Standard Six - Students

 

DESCRIPTION

Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) enrolls a representative student population from its primary four-county service area of southeastern Massachusetts. The College's Admissions Office admits applicants in accordance with the Massachusetts Board of Education's "open door" policy and follows state laws pertaining to equal access. Applicants evidencing graduation from an approved secondary school, possessing state-issued General Equivalency Diplomas (GED) or successfully completing an approved Ability to Benefit (ATB) option are admitted on a rolling, first-come, first served basis. This policy does not apply to the College's selective health science programs, which have clearly defined course prerequisites, minimum academic entry levels, and specific deadline requirements as detailed in the College Catalog, website, and Admissions Bulletin. In addition, it does not apply to international students, who also must meet specific admissions and deadline requirements.

Our student body consists of recent high school graduates just starting their educational journey, adults who enroll midway through their lives to upgrade skills and/or change careers, and older students seeking professional or personal development. Some students seek CCCC because they can complete their education close to home, and others view us as a stepping stone to their next educational institution. Some students choose CCCC because we are affordable and convenient but end up staying because they find the faculty to be professional, seasoned and caring, and they appreciate the personal support and services offered by the college.

However, there are common threads found within the student population at CCCC. Many, if not most students live on Cape Cod and have grown up with the college in their backyard and view it as "their own." Students have a familiarity and comfort level with the College. But perhaps the single most common thread woven into each student's experience at the college is that they all leave CCCC better prepared for the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

The College opens its doors to all who believe, as our catch phrase states, "start here, and you can take your life anywhere."

Based on this "open door" policy, students are accepted with diverse academic abilities. A variety of identifiers and services are provided for both traditional college learners and those who require developmental education. The Assessment Center administers the College Board's ACCUPLACER CPT to measure college readiness levels in the areas of reading comprehension, sentence skills, and mathematics. As part of the basic skills assessment program, newly matriculated students answer 20 background questions in ACCUPLACER, which provide important information for the advising process and demographic analysis. Following the assessment test, all students report to the Advising Center to receive academic advising, assistance with course selection, and referrals to support services as needed. Based on scores earned, some students may be placed in developmental education courses and referred to appropriate academic support services, provided by the Division of Learning Support Services, that best meet each student's individual need. The Assessment Center also administers approximately 300 College Level Examination Program (CLEP) exams each year, as well as the Graduate Record Examination (GRE) subject exams.

For students with documented disabilities, the College offers a comprehensive array of early intervention academic support services through the O'Neill Center for Disability Services. The Center seeks early identification of students with disabilities through a variety of mechanisms, including orientation, publications, letters, CPT questionnaires, access statements in course syllabi, workshops, and referrals. Each student receives a personal intake interview with the Learning Specialist to review his or her documentation and to develop an Individual Educational Plan (IEP) that ensures equal access to courses through the provision of reasonable accommodations and academic adjustments. The Center conducts early intervention outreach to high school guidance counselors, special education teachers, and vocational rehabilitation agencies.

Prior to the beginning of classes, new students are invited to participate in an orientation program. Both day and evening orientation sessions are offered by the Student Development Office. This is an opportunity for students to become familiar with the College, its facilities, resources, services, activities and policies. Each student receives the College Catalog, along with the Student Handbook, which clearly states College policies on student rights and responsibilities, including grievance procedures and the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). In addition, a packet is distributed containing information regarding academic opportunities, expectations, and support services. This information is also available at the Student Information Desk during the first two weeks of school, in the College Bulletin distributed by the Admissions Office and via the College website.

Consistent with the Mission Statement assertion that the "student's education is the first priority," student services provided by the College address the diverse backgrounds, the personal and professional goals, and the academic skill levels of all student learners. Incoming first-semester students are assigned academic advisors or referred to the Advising Center to receive direction and assistance with course and program selection, and to discuss academic concerns that may affect their success. The Advising and Counseling Office is responsible for assigning student advisees to faculty (per faculty contract) and professional advisors. Advisors refer and direct students to appropriate services and resources as needed. Additionally, the Advising Center provides transfer advising and career planning and placement services to all actively enrolled students, and provides training and communicates new curricula and policy changes to all College advisors. To address the need for evening services, all support service offices are open one evening each week. The Advising Center is open four evenings a week until 8:00 pm, and the Tutoring Center is open four evenings each week until 7:00 pm.

