Higher Learning Commission – Action Project Update
NOTE: Please review last year’s Update and Reviewer’s Comments prior to completing this report.
This report should include activity completed since August 2013 only.
Project Title: College Generated Graduation
Champion Name: Diane Patrick
Annual Update Questions
The institution's responses should be direct and factual to provide a clear picture of its progress,
accomplishments, and challenges.
1. Describe the past accomplishments and the current status of this Action Project.
This is the College Generated Graduation Project’s first year. The goal for this project is to
implement the College Generated Graduation Policy approved by the GRCC Academic Governing
Council. The first year of this project saw accomplishments in the following areas:
Processes
 Incorporated the implementation of the AQIP approved College Generated Graduation
Project into the work of CAP 1.1.1 – Improve the graduation process and increase the
number of graduates.
 Benchmarked other colleges and universities that automatically graduate their students.
 Created an on-line Apply to Graduate Application form and new processes. (The current
process is a paper form.)
 Revamped and enhanced the Change of Major on-line form and process.
 Developed process for students to decline and/or appeal College Generated Graduation.
 Created a new process for revoking a degree.
Policies
 Several college policies were updated or created to support the graduation process. The
Academic Governing Council and/or Pro-Deans approved the following:
o Catalog Year Policy
o Transfer Policy
o Re-Admit Policy
o Multiple Associate Degree
Software
 Hired a consultant to create a reporting system to pull names of students that are ready
to graduate using DegreeWorks (MyDegreePath).
 Completed a GRCC IT Project Request Form to develop tech support for the Re-Admit
process that impacts the graduation process.
 Working with GRCC IT on implementing the 3C’s Email module in PeopleSoft. This will
allow e-mail communications for the project to be sent and tracked to the student’s
PeopleSoft record. This will enhance the ability to collect and track data.
Communications
 Drafted a communication plan and developed time lines.
 Created College Generated Graduation Notification letter.
 Developed College Generated Graduation Decline form.
 Developed College Generated Graduation Congratulation letter.
 Created College Generated Appeal form.
Meetings
 This Cross College Team started meeting monthly. In January of 2014 the Team began
to meet bi-monthly. Sub-team meetings were also held for communications and
process development.
2. Describe how the institution involved people in work on this Action Project.
The work of this AQIP Project has been a cross-College effort. This year the former CAP 1.1.1
and current CAP 1.2.5 is overseeing the implementation of this work. The Team is comprised of
the following GRCC staff members:
Amanda Glick, Student Records Senior Technical Specialist, Bryan Vliem, Associate
Registrar, Diane Patrick, Associate Dean/Registrar, Open Position, Transfer and
Articulation Specialist, Fiona Hert, Dean - Workforce Development, Jody Graves,
Enterprise Analyst - IT, Lynnae Selburg, Director- Counseling and Career Center, Mary
Kay Bethune, Customer Service Manager-Financial Aid Office, Matthew Novakoski, ESPStudent Records, Raynard Ross, Associate Dean- Student Success and Retention, Tina
Hoxie, Associate Provost/Dean of Students, Whitney Harper, Counselor- Counseling and
Career Center
3. Describe the institution's next steps for this Action Project.
In the next three months the Team plans the following actions.
Month
Activity
August, 2014
Development and implementation of a
communication plan and time line.
Benchmark/investigate possible graduation
software/equipment
Work with GRCC IT in the development of PeopleSoft
Email 3C’s.
Pilot Implementation and test system processes for
Summer 2014 graduates.
September, 2014
Go live with on-line Application to Graduate Form
Person
Responsible
CAP 1.5.2 Team
Student
Records/Registrar
and IT
CAP 1.5.2 Team
Student
Records/Registrar
and IT
Incorporate processes with the graduation ceremony
work.
October, 2014
Student
Records/Registrar
Staff and Dean of
Students Office.
Review and test results and make changes to
CAP 1.5.2
processes.
Team/Student
Develop and incorporate process changes to get ready Records/Registrar
for fall 2014 auto graduates.
4. Describe any "effective practice(s)" that resulted from the institution's work on this Action
Project.
The most effective practices that have resulted from GRCC’s work to implement the College
Generated Policy so far include the following:
 Analysis and evaluation of the current graduation process.
 Analysis and evaluation of supporting graduation processes, such as the change of major
process.
 Review, revision and creation of College graduation and related policies.
 Development of a comprehensive communication plan, time lines and supporting
materials.
5. What challenges, if any, still face the institution regarding this Action Project?
A major challenge of securing a consultant to extract reports from DegreeWorks was solved
within the last several months.
It is still early in the project as we have not automatically graduated our first group of graduates
to have experience other major challenges.
6. To what extent have the measureable criteria established for this project been met? (Prepare a
table(s) that presents your results.)
Until we run our first College Generated Graduation process it is too early for us to meet our
measureable criteria of the following:


Increased number of certificates granted
Increased number of Associates’ Degree granted
7. Do you recommend this project continue for another year? Why or why not.
At this point in our project I would recommend we continue for another year. In another year
would will have had a few semesters completed using the College Generated Graduation
processes. Another year will supply us with the needed benchmark data to give a full evaluation
of the project.