Motlow State Community College
Action Plan & Outcome Assessment Report for Institutional Effectiveness
Assessing Year: July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015
Unit: Fayetteville Center
Related Strategic Goal:
2.2 Motlow State Community College will increase the number of students who complete associate
degree or certificates.
Action Plan #: FVCT-01
Action Plan Title: ACE Program at the Fayetteville Center Increases Graduates of Motlow College
Desired Outcome: 50% of non-traditional students who enroll in an Adult College Express class at the
Fayetteville Center will graduate in 150% of the expected time.
Description of Action Plan and Related Activities:
The ACE program is a cohort style program that allows a group of non-traditional age students (23 years
of age or older) to take one class for five weeks by meeting for one or two nights a week for four hours
each night. This type of class works well with the schedule of our non-traditional students because they
only have to concentrate on one class at a time while still working their full time job and attending their
family events. Many of the students who have enrolled in the ACE program have been attempting to
attend school by taking one class each semester while not gaining much ground towards graduation.
The ACE program also serves students who have stopped attending because “life got in the way” and
wish to finish up program requirements.
The ACE program has been a success at the Moore County campus of Motlow College for several years.
The Adult College Express program began in the spring of 2010 at the Fayetteville Center. The Director
saw that there was a population of students at the Fayetteville Center that were not being served
because of the low number of general education classes offered in the evening or not making due to low
enrollment numbers. This population of students would be assured that the classes needed for their
program of study would not only be offered but would also make and they would be given advance
notice of their offering so they can plan their lives accordingly.
One or more informational sessions will be scheduled in the evening hours throughout the year to speak
to prospective students about the ACE program. The estimated cost will cover the cost of food or other
materials provided at informational sessions.
Fall 2013 - Due to low interest in the ACE program, sufficient number of students was not available to
begin a new ACE cohort for the fall 2013 term. However, ACE classes were offered for those students
who needed to “drop into” the program and get the classes they needed.
Fall 2012 – After holding an ACE informational meeting on July 24, 2012, an ACE cohort for AS General
Studies and one for AS in Teaching was developed with a start date of Fall 2012 and end date of Summer
2013. This would be the sixth General Studies cohort and third AST cohort for the Fayetteville Center. A
total of 11 prospective ACE students attended ACE orientation on August 21, 2012.
Fall 2011 –Due to an increase in interest in the ACE program through office walk-ins and phone calls, a
sufficient number of completed ACE applications. A fourth general studies cohort was developed to
being Spring 2012.
Summer 2011 – A third informational meeting was held to gauge interest in a third general studies and
teaching cohort. A total of 8 prospective students attended. Again with many phone calls and e-mails
from other prospective students, a cohort a third cohort for general studies and a second cohort for
teaching was developed to begin Fall 2011. An ad was placed in our local paper prior to Fall 2011
promoting the ACE program. An e-mail was sent to all members of the Fayetteville Lincoln County
Chamber of Commerce to advertise the ACE program and ask for applications. It spotlighted a current
ACE student, Travis Jean.
Spring 2010 – A second informational meeting was held to gauge interest in a second general studies
cohort and a cohort for the Associate of Science in Teaching. A total of nine prospective students
attended. Along with the many phone calls and e-mails, a cohort for general studies and teaching was
developed to begin Fall 2010. The AST ACE cohort was developed at the request of several educational
assistants who wished to complete their degrees in education so they can teach; however, needed an
option to take classes that allowed them to keep their daytime employment at their school.
A brochure was developed in partnership with Middle Tennessee State University to advertise both the
MSCC ACE program and the MTSU Adult Degree Completion program. It was mailed to all households in
the Lincoln County and northern part of Madison county, Alabama.
Fall 2009 – The ACE schedule was developed and approved. An interest meeting was held on October
26, 2009 on the campus of the Fayetteville Center for students who would be interested in participating
in the ACE program. A total of 12 prospective students attended the interest meeting. From that
meeting, a cohort of 8 students was formed and began the ACE program in January 2010.
Other plans to assist in expansion of the ACE program include:
MSCC staff will actively recruit non-traditional students for Adult College Express programs through the
following means: (1) newspaper articles (ACE Press Release.pdf), (2) e-mail blasts through Chamber, (3)
recommending students for the program through advisement, (4) interviews on radio and local
television station.
ACE advisor will meet with prospective ACE participants during the pre-registration period to determine
degree requirements and to formulate a path to graduation based on class offerings as advertised in
ACE schedules found online on MSCC website.
Team Members: Fayetteville Center Director, Assistant Director of Student Services at Fayetteville,
Director of Education, Department Chairs, full time faculty at the Fayetteville Center
Timeline: January 2010 to January 2015
Begin development of new ACE schedule each spring prior to deadline of fall schedule submission.
Recruit students for new ACE cohort in the spring term.
Est. Cost: $200
Budgeted: Included in current budget
Evidence of Success: ARGOS report will show that 50% of ACE Cohort will graduate in 150% time.
Complete the following when assessing a plan
Current Status: Completed
Describe Progress:
2014-2015
The ACE program classes at the Fayetteville Center continued to be offered during this academic year
through offering the classes as an ITV option and combining the ACE enrollments at the McMinnville
Center via ITV. An ACE schedule was developed that would allow a student to enter the ACE program
after the co-hort had begun. The new schedule of ACE classes added the option of not beginning a new
co-hort each academic year to assist with building enrollment numbers.
