THE QUEENSBOROUGH ACADEMIES ASSESSMENT
PROTOCOL …
… guides the impact assessment of the Queensborough Academies
… is a modified and expanded version of the original assessment protocol of the Freshman
Academies.
… was developed with input from Academic Affairs; Strategic Planning, Assessment, and Institutional
Effectiveness; Student Affairs; and faculty.
The Office of Institutional Research and Assessment is executing and coordinating the assessment
based on the protocol (Dr. Fichera, Dir. Lackner)
THE AREAS, ASSESSMENT METHODS, AND THE THREE
“PRONGS” OF THE QUEENSBOROUGH ACADEMIES
Long term objectives: Increased graduation; retention; student satisfaction
Areas
Assessment methods
Prongs
First Semester Student Experience
First Semester Freshman
Experience Survey
Advisement and student
support
Student Support Network enabling
instructional support services and
student support services through the
use of technology (Starfish)
Analyses of Starfish Early Alert
usage and the effects on course
performance
Technology
High Impact Practices
HIP Experience Survey
High Impact Practices
Critical Course Analyses
Review of key courses with high
failure and withdrawal rates
http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/oira/docs/Academy-Assessment-Protocol.pdf
ADDITIONAL ASSESSMENT ACTIVITIES
Examples

CUNY Student Experience Survey (every other spring)

Noel Levitz Student Satisfaction Inventory (every other spring)

Analyses of association between HIP experiences and course performance and
college persistence

OIRA internal analysis of graduation, retention, and transfer out rates
HIGHLIGHTS OF FINDINGS 2013-2014
 First-Semester Student Experience Survey

Early Alert

High Impact Practice Experience Survey

Critical Course Analysis

Long Term Objectives
FIRST SEMESTER STUDENT EXPERIENCE SURVEY
N = 683

81 % of freshmen who attended orientation events agreed that these events made them
aware of the Academy they belong to

73 % of freshmen who interacted with their Academy Adviser since the start of the
semester agreed that this interaction improved the connection to the college community

92.4 % of freshmen have had no difficulty navigating through college procedures in their
first semester

98 % of freshmen had a positive (70.8%) or very positive (27.1%) attitude towards QCC.
STUDENT SUPPORT NETWORK: STARFISH
EARLY ALERT

Remedial course sections that used Early Alert had higher course pass rates and completion rates
(group average) than sections that did not participate in Early Alert.

Math gateway courses (group average), BU 101: Principles of Accounting I, BU 201: Business
Organization and Management, and Psychology 101 saw higher course pass rates since the start of
Early Alert.

Unofficial withdrawal rates (WU grades) have declined since fall 2013 in credit bearing courses
campus-wide.

Flagged students tended to be weaker students. Flagging alone does not get students to tutoring;
referrals are a potent action.

Students referred to a learning center through Starfish were much more likely to receive tutoring than
students who were only flagged.

Tutoring resulted in higher course pass rate gains for flagged students than for non-flagged students.
HIGH IMPACT PRACTICES EXPERIENCE
SURVEY N = 630
Students who had experienced one or more HIPs in fall 2013 offered the
following feedback in the survey:

70% felt more comfortable interacting with people from different backgrounds
and cultures

68% felt that their writing improved.

70% had used reflection to improve learning.

69% have been motivated to invest more time and effort into learning.
CRITICAL COURSE AND PROGRAM ANALYSIS
General education gateway courses with below 50% pass rate (C or better) of enrolled students in all
fall and spring terms since fall 2010. These heavily enrolled courses, critical for student progress
through the curriculum, have high official withdrawal rates every term:

BI 201: General Biology I

BI 301: Anatomy and Physiology I

HI 110: Introduction to Ancient Civilization

HI 112: Introduction to Modern Western Civilization

MA 120/119: College Algebra
VP Karen Steele (Strategic Planning, Assessment, and Institutional Effectiveness) is leading in-depth
reviews and discussions with the departments to determine potential causes and possible remedies.
Additional data provided by the OIRA office was reviewed, such as remedial needs, course
performance in related areas (Mathematics and Chemistry for BI 201 and 301, English for HI 110 and
112), and academic performance and enrollment history of students.
LONG TERM OBJECTIVES: INCREASE RETENTION & GRADUATION
Additional QCC
students
retained/graduated
at other CUNY
colleges
Additional QCC
students retained/
graduated outside
CUNY
Overall Rates
National
Average ¹
2012-13
2013-14
2013-14 2012-13
2013-14
2013-14
QCC retained/
graduated
Rates published in
academic year 2013-14
2012-13
2012-13
One year retention rate:
70.9%
69.2%
2.0%
1.2%
3.4%
3.4%
76.3%
73.8%
57.1%
Three year graduation rate:
18.5%
16.2%
0.5%
0.5%
0%
0%
19%
16.7%
15.4%
Four year graduation rate:
23.5%
20.7%
0.8%
1.3%
0.5%
1.4%
24.8%
23.4%
20.7%
Six year graduation rate
QCC:
28.7%
25.3%
5.8%
5.4%
3.0%
3.3%
37.5%
34.0%
--
¹National Average of all Public Urban Associate’s Institutions. Data Source: IPEDS Data Center: nces.ed.gov/ipeds/datacenter
THE ENTIRE REPORT CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/oira/index.html
Any questions?
Elisabeth Lackner
elackner@qcc.cuny.edu or at extension 6279