ContentsP031A230002 - Marshall University Research Corporation	4P031A230003 - Mayland Community College	5P031A230004 -Heidelberg University	6P031A230005 - Lone Star College - North Harris	7P031A230006 - Harrisburg Area Community College	8P031A230008 - Brewton-Parker College	9P031A230010 - Washington State Community College	10P031A230011 - Sinclair Community College	11P031A230012 - Brevard College	12P031A230013 - Hazard Community and Technical College	13P031A230015 - Mars Hill University	14P031A230016 - Clover Park Technical College	15P031A230017 - Kishwaukee College	16P031A230020 - Stark State College	17P031A230022 - The Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of SUNY Oswego	18P031A230027 - Rhodes State College	19P031A230028 - Olivet College	20P031A230031 - BridgeValley Community & Technical College	21P031A230034 - Southside Virginia Community College	22P031A230036 - La Salle University	23P031A230037 - Erie Community College - City Campus	24P031A230038 - Utah Tech University	25P031A230039 - Indiana Wesleyan University	26P031A230040 - Friends University	27P031A230042 - Texas Wesleyan University	28P031A230044 - George Corley Wallace State Community College	29P031A230045 - Villa Maria College of Buffalo	30P031A230049 - Maryville College	31P031A230050 - Lindsey Wilson College	32P031A230052 - Boricua College	33P031A230056 - Missouri Southern State University	34P031A230059 - Stanly Community College	35P031A230060 - Indiana University of Pennsylvania	36P031A230064 - Clark College	37P031A230066 - Western Oregon University	38P031A230067 - Bellingham Technical College	39P031A230068 - Husson University	40P031A230071 - Nazareth College of Rochester	41P031A230074 - Kutztown University of Pennsylvania	42P031A230075 - Cape Cod Community College	43P031A230079 - Carlow University	44P031A230082 - University of Maine at Farmington	45P031A230083 - Ursuline College	46P031A230084 - Texas A&M University-Commerce	47P031A230085 - Millikin University	48P031A230090 - Fairmont State University	49P031A230093 - Wesleyan College	50P031A230105 - Kirtland Community College	51P031A230107 - Rappahannock Community College	52P031A230108 - Brd of Regents, of WI System,University of Wisconsin - Stout	53P031A230109 - West Kentucky Community and Technical College	54P031A230110 - Horry-Georgetown Technical College	55P031A230111 - Campbellsville University, Inc.	56P031A230112 - County College of Morris	57P031A230113 - Hardin-Simmons University	58P031A230114 - University of Illinois Springfield	59P031A230120 - Fulton-Montgomery Community College	60P031A230121 - Maysville Community and Technical College	61P031A230129 - Pellissippi State Community College	62P031A230135 - East Central University	63P031A230137 - University of South Carolina Upstate	64P031A230139 - Northwestern State University of Louisiana	65P031A230140 - Pennsylvania College of Technology	66P031A230144 - Manor College	67P031A230145 - Spring Hill College	68P031A230146 - Grand Valley State University	69P031A230147 - Paradise Valley Community College	70P031A230148 - Texas A&M University - Central Texas	71P031A230149 - Daemen University	72P031A230151 - Bethany College	73P031A230152 - Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College	74P031A230154 - South Seattle College	75P031A230155 - Western Piedmont Community College	76P031A230157 - Eastern Shore Community College	77P031A230161 - Lake Washington Institute of Technology	78P031A230164 - Warren County Community College	79P031A230167 - Virginia Wesleyan University	80P031A230169 - University of Saint Francis	81P031A230170 - Tyler Junior College	82P031A230171 - New York Institute of Technology	83P031A230173 - Cedar Crest College	84P031A230175 - Loyola Marymount University	85P031A230176 - Cincinnati State Technical and Community College	86P031A230178 - Trustees of the Hamline University of Minnesota	87P031A230180 - Buena Vista University Storm	88P031A230182 - J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College	89P031A230183 - University of Tennessee at Martin	90P031A230184 - Kennebec Valley Community College	91P031A230185 - San Jose State University Research Foundation	92P031A230188 - Corporation of Haverford College	93P031A230191 - Mount Wachusett Community College	94P031A230193 -Rend Lake College	95P031A230197 - Junior College District of East Central Missouri	96P031A230198 - University of Alaska Anchorage	97P031A230200 - California State University, Stanislaus	98P031A230203 - Oral Roberts University	99P031A230204 - Delta State University	100P031A230205 - Wells College	101P031A230206 - Eureka College	102P031A230209 - Western Technical College	102P031A230211 - Montserrat College of Art	104P031A230215 - Hillsborough Community College	105P031A230216 - Black River Technical College	106P031A230217 - Virginia Highlands Community College	107P031A230220 - Southwestern Oregon Community College	108P031A230224 - Chattanooga State Community College	109P031A230233 - The University of Bridgeport, Inc.	110

FY 2023 SIP New Awards – Abstracts

 pg. 105

# P031A230002 - Marshall University Research Corporation 

Huntington, WV

# Abstract

Located in the City of Huntington, West Virginia, Marshall University is a public comprehensive University with a rich history as one of the oldest institutions of higher learning in West Virginia. Founded in 1837 and named after Chief Justice John Marshall, definer of the Constitution, Marshall University advances the public good through innovative, accredited educational programs. The Mission of Marshall University is inspired by its Vision and Creed that includes commitment to offer a wide range of high quality, affordable, and accessible undergraduate, graduate, and professional education that prepares students to think, learn, work, and live in an evolving global society. University also creates opportunities and experiences to foster understanding and appreciation of the rich diversity of thought and culture. The vision of Marshall University is to inspire learning and creativity that ignites the mind, nurtures the spirit, and fulfills the promise of a better future.

Consistent with the mission and vision of Marshall University, the overarching goal of the proposed program is to strengthen and extend existing resources capacity of Marshall University to prepare minority and low-income students for academic at the university.

Specifically, the proposed program will employ a multi-pronged interventional approach addressing the needs of minority and low-income aspiring students, including efforts to: (1.) increase enrollment capacity, (2.) strengthen retention capacity, (3.) Provide mentoring opportunity, (4.) increase existing resources for affordability, (5.) Increase graduation rate, (6) Develop and implement student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence-based initiatives (7) Establish a system of high-quality data collection and analysis on persistence, retention, and post college success outcomes.

To evaluate the effectiveness and efficacy of program success strategies for the proposed program, process, outcome, and summative evaluation will be performed. The outcome evaluations of the proposed program are designed to directly answer the following questions: (1.) Whether the proposed plan changes (e.g., increase enrollment and retention of minority and low-income students is quantitatively and qualitatively verified, (2.) If there is an increase in admission, retention, and graduation rates among minority and low-income students, to what extent do such outcomes can be attributed to the intervention activities; and (3.) Have the interventions produced any quantitative and qualitative difference in aforesaid educational achievement disparities among minorities and low-income students be attributed to the proposed program interventions? Taken together, the program will engage interventions that will increase admission, graduation and retention rates of minority and low- income student population at Marshall University. The proposed core components to be undertaken by the proposed Center of Excellence comprise the below listed cores as follows:

· Administrative Core

· Academic Achievement Counseling Core

· Program Services information Dissemination Core Data Collection and data analysis Core

· Training and Career Development Core

· Community Engagement/Outreach Core

Marshall University Center of Excellence for Strengthening and Extending Resources Capacity to Prepare

FY 2023 SIP New Awards - Abstracts

# P031A230003 - Mayland Community College 

Spruce Pine, MD

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Increased Attendance and Persistence through Improved Student Services

**Institutional Profile/Demographics or Population Served:**Mayland Community College (MCC) is a top-ranked, two-year public institution serving rural Mitchell, Avery, and Yancey counties in Western North Carolina. It is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) and is one of fifty-eight in the North Carolina Community College System. 

MCC offers Associates of Arts, Science, and General Education degrees for students desiring transfer to a four-year institution, as well as diploma, certificate, and licensure programs for students already in the workforce or planning to enter the workforce immediately upon graduation. The College further provides continuing education and community service programs for professional growth and personal enrichment, and basic skills for challenged learners. MCC serves an annual unduplicated headcount enrollment of 1,765 (2021). Full-time equivalent (FTE) was 860.6 in 2020-21. The College employs 30 full-time and 65 adjunct instructors in 2023.

**Overall Goals or Goal/Main Activity:**The overarching goals of the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program are to

1. Increase the budgetary FTE and retention rates to pre-pandemic numbers by 2028; and

2. Improve MCC’s Performance Measures 5 (Curriculum Student Completion) and 7 (College Transfer Performance), which fall below NC system average.

The Academic Programs goal is to improve overall student success and goal attainment; the Institutional Management goal is to strengthen and improve student support services; and the Fiscal Sustainability goal is to improve student retention rates to help meet annual FTE revenue targets to stabilize income of institution through increased student numbers.

**Problems to be Addressed:**1) First-time, full-time student numbers have not rebounded since Covid-19 restrictions; 2) those attending are not finding the intensive support needed to persist and graduate; and 3) a majority of students experience financial emergencies and food insecurity, slowing and/or preventing persistence and graduation.