Students seeking personal counseling are referred to Health Services on campus and/or to mental health providers in the community. Health Services is staffed by part-time registered nurses. By appointment, a physician and psychologist are available part-time during regularly scheduled hours. Health Services provides health education through health and wellness clinics, mental health clinics, and health awareness sessions, as well as through an information booth located in the Grossman Commons. In collaboration with the Student Development Office, these sessions and materials have been offered on such subjects as breast cancer, alcohol abuse, and HIV/AIDS awareness.

Students are expected to achieve and maintain minimum academic standards to remain in "good standing," determined by a student's ability to meet or exceed a minimum cumulative grade point average (CGPA) in relation to total course credits earned at the College. Specific standards and the method of calculation are identified under "Academic Standards" in the College's paper and electronic Catalog as well as the Student Handbook.

The College uses various instruments to measure student success, including the Graduation Rates Survey, state and federal reporting, the National Student Clearinghouse, the annual Graduation Survey and performance as measured through the Office of Institutional Research and Effectiveness. Rates of retention and graduation are separately determined for the following specifically recruited programs and populations: Program for Adult College Transition (PACT), Adult Collaborative of Cape Cod for Education and Support Services (ACCCESS), General Educational Development Diploma (GED), Students Utilizing Cape Cod Educational Support Services (SUCCESS), Tech Prep, Diploma Plus, Project Forward, international applicants, Coaches & Mentors, the O'Neill Center, and the TRIO Student Support Service Program (TSSS), formerly known as the Advantage Program. The newly created TSSS is a federally funded program that seeks to graduate and seamlessly transfer Associate degree graduates to four-year institutions. Retention rates are also calculated for the following discipline-specific programs: Nursing, Dental Hygiene, Massage Therapy, Diagnostic Tech, Tri-Level Nursing Assistant/Home Health Aid/Certified Nursing Assistant, Paramedic, and now Medical Assisting.

Cape Cod Community College offers students the opportunity to experience college in a way that expands beyond academics. The stated goals for co-curricular learning are to develop communication and decision making skills, foster working relationships, value diversity, foster self confidence, and develop leadership potential. Co-curricular activities offer a social environment that is essential for today's college students by providing a balance between educational, cultural, developmental, and social components. With approximately 20 clubs, intramural sports, a student government association and the Presidential Student Ambassador Program, each student has an opportunity to participate in student leadership. The College does not offer intercollegiate athletic programs at this time. Intramural and general recreation and fitness activities are available to all students and alumni at the College's Life Fitness Center.

The College provides a systematic approach to assist students in meeting financial obligations. Financial aid consists of scholarships, grants, loans, work-study, and employment opportunities. Each year, approximately 1750 student complete the financial aid process. Approximately 85% of those receive some type of financial assistance. Total financial aid for the College is approximately 4.5 million dollars from all sources. Financial packaging policies are updated annually to ensure equitable, impartial distribution. The GAP Fund was established by the Board of Trustees to assist students who did not meet federal or state guidelines for assistance with their college financial obligations.

Students receiving financial aid must be matriculated and must abide by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy as stated in the Student Handbook and the Academic Policy & Procedures Manual. All new students receive financial aid information in their Orientation Packet. The financial aid process and types of aid are explained in the Semester Course Guide, the Admissions Bulletin, and the Student Handbook. Veterans' education benefits, tuition waivers, and tuition remission vouchers are all processed through the Financial Aid Office.

Cape Cod Community College's obligation to protect the security, confidentiality, and integrity of student records is evidenced in the College's policies and procedures. Federal and state regulations and standards regarding the protection of student records drive College policies and procedures. The College observes all polices relating to FERPA guidelines. College policies ensure that student academic records are safe from unauthorized access. According to FERPA guidelines, only College employees who have a "legitimate educational or safety interest" as determined by the Registrar are granted access to student records. To safeguard student academic records, the Office of the Registrar secures all paper grade sheets in metal cabinets that are locked in the Records Room within the Office of the Registrar. Older records are maintained and digitally imaged on CD-ROMs by New England Archives. Confidential records that are no longer needed are shredded by staff in the Registrar's Office.

