Grand Rapids Community College
College Generated Graduation
Academic Governing Council (Written Report)
January 2016
OVERVIEW:
The GRCC Generated Graduation Policy https://www.grcc.edu/sites/default/files/docs/policies/824_generated_graduation_policy.pdf was presented to the Academic Governing Council (AGC) as a new policy and was
approved by AGC in February 2013.
Implementation of this policy was assigned to CAP 1.1.1, which became CAP 1.5.2, and finally CAP 1.2.6. This CAP is also
one of the College’s three projects for AQIP.
Team members of this College Action Project (CAP):
The following team members and their represented offices most often met twice monthly to develop, adjust, and
implement processes and policies:
Amanda Kruzona, Student Records Senior Technical Specialist, Bryan Vliem, Associate Registrar, Diane Patrick, Associate
Dean/Registrar, Jody Graves, Enterprise Analyst - IT, Kristine Welling, Financial Aid Technician – Financial Aid, Lynnae
Selberg, Director- Counseling and Career Center and Disability Support Services, Mary Kay Bethune, Customer Service
Manager Financial Aid Office, Matthew Novakoski, Administrative Assistant/Office Manager- Student Records, Raynard
Ross, Associate Dean- Student Success and Retention, Tina Hoxie, Associate Provost/Dean of Students, Whitney Harper,
Counselor, Counseling and Career Center
Briefly describe the current status of the project:
The CAP project is nearing completion as we have automatically graduated students in the following semesters: Summer
2014, Fall 2014, Winter 2015 and Summer 2015. We have proved the process successful and are now focused on
evaluating and implementing changes based on student surveys and stakeholder suggestions. Action taken because of
those suggestions include revising the on-line Graduation Application and implementing a new email process that
utilizes PeopleSoft to run and store communication to students. Other accomplishments are outlined below.
Accomplishments to Date – Processes
 With input from students, faculty, and staff, an online Graduation Application was created. A second version was
redesigned and unveiled in Fall 2015. (Previously, the process included submitting a paper form in person.)
 Created a checklist to assist students in knowing when they are ready to graduate.
 Developed a rubric of all policies that impact graduation.
 Created and ran a query to identify eligible students from Fall 2011 through Summer 2014.
 Implemented first College Generated Graduation pilot with a “soft roll out” for potential Summer 2014
graduates.
 Developed “current state” graduation process flow chart.
 Incorporated commencement ceremony information with diplomas mailed to graduates.
 Developed, in coordination with IRP, a College Generated Graduation customer satisfaction survey.
Accomplishments to Date – Policies
Several College policies were updated or created to support the graduation process. The Academic Governing Council
and/or Pro-Deans approved the following:
 Catalog Year Policy
 Transfer Policy
 Re-Admit Policy
 Multiple Associate Degree Policy
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Accomplishments to Date – Training
 Created and presented a half-day policy training workshop with the Counseling and Career Center faculty and
staff.
 Conducted training sessions for Enrollment Center, Admissions and Financial Aid staff.
 Developed a training session outline (menu) for faculty, staff and departments.
 Presented the training outline to Department Heads and Program Directors for the Schools of Arts and Science
and Workforce Development.
Accomplishment to Date – Communications
 Drafted a communication plan and developed timelines.
 Mailed and emailed applicants congratulatory information and an option to decline the degree/certificate. In
order to communicate effectively, the following were created:
o College Generated Graduation Notification Letter
o College Generated Decline Form
o College Generated Graduation Congratulation Letter.
o College Generated Appeal Form.
Accomplishment to Date – Software
 Hired a consultant to create a reporting system using DegreeWorks (My Degree Path) that identifies students
who meet graduation requirements.
 Successfully set-up, tested and, implemented automated e-mail communication generation through PeopleSoft
using 3Cs/ComGen.
 Developed a Re-Admit process through PeopleSoft.
CAP Goals and Data:
The purpose of this project is to design, test, and implement processes and procedures to automatically graduate
students who have met the criteria for a degree or certificate.
Measures:
 Number of Certificates granted
 Number of Associate Degrees granted
See data below to describe what has been accomplished with this project over the past year, specifically referring to
quantifiable results that show progress.
College Generated Graduation Numbers
Timeframe of
Query
Total Number
of Potential
Graduates
Number
Declined
Degree
Total
Number of
Degrees
awarded
Semester
awarded
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2014
94
0
94
Fall 2014
Fall 2011 –
Fall 2014
29
0
29
Winter
2015
Fall 2011 –
Winter 2015
95
1
94
Summer
2015
2
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2015
19
2
15i
Grand Total
237
3
232
Fall 2015
i
There are 2 students who are enrolled for Fall 2015 – degrees will not be awarded until grades are posted to
confirm graduation requirements are met (revised procedure)
College Generated Graduated Degree/Certificate Types
Graduation
Semester
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2014
AA
AAAS
AB
AFA
AGS
AM
AS
Cert.
Total
66
3
4
0
9
0
1
11
94
Fall 2011 –
Fall 2014
21
0
1
0
3
0
2
2
29
Fall 2011 –
Winter 2015
45
2
3
0
7
0
4
33
94
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2015
6
3
2
0
1
0
3
1
16i, ii
132
5
8
0
19
0
7
46
233 i
60.8% 2.3% 3.7%
8.8%
3.2% 21.2%
i
This count will be adjusted if the remaining 2 students receive final grades that meet graduation requirements
ii
There is one student who received the degree and certificate for a laddered program, making the total one
more than the previous table’s count
Grand Total
College Generated Graduated Bio/Demographic Data
Graduation
Semester
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2014
Age of Graduates
< 21
21 – 30
7
70
30 - 40
8
40 - 50
6
> 50
3
Total
94
Gender of Graduates
Female
Male
Total
47
47
94
Fall 2011 –
Fall 2014
5
22
2
0
0
29
12
17
29
Fall 2011 –
Winter 2015
10
67
9
5
3
94
28
66
94
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2015
0
14
1
0
0
15
3
12
15
22
173
20
11
6
232i
90
142
232i
9.5%
74.6%
8.6%
4.7%
2.6%
38.8%
61.2%
i
This count will be adjusted if the remaining 2 students receive final grades that meet graduation requirements
Grand Total
3
College Generated Graduated Bio/Demographic Data Continued
Graduation
Semester
Ethnicity of Graduates
Asian Black
Hispanic
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2014
2
3
0
Fall 2011 –
Fall 2014
0
0
1
Fall 2011 –
Winter 2015
4
5
Fall 2011 –
Summer 2015
0
2
Pacific
Islander
0
White
Other*
Unspecified
Total
78
3
8
94
1
23
2
2
29
1
0
66
6
12
94
0
0
8
0
5
15
6
10
2
1
175
11
27
232i
2.6%
4.3%
0.9%
0.4%
75.4%
4.7%
11.7%
* Mexican-American, Puerto Rican, etc.
i
This count will be adjusted if the remaining 2 students receive final grades that meet graduation requirement
Grand Total
Data Summary:
A total of 232 degrees and or certificates were awarded last year (summer 2014 – summer 2015) through the College
Generated Graduation process. (These are in addition to the students who applied to graduate.)
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