**Implementation Strategies:**The project has eight activity objectives to meet the goals:

1) Create additional study group/tutoring space; 2) Expand the number of hours and locations of tutor availability; 3) Provide technology support and help desk assistance; 4) Employ a full-time Retention Specialist; 5) Utilize Watermark Student Success and Engagement Software; 6); Increase available emergency funds; 7) Increase available food pantry items; and 8) Employ a full-time Title III Project Director.

**Project Outcomes or Outcomes or Measurable Objectives and Performance Indicators:**

1. Increase the number of first-time, full-time degree seeking students by 20%;

2. Increase the number of students persisting from Year 1 to Year 2 by 20%; and

3. Increase the number of first-time, full-time students graduating within 3 years by 75%.

FY 2023 SIP New Awards - Abstracts

**Funds Requested or Allocation of Budget:**$1,645,507

# P031A230004 -Heidelberg University 

Tiffin, OH

# Abstract

**Data Integration and Storage to Support Student Access and Success**

Heidelberg University’s mission is *to promote and nurture intellectual, personal, and professional development, leading to a life of purpose with distinction.*To achieve that mission, Heidelberg’s president Robert Huntington led a committee to develop the Strategic Growth Action Plan (SGAP), which established a 5-year plan to strengthen HU’s core student mission, achieve financial stability, and develop a plan to navigate the current challenges facing Heidelberg. HU’s Computer Network Information Technology Division (CNIT) developed HeiTech 2025, a 5-year plan to improve institutional capacities for collecting, curating, retaining, and utilizing data in all university operations. Both SGAP and HeiTech2025 inform HU’s Title III proposal.

The overarching goal of this proposal is to develop a unified cloud data warehouse and utilize the data to inform institutional decision making to improve student support and access as measured by transfer student enrollment and graduation rates, sophomore retention rates, and 4-year undergraduate graduation rates. Heidelberg has established four long-term outcomes**,**all of which come from SGAP Key Strategic Initiatives: Establish a data management and governance infrastructure and process for data-driven decision making; achieve 85% sophomore retention rate; achieve 65% four-year graduation rate; and improve transfer student access and support.

Heidelberg’s proposal will serve the undergraduate student population, which is estimated to grow to 1200 undergraduate students annually. Students specifically targeted for intervention and support are those identified as “at risk”: students with a high school GPA of below 3.0, Pell eligible students, minority students, students placed on academic probation (below a 2.0 cumulative GPA), and adult learners. To support these students, Title III personnel will: establish a cloud data warehouse and analyze the data housed in that warehouse; target students at risk with enhanced support; revise institutional policies and procedures to reduce or eliminate barriers; and expand transfer pathways and transfer friendliness.

# P031A230005 - Lone Star College - North Harris 

Houston, TX

# Abstract

**Project Title:**College Awareness, Readiness, and Engagement (“CARE”) Program

**Institutional Profile**: Lone Star College-North Harris (LSC-NH) is a public community college and the oldest of eight branch campuses of the Lone Star College (LSC) system, serving students primarily from the north Houston and Harris County, Texas region. With an unduplicated headcount of over 17,500 in the academic year (AY) 2021-2022, minorities represent over four- fifths of the student body, and Hispanic students represent the largest ethnic group. LSC-NH meets the U.S. Department of Education (ED) definition as a Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) and Title III and V eligibility**. Total SIP Project Funds Requested**: $2,121,657.19

**Significant Problems**: Following a comprehensive review of internal and external data and key source documents, LSC-NH has identified the following significant problems:

· Compared to state and national averages, subpar persistence rates are impacted by advanced course success rate disparity and numerous non-academic challenges creating academic success barriers for low-income and first-generation students.

· Compared to the national average and state-wide peer institutions, the declining and subparthree-year graduation rate is exacerbated by data inadequacies creating institutional barriers to meeting stop-out student needs and a decline in student/faculty engagement post-pandemic.

· Post-pandemic declining enrollment (linked to fiscal instability) impacted by cascading and unprecedented natural disasters over the past six years, including tropical storms, hurricanes, Winter Storm Uri, and COVID-19, significantly affecting LSC-NH low-income students. This includes declining first-generation enrollments, incongruent with many potential first- generation households in the service area.

**Project Overview**: The project addresses GPRAMA SIP Performance Indicators: increase college enrollment by 5%, persistence by 5%, and graduation rates for first-time, full-time students by 8% over baseline. LSC-North Harris proposes a single activity goal: *improve enrollment, persistence, and graduation by reducing institutional and student barriers*. The project includes two key activity components, incorporating evidence-informed strategies:

1. **Improve institutional systems to support student success**, increasing enrollment and persistence, leading toward self-sufficiency. This is achieved by increasing visibility and access to academic and non-academic resources and services, strengthening high-quality and accessible learning opportunities, program evaluation, and research. Outcomes: *Increase enrollment and fall- to-fall persistence for first-time, full-time students*.

2. **Build and foster a diverse, equitable, and inclusive college**through strengthened teaching and learning excellence and exceptional student support. This is achieved through strengthening re-engagement for stop-out students, increasing career advising and student success, and strengthening faculty/staff professional development. Outcomes*: Increase graduation rates for first-time, full-time students.*

**Priorities:**The project responds to the *Competitive Preference Priority*, increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, and completion for underserved students, and the *Invitational Priority*, projects that implement activities that promote postsecondary completion for students no longer enrolled because of COVID-19-related challenges.

Lone Star College-North Harris

# P031A230006 - Harrisburg Area Community College 

Harrisburg, PA

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Established in 1964, Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) is the oldest and largest, comprehensive, two-year public college in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. With an 11- county service region of 6,800 square miles, HACC delivers educational services at its five campuses in Gettysburg, Harrisburg, Lancaster, Lebanon, and York to meet the needs of its geographically and economically diverse region. Educational attainment throughout HACC’s service area is low. The percentage of residents 25 years old or older without a baccalaureate degree is over 70% and even higher in three of its 11 counties. Over 50% of HACC enrollees identified as first-generation college students on their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

**Project Title & Overview: *HawkSOAR: Soaring to New Heights for Student Success***- HACC is requesting support to improve retention and completion rates for low-income and first-time college students through a strengthen Student Success Agenda. **The single, integrated activity for HACC is to implement evidence-based actions to achieve a change in the institutional culture that’s focused on data-informed decision making to increase student success.**Institutional problems to be addressed in this Title III project are well-documented and analyzed in the grant. The College identified three goals and five objectives based on historical data and the College’s strategic plan.

**Expected Outcomes: 1)**Increase student retention within the first year based on early momentum metrics. **2)**Increase full-time student completion within 150% time as well as part-time student completion. **3)**All pathways-based foundational studies/first-year experience faculty will be trained in course construction utilizing learning analytics. **4)**Increase employees’ knowledge and use of various student success strategies expanding the College’s professional development and coaching capacity. **5)**Implement a collegewide, holistic academic advising model that incorporates career and transfer support from intake through completion. **6)**Increase employees’ knowledge to interpret and utilize data to inform decision-making through the establishment of a high quality data collection and analysis system.

**Competitive Preference Priorities:**The HawkSOAR project provides support services designed to improve student success at HACC. This proposal addresses two competitive preference priorities. **Competitive Preferences Priority 1:**Establishing a system of high-quality data collection and analysis. **Competitive Preference Priority 2:**Supporting the development and implementation of student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence based services or initiatives.

**Total Five-Year Budget Requested:**$2,248,824.00 over five years.

Harrisburg Area Community College (HACC) - Abstract

# P031A230008 - Brewton-Parker College 

Mount Vernon, GA

# Abstract

**Institution/Applicant –**Brewton-Parker College is a private, non-profit institution located in Mt. Vernon, GA. The College is a SACSCOC-accredited, four-year Christian college south of Macon (GA) and north of Jacksonville (FL).

**Requested Funding**– $2,248,753

**Project – The Enrichment, Persistence, and Innovation in Collegiate Community (EPICC) Initiative**

**Significant Problems**– Brewton-Parker College is experiencing low rates of retention and degree completion stemming, in part, from the need to successfully transition students from the freshman to the sophomore year. The College also lacks centralized student services that provide intrusive advising supported by early alert technology and offers limited mental health counseling, career services, and peer tutoring.

**Project Description**– The overarching goal of the **EPICC Initiative**is to improve retention and degree completion through the implementation of new retention strategies and new technology. The project goal is operationalized through two activity objectives made measurable via key performance indicators with annual targets. The two activity objectives are as follows:

· Activity Objective 1 – Increase fall-to-fall retention rate of all degree-seeking students from 56% to 63% by Fall 2028.

· Activity Objective 2 – Increase six-year completion rate of first-time, full-time, degree- seeking students from 20% to 42% by Fall 2028**.**

The specific tasks aimed at achieving the activity objectives of the **EPICC Initiative**are as follows:

−	Create a centralized Student Enrichment Center.

−	Launch freshman learning communities and intrusive advising practices.

−	Implement new student tracking software and other technology.

−	Expand academic tutoring.

