Fall 2005 Non-returning Student Survey

Teaching and Learning Center PresentationTeaching and Learning Center PresentationSeptember 20, 2006September 20, 2006

Achieving the DreamAchieving the Dreamat Durham Technical Community Collegeat Durham Technical Community College

Presentation Overview

Achieving the DreamAchieving the Dream Survey History/PurposeSurvey History/Purpose Fall 2004 Non-returning StudentsFall 2004 Non-returning Students Fall 2005 Non-returning StudentsFall 2005 Non-returning Students Comparison/ContrastComparison/Contrast Achieving the Dream Student ChallengesAchieving the Dream Student Challenges Durham Tech Supports StudentsDurham Tech Supports Students

Achieving the Dreamat Durham Tech

Student centered visionStudent centered vision Culture of evidence and accountabilityCulture of evidence and accountability Commitment to excellence and equityCommitment to excellence and equity

Durham Tech is committed to increasing the percentage of students who…

complete remedial courses and move on to complete remedial courses and move on to credit-bearing courses.credit-bearing courses.

enroll in and complete “gatekeeper” courses enroll in and complete “gatekeeper” courses such as introductory math and English.such as introductory math and English.

complete the courses they take, earning a complete the courses they take, earning a grade of C or higher.grade of C or higher.

re-enroll from one semester to the next.re-enroll from one semester to the next. earn certificates and/or degrees.earn certificates and/or degrees.

Survey History

Developed and implemented a short phone Developed and implemented a short phone survey, Spring 2005survey, Spring 2005

Minor revisions, Spring 2006Minor revisions, Spring 2006

Purpose

To understand why students choose not to re-To understand why students choose not to re-enroll at Durham Techenroll at Durham Tech

Ultimate Goal

To increase the success of Durham Tech To increase the success of Durham Tech students, particularly those in groups that students, particularly those in groups that have been underservedhave been underserved

Fall Semester 2004 Cohort

577 new students enrolled at Durham Tech577 new students enrolled at Durham Tech 147 (25%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2005)147 (25%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2005) 56 students surveyed by phone 56 students surveyed by phone

(February/March)(February/March)

Fall Semester 2005 Cohort

604 new students enrolled at Durham Tech604 new students enrolled at Durham Tech 167 (28%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2006)167 (28%) did not re-enroll (Spring 2006) 47 students surveyed by phone 47 students surveyed by phone

(March/April)(March/April)

Non-returningStudent Demographics

Fall 2004Fall 2004Fall 2005Fall 2005

Gender of Non-Returning Achieving the Dream Students

58

8974

93

0

20

40

60

80

100

2004 (N=147) 58 89

2005 (N=167) 74 93

Male Female

Race of Non-Returning Achieving the Dream Students

1 3 27

64

16 5

75

59

10

81

0

20

40

60

80

100

2004 (N=147) 59 75 1 3 2 7

2005 (N=167) 64 81 1 6 10 5

White Black Indian Hispanic Asian Other

GPA Distribution for Non-Returning Achieving the Dream Students

14 13 1229

25

70

66

27 712

2719 11

0

20

40

60

80

100

GPA unrecorded 25 29

GPA=0 66 70

0<GPA<1 7 2

1<GPA<2 7 14

2<GPA<3 12 13

3<GPA<4 19 27

GPA=4 11 12

2004 (N=147) 2005 (N=167)

Top Programsof Non-returning Students

Associate in ArtsAssociate in Arts Associate in NursingAssociate in Nursing Associate in ScienceAssociate in Science Associate in Business AdministrationAssociate in Business Administration

Top Programsof Non-returning Students

(Developmental Percentages)

Associate in Arts (66%)Associate in Arts (66%) Associate in Nursing (100%)Associate in Nursing (100%) Associate in Science (56%)Associate in Science (56%) Associate in Business Administration (67%)Associate in Business Administration (67%)

Important

100 of the 167 non-returning students were 100 of the 167 non-returning students were developmental studentsdevelopmental students

Students are not returningStudents are not returning

Why?Why?

Work related responsibilitiesWork related responsibilities 24%24% Personal/family obligationsPersonal/family obligations 22%22% FinancialFinancial 16%16% Transferred to another schoolTransferred to another school 10%10% OtherOther 28%28%

Reasons Why Survey Students Did Not Re-enroll, Spring 2005

Reasons Why Survey Students Did Not Re-enroll, Spring 2006

Personal/family obligationsPersonal/family obligations 32%32% Transferred to another schoolTransferred to another school 16%16% Work related responsibilitiesWork related responsibilities 13%13% TransportationTransportation 13%13% FinancialFinancial 7%7% OtherOther 19%19%

National Student Clearinghouse Data

21 (13%) of the 167 students who did not 21 (13%) of the 167 students who did not return to Durham Tech transferred to another return to Durham Tech transferred to another community college or university.community college or university.

