Increasing Awareness, Opportunity, & Success for Community College Transfer Students at Selective Research Universities

University of Michigan, Ann Arbor NISTS Conference, January 26, 2011

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Michigan – A Paradigm Shift

• Greater campus-wide awareness of the talents of community college transfers

• Improved relationships with community colleges• Part of the overall expansion of the institutional

commitment to broad diversity, including socioeconomic diversity

• Represents, in part, Michigan’s response to the 2003 Supreme Court landmark decision on affirmative action and the response to the 2006 anti-affirmative action ban in the state.

• Building on the work of the original community college partnership called M-TIES – a single institution initiative.

Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Community College Outreach Initiative

Begun in 2006: $1M + $1M cost share; 4 yrs Involved eight selective institutions:

1. U-M: Increase awareness among all 31 CC’s2. UC-Berkeley3. UNC-Chapel Hill4. Cornell5. Bucknell6. Amherst7. Holy Cross8. USC

The Number of Community College Transfers

Is Very Small at Selective Colleges Typically, 1% or less of an entering class at private

colleges and universities and 8% at public universities. Only 11,000 community college transfers admitted to

private and public colleges each year… it appears fewer than 1,000 are low-income students.

Percentage of low-income community college transfer students at selective institutions has declined from 10.5% in 1984 to 5.7% in 2002.

Source: Community Colleges as Gateways and Gatekeepers: Moving Beyond the Access ‘Saga’ Toward Outcome Equity. Alicia Dowd.2007 Harvard Educational Review Vol. 7 No. 3

New Web Portal for Prospective Community College Transfer Students – http://commcoll.umich.edu/

New Community College SCHOLARSHIPS(Begun Fall 2007, in addition to full packaging commitment, in-state)

Community College Scholarship - 3.5 GPA with 30 credits hours completed at the community college

- $1,500 non-renewable

Community College Scholar Award - Honor society, volunteer or community service activities - 3.8 GPA with 30 credits hours completed at community college - $5,000 renewable

Child Care Subsidy Awarded- One child, the award maximum is $2,015 per term. - Two children, the award maximum is $3,020 per term. - Three or more children, the award maximum is $4,030 per term.

New Prospective Community College Transfer Student Recruitment Brochure

New recruitment brochure for Native American high school and community college transfer students

U-M Travel Teams have visited 29 of the 31 community colleges in Michigan to meet with faculty, administrators and students. Here is an example of a multi-college meeting at one rural upstate community college that drew staff from 9 regional colleges.

Victoria’s College Credentials Attended Highland Community College for 1 year 3.2 GPA 35 transferable credits Academic interest: Aerospace Engineering Interests are Marching Band and sports

Works well with students and faculty Member of the Solar Car Project Team Conducts research with Space Exploratory department

Highland Community College Transcript

Term 1Economics I B 3 crChemistry I A 3 crChemistry I Lab A 1 crCalculus II B 3 crPhysics I B+ 4 crPhysics I Lab A 1 cr

Term 2English Comp/Writing A 3 crChemistry I A 4 crComputer Prog C++ B 4 crCalculus III A 4 crPhysics II B- 4 crPhysics II Lab B 1 cr

Totals: 35 credits 35 transferable credits

Thinking of Transferring... 

... to the University of Michigan?

Transfer Days Coming to your AreaThe University of Michigan is taking its "Transfer Days" programs on the road! Sessions will include:

• Admissions Road Map• Paving your way to a University of Michigan Degree• Fueling your Mind

Jack Kent Cooke Fellowship Program for Community College Students

Funded by the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation

Research as transition to University setting

Michigan Community Colleges Admitted Transfers Prospective Uncommitted

• Summer 2009: 36 Apps/17 Admitted• Summer 2010: 51 Apps/19 Admitted

2010 Program Components 20-40 hrs/wk for 10-12 weeks during summer

with UM faculty member Stipend covers housing & food Biweekly seminars:

1. Admissions2. UM Culture3. Financial aid4. Role of research5. Time management6. Skill Building Workshops: library & web research;

EndNote; SPSS database; GIS; Matlab; OSEH Safety

Examples of Research Projects

• Understanding The Star-Spangled Banner (Humanities)• Test Methods for Characterization of Asphatene

Precipitation (Chemical Engineering)• Gene Therapy Development Using Transgenic Mouse

Models (Medical School)• Parameter Space Analysis of Particle Physics Models

Derived from String Theory (Physics)• Institutional Policies Determining Educational Access for

Undocumented Students (Higher Education)• Pilot Study of Mindfulness-based Psychotherapy for

Combat-related PTSD (Clinical Research)

"Kayla exceeded my expectations. She took initiative in her research, finding both people to interview or to help her, and a variety of resources to pursue. She was patient and persistent. She kept careful records of her sources and was able to fulfill every writing and organizational assignment I gave her. She accepted feedback well... Kayla did a great job getting our project started, and laying the groundwork for the next research assistant.“

"Austin came in with some specific skills (microcontroller programming) that we were in great need of. He was able to figure many things out on his own and produced usable output with minimal guidance. Over time, I came to trust him more than any other student (including my grad students) when it comes to directly working with hardware."

"In only a few weeks Akshay doubled the size and depth of my database on ancient and modern views of ancient Africa by reading books I had read and assigned him to summarize. Akshay also showed initiative in selecting additional materials, mostly books, some of which I had not heard about, but also articles from newspapers, websites, etc., and producing summaries of those as well. Akshay and I began collecting all these summaries into a chapter draft, which will be instrumental in securing my book a contract with a major press...

