The Challenge of Completion Presentation to the Academic Assembly Suffolk County Community College Michael J. Grant Campus October 1, 2013 Phi Theta Kappa faculty advisors: Karen Dovell Chair, English and Humanities Lisa Hamilton Director of Campus Activities Tat Sang So Honors Coordinator

Today’s Presentation 1.New York Community College Completion Week: September 30 to October 4, Phi Theta Kappa, Alpha Delta Gamma chapter: Refocusing our Mission 3.Completion as an Ongoing Effort at the Michael J. Grant Campus 4.The Challenge of Community College Completion

This Week New York Community College Completion Week Events at Michael J. Grant Campus Student volunteers with clipboards around campus Ask instructors to use 5 minutes of class time during signing week to: Explain the importance of college completion: Graduates with 2 year degrees have lifetime earnings of $300,000 to $500,000 more than high school graduates. Distribute and collect pledge cards Distribute Completion bracelets Tell personal stories about obstacles to getting a degree, and how they were overcome Encourage students to avail themselves of academic and student services Pick up a packet for your class at your academic support office or Campus Activities in Captree 110 Common hour October 2: Pledge signing rally at Captree Commons Student speakers and actors encouraging students to use support services

New York Community College Completion Week Michael J. Grant Campus T-SHIRTS (except ours will be green)

New York Community College Completion Week Michael J. Grant Campus BRACELETS (also green)

Last Year… at Michael J. Grant Campus We collected over 2,000 pledges.

This Year at Michael J. Grant Campus We will concentrate on: urging students to take advantage of academic support and student services. asking faculty and staff to pledge to help our students in their mission to complete. breaking last year’s records. helping students follow through on their pledges.

Phi Theta Kappa Alpha Delta Gamma Chapter Refocusing our Mission The purpose of Phi Theta Kappa is to recognize and encourage scholarship among two-year college students. The Alpha Delta Gamma chapter exists to recognize and celebrate high-achieving students at the Michael J. Grant Campus. We will use the goal of College Completion to focus our mission of promoting individual growth and development among our members. We will use the platform of PTK and C4 (Community College Completion Corps) to create a support structure for all students on campus directed at College Completion.

Completion as an Ongoing Effort A Multi-year Cycle at Michael J. Grant Campus Themes: 1.Define the challenge of Completion (Fall 2012) 2.Raise awareness of academic and student services (Fall 2013) 3.Review research and new ideas (Fall 2014) 4.Assess and celebrate (Fall 2015)

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation Community college students in career-focused academic programs have higher completion rates. 1 Two possibilities may be that having a clear goal, and having the support of a tight-knit department (faculty and students) promote success. Many students begin community college without a clear goal. Large institutions (perhaps with less personal support systems) have lower completion rates. 2 C4 and Completion Week are efforts to establish a clear goal for individual students, and to develop personal support systems. 1 Nitecki, Elena M. “The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program can Improve Community College Success.” Community College Review 39.2 (2011): EBSCOHost. 12 Sep Web. 2 Bailey, Thomas, et al. “Is Student-Right-To-Know All You Should Know? An Analysis of Community College Graduation Rates” Research in Higher Education 47.5 (2006): EBSCOHost. 10 Sep Web.

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation In 2011, the 3 year graduation rate for Suffolk County Community College was 19.4% The 2 year graduation rate was 4.2% (n = 4,305) New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation Is that good or bad? It is a mixed picture: New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems YEAR2 year grad rate3 year grad rate %23.7% %18.8% %16.1% %19.4%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation Completion rates are hurting at 2 year institutions throughout the SUNY system: NASSAU COMMUNITY COLLEGE New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems YEAR2 year grad rate3 year grad rate %24.5% %20.9% %17.6% %14.4%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation FINGER LAKES COMMUNITY COLLEGE New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems YEAR2 year grad rate3 year grad rate %35.4% %32.8% %31.2% %29.0%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation SULLIVAN COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems YEAR2 year grad rate3 year grad rate %21.0% %16.8% %14.8% %18.3%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation SUNY AT STONY BROOK New York State Education Department, Office of Higher Education, Office of Research and Information Systems YEAR4 year grad rate6 year grad rate %51.4% %57.6% %66.1% On the contrary, graduation rates are increasing at 4 year institutions: SUNY COLLEGE AT OLD WESTBURY YEAR4 year grad rate6 year grad rate %22.8% %32.3% %34.5%

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation There are many factors that may lower the graduation rate at community colleges: Not all students intend to finish an associates degree. They may be in a job training or certificate program, or may be simply dipping their toes in the waters of college. Many students transfer to 4 year institutions before earning an associates degree. More than half of the students require remediation in at least one subject area (62% at SCCC). 1 Community colleges suffer from low funding. High spending in academic programs is correlated with high graduation rates. 2 Community college students often have pressures on their finances, work, and families that the typical 4 year college student does not face. 1 Bailey, Thomas, et al. “Referral, Enrollment, and Completion in Developmental Education Sequences in Community Colleges.” Economics of Education Review 29 (2010): EBSCOHost. 10 Sep Web. 2 Nitecki, Elena M. “The Power of the Program: How the Academic Program can Improve Community College Success.” Community College Review 39.2 (2011): EBSCOHost. 12 Sep Web.

Theme 1: Define the Challenge of Completion Starting a Difficult Conversation But the stakes are high: Almost half of all college students in the U.S. are enrolled in community colleges. Increasingly, students from high income families attend private, prestigious 4 year institutions charging high tuition, and students from low income families attend community colleges. Higher education is the key to economic opportunity. Higher education is also the key to intellectual opportunity.

Conclusion No simple solutions There are systemic reasons why the graduation rate is low at community colleges. We are still looking for a good explanation why the graduation rate is decreasing at 2 year institutions and increasing at 4 year institutions. Research is ongoing. The perfect, however, should not be the enemy of the good.