Michigan Credit When It’s Due Webinar Series: Communications with Students August 26, 2013 A Partnership between:

CWID Webinar/Meeting Series  Student eligibility and degree requirements  Monday, July 29 th – 1:30 to 3:00pm  Communications with students – 8/26  Monday, August 26 th – 1:30 to 3:00 pm  University/community college partnerships  In-person meeting – Thursday, September 19 th – 9:00 to 11:00am at Kellogg Center, East Lansing

Topics for today's webinar: 1.Survey responses on communications with students a)Mode and frequency of direct communication with students b)Role of community colleges in direct communications with students c)Messages that resonate with students about the reverse transfer opportunity 2.Recent research with implications for messaging to students

Michigan Reverse Transfer Institutional Survey Responses on Communications with Students

Mode and Frequency of Direct Communication with Students  All 13 university respondents indicated they used , 3 also send letters, and one also sends postcards  While some universities had not decided how often to communicate, 5 indicated that they communicate once, 1 communicates twice, and another does so each term  Six universities have websites and several others have plans to create one

Examples of University Webpages  Eastern Michigan University  Ferris State University r/postsecondary/reversetransfer.htm r/postsecondary/reversetransfer.htm  Grand Valley State University

Activities Universities Engaged in to Promote Reverse Transfer (Beyond direct communications and webpages):  Advisors promote it during orientation  Information about reverse transfer included in articulation agreements  Student newspaper writes an article a couple times a year  Admissions staff discuss the process  Feature signing in faculty/staff e-newsletter  Press releases issued, along with media advisories, for the signing ceremonies  Included in university catalog

Role of CCs in Direct Communications with Students: This activity is limited initially but some institutions take the following steps:  Advise students about the opportunity prior to transferring to a university  Joint between community college and university registrar.  CC counselors and advisors often educate students on these agreements

Activities CCs Engaged in to Promote Reverse Transfer (Beyond direct communications):  Posters and brochures displayed around campus and at universities  Press releases and media events when agreements were signed  Communicate with alumni through newsletters  You tube video (GRCC example:  Communication piece sent to any student who have their transcript sent to a university  Letters describing the program are sent to students based on lists provided from universities

Examples of Community College Webpages  Lansing CC  Macomb CC- rvices/Transfer/Reverse+Transfer.htm rvices/Transfer/Reverse+Transfer.htm

Messages that Resonate with Students about Reverse Transfer General themes from survey responses:  The general idea of getting credit for all the hard work, time, money that was expended for the degree  There is no additional work or cost required to receive degree  It is a credential that can never be taken away. You earned it  Provides the opportunity to add an important credential to their resume

Messages that Resonate with Students about Reverse Transfer Labor market themes from survey responses:  Degree completion at the associate level is desirable for career success  Receiving the associate degree can provide an edge in the job market  An associate degree can provide better job opportunities while completing your bachelor’s degree  The unemployment rate was 30% lower for associate degree holders compared with high school graduates

Messages that Resonate with Students about Reverse Transfer Academic success themes:  Degree completion at the associate level is desirable for planning for a four-year degree  The associate degree is the nation’s fastest growing work credential and employers recognize its value  Students who earn an associate degree are more likely to complete their bachelor’s degree  Obtaining an associate’s degree decreases your chances of having to repeat courses at the university

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Labor Market Themes College Payoff (2011) from the Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) highlight the value of associates degrees in the labor market…this is even higher in STEM and health fields

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Labor Market Themes CEW projects in Help Wanted (2010) that between 1973 & 2018, the jobs available for workers w/ postsecondary education will increase from 28 % to 63 % of all occupations.

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Labor Market Themes CEW indicates in Help Wanted (2010) that people who do not complete postsecondary education are falling out of the middle class

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Labor Market Themes CEW indicates in The College Advantage (2012) that Workers with high school diplomas or less bore the brunt of the recession’s job losses. Job gains in the recovery have been confined to those with education beyond high school

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Academic Success Themes The recent NSC Signature Report (2013) illustrates the BA outcomes for students who transferred from CCs to four-year public institutions of students with/without pre transfer two-year credential (6 years after transfer)

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Academic Success Themes The recent NSC Signature Report (2013) illustrates the BA outcomes for students who transferred from CCs to four-year public institutions by the time between most recent CC enrollment and transfer to four-year institution (6 years after transfer)

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Academic Success Themes A recent NSC Snapshot Report (2012) on mobility illustrates the number of years between degree completion at all four-year institutions and the most recent enrollment at two-year institutions

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Academic Success Themes A forthcoming study coming from the Community College Research Center (CCRC) seeks to answer the following question: Are transfer students who earn an associate degree more likely to earn a bachelor’s degree?  The study examines the six-year outcomes of 18,000 North Caroline students who earned at least 50 credits and then transferred. The study looks at transfer-oriented degrees (AA/AS) as well as applied degrees (AAS).  While the findings are not yet public, initial results indicate that students who earn a two-year credential first are 5.5 percentage points more likely to complete a BA after transferring. When the analysis looked specifically at students who complete an AA/AS before transferring, these students were 10.7 percentage points more likely to complete a BA.

Recent Research with Implications for Messaging to Students: Academic Success Themes Another project from CCRC (also using NC data) seeks to answer the question: What are the net economic benefits to earning an associates degree before a bachelor’s degree?

References Cited  Help Wanted: Projections of Jobs and Education Requirements Through 2018 (2010) Center on Education and the Workforce  College Payoff: Education, Occupations and Lifetime Earnings (2011) Center on Education and the Workforce  The College Advantage: Weathering The Economic Storm (2012) Center on Education and the Workforce  The Economic Benefits of Attaining an Associate Degree Before Transfer: Evidence From North Carolina (2013) Community College Research Center before-transfer.html before-transfer.html  Baccalaureate Attainment: A National View of the Postsecondary Outcomes of Students Who Transfer from Two ‐ Year to Four ‐ Year Institutions (2013) National Student Clearinghouse Research Center  Outcomes of Students Who Transferred from Two-Year to Four-Year Institutions (2012) National Student Clearinghouse Research Center  New Research on the Benefits of an Associate Degree for Transfer Students: Evidence from North Carolina (forthcoming) Community College Research Center

Next Steps University/community College Partnerships In-Person Meeting (prior to the 2013 Student Success Summit) Thursday, September 19 th – 9:00 to 11:00am in Lansing Agenda topics:  Metrics to evaluate the effectiveness of agreements  Sharing of data and information between local partners  Discussion about moving toward a common platform for e-transcripts Finalize plans for qualitative research to be launched this academic year

Chris Baldwin Michigan Center for Student Success Patty Farrell-Cole Presidents Council, State Universities of Michigan