Motlow State Community College
Action Plan & Outcome Assessment Report for Institutional Effectiveness
Planning Year: July 1, 2014 – June 30, 2015
Assessing Year: July 1, 2013 – June 30, 2014
Unit: Student Success
Related Strategic Goal:
2.1 Enhance student persistence to completion of post-secondary credential or degree.
Action Plan #: SSCS-01
Action Plan Title: New Student Orientation Program
Desired Outcome: On ground orientations for all first-time, degree-seeking students will result in at
least 85% of them increasing their knowledge of important information needed to be successful and at
least 80% of them returning for the spring term following their first semester.
Description of Action Plan and Related Activities: In order for students to be successful at Motlow College
they must be provided with all the tools and information necessary to advance in their education while here. One
way to accomplish this goal is to offer mandatory orientation sessions for all first-time, degree-seeking students. A
successful first semester is important to a successful college career and New Student Orientation will provide that
important "first step" toward a great start at Motlow College.
The goal of this orientation is to assist students with the transition to a new learning environment and to provide
information that will acquaint them with Motlow’s policies, procedures, and resources. A few of the information
items covered include important calendar dates, basic financial aid information, academic advisement and
registration assistance.
Not only do we want to keep them for the first-semester, but we also want to track them in regard to retention
from semester-to-semester and from year-to-year and ultimately graduation.
The Director of Student Success/Assistant Director of Student Success and Assistant Directors of Student Services
at each of the off-campus locations will work together to develop and offer these sessions for all first-time
freshmen at each of our four campuses.
To increase student learning and development all students attending will be given a pre-test upon the start of the
session regarding important information that students need to know and understand in order to be successful. At
the end of each session, the students will also be given a post-test to determine if their knowledge of these issues
has increased. The results of these surveys will be used to continually improve upon the planned sessions.
A tracking system has been developed and implemented to monitor the progression of each student. This tracking
system will provide the ability to monitor retention from semester-to-semester, year-to year, and progress toward
graduation.
This tracking system will allow for continual follow-up throughout the student’s tenure at Motlow. The Director
and Assistant Directors will send no less than two e-mails to each freshman within their first semester. The first email will go out within the first month of the student’s start to reconnect with each student and to make the
student aware that the staff is available for assistance if needed. A second e-mail will go out prior to the
beginning of pre-registration reminding the students of the process for advisement and registration and offering
assistance if needed.
Students who are not retained will be contacted to determine reason for not returning and to see if there is
anything that staff can do to help them to get re-enrolled.
Team Members: Director of Student Success and Assistant Directors of Student Services
Timeline: June-August (for fall term) and November- December (for spring term)
Est. Cost: $5,000
Budgeted: Included in current budget
Evidence of Success:
(1) Post-test results will show at least 85% of the students attending will have increased their knowledge
of important information needed to be successful.
(2) ARGOS report will show at least 80% of freshman who attended fall orientation will return for the
spring term following their first semester.
Complete the following when assessing a plan
Current Status: On Schedule
Describe Progress: Data continues to support that orientations continue to prove to be a positive
resource for students beginning at Motlow College.
2013-14
Summer 2013 sessions were completed with a total of 1197 students attending at all four locations. Of
the 1197 a total of 1018 registered for the Fall, 2013 term (85%). Of those registered for Fall, 2013, 790
returned in Spring, 2014 (78%).
Most of the loss from Fall to Spring was due to unsuccessful academic progress and our team has begun
discussing how this can be addressed at future orientations and in other retention initiatives.
As always, feedback is used from the previous years and we are constantly striving to improve the
process.
2012-13
A Freshman Academic Success Team was established to provide orientation services to this group.
Summer 2012 sessions are completed and work for the summer 2013 sessions is underway. A pre- and
post-test have been created and incorporated into the orientation processes. A student must complete
the pre-test prior to being forwarded to the registration process for a session and the post-test is
required prior to being allowed to register for classes at the end of the orientation session. The data
feeds into ARGOS where a report allows us to track the data.
As stated in our plan, contact was made with the students continually throughout the term. Copies of
those e-mails are attached.
Based on the feedback from last year’s sessions and data, changes have been made to provide better
resources to our students at orientation. We will continue to monitor the program and make changes as
necessary.
Only 78% returned and when contacted, most of the loss was due to students who had gone into
unsatisfactory progress. As stated, changes were made to provide more information regarding
Satisfactory Academic Progress, Financial Aid requirements, etc. at the Summer 2013 orientations.
Describe Needed Changes:
Based on the feedback from both FAST team (Orientation) members as well as students, the leadership
team will implement changes to presentations and orientation as a whole to better the process. An
example is that of more one-on-one time with someone to discuss their program and their foundational
first semester. More detail will also be given to the importance of satisfactory academic progress and
the impacts that it can have on a student in regard to financial aid eligibility if they do not maintain it.
Contact with these students on a regular basis with follow-up will occur in the Fall. Academic Check-ups
will be done to see where students are struggling and to direct them to appropriate resources.
List of Supporting Documentation: Pre-Post Test Results (Fall 2013); examples of some of the e-mail
correspondence with students throughout their first semester; Student Satisfaction Survey results for
new student orientation from all four locations.
Date Last Updated: 6/15/2014