Strategic
Initiative: Direct Connect 2.0
1 History
In late 2005, the Presidents and Board of Trustees of Valencia, three other community
colleges, and UCF signed an MOU for the Central Florida Higher Education Consortium. The
Consortium designed a process for seamless student progression that:
1. Guaranteed admission of all consortium community college AA and AS graduates to
the University of Central Florida
2. Doubled the number of UCF Bachelors and graduate programs on consortium
community college campuses.
3. Offered shared-use facilities with Valencia and Seminole.
4. Provided for preferential and concurrent admission to selective UCF programs with
coordinated advising and support.
5. Provided for joint philanthropy to support student scholarships and access.
6. Focused on strategic program areas in support of regional workforce needs.
In April 2006, the Direct Connect to UCF initiative was announced to the local community. It
stated that any AA, AS or Articulated AS student who graduated from Eastern Florida, LakeSumter, Seminole State or Valencia who meets the FL 2+2 statute was considered a Direct
Connect student. The difference between 2+2 and Direct Connect was essentially a
guaranteed admission to UCF that is consistent with university policy, and a promise to align
systems to support successful transfer and bachelor’s degree completion.
As part of the system design process, the planning groups adopted the following design
principles:
1) Access- Students can indicate as early as possible to the community college their intent to
complete a Bachelor’s degree at UCF.
2) Choice- Students have increased choices of Bachelor degree programs at regional
community colleges.
3) Flexibility- Students can benefit from the Consortium Agreement at any time prior to or
after graduation from community college.
4) Progression and Completion- Students develop educational plans that encourage timely
degree program completion and avoid excess hours.
5) Transition- Students’ transition from community college to university is transparent to
them.
6) Academic Support- Students receive integrated and comprehensive academic and student
support services.
7) Guarantee – The guarantee of admission to UCF is clear, operational, and trackable so that
participation and progress is easily documented and verified.
8) Planning – Academic programs are planned collaboratively to meet regional needs.
9) Pathways – Create academic program-level pathways that map student progress and
provide their own guarantees.
An important aspect of Direct Connect to UCF was the expansion of bachelor’s programs on
the community college campuses through the UCF Regional Campuses. University and
college administrators worked collaboratively to determine the programs that were in high
demand, and were convenient to students such as:
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Biomedical Sciences
Business Administration
Communication
Elementary Education
Health Services Administration
History
Political Science
Psychology
Public Administration
Religion and Cultural Studies
Social Sciences
The collaborative partnership included a strong communication plan that encourages
students to begin at Valencia, so that the College can place a “DC attribute” on the student’s
record to ensure that we can communicate and track students throughout their academic
program. This partnership relies very heavily on academic advising, provided by both
Valencia advisors and Direct Connect university advisors who are located in the Regional
Offices on Valencia campuses. Advisors work with students to:
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Create an academic plan with student
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Explain Gordon Rule and major requirements
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Explain Foreign Language requirements
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Review Limited/Restricted Access programs
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Explain the university admissions and enrollment process
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Create timeline for the student
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Prepare the student for university study
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Engage the student in identifying as a “UCF Knight”
The Consortium also provided for Joint-use facilities that have since been built on both the
West and Osceola campuses. In developing these facilities, both Valencia and UCF looked
for collaborative sharing of space and resources so that there are benefits of integration for
both service to students and economy of resources.
Shared philanthropic opportunities were developed such as when Direct Connect was the
focus of Valencia’s Signature Event, Taste for Learning in 2010 and 2011 so that we can award
transfer scholarships to our students going to UCF after graduation. Additionally, a program
was developed in 2011 with the Johnson Foundation to provide 2+2 transfer scholarships
created through a 3 way match of the Johnson Foundation, Valencia Foundation, and UCF
Foundation.
Planning meetings are held throughout the year with various college and university teams in
order to align and strengthen particular aspects of the partnership, all aimed at increasing
successful transfer and bachelor’s completion. The Steering Committee meets annually and
is comprised of Academic and Student Affairs Vice Presidents from each partner institution.