On the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey in Spring 2006, the College received a score of 4.89 with regard to students feeling safe on campus as compared to the national average score of 4.87. The Department of Security, Office of Public Safety provides 24-hour, 7- days-a-week intervention coverage for incidents of criminal activity, emergencies, harassment, as well as emergency facilities maintenance. The Office of Public Safety works directly with the Department of Health Services, the Barnstable Police, state police, and local fire and medical emergency personnel.

Student Services personnel qualifications are met by a minimum of a Bachelor's degree with a Master's degree preferred in the related area and three years of experience. Additional training is available on the College's Professional Days and through attendance at regional and national workshops and conferences, supported by institutional funding. The addition of two new IT middle-level Managers supports technology development for the Student Services area.

Student Service personnel and some faculty have completed and continue to participate as members of the Community College Leadership Academy and the Collaborative Leadership Development Program. With state appropriations remaining flat, the College continues to evaluate and prioritize new faculty and staff hires to address the needs of the college. Currently, the Student Development Office is temporarily staffed with a full-time Staff Associate and a part-time Clerk but is now seeking a full-time Director of Student Activities. In 2002, a part-time Director of Health Services was hired to replace the full-time Director's position due to retirement and a funding deficit.

 

APPRAISAL

The College recruits its targeted population through various methods of outreach, such as high school visits, on-site admissions, college fairs, on-campus information sessions and tours, an annual Open House, external community events, mass mailings, and electronic correspondence. The College is transitioning its application process to offer an online application format. Since the addition of the Multicultural Admissions Counselor position in 2003, the Admissions Office has increased diversity in enrollment, including international students, to reflect the demographics of our primary service area. Diversity enrollment increased from 9% in 2003 to 13% in 2006. In addition, during the same time period, the male population increased from 36% in 2003 to 38% in 2006. This increasing diversity is in keeping with the College's new Mission Statement.

In 2005 the College administered the ACCUPLACER placement test to approximately 1324 students. Of the students tested, approximately 18.5% placed into a developmental reading comprehension course, 30.5% placed in a developmental writing course, and 81% placed in a developmental math course. The College offers a sufficient number of sections to accommodate the number of students whose scores indicate the need for developmental level courses in math, reading, and writing Unfortunately, for ESOL students who do not place into college–level English, there are limited developmental ESL (English as a Second Language) sections. Free math and English-language refresher workshops help students prepare for placement tests.

The Enrollment Management and Learning Support Services teams have refined the flow of services for incoming students from recruitment to enrollment. This has been done by increasing the availability of hard-copy and electronic information to potential and admitted students, making personal contacts, extending business hours, and investing in technological resources. However, the flow of services from application to registration should be regularly evaluated to ensure that students move seamlessly through the system.

Student services offered by the College foster student success academically, culturally, and emotionally from the first day students are admitted. All student services support and enhance student retention and graduation rates. Students involved in co-curricular activities are offered opportunities to participate in local and national conferences and workshops, advocate for active student participation in college affairs and governance, participate in scholarship fundraising, and coordinate community-service projects. The College sets aside a specific time for student activities, athletics, and club meetings.

In Spring 2005, an evening orientation session was added to accommodate students unable to attend the day session. This strategy resulted in an overall increase of students attending orientation. The Student Development Office offered a pilot orientation program for the Spring 2007 semester, which featured smaller groups with peer-to-peer facilitation, along with additional day and time orientation options, including weekends. Evaluation results indicated an overwhelming success of the smaller orientation sessions. Peer-facilitated sessions were rated highest at 86%. In addition, several selective programs offer individual orientations to their target populations.

The O'Neill Center conducts a biennial survey of students with documented learning disabilities in order to assess their level of satisfaction with the support services provided by the Center. On average, an overall satisfaction rating of "satisfied to very satisfied" was indicated by 94% of participants in the survey completed in Spring 2005.

