairs work with District Institutional Research to perform a comprehensive survey of first-day no-shows and students who drop before census to give the college better information about why these students do not persist.

Final 1/23/15

Timeline: Completed by December 2015 Outcome: Survey developed and administered, results shared Budget Implications: None Rationale: The college periodically gathers a variety of information from students—Community College Survey of Student Engagement, student satisfaction surveys, student evaluations of faculty, graduation surveys--but these are all students who remain with us. Just as important in terms of stabilizing enrollment is finding out why students do not show after registering, drop before census, or withdraw by the end of the semester. Though envisioned as a one-time event, the survey could be repeated in subsequent semesters if a follow up is deemed to be desirable. Key Performance Indicators: N/A

3. The Vice President of Academic Affairs work with the faculty flex coordinator to provide ongoing faculty professional development on topics related to early-term best practices for reducing attrition and improving retention and persistence, such as effectively using the first day to develop connections, engaging first generation students, raising cultural awareness, and addressing achievement gaps Timeline: Fall 2015 and ongoing Outcome: Professional development activities implemented Budget Implications: Costs associated with enhanced professional development activities Rationale: Cerro Coso Community College loses a very large number of students in the first two weeks. Although this is mostly in the online program, many students come to the community college with feelings of anxiety and intimidation—at the very least looking to be directed, focused, nurtured, engaged, connected, and valued. These feelings can be negatively or positively impacted by what takes place in the classroom. Professional development along these lines can help faculty and staff understand and effectively address these feelings. Performance Indicators: attrition, retention, success, degree/transfer completion rate, CTE completion rate for CTE

4. The Vice President of Academic Affairs work with the new LAC Coordinator to reform tutoring practices. The task force strongly supports the recommendation in the Achieving the Dream implementation plan to use peer tutors to provide a layer of targeted instruction aimed at a class or level (“supplemental instruction”) for the purpose of improving support for basic skills. In addition, a process for implementing comprehensive, ongoing, and consistent tutoring support for online courses must be initiated. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcome: Development of a writing and math center Budget Implications: Possible increased number of hours for tutoring to be paid partially out of Basic Skills Initiative or Student Equity funds Rationale: While a more conventional supplemental instruction program was initially recommended in the Achieving the Dream plan, implementing it has proven to be a challenge for a college of our size. A more viable option is the development of a math and writing “center” through which math and English instruction would be supported, not class by class as in traditional supplemental instruction programs, but level by level. Key Performance Indicators: English remediation rate, Math remediation rate

Resources

The College Fear Factor: How Students and Professors Misunderstand One Another. Rebecca D. Cox. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2009.

Final 1/23/15

Student Support (Re)defined: Using Student Voices to Redefine Support. RP Group, 2013. Supplementary resources:

What Students Say They Need to Succeed. RP Group, 2013.

10 Ways Faculty Can Support Student Success. RP Group.

10 Ways Everyone Can Help Support Student Success. RP Group. Cerro Coso Community College Achieving the Dream Implementation Plan, 2014 Cerro Coso Community College Student Success and Support Plan, 2014 Cerro Coso Community College Student Equity Plan, 2014

Final 1/23/15

D. Program Completion

Introduction

This step of enrollment management refers to the middle and late stages of a student’s progress toward completion of a program, even a one-year certificate. The most crucial stop-out points are behind—recruitment, intake, the first day, the first week, the first semester. But this stage provides plenty of concerns for enrollment management. Keeping students connected, nurtured, valued, engaged, directed, and focused on the end goal is a challenge for all employee segments. But it is especially true for faculty members, who play the most important role in giving students the momentum they need late in a program. Recommendations at this stage will help primarily to increase persistence and retention, increase completion, and improve the link between academic and student services programs.

Recommendations

The Enrollment Management Task Force recommends that

1. The Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Vice President of Student Services, and the Director of Administrative Services work with the Professional Development Committee to implement a comprehensive year-long set of flex activities, “lunch and learns,” and staff training opportunities on the topic of what students say they need to succeed and how the institution, from faculty to groundskeepers, can directly support them in doing so. Timeline: Implemented Fall 2015, completed Spring 2016 Outcomes: Professional development activities planned, offered, and assessed Budget Implications: Costs associated with flex activities, including possibly bringing in speakers Rationale: In 2011, the RP Group embarked on a three-year study aimed at finding out what community college students themselves say institutions, instructors, and others can do to help them succeed. The result of this study was a series of publications under the general title of “Student Support (Re)defined,” ranging from the full research reports to action briefs. Faculty and staff would benefit from hearing what students themselves say contributes to their success, assess our own approach to support and identifying areas for change, and engage in dialogue and action that improve student support and increase completion. Key Performance Indicators: attrition, retention, success, degree/transfer completion rate, increased CTE completion rate

