Housatonic Receives Third Year Achieving the Dream Grant
HCC is one of three community colleges in Connecticut entering its third year of the $100,000 implementation grant to join community colleges nation-wide to implement initiatives determined to improve student retention and success. Based on data collected over the first year planning grant and the following two year span of the grant, HCC’s initiatives have been refined and expanded.
Achieving the Dream: Community Colleges Count is funded by the Lumina Foundation for Education, KnowledgeWorks Foundation and The Nellie Mae Education Foundation.
National press has emphasized the issue of success for all college students, including those attending community colleges. This problem is prevalent throughout the country, regardless of background, ethnic or racial demographics. Too many students leave college before they earn a diploma or certificate. Multiple reasons are cited for these drop-out rates and the widening gap for those enrolled students who do not achieve success and graduate. Achieving the Dream hopes to determine what strategies will institute the changes that will enhance student learning and their achievement of success.
HCC has established four priorities.
- More alignment with area high schools in order to close the gap between high school preparation and college expectations. To do this, the College is expanding admission to the Middle College Program and is continuing the high school Bridges Program. In 2009-2010, 12 area high schools are involved. The Bridges program provides four workshops developed with input from each high school to help prepare students for college. The workshops include Orientation to College, Financial Aid, Career Planning, and College Placement Test Preparation. The workshops are held either at the high school or at Housatonic. Parents are encouraged to attend.
- Increase success in math courses. To do this, certain math courses have been reconstructed into modules which allow students to proceed and advance as they are ready for next level work. The program allows students to work on computers at their own pace. An instructor and tutor are in the classroom to help if needed and students can access the program at home to continue work. The Open Entry/Open Exit format includes MAT E 075 Prealgebra, MAT E095, Elementary Algebra, and MAT 137 Intermediate Algebra. Additionally, a short math refresher course is offered to specific students before they take the Accuplacer placement test. This has helped students test into a next level course, or out of Developmental courses entirely.
- Improve the retention of students semester to semester and persistence fall to fall. To do this a mentoring program has been established, called Career Coaching. Each first-time student who desires to participate is assigned to a faculty-staff member/mentor who helps the student develop career goals, directs the student to tutoring assistance if needed, and monitors student progress. Career related speakers conduct programs at the College during the year.
- Increase success in English courses. An OE/OE English course, E01304 Foundations of English, is planned for fall, 2009. Students will work at their own pace on computers in a similar method to OE/OE Math.
For further information, contact President Anita Gliniecki, HCC Achieving the Dream coordinator, 332-5224, agliniecki@hcc.commnet.edu.