First-year retention rates for new first-time, fulltime degree-seeking students increased from 51 % in Fall 2001 to 58% in Fall 2004. The graduation rate of all students increased 24% from FY2003 with 371 graduates to 488 graduates in FY2006. As outlined in the Advising and Counseling Office's Report on Retention Initiatives completed in Spring 2006, sixteen new retention initiatives were launched in the past two years, resulting in a significant increase in spring-to-fall retention rates in 2005. During the 2004-2005 academic year, 11,097 student visits were recorded in the Advising Center. To ensure that the Advising Center's services were effective, a student survey was developed and administered in 2005 to assess satisfaction. Results indicated a 93% overall satisfaction rating of "very good" or "excellent." To improve student access to advising information and the management of student academic history the Advising Center launched an interactive online advising component in Summer 2007, including "live" online help sessions to complement email, telephone and personal visits.

The College regularly administers the Noel- Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey to day and evening students to assess student satisfaction with student services at CCCC. Data from the survey conducted in Spring 2006 indicate a statistically significant increase in student satisfaction with academic advising from Fall 2003 to Spring 2006. This increase in student satisfaction levels improved as a result of targeted outreach efforts to enhance communication between students and advisors. Such efforts include letters to students regarding preregistration, notification of academic status, notices concerning degree-completion status, and the bi-annual Advising Newsletter (Compass). The College also utilizes the Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) to evaluate and monitor performance. With regard to Support for Learners, the College received a score of 48.9 as compared to the benchmark score of 50, suggesting a need for continued improvement.

In Fall 2006, the College launched the Academic Intervention Program, which requires all students with a semester or cumulative GPA below 2.0 to be flagged by the Registrar and placed on Academic Review. Students placed on Academic Review are then required to meet with an academic advisor prior to registering for courses. This intervention identifies students who may be showing early signs of academic struggle and allows advisors to provide the necessary support services to assist them in achieving their educational goals. Beginning in the Fall 2007 semester, the College launched the Student Success/Early Intervention Project to help identify students who may begin to exhibit significant academic difficulties. This project encourages faculty to notify the Advising and Counseling Office at the first sign of a student failing to make satisfactory academic progress. This strategy is likely to enhance student retention.

The College has worked diligently to obtain and sustain various grant-funded programs, such as the TRIO Student Support Service Program and the Coaches & Mentors Program, which provide services to targeted under-represented populations in order to facilitate their transition into the College community.

Students may receive help filling out the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) on a walk-in basis during regular weekday hours, as well as during extended Wednesday evening hours. The Financial Aid Office provides a computer for students to submit applications online in English or Spanish. Students may also use the computer to research external scholarships and to conduct searches. Award notices and missing information letters are mailed daily. Online loan counseling is available for every Federal Stafford Loan recipient. Upon request, information sessions are conducted for special programs. The national initiative, College Goal Sunday, where parents and students are assisted in filling out their financial aid application, is held on campus. The certification process for Veterans' benefits has been improved and streamlined. Staff members regularly attend conferences, training sessions, and workshops to keep current with the ever-changing state and federal regulations. The creation of the GAP Fund has helped us with our mission by increasing access to higher education.

FERPA regulations and the College's mandate to post the Notification of Student Rights are published annually in the College Catalog, the College newspaper (MainSheet), through direct student mailings, new student orientation sessions, and on the College's website. Academic and financial records may be requested in paper copy. Academic transcripts must be requested in writing from the Office of the Registrar and are mailed to the address listed on the form or picked up in person with proper photo identification. Confidential student information is released to individuals presenting proper photo identification.

There were no incidents of any Uniform Crime Report (UCR) index crimes on the Campus in 2005 as reported in the 2006 Annual Security Report, indicating a reasonably safe campus at CCCC.

The conversion to the new student information system, Jenzabar, to support and maintain student data was done in 2003. Only the Student Life Module remains to be converted. Increasingly the student interaction with the college is digital: online registration, online bill-pay, Email, Blackboard, eventually online application capabilities and more. The College is developing a web portal as a one stop entry to its digital content. The College should evaluate the students' digital interaction to ensure it is optimum in terms of its usefulness and simplicity.

Through an internal appraisal of personal counseling services offered to students, it has become apparent that the College may not be meeting the immediate need of students and staff to seek counseling on a drop-in basis. To address this problem, the College has established a relationship with Cape Cod Hospital for personal counseling services.