The MSCC Marketing department placed a billboard 1.7 miles away from the Fayetteville Center campus
to advertise the ACE program and developed a box of recruitment materials to share with ACE alumni. It
has been noted that our ACE alumni are our best marketing tools.
This plan was terminated at the end of the 2014-15 academic year.
2013-2014
The ACE program at the Fayetteville Center is experiencing a very low number of interested students.
After speaking to prospective students who had shown interest in the past, several reasons were given.
Students lacked financial aid eligibility due to past academic performance, students needed to work
instead of attend school, or the program they wished to follow was not offered in the ACE format.
For the fall 2013 term, there were not a sufficient number of students to form a cohort. As a result,
there will not be ACE graduates for May 2015. The ACE classes were still offered in the fall 2013 term for
those students needing the classes to complete their degree requirements. We consider these students
“drop-ins”. They will not be true ACE graduates.
The cohort that began fall 2012 also dissolved due to following reasons: lack of interest, loss of student
financial aid and work obligations. As a result, there were no new ACE graduates for the spring 2014
academic year.
2012
The ACE program is growing at the Fayetteville Center. Students in the program are the best advertising
and these students are the reason the program is growing. Since the inception of the program, eligible
students have been allowed to register for ACE classes even if they are not part of the cohort. This has
allowed even more eligible students the opportunity to graduate and has allowed the ACE classes to
maintain the minimum enrollment numbers. The support system in place in this type of offering
encourages students to complete their degree.
For the ACE classes beginning January 2012 (Co-Hort and Drop-ins)
Total Number of Students = 17
Total Graduates as of December 2015 (as of this report) = 4
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time = 23%
*Students are still completing classes
For the ACE classes beginning August 2012 (Co-hort and Drop-ins)
Total Number of Students = 17
Total Graduates as of August 2015 (as of this report) = 6
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time = 35%
*Students are still completing classes
2011
For the ACE classes beginning January 2011 (Co-Hort and Drop-in)
Total Number of Students = 6
Total Graduates as of December 2013 = 3
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time = 50%
For the ACE classes beginning August 2011 (Co-hort and Drop-ins)
Total Number of Students = 18
Total Graduates as of August 2014 (as of this report) = 11
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time = 61%
2010
An informational session was held in April for prospective students wishing to enter the fall 2010 ACE
program. Fall 2010, a second general studies ACE cohort was offered for students. An AST ACE option
was offered for the first time. A total of 19 prospective students were accepted into both cohorts
combined. These students are targeted to complete their degree requirements in August 2012.
For the ACE classes beginning January 2010 (Co-hort and Drop-ins)
Total Number of Students = 14
Total Graduates as of December 2012 = 8
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time = 57%
For the ACE classes beginning August 2010 (Co-hort and Drop-ins)
Total Number of Students = 19
Total Graduates as of August 2013 = 14
Graduation in 100% to 150% of time =73%
Describe Needed Changes:
Updated 2014-15:
The ACE program at the Fayetteville Center has experienced the lowest interest and enrollment since its
inception. The ITV option is the only way that the low enrollment numbers have been supported.
However, the low enrollment numbers are not unique to the Fayetteville Center. All MSCC campuses
have experienced low interest and enrollment.
Success of the program in the past was due to a population of non-traditional students needing
retooling due to job loss and changes in our local economy. Students entering the program over the last
two years predominantly needed classes to finish a degree and not to fulfill a full degree program. This
was detrimental to the co-hort style of the program. The lack of scholarships to support students in the
ACE program may have also led to the low enrollment numbers as many of the currently enrollment
students are relying on financial aid or tuition reimbursement to fund tuition.
Suggested changes to impact growth of the ACE program may include:
 ACE scholarships
 A marketing campaign listing specific programs of study that can be completed through the ACE
program
 Renaming a General Studies program of study to a more clearly defined path for adult students
 Forming a committee to provide Prior Learning Assessment credit
 Removing the application requirement and allowing open enrollment
 Full time ACE Coordinator to concentrate on recruitment and marketing of the ACE program
Updated 2013-2014:
This institutional effectiveness plan will cease at the end of this academic year 2013-2014 due to low
interest in the program.
Future growth of the program will be supported by redistributed time of a new faculty member who will
be working with the program on the Moore County campus. Additional marketing in the service area
will be helpful.
The ACE program will continue to be offered at the Fayetteville Center by combining enrollment
numbers via ITV with the McMinnville Center. Beginning fall 2014, a cohort of ACE AS General Studies
students will begin this new format.
Past Updated Changes:
Additional marketing would assist the growth of this program. It is also noted that the ACE program
information can be difficult to find on the MSCC website. A better web presence would be beneficial.
Advertising through the use of television commercials or radio spots would target the population of
students interested in the ACE program.
It is noted that the ACE classes at the Fayetteville Center can be shared with other campuses via ITV in
order to maintain the minimum enrollment numbers and possible expansion of class offerings.
Due to the decrease in interest in the AST ACE program, a new cohort is not planned to begin Fall 2013.
Due to the steady interest in the ACE General Studies program, a new cohort is planned to begin Fall
2013.
List of Supporting Documentation:
Date Last Updated: 6/15/2015