**Competitive Preference Priority**– The project responds to the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230010 - Washington State Community College 

Marietta, OH

# Abstract

**APPLICANT**: Washington State Community College (WSCC), Marietta, Ohio.

**PROJECT TITLE**: Integrating Meaningful Pathways for Academic and Career Transformations--***IMPACT***

**INSTITUTIONAL OVERVIEW**: Washington State Community College is a public, two-year institution in the heart of rural Appalachia, serving a 12-county region of Ohio and West Virginia. WSCC offers 29 degrees and 15 certificates directly relevant to regional business and industry.

**STRATEGIC PLANNING DIRECTIONS**: A) Focus institutional programs on emerging high-demand careers. B) Connect each student’s college experience to lifelong economic

mobility. C) Seamlessly integrate work-based learning into each student’s college journey. D) Design instructional climates and add support systems to help all students succeed.

**GOALS**: By 2028, ***IMPACT***will increase enrollment by 13%, improve fall-to-fall retention by 8%, and increase graduation rates by 7%. Focused improvement of enrollment, retention and graduation for low-income, first-generation, and adult students will help close equity gaps. We also will strengthen institutional capacity and fiscal stability through business sector partnerships that will provide work-based learning opportunities for 85% of program graduates.

**EXPECTED OUTCOMES**: ***IMPACT***will accomplish three transformations essential for our students, our region, and our institution: 1) transform student beliefs and behaviors leading to

improved enrollment, retention, and graduation; 2) establish WSCC as a robust, full partner with regional business and industry creating high-demand career opportunities for students; and 3) transform the future of WSCC through increased revenue for future growth and development.

**POPULATION SERVED**: ***IMPACT***will increase WSCC’s annual enrollment from 2,414 to 2,732 students. 80% of WSCC students are low-income, first-generation, and/or adults.

**PRIMARY ACTIVITIES**: We will develop new high-demand academic programs.

Occupational Therapy Assistant, Physical Therapy Assistant, Process Engineering Technology, and a Chemical Operations Certificate will graduate 54 industry-ready students each year. We will initiate Guided *Career*Pathways, a comprehensive integration of academic and career plans to increase student motivation and persistence. Co-curricular career activities and Career Learning Communities will strengthen student engagement centered on shared career objectives. Our career-informed academic enrichment activity will integrate discipline-specific skills and industry-driven soft-skills throughout the curriculum and will significantly increase work-based learning opportunities. The three activities are designed to enable students to connect their investment in education to meaningful lifelong earnings opportunities and career satisfaction.

**COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE AND INVITATIONAL PRIORITIES**: ***IMPACT***responds

to Competitive Preference Priorities 1a, 1b, and 1c, and to the Invitational Priority promoting postsecondary completion for students who stopped out due to COVID or other reasons.

**FUNDS REQUESTED**. $2,065,254 over five years.

# P031A230011 - Sinclair Community College 

Dayton, OH

# Abstract

**Improving Transfer Pathways: A Comprehensive Transfer Student Support Model**

**Applicant:**Sinclair Community College is an open-access institution that serves 32,000 degree- and non-degree-seeking students annually, drawing commuter students from an eight-county region. Sinclair offers nearly 360 degree and certificate programs, including 28 transfer degree programs, at five locations throughout Southwest Ohio.

**Requested Funding:**The proposed budget of $2,232,876 is reasonable and cost effective. Sinclair’s strong commitment to the Title III program is evident in the significant in-kind resources that will be leveraged over the next five years.

**Institutional Problems:**Sinclair is experiencing declining enrollment and low retention, completion, and transfer rates. Among community colleges in Ohio, Sinclair ranks among the lowest in transfers/FTE. Only 11 percent of students complete an associate degree prior to transfer and only 12 percent subsequently obtain a baccalaureate degree. The College currently lacks a systemic approach to ensure transfer student success at Sinclair and beyond.

**Project Summary:**Sinclair will establish a Transfer Center to provide high-touch career and academic planning services for transfer-aspiring students with the overarching goal of increasing student retention and completion rates. The new Transfer Center will centralize transfer resources and co-locate transfer services with other key student services. Increased grant-funded staffing will expand transfer pathways and use of career assessments to provide long-term academic planning, help students set realistic career goals, and identify efficient and cost- effective pathways to reach those goals.

***Improving Transfer Pathways***utilizes three strategies designed to meet project objectives. The strategies are informed by research and evaluation findings that demonstrate effectiveness.

· Empower students to successfully transfer through accessible support services.

· Enhance faculty knowledge to better support transfer student success.

· Improve tools, technology, and systems to allow faculty and staff to serve transfer students effectively and efficiently.

**Selected Project Outcomes: *Improving Transfer Pathways***will be assessed via measurable performance indicators aligned with the project goals and objectives. The strong evaluation plan will support continuous improvement. Some key outcomes to achieve by the end of the funding period include:

· Among transfer students, 63% of students will complete 9 credits in their program of study in their first year of college, 65% of first-time, full-time students will be retained from year to year, and 18% will complete a credential or prior to transfer.

· 500 faculty will receive professional development related to student transfer.

· 500 transfer students will receive career assessments, and 80% (400) will reach the 15- hour milestone on the guided pathway to transfer. 50 students will be connected to work- based learning opportunities.

**Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities:**Sinclair’s project, *Improving Transfer Pathways*, responds to all three parts of Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230012 - Brevard College 

Brevard, NC

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile/Population to be Served:**Brevard College (“Brevard”), located in Western North Carolina, is a four-year liberal arts college accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). Brevard serves approximately 775 undergraduate students annually, offering 24 undergraduate programs of study. The college also offers graduate programs in emergency management and health/human performance. Founded in 1934, the college has always had a commitment to experiential learning and service and has met the educational needs of a predominantly low-income student population. The project will benefit all undergraduate students: almost half (45%) are considered low-income based on receipt of Pell grants, and 27% are the first in their families to pursue postsecondary education.

**Project Title:**Brevard College Compass (BC Compass)

**Project Goals and Activities:**BC Compass has two overarching goals: 1) improve supports for students’ successful transition into, through, and out of the college and 2) strengthen the college’s financial health. The project will implement select evidence-based activities to address identified problems of low retention and graduation rates, high percentages of undeclared majors, core courses with high drop/failure/withdrawal (DFW) rates, subpar data and technology use, physical and policy barriers to student success, inadequate advising and student support systems, lack of oversight for professional development and teaching/learning support, and declining undergraduate enrollment. BC Compass will implement the following activities to improve areas of weakness and achieve project goals, thereby strengthening the institution as a whole: 1) Enhance academic supports and career guidance via supplemental instruction (SI), online courses, and expanded the first-year experience (FYE) course with career-focused curriculum; 2) Establish a teaching and learning center (TLC) to coordinate/deliver training on evidence-based pedagogies and strategies; 3) Create holistic student support with additional professional advisors, appreciative advising, and physical space and policy updates; 4) Assess tech/data needs by functional area and develop resources to leverage tech/data; and 5) Monitor year-over-year undergraduate enrollment and the impact of retention gains on undergraduate tuition/fee revenue.

**Expected Project Outcomes:**BC Compass objectives are to increase retention of first-time, full- time (FTFT) undergraduate students from a baseline of 68% to 78%, increase the percentage of students on track for graduation within six years from a baseline of 36% to 50%, and increase undergraduate enrollment (headcount) based on year-over-year retention improvement from a baseline of 735 to 800. The college has also established expected outcomes related to each BC Compass activity to achieve over the five-year grant period. Brevard anticipates reducing DFW rates in key courses by five percentage points. The college will reduce the percentage of undeclared majors (at the end of students’ first academic year) from 31% to 25%. The college will have at least 85% of participants engaging in college-directed professional development on evidence- based strategies report perceived value in training activities. Brevard will have at least 78% of FTFT students report feeling actively engaged with advisors in developing academic plans and will have at least 90% of students report ease of access to supportive services and no policy barriers. BC Compass activities will lead to an increase of at least 90% of faculty and staff who report that data access supports their effectiveness/efficiency. The college also anticipates increasing undergraduate net tuition/fee revenue from a baseline of $######## to $########.

**Total Funds Requested:**$2,249,386

FY 2023 SIP New Awards – Abstracts

# P031A230013 - Hazard Community and Technical College 

Hazard, KY

# Abstract

Hazard Community and Technical College's Strengthening Institutions Program proposal focuses on improving student retention and building institutional capacity to manage sponsored projects and secure private foundation dollars. Specifically, two overarching goals and their respective objectives are as follows:

**Academic Programs Overarching Goal**: Strengthen the institution's ability to retain students through focused and seamless retention services.

a. **Academic Programs Response 1. Significantly increase student success through improved student retention and persistence**by restructuring the Success Zone through focused retention services management and coordination supported by internal outreach and communication. This will engage students, faculty and staff in this changing higher education environment.

i. Increase Fall to Fall and Spring to Spring semester retention.

ii. Increase gatekeeper course completion rates.

iii. Increase the fall-to-fall and spring-to-spring retention rates of students on SAP Warn.

b. **Academic Programs Response 2 Significantly increase students' course completion rates in online gatekeeper courses**by retention services coordination, promotion and non- peak time delivery.

i. Increase English 101 online pass rates.

ii. Increase Math 146 online pass rates.

iii. Increase Math 150 online pass rates.