Faculty Quotes:

Summer Navigation Orientation Program

Office of New Student ProgramsA 2-day orientation program for selected community college transfer students – based on financial need and including:

• familiarization with campus facilities, key resources and people

• select and register for fall (or winter) classes• meet other CC transfer students and current U-M

students who transferred (e.g., transfer student panelists)

• meet academic advisors and develop academic plan to graduation

• Transfer Connections (peer mentors) – provides first semester support – See Phil Larson presentation!

How Do CC Transfer Students Perform at U-M?

• Increase awareness and interest in the field of engineering at selected community colleges

• Enhance the preparation of students for engineering/STEM B.S.E. degree programs through a variety of efforts that are customized to the needs of schools

• Facilitate collaboration among partner schools and U-M faculty, staff, students, and alumni to optimize opportunities and impact

New Community College Outreach Initiative at College of Engineering

• Henry Ford Community College

• Jackson Community College

• Oakland Community College (Auburn Hills)

• Schoolcraft Community College

• Washtenaw Community College

EM-PULSE Community College Partners

New NSF-Funded Phase II Partnership With Nine Community Colleges

(2010 – 2015)

Michigan-Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation College of Engineering President Mary Sue Coleman, PI; Professor Levi

Thompson, PD Mission: Double number of URM graduates in STEM

U-M Units Involved in Community College Outreach

T = Travel Recruitment Team * = Full of Partial FTE Committed

1. OUA (Admissions) (T)*2. OFA (Finaid) (T)*3. LSA (T)*4. CoE (T)*5. Kinesiology (T)*6. Nursing (T)*7. Dental Hygiene Program*8. OAMI:

M-PODS/Research*9. ONSP – Orientation*

10. UROP* (Undergrad Research)

11. CEW* (T)12. Army ROTC* (T)13. Taubman School of A & UP*

(T)14. Education*

Some Numbers Calendar Yr. Applicants Admits Low-Income COMMENTS

2006 682 381 75 Big Conference in May - Presidents from 29 CC’s attended

2007 786 426 123

2008 705 365 93

2009 814 389 123

2010 907★ 375 127

★ Increases in applications from largest, closest colleges. Stasis for smaller, distant colleges. Why?

Jackson Community College – Typical Michigan Comm. College• 7,000 Student Enrollment, Majority “Pell – El”

• 65% entering students place into Pre-Algebra• Less than 10% are Pre-Calc (College) Ready• 68% pass out of Developmental math into

Algebra (credit not counted toward degree• 55% pass out of Algebra I• Achieving the Dream: Lumina/Kellogg funded,

6 comm colls, focused on low-income success• 17 Students transferred to U-M in Fall 2009

Undermatching (Bowen/Crossing the Finish Line 2010), Talent Loss, Cultural Capital, Stratification,

College Knowledge

Theories underline discrepancies – Jonathan Kozol’s “Savage Inequalities” – in K-12 preparation, college attendance and achievement for high-ability students from different socioeconomic & racial/ethnic backgrounds

Missing High Achievers

Only 39% of high achieving (1200 + SAT) lower income students applied to selective colleges, despite higher financial aid packages available. SIMILAR OR GREATER DYNAMIC AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

Selective College “Wage Premium” a) More likely to graduateb) More likely to be employedc) More likely to have higher earnings

Source: Economist Describes Missing Pool of Low-Income College Applicants. David Glenn. Chronicle of Higher Education. January 5, 2009

Not Just About Transfers Only 4 Apps in 2009 from these 8 High

Schools in northwestern lower Michigan

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Questionnaires- Deployed April 2008- 425 / 702 = 61% response rate- $15 food voucher - Aggressive follow-up strategy

Focus Groups- Convened July & August 2008- Six mixed gender groups- 45 participants- $25 food voucher

Study Methodology

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Who are these students?

1. Gender: 48% Male; 52% Female2. Age: 64% (18-24); 20% (25 - 29); 16% (30+)3. Race: 80% White; 11% Asian American; 9% Other SOC4. Marital status: 80% single5. Children: 88% reported “None”6. Class standing: 10% Sophomore; 43% Junior; 47% Senior7. Enrollment status: 85% full time8. First in family to attend four year: 71% reported “No”9. Planned to attend four year: 87% reported “Yes”

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Focus group thematic areas(300 single-spaced transcribed pages)

1) Reasons for initially choosing a community college2) Reasons for choosing the U-M3) Issues with the transfer process4) Academic issues5) Social issues6) Work/life/school balance issues as a transfer student7) Things the U-M can do to enhance the transfer student

experience8) Dealing with the bigness/complexity of the U-M9) Advice to future transfer students10) Choosing Michigan if you had to do it all over again

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Jack Kent Cooke Recommendations

1. Expand academic support services2. Lengthen the community college transfer orientation

process3. Establish a community college transfer ambassador

program4. Establish transfer student/commuter student “docking

sites”5. Enhance social opportunities for transfer students6. Continue research and assessment on community college

transfers7. Targeting community college students8. Improved information about transferability of classes9. Improved financial aid information10. Academic and administrative leadership

Question and answer session

Now it’s your turn!

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Contacting the presenters:

Katrina Wade-Golden (wlms@umich.edu)Dilip Das (dadas@umich.edu)

For more information on the Michigan Student Study: www.umich.edu/~oami/mss

University of Michigan Community College Web Portal:www.commcoll.umich.edu