Associate Degree in One Year
COMPLETION BY DESIGN
AN ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT REMINDER
What class schedule produces the most
success for students?
 What effect on learning and student success
might occur in any given scenario?
 Is the decision to schedule course in a
particular mode or time frame based on
academic judgment?
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Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees” and ASCCC website: “Enrollment Management in Very
Challenging Times.” Jane Patton, March 2011
CONCEPTS WORTH CONSIDERING
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An accelerated scheduling of a sequence of courses
may exacerbate the problems with time constraints
faced by many of our students: when a course moves
twice as fast as normal, students must do twice as
much work in any given week.
Without taking into consideration the realities of our
students’ lives, accelerated programs have the
potential to set them up for failure.
Implementation and scaling of an accelerated AA
degree pathway has financial and human resource
implications and can require substantial changes to
policy regarding placement, course content, or course
sequencing as well as shifts in expectations for
students and faculty.
Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees” and ASCCC website: “Enrollment Management in Very Challenging
Times.” Jane Patton, March 2011
LET’S CONVERSE. . .
What advantages might this degree provide
students?
 How might the degree disadvantage students?
 Do we have a population of students who will
benefit from earning a degree in an accelerated
manner?
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The Liberal Arts degree was chosen because it is the
degree that the highest number of students complete
 More students transfer than complete degrees
 Does this matter?
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ADDITIONAL QUESTIONS
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Will there be an inability to enroll students in
second-eight week coursework when they drop
first 8-week course?
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Would second 8-week sessions fill prior to semester
start?
What happens when a student does not complete
a course within the module?
Do they have to wait a year to repeat?
 Are they “out” of this accelerated format?
 How do we enroll them in coursework mid-semester?
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Does the prescriptive nature of GE coursework
(limited or no choice) allow for exploration and
introduction to new disciplines?
Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
CONCERNS WITH STUDENT SUCCESS
Assumes students know major at start of
college, without change.
 Ambitious summer start
 High potential for attrition
 Potential for higher numbers of students on
probation due to intensive schedule and high
number of units each 8 weeks
 Impact of burn-out on high achievers.
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Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
CONCERNS CONTINUED
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Level of preparation for upper-division
coursework?
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Development of critical thinking and study skills is
necessary
Development of poor study skills / crash learning
 Which university is going to accept these
students?
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University acceptance of students without
demonstrated ability to succeed at college level.
 Impacted campus / major status?
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Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
ONE YEAR DEGREE RESOURCES
Course selection is not always appropriate
 Impact on Learning Resources/Tutoring and
Library Resources without additional funding
 Impact on Counseling without additional
funding
 Increased number of students needing
additional probation specific counseling.
 Re-establishment of intersession?
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 What
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about the general student population?
Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
TAKING A BROADER LOOK
How do we meet the needs of a diverse
population of students?
 How do we know that we’re meeting their
needs?
 We have an extensive GE course menu; ought
we to narrow the GE offerings and enhance
major preparation courses?
 Is there a student population who will benefit
from Friday, Saturday, and Sunday classes?
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CH-CH-CHANGES
When looking at the proposed One Year Degree
concept, what might you suggest to improve it?
 Any alterations that can be made to better
serve our students?
 One faculty member suggests creating a
signature program that enables students to
earn an accelerated AA or AS in one of our
most sought after degrees or to create one that
would give students a chance to be job ready
upon completion.
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WOULD CTE BE A STARTING PLACE?
Those that need a degree quickly are displaced
workers, need training for employment
 Why not start with a CTE program with
employment options?
 Work with faculty to develop program based on
workforce needs and student demand
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Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
COLLEGE/DISTRICT POLICY
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Do we have college or district policy and
procedures regarding how new “programs” or
“initiatives” are created?
LEGALITIES
Citation: Title 5 §53200 identifies curriculum,
educational program development, standards
and policies for student success, degree and
certificate reviewed as an academic and
professional matter.
 Board Policy 2410 requires collegial
consultation with the Academic Senate
regarding these matters; the BOT will rely
primarily upon the advice of the Senate.
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ED CODE SECTION 70902 (B)(7)
“The Governing Board shall … ensure … the right
of academic senates to assume primary
responsibility for making recommendation in the
areas of curriculum and academic standards.”
 Requires procedures for responding to Academic
Senate recommendations that include:
 1. When rely primarily, the recommendation of the
Academic Senate will normally be accepted, and
only in exceptional circumstances and for
compelling reasons will they not be accepted.
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STUDENT INPUT NEEDED
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Title 5 §51023.7(a)(2) states, “Except in unforeseeable,
emergency situations, the governing board shall not
take action on a matter having a significant effect on
students until it has provided students with an
opportunity to participate in the formation of the policy
or procedure or the joint development of
recommendations regarding the action.”
It is the responsibility of all parties, the academic
senate, CEO, and administration, as well as the board of
trustees, to assure that students and staff participate
effectively in the development of recommendations on
matters that affect them, such as the development or
elimination of programs, degrees, student success etc.
ADDITIONAL FACULTY RESEARCH
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We need to research how a one year degree will
influence:
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student retention
course completion
student success in lecture and lab courses,
pedagogy
budget
curriculum change processes
class conflicts
the scheduling of instructional and non-instructional faculty
instructional support services
student access to child care.
Source: Golden West College “Accelerated AA Degrees”
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE?
No implementation plans before Summer 2014
 Continued Faculty Due Diligence
 Discuss, discuss, and discuss some more!
 Feel free to share any suggestions, questions,
comments, and/or concerns with your CIC
Chair Craig Rutan and me.
 Thanks to those of you who already have.
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GO FORTH AND ENJOY THE DAY!