**Institutional Management/Fiscal Stability Overarching Goal**: Strengthen the institution through a sponsored projects management strategy.

c. **Institutional Management Response-2 Significantly increases sponsored project management capacity and quality**through the ability to manage and scale externally funded projects by developing a project management strategy and culture.

i. Increase the number of sponsored project managers from 8 to 14.

ii. Decrease the number of no-cost extensions on sponsored projects.

d. **Fiscal Stability Response 1. Strengthen fiscal Stability through tuition preservation through increased retention.**

i. Increase tuition revenue by $153,000 per year.

e. **Fiscal Stability Response 2. Strengthen fiscal Stability through additional sponsored projects by developing a culture of**seeking philanthropic dollars from private foundations to stimulate innovation.

i. Increase revenue to the college through at least ten private foundation grant applications per year.

ii. Increase the number of personnel from 8-14 who can successfully manage sponsored projects.

This project will serve first-time students (245 in Fall 2022) with focused and intentional retention services, including success coaching, peer mentoring, and tutoring. Students will be offered external barriers services such as access to childcare. Retention outreach materials will be disseminated to students, and faculty and staff will connect students to these services. Services will be improved in HCTC's online environment, and faculty and staff will promote services through HCTC's online learning management system.

# P031A230015 - Mars Hill University 

Mars Hill, NC

# Abstract

With the proposed Title III SIP project, Project RISE: Realizing Inclusion, Success, and Empowerment, Mars Hill University will implement a combination of evidence-based strategies to address low retention and low graduation rates of first generation, low-income / Pell, and students of color as well as management deficiencies in student response, advising, and teaching techniques. The goal is to foster an institutional climate supportive of the success of students through an intensive academic support system.

A full-time Project Coordinator will be hired to provide overall management with support of an in-house Project Director. A new **Male Achievement Program (MAP)**will be established and will be staffed by a full-time Coordinator to lead programming designed to address academic concerns and provide opportunities for engaging male students, particularly those of color and low income. **Academic Success Coaching**will be implemented and delivered initially by InsideTrack which will train in-house dedicated full-time coaches in years 2-5. These coaches will provide academic support and response to at least 300 students annually. Advising services will be expanded to include **Proactive Advising**training and the utilization of the Penji application to increase quality interaction between advisors and students and provide better response to students at risk for dropping out. **Universal Design for Learning (UDL)**will be implemented campus wide to train faculty in specific teaching techniques to better serve at-risk students.

This Title III SIP project will focus on three overall project objectives:

· Increase first-time full-time student retention to 70% from a current baseline of 62%

· Increase 6-year first-time full-time student graduation rates to 50% from current baseline of 35%

· Increase faculty competency in serving high risk students more effectively with at least 50% of faculty implementing Universal Design for Learning practices in their classrooms from baseline of 0%

Qualitative and quantitative analysis for each activity will be conducted to include measures the academic progress (DFW rates), retention, graduation rates, student perception of support, student interaction with advisors, and increases in faculty knowledge and application of new UDL teaching skills. Dedicated project staff will ensure the overall efficacy of the project, program budget and accurate, complete data collection for program evaluation and performance reporting to the Department of Education and the University leadership.

The proposed project addresses each of the three Competitive Preference Priorities: a) establishing a system of high-quality data collection and analysis; b) development and implementation of student success programs that integrate multiple comprehensive and evidence- based services; and c) the development and implementation of high-quality and accessible learning opportunities.

# 

# P031A230016 - Clover Park Technical College 

Lakewood, WA

# Abstract

# CPTC Teaching and Learning Center Proposal Project

Clover Park Technical College (CPTC) will strengthen a *Teaching and Learning Center*(TLC) to improve student outcomes, especially for low-income and BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, and people of color) students. Title III funding will allow CPTC to leverage faculty expertise and

student demand to improve the college’s long-term stability and self-sufficiency and meet the College’s mission of *educating tomorrow’s workforce*. The proposed project will build faculty capacity in high impact best practices for student equity and success to increase student retention, completion, and gatekeeper course progression rates annually. Through effective professional learning and educational development, the TLC will support learning-centered and equity-minded educational change.

CPTC’s overall goal relating to the Title III SIP project will address major institutional weaknesses, while helping to fulfill five key institutional goals. The project activities will realize the following key objectives:

· **Objective 1.1**. By September 30, 2028, increase the course completion rate by 5% in target courses from the baseline in Math and ENG.

· **Objective 1.2.**By September 30, 2028, increase the proportion of first time, degree/ certificate-seeking students retained from first fall enrollment to fall of the next year by 5% overall and 8% for students of color.

· **Objective 2.1.**By September 30, 2028, increase the proportion of students graduating within 150% of the normal time by 3% for white students and 7% for students of color.

· **Objective 3.1.**By September 30, 2028, 90% of full time and adjunct faculty will have participated in TLC professional development to address diverse student needs.

· **Objective 4.1**. By September 30, 2028, increase tuition and fee revenue by 5% by increasing student retention and completion.

· **Objective 4.2.**By September 30, 2028, increase the college’s performance-based funding revenue by increasing student retention and completion.

· **Objective 5.1**By September 30, 2028, increase by 10% the number of work-based learning opportunities.

CPTC requests $2,207,068 over five years to implement a student completion system, informed by a sustainable faculty development program and student data dashboards, that will accelerate the pace and quality of student persistence and completion that closes the achievement gaps for BIPOC students. This project will address Competitive Preference Priorities 1 and 2.

**Project Director:**Kristin Copeland, Teaching and Learning Center Director, Clover Park Technical College, Lakewood, WA

# P031A230017 - Kishwaukee College 

Malta, IL

# Abstract

Kishwaukee College (Kish) is a comprehensive, public, two-year postsecondary institution located in Malta, Illinois that serves the needs of a diverse service area, five miles west of Northern Illinois University. Kish offers a wide range of flexible teaching delivery modes and awards five Associate degrees for students who intend to transfer to a four-year institution.

Additionally, the college awards more than 60 Associate in Applied Science degrees and Technical Certificates for students who want to enter the workforce. The majority of students enrolled at Kish are part-time (63.8%), with significant numbers identifying as first-generation (52%), non-White (45.5%), and low-income (35.4%).

Kishwaukee College will implement a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program project entitled Leading Equity in Attainment and Design for Retention and Success (LEADRS), a combination of components to improve academic success and completion by providing students with enhanced academic planning options, holistic supports, and quality online courses, while closing the completion equity gaps for Black/African-American and Low-income students.

Strategies include Guided Pathways, enhanced student success services including embedded Tutors and Success Coaches, Quality Matters standards-based online courses, and Faculty Training focused on student engagement technology, online pedagogy, and inclusive classroom environments.

**Title III Goal and Objectives**

Kishwaukee College will increase student completion rates by implementing an integrated model of academic and support services designed to enhance student success. By September 30, 2028, the College will:

1. Increase the average online course success rate from 71.7% to 76%

2. Increase the fall-to-fall retention of full-time Black/African-American students from 46.3% to 56% and Low-income (Pell eligible) students from 60.5% to 65.5%

3. Increase to 100% the number of Guided Pathways created for degree and certificate programs for part-time and full-time students

4. Increase from 0 to 30, the number of full-time faculty completing the Quality Matters Teaching Online Certificate

5. Increase the 3-year graduation rate for first-time, full-time Black/African American students from 7.8% to 19% (NCCBP benchmark) and for Low-income (Pell eligible) students from 36.4% to 41%

6. Increase the percentage of online faculty who are trained in Quality Matters from 17.2% to 90% and Quality Matters certified from 0% to 50%

7. Increase the percentage of full-time faculty training in best practices, equity, and civility from 20% to 90%

8. Increase student credit course retention from 88%-93%

9. Decrease the 3-year completion rate gap between white students and Black/African- American students from 22.5% to 12.5%

**Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities**

Kishwaukee College’s Title III Strengthening Institutions Program proposal addresses the Competitive Preference Priority: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion and Post-Enrollment Success and the Invitational Priority: Promote Postsecondary Completion for Students Who Are No Longer Enrolled Because of COVID-19 Challenges.

# P031A230020 - Stark State College 

North Canton, OH

# Abstract

**Institution/Applicant –**Stark State College is a public, two-year, open-admission institution that serves the northeastern Ohio counties of Stark County (Canton area) and Summit County (Akron area). With a student population of more than 10,000, the College is the fourth largest of the 23 public, two-year colleges in Ohio.

**Requested Funding**– $2,150,042

**Project**– **Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Access, and Success (IDEAS) Project**

**Significant Problems**– Stark State College is experiencing low rates of degree completion and student retention that threaten institutional viability. The issues stem from increasing numbers of entering students, particularly minority students, who demonstrate a lack of academic preparedness for the rigors of college-level work combined with poor student performance in courses considered barriers (gateways) to degree completion.

**Project Description**– The overarching goal of the **IDEAS Project**is to improve rates of retention and degree completion through strengthened academic support services that target underprepared and minority students. The project goal is operationalized through two activity objectives made measurable via key performance indicators with annual targets. The two objectives are as follows:

· Increase fall-to-fall retention of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students from 51% to 62%; of academically underprepared students from 46% to 56%; and of minority students from 37% to 52%.

· Increase three-year degree completion of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students from 19% to 31%; of academically underprepared students from 12% to 26%; and of minority students from 10% to 23%.

The specific tasks aimed at achieving the two activity objectives of the IDEAS Project are as follows:

· Implement a comprehensive and intrusive student retention program that responds to individual needs and monitors progress and completion.

· Create an Office of Student Life, Equity, and Leadership Programs that links student needs and success barriers to appropriate supports and services.

· Expand faculty/staff training focused on student success, retention, and achievement.

**Competitive Preference Priority**– The project responds to the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230022 - The Research Foundation for SUNY on behalf of SUNY Oswego 

Albany, NY

# Abstract

**Project Title:***All Students Count: Advancing equity through intentional peer-to-peer supports and inclusive pedagogies*

**Purpose and Overview:**SUNY Oswego requests funding from the Department of Education for a Title III, Part A, Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) to support one **SIP Project institutional goal: increase the capacity of SUNY Oswego to equitably engage, retain, and graduate all students.**A thorough analysis of academic programs, management, and fiscal stability strengths and weaknesses exposed barriers for Oswego students, particularly first-year students and underserved students, leading to declining retention and graduation, low student

engagement, challenges in entry-level math courses, declining credit accumulation, and struggles with finances, along with equity gaps that reemerged during the COVID-19 pandemic.

To address these challenges, the project will develop and implement evidence-based strategies to build an inclusive community, improve academic achievement, and increase financial accessibility through (1a) faculty development on inclusive pedagogies, (1b) qualitative data collection/analysis system, (2) embedded tutoring, (3a) financial literacy-mentor, (3b) financial literacy for adult learners: credit for prior learning (CPL), and (3c) financial aid scholarship review process.

By developing and implementing strategies for student success, the project is designed to achieve the following five-year **measurable outcome objectives**that align with Title III performance measures: (1) increase all first-year students’ benchmark scores for five key NSSE engagement indicators from 2020 scores (21.1 – 37.6) to the mean of All NSSE 2020 scores (24.5 – 42.3); (2) increase first-term, first-year students’ average GPA in entry-level math from 1.23 (Fall 2022) to 2.0; increase GPA from 1.35 for students in URM groups and 1.51 for Pell recipients to 1.91; (3.1) increase first-year students’ financial literacy from baseline established pre-program survey; (3.2) increase students’ utilization of CPL through credit by exam from 49 to 75 and portfolio review from 0 to 30 students annually; (3.3) decrease the percentage of students who have outstanding bills with Oswego from 30% (Fall 2022) to 10%; (4.1) increase students’ credit accumulation in entry-level math courses from 69% (Fall 2022) to 80%; (4.2) increase new first- year students’ credit accumulation in all courses their first term from 77% (Fall 2022) to 90%; (5.1) increase full-time, first-year students’ retention to second year from 73% (Fall 2021) to 80%; (5.2) increase second-year students’ retention to third year from 63% (Fall 2020) to 73%; and (6) increase four-year graduation rates of all FT students from 50% to 60%.

The proposal responds to the **Competitive Preference Priority (CPP)**: increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success for underserved students through (a) a system of high-quality data collection and analysis (b) evidence-based student success programs, and (c) high-quality and accessible learning opportunities. The proposal also responds to the **Invitational Priority**activities that promote postsecondary completion or target students who are no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID–19

pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons.

# P031A230027 - Rhodes State College  

Lima, OH

# Abstract

**Project:***Growing a Student Success Ecosystem at Rhodes State College*

Rhodes State College (Lima, Ohio) proposes a comprehensive student success model to increase degree or certificate completion. The model is created from four primary areas to increase student success: Student Entry, Student Experience, Student Progress and Completion, and Lost Student Reengagement. The College agrees to institutionalize key processes and procedures created for the project activities. The RSC Title III project addresses both the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# 

# P031A230028 - Olivet College 

Olivet, MI

# Abstract

**Olivet College:**Olivet College’s founders recognized the need for an educational community stemming from the values of inclusion, mutual respect, honesty, and integrity. From the day it opened its doors in 1844, Olivet College admitted women and people of color on a coequal basis with white men. Today, the College remains one of the most diverse institutions of higher education in Michigan. Approximately 50% of the student body are first-generation college students, 50% come from low-income families, and 35% are students of color. The College is proud to define itself by whom it includes, rather than whom it excludes; its mission is to provide an education that enriches lives intellectually, morally, and spiritually within a diverse campus community. Having attained these qualities through their educational experience at Olivet College, the hope is that graduates will embody the “divine art and science of doing good unto others.” The principle of individual and social responsibility is realized in the context of a distinctive liberal arts experience that nurtures students with skills, perspectives, and ethics necessary to effectively contribute to the common good.

**Significant Problem:**Despite the College’s commitment to improving persistence and graduation rates, particularly among historically marginalized student populations, crucial weaknesses in the areas of sustaining student support, advising, and curriculum design throughout the student experience undermine retention and degree completion efforts. As a result, more than one-third of each incoming class departs the College after their first year and less than one-half graduates.

**Project Description:**The College’s 2030 strategic plan, *Vision for a Prosperous Future*, maintains the College’s commitment to diversity and service while emphasizing goals to improve retention and graduation. Rooted in the mission and vision of the 2030 Strategic Plan, various working groups developed data-informed initiatives using best practices, igniting a tangible synergy that is at the heart of this proposed Plan. The coordinated initiatives are realized through the *Reinvigorating the Undergraduate Experience & Student Success Plan*. This Plan promotes increased retention, persistence, and graduation rates through 1) aligning andenhancing technology for data usage, 2) developing and implementing student successprogramming, and 3) increasing programs to include online degree completion and acceleratedprograms. These components are detailed under the following elements: a) Utilizing Current and Emergent Technology to Support Students in an Everchanging Society, and b) Bridging the Student Experience Through Relationship-Based, Intensive Support.

**Project Outcomes:***Reinvigorating the Undergraduate Experience & Student Success Plan*will significantly improve student success measures. Successful completion of the Plan will stimulate a 10% gain in the completion of first-year courses, an 11% improvement in retention, and a 10% improvement in graduation rates for first-time, full-time students. Additionally, the expansion of the online, degree completion programs offers a unique opportunity for students who were unable to finish college. These results will contribute to institutional self-sufficiency and align seamlessly with the College’s 2030 strategic plan, GPRA, and goals of the Title III SIP Projects.

**Allocation of Budget:**With the full request totaling $2,242,825, grant funds directly support the Plan, with 55% in Personnel and Fringe Benefits, 7.5% in Professional Development and Memberships, 1.3% in Supplies and Equipment, 12.6% in Contractual, 3.1% in Construction, and 20.5% in Other. The budget supports the implementation of both the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230031 - BridgeValley Community & Technical College 

South Charleston, WV

# Abstract

**Project Title**: **Creating Opportunities, Maximizing Performance, Assistance, & Student Success (COMPASS**)

**Project Goals and Expected Outcomes**:

**Goal 1:**BV will address outcomes in classes with high DFW rates by providing wraparound services from a student support program (ASCEND) and providing intentional advising through an integrated coaching model supported by updated advising software.

*Expected Outcomes*: BV will scale an evidence-based student success and coaching model to increase student performance outcomes, decrease DFW, and increase institutional enrollment. 

**Goal 2:**BV will address student poverty and other socioeconomic barriers by expanding ASCEND strategies, expanding access to science lab facilities, and increasing adoption of data- driven decision making.

*Expected Outcomes*: By implementing COMPASS activities, BV will expand access to all enrolled students, accelerate time to completion, and demonstrate increased institutional use of data to inform enrollment, retention, completion, and fundraising strategies.

**Goal 3:**BV will enhance long-term stability by creating an endowed student opportunity fund to support ASCEND support services and student emergency expenses.

*Expected Outcomes*: The endowment fund will demonstrate year-over-year growth to generate interest income for designated student support services.

**Contributions to Research Policy and Practice:**COMPASS will contribute to research on, and the practice of, scaling and integrating an evidence-based student success model at a community college. Train-the-trainer curricula developed in COMPASS will create open-access professional development resources that can be shared with other institutions. The process of establishing and growing an endowed fund for student success by diversifying fundraising strategies can provide a road map and model for other community colleges where fund development and endowment may not traditionally be viewed with an interdepartmental focus.

**Population Served:**The project will serve students enrolled at BV with a priority focus on students who have received a grade of D or F or who have withdrawn from a gateway course. All students enrolled in one or more English, biology, or mathematics courses will be able to opt in to COMPASS. Up to 250 students will be accepted into the program each year. To be eligible for participation incentives, students must attend a boot camp for a course they will take in the upcoming semester. When the student has satisfactorily completed boot camp and attended the first day of the class they will receive a stipend. To remain eligible to earn stipends, students will be required to meet with their success coach a minimum of twice monthly for the entire term.

**Primary Activities:**

**Key activities of COMPASS**include: 1) scaling and integrating a comprehensive student coaching and support model across the institution, 2) targeted professional development for coaches and faculty enhanced by a train-the-trainer delivery model, 3) increasing student success rates in healthcare pathways by maximizing lab facilities and delivering science boot camps, and 4) establishing an endowed student opportunity fund at the BridgeValley Foundation.

**There are no subrecipients in the project.**

# P031A230034 - Southside Virginia Community College 

Alberta, VA

# Abstract

**Project Title: Title III Connect4Success Program**

**Institutional Profile/Demographics:**Southside Virginia Community College (SVCC) is a two- year institution accredited to award associate degrees. SVCC has a total enrollment of 1,817, with 63% (1,143) enrolled as 100% online students. Most of the student population (60%) is Pell- eligible (low-income). Forty-three percent (43%) of the student population is Black/African American, 48% White/Non-Hispanic and the remainder (9%) comprises all other races/ethnicities or unreported.

**Significant Problems**: SVCC’s Black/African American and low-income first-time freshmen students are at higher risk of placement on academic warning or probation due to low first-year GPAs and have lower retention, persistence, and degree completion rates. SVCC lacks an effective process for alerting academic advisors or support staff when a student’s performance declines and tracking student program velocity to degree completion. These inefficiencies lead to lower persistence and graduation rates contributing to fiscal instability.

**Project Design**: Title III Connect4Success Program consists of two (2) Activities supporting SVCC’s strategic goals to meet the needs of low-income and Black/African American students:

***Activity One – Enhance Support for First-Year Student Success****.*Activity #1 will build on SVCC’s academic advising and support its infrastructure capacity and impact. In addition, this activity seeks to help SVCC students achieve tangible successes early in their enrollment to reach critical momentum points. Strategies to be implemented include First-Year Advising, Success Coaching, Career Exploration and Advising, and Financial Literacy education.

***Activity Two – Improve Student Services Support for Online Students and Enhance DataSystems for Data-Informed Decision-Making.***SVCC will create streamlined enrollment and advising operations for online students to maximize operational efficiency and create an intuitive, welcoming student experience. Activity #2 will also expand SVCC’s overall data dashboard capabilities through greater automation to provide data visualization access and promote enhanced data use to impact retention, persistence, and completion.

**Expected Outcomes:**

· Increase the average fall-to-fall persistence rates for first-year Black/African American and low-income students by 18% and 21%, respectively, over five years.

· Increase the average 3-year graduation rates for Black/African American and low-income students by 17% and 18% over five years.

· Increase the overall 3-year graduation rates for all SVCC students by 20% over five years.

**Competitive Preference Priority Addressed:**Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and **Invitational Priority Addressed:**Providing postsecondary completion activities for students no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID–19 pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons.

SVCC requests a total of $2,122,018 for the five-year program.

# P031A230036 - La Salle University 

Philadelphia, PA

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile/Profile of Population to be Served:**La Salle University (La Salle), founded in 1863, maintains accreditation through the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE) and offers undergraduate and graduate programs. The university is also a member of the International Association of La Salle Universities and adheres to the Lasallian tradition of empowering people by educating the whole person. Located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, La Salle serves a diverse student body of approximately 2,800 undergraduates: among first-time, full- time students (FTFT), 60% are minorities (Black and Hispanic students make up 28% and 16% of FTFT students, respectively), 48% are low-income students (based on Pell grant eligibility), and 33% are first-generation students. La Salle is serving a growing number of under-resourced and underserved students. The percentage of low-income students has increased over the last decade, and the university’s minority student population has grown significantly over the last five years from 42% in 2017 to 60% in 2022.

**Project Title:**Advancing the La Salle Experience

**Project Goals & Activities:**La Salle’s project addresses major problems of low retention and graduation rates for FTFT students, introductory courses that have high enrollment and high rates of course drops/failing grades/course withdrawals (DFW), inadequate institutional capacity to serve an increasingly diverse student population, fragmented student support systems, data and technology challenges that impact data access and decision-making, and declining undergraduate enrollment. The project has two goals: goal 1 is to leverage the Lasallian tradition of relationship- based education and inclusivity to deliver a transformational, holistic, mission-focused student experience and foster a culture of collaboration that improves student outcomes/enhances the university’s quality and goal 2 is to achieve greater financial sustainability. To achieve these goals and strengthen the institution, La Salle will 1) restructure student onboarding and transition supports, 2) expand use of an evidence-based coaching model and incorporate career guidance into the student experience, 3) leverage use of technology and data resources, and 4) facilitate professional development to improve the student experience. Key activities include establishing first- and second-year experience courses (FYE and SYE), implementing evidence-based academic supports, establishing a data governance framework and data catalog, and updating and/or creating standard reports and dashboards for enhanced data access.

**Expected Outcomes:**Using best practices and evidence-based approaches, La Salle anticipates achieving the following measurable outcomes: increase fall-to-fall retention of FTFT students from 69% to to 77%, increase the percentage of FTFT students on track for six-year graduation from 65% to 70%, sustain full-time undergraduate enrollment at 2,100 from a baseline of 2,000 for fall 2022, have at least 80% of first-year students report that the FYE course helps build skills for life success and have at least 75% report value in working with a success coach, have at least 70% of faculty and staff indicate that data and technology access enhances their work, reduce DFW rates in five gateway courses by 35%, have at least 75% of second-year students report that the SYE course helps them define career goals and educational purpose, engage 45% of full-time faculty and staff in trainings that help them better serve diverse student populations, and have at least 80% of first-year students and seniors report high levels of engagement in high-impact educational practices and have at least 70% of them report high levels of satisfaction with La Salle.

**Funds Requested:**$2,249,348

# P031A230037 - Erie Community College - City Campus 

Buffalo, NY

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Improving Students’ Ability to Start Here and Go Anywhere

**Institutional Profile**: SUNY Erie Community College is the fourth largest of 30 community colleges in the State University of New York (SUNY) system its Carnegie Classification is High Transfer-Mixed Traditional/Nontraditional. SUNY Erie offers 58 associate degrees, 28 certificate programs and 18 active at-a-distance-programs. SUNY Erie is in Erie County, New York and serves a broad population base with minorities comprising 21%. SUNY Erie Students are 8% first generation college, 39% adult learners, 28% minority, 4% single parents, 15% economically disadvantaged, 5% disabled and 12% English language learners. The college’s mission is to meet “the needs of a diverse student body and [contribute] to regional economic vitality by providing high-quality, flexible, affordable and accessible educational programs committed to student success.”

**Problems:**The college through a rigorous process of external and internal assessments identified the following weaknesses:

· Only 26% of the college’s students participate in and complete orientation.

· COVID-19 impacted enrollment in (first time/full time) FT/FT students with a 15% reduction, and further impacted continuing students with a 33% decrease in retention.

· Low student success in gatekeeper English and math courses.

· The overall completion rate of FT/FT 2020 Cohort at two-years was 16.2%; this is 2% below the SUNY Community College FT/FT 2020 Cohort average.

· Completion rate of the colleges minority population at two-years is between 6-16% lower than their white peers.

**Project Description and Goals:**The project is designed to address the full life cycle of the student through the following strategies (a) build comprehensive student orientation, (b) specific semester student onboarding and milestone messaging, (c) standardize and expand academic advisement, and (d) restructure gatekeeper English and math classes to improve student success. The college has identified completing and expanding its Guided Pathways implementation as the best way to accomplish these recommendations.

**Priorities:**The project proposal is designed to respond to the **Competitive Priority**of completion and post-enrollment success for underserved students by addressing the entire life cycle of the student including recruitment, admissions, onboarding, advising, academics and support services that are aligned completion and post-completion outcomes. In response to the **Invitational Priority**, the college intends to reach out to students who stopped-out during COVID 19 and provide support through the Start Here, Go Anywhere project model. The college is committed to improving its response to students’ life circumstances by providing each student equal access to academic success and completion.

**Expected Outcomes:**

· Increase New Student Orientation participation by 25% over the duration of the grant.

· Increase gatekeeper English course completion by 30%, math course completion by 20%.

· Increase retention of FT/FT degree seeking students by 5%. (Current baseline is 56.8%).

· Improve FT/FT graduation rate of students by 6% over the duration of the grant.

# P031A230038 - Utah Tech University 

St George, UT

# Abstract

Utah Tech University (UT) is a public, comprehensive, open-admissions university serving over 12,500 total students, with a commitment to promote student access to higher education. The University was renamed from Dixie State University to UT on July 1, 2022, to show dedication to its new mission and vision of being an open, inclusive, comprehensive, polytechnic institution. UT recently ranked as the most rapidly growing university in Utah and the west. From fall 2015 to fall 2022, UT grew from 8,503 to 12,541 students. UT is dedicated to a transformational educational experience for students with a focus on active learning and is committed to access, affordability, and student success. However, UT lags in retention and graduation rates, and aims to do more to help its first year and underserved Pell-eligible student population. By targeting the two primary issues facing first year students, which are financial difficulties and academic failure, by creating an Affordable and Accessible Pathways (AAP) program utilizing Open Educational Resources (OER) to replace costly textbooks and Supplemental Instruction (SI) to assist in high-failure courses.

**Overall Goals: AP Goal 1**: Achieve equitable retention and graduation rates and improve student success; **IM Goal 1:**Combine OER and SI into a comprehensive program (AAP) to increase student success and work with underprepared and under-represented student groups to close equity gaps; **FS Goal 1:**Decrease the overall cost burden of students by offering OER courses.