What Students Said…

Greatest Challenges, 2006 ““Juggling school, child, home life”Juggling school, child, home life” ““Balancing everyday schedule with classes”Balancing everyday schedule with classes” ““Scheduling my work and classes”Scheduling my work and classes” ““Getting my financial aid”Getting my financial aid” ““Very challenging taking a full course load”Very challenging taking a full course load” ““Understanding course material”Understanding course material” ““Waiting to pay money for the class”Waiting to pay money for the class” ““Homework, not used to doing homework. I’ve been out of school for a while.”Homework, not used to doing homework. I’ve been out of school for a while.” ““Preparing for classes”Preparing for classes” ““Traveling from Raleigh”Traveling from Raleigh” ““Making class after work on Monday nights”Making class after work on Monday nights” ““Going to school at age 60”Going to school at age 60”

““I feel I played around a lot, but I I feel I played around a lot, but I want to buckle down now.”want to buckle down now.”

Survey respondent who plans to re-enrollSurvey respondent who plans to re-enroll

““I have a lot on my plate with a I have a lot on my plate with a baby, job and other personal baby, job and other personal obligations.”obligations.”

Survey respondent who plans to re-enrollSurvey respondent who plans to re-enroll

Goal Setting

““Some students are so mired in the Some students are so mired in the complexity of staying alive that they complexity of staying alive that they may not even be able to understand may not even be able to understand what goals are and how they could what goals are and how they could be important.”be important.”

Glenn Gabbard, Ed.D., Data Facilitator Glenn Gabbard, Ed.D., Data Facilitator Achieving the Dream ProjectAchieving the Dream Project

Question

How many of the 47 students surveyed said How many of the 47 students surveyed said that Durham Tech deserved an “A” for the that Durham Tech deserved an “A” for the support they received during their first support they received during their first semester?semester?

Letter Grade for Support

Grade from Durham Tech StudentsGrade from Durham Tech Students

AA 1919BB 1717CC 99DD 00FF 11

One student did not participateOne student did not participate

If students feel supported,If students feel supported,then why aren’t they returning?then why aren’t they returning?

Missed Opportunity

Many of our Achieving the Dream students Many of our Achieving the Dream students do not realize their potential. Instead of do not realize their potential. Instead of seeking help, they choose not to re-enroll.seeking help, they choose not to re-enroll.

Perspective

““Today, pre-collegiate courses are Today, pre-collegiate courses are more likely to be populated by more likely to be populated by students recently out of high school students recently out of high school where, in fact, they never mastered where, in fact, they never mastered these essential skills of English and these essential skills of English and math.”math.”

Rose AseraRose Asera““Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”

““If I have lost confidence in myself, If I have lost confidence in myself, I have the universe against me.”I have the universe against me.”

Ralph Waldo EmersonRalph Waldo EmersonEssayist and Poet (1803-1882)Essayist and Poet (1803-1882)

Perspective

““Many of these students have had Many of these students have had years of negative experiences with years of negative experiences with school and need courses in which school and need courses in which they can, in effect, more successfully they can, in effect, more successfully learn the content and learn to be learn the content and learn to be students.”students.”

Rose AseraRose Asera““Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”Pipeline or Pipedream: Another Way to Think About Basic Skills”

A Positive Survey Vibe, 2005

25 students (45%) plan to re-enroll25 students (45%) plan to re-enroll 11 were “not sure”11 were “not sure” 13 responded they would not be returning13 responded they would not be returning Most students referred to Counseling and Most students referred to Counseling and

Student Development indicated an interest Student Development indicated an interest in returningin returning

A Positive Survey Vibe, 2006

17 students plan to re-enroll17 students plan to re-enroll 13 were “not sure”13 were “not sure” 16 responded they would not be returning16 responded they would not be returning 1 transferred to another school1 transferred to another school

Durham TechDurham TechSupports StudentsSupports Students

How DTCC Supports Students Early AlertEarly Alert Mentoring programMentoring program Minority male mentoringMinority male mentoring Single parent clubSingle parent club Campus Learning CenterCampus Learning Center Writing and math labsWriting and math labs Student SenateStudent Senate College prep programCollege prep program Student success workshopsStudent success workshops Accessible instructorsAccessible instructors

““Self-confidence is the first requisite Self-confidence is the first requisite to great undertakings.”to great undertakings.”

Samuel JohnsonSamuel JohnsonEnglish author (1709-1784)English author (1709-1784)