Work teams began with Curriculum Alignment which focused on addressing barriers and
challenges for student progression. Faculty teams from UCF and partner colleges, discussed
common learning outcomes, learning activities, and assessment techniques for targeted
courses in digital media, math, chemistry, physics, biology, computer programming, and
engineering. K12 partners were invited to the conversation and the work continues with the
discipline meetings leading to an annual Curriculum Alignment Conference. Similar work
teams were created for Advising, Enrollment Services, Data Sharing, Resource Development,
and Workforce Development. UCF provides an annual Consortium Partner report to each
partner which reflects their students’ data on enrollment, progression and graduation from
UCF.
The College Access Summit is held annually to focus on strategic issues and to continue to
explore ways in which Direct Connect can strengthen systems, processes, and resources to
increase the number and diversity of students who complete bachelor’s degrees.
2 Data
In the 2014-2015 academic year, Valencia College students comprised 63% of the newly
enrolled UCF undergraduates. The other members of the consortium had the following
breakdown of the newly enrolled undergraduates: Seminole State had 19%, Lake Sumter had
about 4%, and Eastern Florida had close to 14%. Valencia students clearly reflect the majority
of transfer students at UCF. The most popular intended major for our students transferring
to UCF include in order of enrollment: Business, Health Sciences, Education, Psychology, Life
Sciences, and Engineering. About 70% of our students did not change their major during
2010-2011, while 21% changed their major once and 3% changed their major twice. Since 2006-
2007, about 65% percent of Valencia students graduated while there was about a 26%
attrition rate. It takes the average Valencia graduate anywhere from 5-11 terms to graduate
from UCF with a Bachelor’s degree. For specific, detailed data, please see appendix A.
3 Working Theory
Transfer readiness requires preparation.
4 Strategic Vision
The Valencia UCF Direct Connect partnership ensures that students are prepared to
complete bachelor degrees.
5 Goal 1. Design systems for students to track their progress and readiness
Objectives:
1. Create a communication and feedback system for key transfer information.
2. Create online tracking tool for Valencia students to track their progress toward a
UCF bachelor’s degree
3.
Assessments
Person Responsible:
6 Goal 2. Establish curricular alignment in specific programs, courses, and career
pathways
Objective:
1. Review data in transfer courses where students are not successful to help ensure
degree completion to start curriculum alignment conversation
2. Align curriculum outcomes (verbs) so students are ready for the next course in
the progression (UCF and VC faculty, chairs, and deans included in conversation)
3. Adopt curricular alignment changes across the discipline
4. Develop advising recommendations based upon curriculum alignment
Assessments
1. Develop a rubric to assess curriculum alignment
Person Responsible:
7 Goal 3. Valencia students, faculty, and staff will understand the transfer process
Objectives:
1. Clarify our own understanding of the way students experience the transfer
process
2. Develop strategies for students to complete the transfer process
o Create/develop a transfer webinar @ 45 credit threshold.
o Create a virtual video to compare the two environments (i.e. class sizes,
buildings, parking lots)
o Publish a “Steps to Transfer” handout – (a transfer webpage also?)
o Develop an Atlas “Transfer Portfolio” where students can check their
progress to transfer.
o Infuse academic registration holds @ 30 credits and 45 credits for
students to prepare for transfer
Assessments
Person Responsible:
8 Goal 4. Prepare students for university experience
Objectives:
1. Work with UCF to design readiness assessment modules for students (soft skills,
stress, and academic prep for major).
2. Teach students successful strategies for learning in a large-sized class
o Offer Scaffolding – Lecture Capture courses or part of a Valencia course that is
lecture capture (a partial lecture capture experience)
o Create opportunity for students to experience the UCF environment (& class)
o How to learn from non-active learning strategies
o How to get academic support
o How to develop/engage in peer learning communities
3. Teach students successful strategies for social engagement
o Create a UCF Chapter of a club or organization at Valencia
o Incentivize students to experience UCF events
o Prepare students for the benefits and issues of engaging in social
organizations
Assessments
Person Responsible
9 Goal 5. Develop robust data sharing that informs decision making at UCF and
Valencia
Objectives:
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Utilize the new Florida I.D. to connect Valencia students transferring to UCF
Identify specific data needs
Create a super-user network that responds to data requests
Create a system and tool for sharing data
Analyze data routinely for continuous improvement
Develop shared portal for VC & UCF to share student academic records
Assessments
Person Responsible: