Extreme Makeover: Registration and Orientation Edition Presented by: Joy Sanders and Kristin Santillan Waubonsee Community College

Topics Addressed  Registration and Orientation: The “old” way  Why the “Extreme Makeover?”  E-RAP creation and administrative buy-in  Implementation of e-RAP and updated NSO  What we learned along the way  Staff and student feedback

Who We Are Open enrollment 2 year college Open enrollment 2 year college Serve district 516 Serve district campuses (Aurora, Sugar Grove, Copley and Plano) 4 campuses (Aurora, Sugar Grove, Copley and Plano) Fall 2011 FTE: 5,925 Fall 2011 FTE: 5, data: data: 43% male 43% male 57% female 57% female 34% attending full-time 34% attending full-time Average age is 27 Average age is 27

The Getting Started Process  Complete a New Student Information Form  Complete Assessment Testing (or submit qualifying ACT scores)  Complete Registration and Planning  Attend New Student Orientation

First There Was RAP Done on an appointment basis Done on an appointment basis Presentation Presentation academic programs academic programs college catalog college catalog credit schedule credit schedule registration procedures registration procedures Students created schedule and registered with staff assistance Students created schedule and registered with staff assistance Over the past five years, sessions grew from 25 students to 120! Over the past five years, sessions grew from 25 students to 120!

RAP Attendance Fall 2006-Fall 2009 TermFall 2006 Fall 2007 Fall 2008 Fall 2009 Number of RAP Sessions offered Number of attendees

Then, We Needed An Extreme Makeover… Directive from President in order to manage student volume and enhance accessibility Directive from President in order to manage student volume and enhance accessibility Montgomery College was our inspiration Montgomery College was our inspiration Formed a content team and larger review group Formed a content team and larger review group Started work on the project in October 2009, had to have it complete and ready to roll out for Fall 2010 registration (which began May 3, 2010!!!) Started work on the project in October 2009, had to have it complete and ready to roll out for Fall 2010 registration (which began May 3, 2010!!!)

Now…There’s e-RAP!!! 6 module online tutorial 6 module online tutorial Individualized and interactive Individualized and interactive Students set their own pace Students set their own pace Quizzes throughout to ensure comprehension Quizzes throughout to ensure comprehension

The Goals of e-RAP To Teach Students The basics of WCC degrees and certificates The basics of WCC degrees and certificates How to interpret the college catalog & their major How to interpret the college catalog & their major How to read and understand the credit schedule How to read and understand the credit schedule How to register for classes online at WCC How to register for classes online at WCC How to pay for classes at the end of e-RAP How to pay for classes at the end of e-RAP

How Did We Get Here? Meet early, meet often Meet early, meet often Reviewed Montgomery College’s model and adapted to fit our needs Reviewed Montgomery College’s model and adapted to fit our needs Realized the need for extensive collaboration with Marketing and Communications, as well as IT Realized the need for extensive collaboration with Marketing and Communications, as well as IT Met with larger review group regularly for feedback and to make sure all pertinent information was included Met with larger review group regularly for feedback and to make sure all pertinent information was included Screened the program to all stakeholders for approval prior to implementation Screened the program to all stakeholders for approval prior to implementation

Logistics and Implementation Showed the final product to a test group of students prior to implementation Showed the final product to a test group of students prior to implementation Established a “help line” staffed by student ambassadors to provide assistance as needed Established a “help line” staffed by student ambassadors to provide assistance as needed Provided opportunities for all staff to attend “e-RAP training” in order to view the program Provided opportunities for all staff to attend “e-RAP training” in order to view the program IT programmed the e-RAP hold in Banner to be automatically lifted upon completion IT programmed the e-RAP hold in Banner to be automatically lifted upon completion Built a report to track e-RAP completion and registration progress Built a report to track e-RAP completion and registration progress

E-RAP Completion Recruitment Cycle Year Number of E-RAP Completers Number of Students Who Registered (FT) Number of Students Who Registered (PT) Number of Students Who Did Not Register / 61%393 / 26%200 / 13% / 66%378 / 22%210 / 12%

What Worked Well Met often in dedicated blocks of time Met often in dedicated blocks of time Do it right the first time/limited updates Do it right the first time/limited updates Assistance from leadership, but also given support & autonomy in project creation Assistance from leadership, but also given support & autonomy in project creation Helped us review and refine related processes Helped us review and refine related processes Providing training opportunities to staff Providing training opportunities to staff Periodic large group meetings Periodic large group meetings Kept all players informed Kept all players informed Helped keep changes to a minimum Helped keep changes to a minimum

…And Not So Well Short turnaround for updating New Student Orientation and publications Short turnaround for updating New Student Orientation and publications Needed to provide feeder high schools with more information about the process change and the e- RAP program itself Needed to provide feeder high schools with more information about the process change and the e- RAP program itself Curriculum and testing changes mean updates needed on the program Curriculum and testing changes mean updates needed on the program Discovered the need for an expanded Financial Aid module (in progress) Discovered the need for an expanded Financial Aid module (in progress)

New Student Orientation (NSO)

New Student Orientation (NSO) THEN...  3 sessions right before school (mid to late August)  Paper registration at RAP session  Sizes ranged from students per session  Tips on student services  How to be successful in college classroom  Small group Q&A

What Needed to Change  Needed an opportunity to check student schedules after completion of E-RAP  Needed to provide more accessibility for attendance  Student and faculty feedback suggested a need for content update  Opportunity to address changing student and institutional needs

Goals of NSO  Teach students basic time management/study skills (College 101)  Expose students to concepts of diversity; engage them in discussions  Set expectations about myWCC, Blackboard and basic technology skills  In-person advising / first semester schedule check

New Student Orientation (NSO) NOW...  15 sessions  Every Tuesday May thru August  Diversity Session (DLC)  College 101 (Counseling and Learning Enhancement)  Technology (hosted by Distance Learning)  Higher level of student interaction  Advising / Schedule Check

Current NSO Logistics  Tuesdays – All hands on deck  Expectation that students have schedule when they attend NSO  Registration done online as a non-credit class  Sessions offered at 2 of our 4 campuses  Programming set in a “track” format  Facilitators from multiple departments

Progress and Future Goals for NSO  Faculty participation  Student IDs  Mandatory attendance?  Staff/online evaluation for NSO Accessibility Improved technology session Student Services Fair

Student Feedback E-RAP and NSO:

E-RAP Feedback: Student Survey Results Fall 2010 Most helpful e-RAP modules, as ranked by responders: 1.Credit Course Schedule and Course Selection 2.The College Catalog, Programs of Study, and Educational Plans 3.Tie between Program Requirements & Student Services 4.Assessment Levels and Course Placement 5.Register for Classes and Make a Payment

E-RAP Feedback: Student Survey Results Fall 2011 Most helpful e-RAP modules, as ranked by responders: 1.Register for Classes and Make a Payment 2.Credit Course Schedule and Course Selection 3.Tie between the College Catalog, Programs of Study and Educational Plans & Assessment Levels and Course Placement 4.Program Requirements 5.Student Services

E-RAP Staff and Student Feedback Staff Pros: Students “get it” Comprehensive Fewer students coming in with no schedule attempted Staff Cons Needs greater accessibility Needs an expanded Financial Aid component Student Pros Can complete at their own pace and on their own time Makes it easier to understand how to choose classes and what their program will look like Student Cons Not “entertaining” Needs more Financial Aid information

E-RAP: It Works!!  Reporting functions allowed us to see how many students registered for classes after completing E-RAP  We were able to pull schedules and “pre-check” them prior to the NSO the student had signed up for  Consistently 90% or more students who attended NSO had full or partial schedules that did NOT need changes  Even in August, only 14% of students at the LAST NSO had NO schedule attempted

NSO Breakout Session Survey Results Fall 2010 Most popular breakout sessions, as ranked by responders: 1.College Diversity 3.Technology 4.Group Advising Fall 2011 Most popular breakout sessions, as ranked by responders: 1.College Technology 3.Group Advising 4.Diversity

Student Feedback… The “Likes”  "I liked how two current Waubonsee CC students answered questions I had.”  "I liked everything about the workshops, it made me get out of my comfort zone. Please give us a bathroom break, I didn’t want to miss anything so I didn’t go.“  “I thought talking to an actual counselor was great. Also the College 101 about managing time and such was helpful.”  “Diversity allowed me to get to know people, technology was educational and College 101 I learned a lot.”  "They were helpful in teaching us about what we should expect to happen to us during our college days."

Student Feedback… The “Dislikes”  "Some of them I was a little out of my comfort zone.“  "Liked the enthusiasm, but disliked the long presentations.”  "I thought that it was very informative but the group discussions were a bit awkward.“  “There could be more information in the College 101 and Technology workshops.”  "I didn’t like when my attention wasn’t kept."

Conclusions E-RAP and NSO:

Short Summary  Drastic enrollment increase meant need to create more efficient registration and orientation process  Relocated traditional RAP information into an online format called E-RAP Placed responsibility on the student to be engaged and learn about Waubonsee, his/her particular program and how to register and pay for classes, but offered opportunity for in-person support  NSO revised to include updated content and advise/check schedules of first semester students

When All Was Said And Done  Learned a lot  Work in progress Ever evolving, fluid, regular updating  Much more resourceful with student and staff time  Most importantly, sets expectations for student involvement while providing guidance through the process  Successful! Students know what they are doing!  Special thanks to Montgomery College in Maryland for their inspiration and willingness to share!

Questions?