 

INSTITUTIONAL EFFECTIVENESS

The College regularly administers two evaluation tools to assess effectiveness and student satisfaction: the Noel-Levitz Student Satisfaction Survey and the Community College Survey of Student Engagement. In addition, the College is currently conducting a systematic review, by program area, of all non-instructional services. Information gathered through these evaluations is presented to the College community. However, currently there is no consistent systematic approach in place to revise goals and improve services based on these evaluation tools and methods.

Projections - Standard Six - Our Students
Projections Seek funding to increase staffing in the areas of Student Development, Health Services and the Assessment areas.	Responsible Staff Dean of Enrollment Management	Completion Date FY 2009
Improve the navigation process for students going between the offices of Admissions, Assessment, Advising, Registration and Business, by providing appropriate signage and directional indicators between buildings.	Dean of Enrollment Management	Fall 2008
Explore the feasibility of creating a One-Stop Shop. All Enrollment Management Staff, advising, career and transfer services, along with information regarding support programs would be available for students to access in one location. As part of this evaluation, conduct a complete and thorough review of the current system in place regarding all steps and processes new students follow from their initial point of application through registration.	Dean of Enrollment Management	FY 2010
Conduct an evaluation of the student's digital experience in interacting with the College from applying online to receipt of grades and transcripts and implement solutions that ensure the experience is effective and friendly to the broad array of students who attend the College.	Dean of Enrollment Management	TBD in connection with IT Dept.
Create a "Student Right to Know" or FERPA link on the College website which will include the Notification of Student Rights, College Policies in PDF and a downloadable form to Request to Withhold Release of Personal Information for students to access. A parent page regarding FERPA would coincide with the addition of a parent orientation.	Dean of Enrollment Management	Fall 2008
Design and institute a systematic approach to ensure that all new employees receive FERPA training and create a schedule for providing refresher training on FERPA guidelines for current employees on a regular basis.	Dean of Enrollment Management	Fall 2009
Work with the IT Department to implement the Student Life web-page module of Jenzabar to be fully functional to support the Student Services area.	Dean of Enrollment Management Student Development Office	Fall 2008
Work with the IT Department to implement and design an online component to complement the New Student Orientation program which will include information for parents and families.	Dean of Enrollment Management Student Development Office	TBD in connection with IT Dept
Work with the College Web Development Committee to design and install a Student Life Web Page to support co-curricular activities with the emphasis on collaboration and more universal student, faculty and staff participation.	Dean of Enrollment Management Student Development Office	TBD in connection with IT Dept
Work with the College Web Development Committee to create, install and maintain interactive web-based recruiting tools.	Dean of Enrollment Management Admissions Office	TBD in connection with IT Dept
Work with the IT Department to design, create and implement the processing procedures for an online application option for prospective students.	Dean of Enrollment Management Admissions Office	TBD in connection with IT Dept
Produce an Admissions information packet written in Spanish and Portuguese.	Dean of Enrollment Management Admissions Office	Spring 2008
Implement The Presidential Scholars Program through The CONNECT partnership. Applicants denied admission to the baccalaureate partners will receive a brochure describing the Scholar's program which guarantees admission to a partner community college. In the admissions process, students will be flagged for tracking purposes. The overall goal is to graduate this group and through joint admissions assist them in transitioning back to the original public college of choice.	Dean of Enrollment Management Admissions Office	Fall 2008
Work with the Information Technology Department and the Registrar's Office to finalize the Academic Advising Worksheet in Jenzabar on the student side, to clearly identify the student' program of study, document progress towards that degree and identify remaining classes to be completed.	The Advising & Counseling Office	TBD in connection with IT Dept
Seek a full-time administrative support person for the Advising Center.	Learning & Support Services The Advising & Counseling Office	FY 2009
Seek an additional full-time advisor.	Learning & Support Services The Advising & Counseling Office	FY 2009
Design and implement a two-credit student success course, a one-credit career development course and a one-credit critical thinking course.	Learning & Support Services The Advising & Counseling Office	Fall 2008
Apply for certification by the College Reading & Learning Association.	Learning & Support Services The Tutoring Center	FY 2009
Re-evaluate the need for a Peer Tutoring program.	Learning & Support Services The Tutoring Center	Spring 2009
Seek funding for a full-time administrative support person to replace two part-time positions. (FY2009)	Learning & Support Services The O'Neill Center for Disability Services	FY 2009