Goal Two: Summary of Progress and Work Underway (October 2010)
Goal 2: Learning Assured
 Implement optimal learning environments for students.
 Integrate individual student effort with the learning process.
 Establish learning and learning support systems and techniques designed to reduce
achievement gaps among groups of learners from diverse backgrounds.
Objective 2.1: Learning Outcomes
Develop, align, and review program learning outcomes to assure a cohesive curricular and cocurricular experience that enhances student learning.
Objective 2.2: College-level Writing
Increase the percentage of students writing at the college level.
Objective 2.3: Completion of Mathematics
Increase the percentage of students who complete the math sequence within two years.
(Completion is defined as successfully completing the highest level math course required for a
program of study. The two-year measurement period begins upon entrance to the College.) CLC
recommends a change to: “Completion is defined as successfully completing the highest
level math course required for the student’s declared major or as defined by the certificate
program in which they are enrolled.” Note that developmental education is not a program.
Objective 2.4: Completion of 15 college credits
Increase the percentage of students mandated into developmental courses who complete within
three years the first 15 college level hours of their programs of study. (Developmental courses are
defined to include MAT1033C.)
Objective 2.5: Close achievement gaps
Close achievement gaps among students from diverse backgrounds in completing six key
courses, leading to increased persistence and program completion rates. (MAT 0012C, MAT0024C,
MAT1033, ENC1101, POS 2041, MAC 1105)
The 2009-10 goal team projects that the current and planned activities related to this goal can be
expected to “move the needle” toward goal achievement, but noted that the uniform training of
advisors is needed to achieve objective 2.4. The team also were cautiously hopeful regarding the
potential of current plans to meet objective 2.5, as fluctuations in gaps are being studied.
The team established short-term measures that will assist in monitoring progress toward these
ultimate aims:
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All programs will have and follow a continuous improvement process that includes
learning outcomes assessed on an on-going basis.
All students will write at a level appropriate to their educational goals.
All students will complete at least the mathematics courses that satisfy Gordon Rule or
the highest program requirement for their program of study within two years of entrance.
All students mandated into developmental courses will complete within three years the
first 15 college level hours of their programs of study.
There will be no gaps in performance on these six courses among cohorts of students
from diverse backgrounds.
Overview of Selected Efforts to Achieve the Goal
Learning Outcomes
Curriculum Mapping, Program Outcomes and Assessment Plans – Work began on mapping the
introduction, reinforcement and assessment of the General Education outcomes within the five General
Education discipline areas and within the co-curricular student experience. Work is now underway to
map the introduction, reinforcement and assessment of the General Education Student Learning
Outcomes within the five General Education discipline areas and the co-curriculum. Assessment plans
are being implemented.
Learning outcomes for General Education and the AS and AAS degree programs have been
developed, approved and are listed in the 2010-2011 College Catalog. A committee is working on
outcomes for the AA program courses beyond the 36 General Education hours. Program outcomes
were created by faculty for two new baccalaureate degree programs.
Improved Success
To provide more students with access to the courses needed to achieve their goals, section
capacity has been increased each term by 6-8%, and a stronger schedule of high enrollment courses is
being offered. Work is underway to evolve support services and student services, including a number of
programs aimed at the objectives in goal 2. Among those are:
Bridges to Success - This learning community for at-risk students from low socio-economic
backgrounds, is expanding, involving 300 students in 09-10.
College Readiness Skills Infusion - Faculty are infusing College Readiness Skills (skills that
change the learning behaviors of students) into developmental education course curricula.
Mathematics - Outcomes and assessment for the developmental mathematics sequence are being
established as part of the Destinations faculty development efforts.
New Student Experience - A new standing committee was created, as recommended in the
Foundations of Excellence Final Report, and is charged by the College Learning Council with
organizing the development of a coordinated new student experience, starting in 2010-11.
Supplemental Learning (SL) - Developed as one of our strategies for Achieving the Dream, SL
continues to grow, with 341 sections in 09-10.
LinC (Learning in Community) - Two courses are “linked” together, enrolling the same cohort of
students who are taught collaboratively by faculty from different disciplines. Forty-one LinC pairs were
offered in 2009-10, and the number is planned to increase in 10-11.
Writing - Faculty who teach General Education Composition courses and Developmental
Education courses are developing common assessments of writing and results will be available in 201011.
Withdrawal policy – As a new policy is fully implemented in fall 2010, the college will explore
what is known and can be learned about why students withdraw.
Scholarships - The Office of Financial Aid brought about significant increases in the dollar
amount of financial aid awarded as well as the number and percentage of students receiving aid in
2009-10. Total awards grew from $90 million in 2008-09 to $115 million in 2009-10.
Closing Achievement Gaps
The New Student Experience and Developmental Education Initiatives include a focus on
closing gaps among students from different ethnic and socio-economic backgrounds, incorporated into
many of the strategies named above. Research on gaps is underway by the College Learning Council
and its Data Team.