2. The Vice President of Academic Affairs work with the Academic Senate to revise the College Catalog and the Senate’s syllabus template to include program applicability and to develop an information campaign for full- and part-time faculty about how to use this section effectively on first-day class meetings. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcome: Revised catalog format and syllabus template Budget Implications: None Rationale: Providing students continual information about how classes they are taking fit into their educational plans will increase awareness of program pathways, improve focus and connection, and encourage progress. Key Performance Indicator: degree/transfer completion rate, CTE completion rate

3. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Student Services initiate the development of milestone-recognition celebrations, including informational workshops for those getting ready to transfer. Timeline: Fall 2015 Outcomes: Milestone celebrations and workshops for completion planned, offered, and assessed

Final 1/23/15

Budget Implications: Costs associated with celebratory activities and transfer workshops Rationale: One of the best practices often cited in student success literature is the small but significant gesture of recognizing and celebrating the achievement of “momentum points.” Communicating and demonstrating to students that the faculty and staff care about their success go a long way in helping students feel more supported on campus. Key Performance Indicators: persistence rate, 30 units rate, degree/transfer completion rate, CTE completion rate

Resources

Student Support (Re)defined: Using Student Voices to Redefine Support. RP Group, 2013.

What Students Say They Need to Succeed. RP Group, 2013.

10 Ways Faculty Can Support Student Success. RP Group.

10 Ways Everyone Can Help Support Student Success. RP Group.

Final 1/23/15

E. Graduation

Introduction

Even after students complete their programs and leave Cerro Coso, they are in a position to tell us a lot about enrollment management. A post-graduation survey, a year or two out, can inform departments and programs about ways to increase completion, improve the link between academic and student services programs, and improve access to information for both internal and external constituencies. Currently, the college has no systematic way of surveying students after graduation.

Recommendations

The Enrollment Management Task Force recommends that

1. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and the Vice President of Student Services work with District Institutional Research to develop and implement a comprehensive post-graduation survey. Timeline: Student contact information gathered graduation 2015, survey first given summer 2016 Outcome: Post-graduation survey developed and implemented and results shared Budget Implications: Indirect costs associated with supporting institutional research office activities Rationale: Students currently take an exit survey upon petitioning for graduation. If that exit survey is used to gather students’ most up-to-date contact information and a release, they can be contacted a year later for a comprehensive follow up of the type recommended. The college can capture, a year out, what students are currently doing, how well they feel they were taught the program outcomes, and whether or not, as alumni, they would help with outreach and marketing. Key Performance Indicators: N/A

2. The Vice President of Academic Affairs and Vice President of Student Services work with the Academic Senate and transfer partners to investigate the feasibility of awarding transfer students retroactive associate degrees. Timeline: June 2016 Outcome: Partnerships established with universities to retroactively award associate degrees Budget Implications: None Rationale: In recent years, several two- and four-year institutions have developed partnerships that retroactively award associate degrees to transfer students. These agreements target students who transfer from a community college to a four-year institution just shy of associate degree attainment. Given that Cerro Coso students’ most popular transfer destination by far is private universities, it is completely feasible that entering into agreements with several of these could yield a noticeable increase in completers. Key Performance Indicators: degree/certificate completion, CTE completion

3. The Manager, Public Relations, Marketing and Development enhance the alumni program in a way that re-engages alumni to benefit enrollment management recommendations included in this report: as outreach and recruitment partners, as volunteer tutors, as donors and organizers of scholarships and recognition programs. Timeline: Fall 2015 and ongoing Outcome: Developed strategy to utilize alumni in the capacities listed above Budget Implications: Current staffing levels in the PIO office are inadequate for the proposed project. The enrollment management task force supports the PIO’s request in the 2014 annual unit plan for 2015-2016 to add a 12-month/40 hr. position for the purpose of helping to develop and maintain an active alumni program Rationale: Literature suggests that using alumni can be a powerful way to engage prospective and current students. Former students who have gone on to become successful are effective recruiters.

Final 1/23/15

From interactions with alumni, students in CTE areas receive encouragement to persist through rigorous academic programs. Alumni contacts can be very important for employment upon graduation and rank highly in student satisfaction with institutions. Alumni organizations (e.g., alumni affairs offices, alumni associations, student alumni associations) fund programs for students and alumni. Key Performance Indicators: N/A

Resources

Meeting The Completion Challenge: Targeting High-Return Student Success Strategies. Educational Advisory Board, 2012.