**Problems to be Addressed:**Retention and graduation rates for first-time students are too low (AP 1); three-year graduation rates are too low (AP 2); failure rates for first year students are too high (AP 3); support programs are limited and disconnected (IM 1); and the lack of suitable base funding for student support systems (FS 1).

**Implementation Strategies: Strategy 1:**Convert high enrollment GE courses to OER eliminating the textbook or instructional material costs; **Strategy 2:**Implementing a permanent SI Program

**Outcomes:**Increased fall-to-fall retention and 3-year graduation rates especially for underserved and Pell-eligible students (Objective 1-2). More students achieve academic success in GE courses (Objective 3-4), and students see a decrease in the overall cost burden of course materials (Objective 5).

**Responds to Competitive Preference Priorities**(p. 45-47) **and Invitational Priority**(p. 47- 48)

**Funds Requested:**$2,015,497.00

# P031A230039 - Indiana Wesleyan University 

Marion, IN

# Abstract

**Advancing Adult Student Success through Data, Faculty, and Career Support**

IWU-National & Global serves a headcount of 10,000 adult students per year through over 160 flexible programs offered online, hybrid, and onsite at education centers in Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. The adult student body at IWU-National & Global is diverse for a private institution located in the Midwest. Forty percent of IWU-National & Global students are students of color and, like many institutions, these students do not succeed at the same rates as white students.

The project design for this proposal is centered around three activities. 1) Building, deploying, and maintaining a centralized set of predictive analytics dashboards with early warning alerts for struggling undergraduate students, with a wrap-around faculty training program for how to use the student success data hub to intervene on behalf of students, especially at-risk students and students of color, 2) Developing a faculty accountability program aimed at supporting undergraduate students that incorporates a faculty lead program that provides accountability and evaluation of faculty on student success metrics and fostering a sense of belonging in their classes, and 3) Building a career support system for undergraduate students that encompasses the entire student lifecycle, from including pre- enrollment career coaching outreach through the Mobile Career Lab and community engagement efforts, and support through curricular updates while the student is in classes, to proactive services offered to upcoming graduates.

By focusing on these services, IWU plans to increase the enrollment of full-time undergraduate degree- seeking students by 5%, and the enrollment of full-time undergraduate degree-seeking students of color by 10%, increase the 12-month retention of undergraduate students by 10% over baseline (65%) for all undergraduate students, and 10% over baseline (63%) for undergraduate students of color, and increase the percentage of undergraduate students who graduate within 150% of normal time by 10% over baseline (52%) for students overall, and 10% over baseline (40%) for students of color.

# P031A230040 - Friends University 

Wichita, KS

# Abstract

Friends University in Wichita, Kansas requests funding from the Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) to support their *Engage & Advance: Improving Student Outcomes to Meet Shifting Demographics*project. Over the course of this five-year project, Friends will increase its capacity to improve outcomes for students from historically underserved populations (URS), low-income students, and first-generation college students. This proposal uses the federal URS definition, which includes Black, Latinx, Native American/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations. Friends is an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) with an undergraduate population that is 21% Latinx. The average of the three most recent incoming cohorts of first-year full-time students showed a population that was 21% Hispanic, 35% URS, 44% Pell-eligible, and 26% first-generation college students. This project meets the requirements for the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

Friends’ first goal to increase outcomes for Latinx, historically underserved (URS), first- generation, and low-income students will be measured by enrollment, retention, and graduation rates (in alignment with SIP performance indicators 1, 2, and 4). Outcomes and impacts pertaining to this goal will be measured by specific measurable objectives for increasing first- to second-year retention by 5% for each disaggregated group (URS, low-income, first-generation); increasing first- to third-year retention by 6% for each group; and increasing six-year graduation rates by 3% for Hispanic, URS, low-income, and Pell-eligible students. To meet these ambitious but attainable objectives, Friends will improve pedagogical best practices, improve planning for the HSI transition, increase tutoring support and the diversity of the peer tutoring staff, increase Open Educational Resources use to address student financial needs, increase student mental health resources, expand the summer bridge program, and renovate the library.

To address attrition in its College of Adult and Professional Students, Friends proposes a second goal to boost degree completion for non-traditional students. Over the course of the project, Friends will graduate an additional 100 students who have stopped out due to COVID-19 or other factors. To meet this goal, Friends will develop new policies and processes for evaluating transfer credits; implement best practices for granting credit for prior learning; and develop new strategies for advising and mentoring non-traditional students.

Faculty and staff professional development, including the creation of a Center for Faith, Teaching & Learning, and curriculum restructuring will be used to meet the third goal of positioning Friends for sustainable management as the demographics of the student population continues to move toward its institutional objective to become an HSI. The success of the third goal will be achieved by increasing the number of general education courses taught by full-time faculty; and by credentialling faculty and staff through the Council of Independent College's Belong initiative. Finally, for the fourth goal, which aims to improve fiscal stability by increasing cash flow and protecting against future threats, Friends will expand its summer bridge program to double program revenue, move IT services to cloud computing, and increase the endowment.

Project success will be measured by an extensive, tailored evaluation plan that uses formative and summative assessment and frequent interactions between the external evaluation team and project leadership to ensure continuous improvement and progress toward the stated goals and objectives. The project will be led by Dr. Preston Todd, the Vice President for Enrollment and Student Success. Dr. Todd will develop a solid team of dedicated individuals from across the institution to manage the various components of the project as they touch on academics, academic and student support, facilities, information technology, and enrollment.

# P031A230042 - Texas Wesleyan University 

Fort Worth, TX

# Abstract

*The Wesleyan Experience*is a comprehensive student-centered program designed to strengthen and improve Texas Wesleyan University’s academic quality, institutional management, and fiscal responsibility. This unique program is a university-wide initiative to create a signature experience wedded to community enrichment and career readiness. The courses and associated activities will engage students across the curriculum and their tenure at Texas Wesleyan University. Courses and activities will span all years of the college experience and will be open to applicable transfers to ensure all students can develop soft skills, community awareness, and career readiness skills.

*The Wesleyan Experience*will be guided by four goals that focus on the unique aspects of the student population at Texas Wesleyan University. These goals are:

· Retain first-year students by providing proven retention programs for high-risk students while engaging them with campus and student life.

· Build leadership skills and engagement by embedding service learning into strategic General Education Curriculum (GEC) courses.

· Prepare students for career success through undergraduate research.

· Prepare students for career success through internships and experiential learning.

*The Wesleyan Experience*is designed to implement interventions and track students through a four-year pipeline of professional development. The program begins broadly with campus-wide retention and engagement activities in Years 1 and 2 that connect students to the community and their educational success, then moves to an academic and experiential focus in Years 3 and 4 to prepare students for post-graduate success. The academic focus in Years 3 and 4 is strategically aligned to particular majors that lend themselves well to research and internships and are also in areas where jobs are in demand. Academic Focus in Years 3 and 4 are as follows:

· Biology/Chemistry

· Computer Science/Computer Information Systems

· Criminal Justice/Sociology

· Political Science/History

· Supply Chain/Business Analytics

Texas Wesleyan University has a deep commitment to student success through quality teaching. The development of *The Wesleyan Experience*is intentional in its effort to work cohesively with the current university strategic plan, fundraising campaigns, and the Quality Enhancement Plan. This alignment forms a strong university-wide commitment to addressing the greatest student learning needs at the institution. Three primary challenges were identified and *The Wesleyan Experience*is designed to help address them. The challenges are:

1. Texas Wesleyan is located in an historically depressed neighborhood;

2. Texas Wesleyan enrolls high numbers of under-served students, particularly Pell-eligible students, first-generation students, and underrepresented minorities; and

3. Over half of incoming first-year students are not prepared for college-level work.

# P031A230044 - George Corley Wallace State Community College 

Selma, AL

# Abstract 

George Corley Wallace State Community College (WCCS) serves an eight-county region representing the western part of the state; it serves the most economically challenged counties in Alabama known as the “Black Belt” area. Less than 25% of the population in the College’s service area has a bachelor’s degree. Moreover, fewer than 53% of those who enroll in the College will return for their sophomore year. The College has a diverse student population consisting of 62% females, 73% African Americans, and 23% Caucasians. The median age of students attending the College is 22.8. The 5-year average fall enrollment of the College is approximately 1,620 students. It is important to note that the College enrolls more academic students seeking to transfer than any other population of students. To meet the demands of the College’s service areas, the College seeks to expand on new initiatives implemented that will increase the number of students enrolled in post-secondary courses, increase post-secondary graduation among students from the “Black Belt” and surrounding areas, and prepare students to transfer and/or enter the world of work.

The College’s Strategic Planning process, which identified the College’s areas needing improvements, resulted in the CDP goals and title selection: W.A.Y.S. (Wallace Avenues to Your Success), which contains the standards and best practices necessary to improve student success by redesigning the first-year experience starting with New Student Orientation and providing additional wrap around services throughout the student’s enrollment. W.A.Y.S. is designed to help students choose a path, get on the path, and stay on the path until degree completion.

**Weaknesses:**Although enrollment trends have shown some improvements in the last two years, overall the College has experienced a declining enrollment in the last ten years that will eventually impact the financial stability of the College and its ability to produce a prepared and skilled workforce. Retention, transfer, and graduation rates are low - with recent declines in both retention and transfer. The College has strong institutional management process but could benefit from additional support services and programs to strengthen student successes.

**Goals: The goals for W.A.Y.S. (Wallace Avenue to Your Success) are:**

(1) Increase student retention, graduation, and transfer rates in first-time, full-time students

(2) Implement Guided Pathways for all first-time, full-time degree-seeking students

(3) Increase retention rates in all first-time, full-time students

WCCS serves a large population of first generation and academically under-prepared students who would benefit from the intrusive advisement and guided pathways implemented in the W.A.Y.S. project The College has previously implemented programs and practices to address factors that present barriers to persistence and completion; however, the fragmented approach has not yielded the results the College would like to see. Through research and a review of literature, the College developed insight into new interventions that would influence collegiate success if implemented in the cohesive and comprehensive approach and proposed W.A.Y.S.

# P031A230045 - Villa Maria College of Buffalo 

Buffalo, NY

# Abstract

**Activity: Improving Retention Leading to Completion for Low-Income Students**

Located in Western New York State, Villa Maria College (VMC) is an independent, private baccalaureate degree granting institution founded by the Sisters of St. Felix of Cantalice. The College is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

Most Villa Maria College students (92%) come from a radius of 100 miles or less of the City of Buffalo. In fall 2022, over 48% were residents of the city of Buffalo. As of fall 2022 total headcount enrollment was 465; traditional students (age 22 and under) comprised 77% of the student body; the minority student population was 66% of the student body; 32% of whom were African American; parents of 49% of students do not hold a college degree. In fall 2022, 99% received need based financial aid, and 37% come from households with an expected family contribution of zero. VMC has 35 full-time faculty. Part time faculty vary by semester based on course requirements.

Goal #2 of the College’s Strategic Plan is: *To increase enrollment and retention to levels that support quality learning.*Data indicate that the College is not meeting that goal. Retention and persistence to graduation is too low. From fall 2021, 38% of first time/full time students in associate degree programs and 62% of students in baccalaureate degree programs did not return in fall 2022. Students enter Villa with challenges. In fall 2022, 27% of entering students ranked in the lower quartiles of their high school classes, and 20% have documented disabilities.

Based on a thorough analysis of its strengths, weaknesses and problems as identified from the Strategic Plan; the Self Study and recommendations from accrediting agency, the Middles States Commission on Higher Education; institutional data; and focus groups made up of College stakeholders, the College is requesting Title III funds to: 1) strengthen academic and support services; 2) update and enhance the Villa Maria College library to increase student use, support information literacy instruction, and research; 3) provide coordination and programming to support faculty and staff development; 4) provide an dearly alert system and date analytics system; 5) increase students’ access to technology; and 6) provide programming and workshops presented by those who reflect the diversity of our students.

Key measures of success will be to: (a) increase retention of first-time, full-time students by five percent; (b) increase the persistence to graduation (at 150%) by 4.5%. The total amount request over five years is $1,888,468.

# P031A230049 - Maryville College 

Maryville, TN

# Abstract

***Building an IDEAL (Inclusive, Diverse, Equitable, Accessible Learning) Community at Maryville College***

**Institutional Profile/Demographics:**Maryville College (MC), located in Maryville, Tennessee, is a nationally ranked institution of higher learning and one of America’s oldest colleges.

Maryville’s total undergraduate enrollment (not including international students) in Fall 2022 was 919. Thirty-nine percent (39%) of MC’s undergraduate population is Pell-eligible (low- income). The largest racial and ethnic groups of students on campus were White/Non-Hispanic (72%) and Black/African American (10%).

**Significant Problems**: Low-income and Black/African American first-time freshmen students have lower average first-semester GPAs, fall-to-fall retention, and graduation rates than non- low-income and White students. Decreased retention has resulted in lower tuition revenue and increased fiscal stability at MC.

**Project Design**: The Title III Program will implement the following two activities supporting MC’s strategic goals in meeting the critical needs of its low-income and Black/African American students:

***Activity One – Improving First-Year Student Success.***MC will implement five strategies to improve academic performance, retention, and degree completion for low-income students. 1) Create a structured First-Year Experience (FYE) with a summer transition program and academic coaching for approximately 100 first-year students. 2) Revise the Orientation and the First-Year Seminar experience to build a sense of belonging, demystify the college experience, and build academic success skills. 3) Implement a proactive academic advising model to provide consistency and a greater focus on pathways and career advising for graduation. 4) Create a one- stop Student Support Center with inviting gathering places and engaging programming to foster a sense of belonging, community, and support. 5) Provide diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) training for students, faculty, staff, and administrators.

***Activity Two – Improved Instructional Technology and Data Systems.***This activity will increase MC’s capability to offer asynchronous, HyFlex, and hybrid general education courses to provide greater flexibility for students to complete their core (gen ed) courses. It will also expand MC’s data analytics capabilities through greater integration and automation to provide faculty and advisor access to data visualization and promote enhanced use of real-time, actionable data.

**Expected Outcomes**: Title III activities will improve first-semester GPAs, first-to-second-year retention rates, second-to-third-year retention rates, and four-year graduation rates for low- income and Black/African American students.

**Addresses Competitive Preference Priority:**Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

**Addresses Invitational Priority:**Activities that Promote Postsecondary Completion for Students Who are No Longer Enrolled Because of Challenges They Faced During the COVID– 19 Pandemic or Who Stopped Attending for Other Reasons.

**Funding Requested:**Maryville College requests $2,250,000 for the five-year program.

# P031A230050 - Lindsey Wilson College 

Columbia, KY

# Abstract

Lindsey Wilson College (LWC), a private, college based in rural Columbia, Kentucky, requests a Title III, Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant from the U.S. Department of Education for its proposed, “Building One Lindsey: Increasing Retention through Centralized Services and Co-Requisite Support for Timely Degree Completion” (“Building One Lindsey”) project. LWC serves a diverse population of 1,443 undergraduate students on its main campus, of whom 51% are from rural Appalachia, 42% are low-income as defined by Pell eligibility, 28% self-report as first-generation college students, and 21% are underrepresented minorities.

The proposed project is aligned with SIP program requirements as well as the requirements for all three components of the competitive preference priority and the invitational priority. The project is centered around **three broad goals**: (1) Increase retention and graduation rates for undergraduate students on LWC’s main campus; (2) Re-enroll eligible students lost to COVID or other factors; and (3) Improve instructional quality, core curricular sequencing, and academic support for timely degree completion.

Nine **mutually supportive activities**are grouped into activity areas to: 1) increase timely completion rates of core courses; 2) improve instructional quality; and 3) re-engage eligible unenrolled students and prevent voluntary attrition. These activities include: establish a Student Success Center in an accessible location on campus with multiple evidence-based services and a full-time director to triage students’ supportive service needs (Activity 1); enhance and expand advising services by hiring an additional First Year Experience (FYE) Advisor for first-year students and establishing Success Coaches for upper level students (Activity 2); upgrade the student success management system to enable FYE Advisors, Success Coaches, faculty, and business and financial personnel to more proactively identify and address students’ needs (Activity 3); leverage the upgraded student success management system technology to better identify and reach out to eligible unenrolled students (Activity 4); modify policies and procedures to address financial barriers and provide flexible learning modalities (Activity 5); conduct an outreach campaign to re-engage lost students by promoting awareness of new and existing opportunities (Activity 6); redesign 50 courses in a standardized format, prioritizing courses with high DFW rates (Activity 7); pilot a curricular revision in the English department by revising the introductory course in the core writing sequence to include a 4-credit option for students who need remedial English instruction (Activity 8); and train faculty in best practices in pedagogy, prioritizing courses with high DFW rates (Activity 9). These activities will be overseen by the project director, LWC’s Assistant Vice President for Student Success & Academic Growth.

**Five-year objectives**driving the project are to: increase first to second year retention rates for all main campus first-time, full-time (FTFT) students from 71% to 75%; increase second to third year retention rates for all main campus FTFT students from 78% to 85%; increase third to fourth year retention rates for all main campus FTFT students from 84% to 89%; increase four-year graduation rates for all main campus FTFT students from 27% to 34%; increase six-year graduation rates for all main campus FTFT students from 36% to 41%; re- enroll 81 eligible unenrolled students lost since COVID; reduce the DFW rates in 15 core courses with high DFW rates by 10% per course; increase utilization of academic support services (peer tutoring and writing consultation for core courses (math, science, and English) by 10%; and improve student satisfaction with instructional quality in core math and science courses by closing the gap in students’ perceived instructor effectiveness ratings compared to overall campus ratings.

# P031A230052 - Boricua College 

New York, NY

# Abstract

**Institution/Applicant –**Boricua College is a private, not-for-profit institution designed to meet the educational needs of Hispanics, Puerto Ricans, Latinos, and other underrepresented populations. The College is located on three campuses throughout New York City (Manhattan Bronx, and Brooklyn).

**Requested Funding**– $1,768,087

**Project/Activity – Project RISE (Improving Retention, Instruction, Support, and Enrollment)**

**Significant Problems –**Boricua College is facing three significant problems. First, the College is experiencing low retention in the freshman and sophomore years primarily due to poor student performance in certain gateway courses, which is hampered by a lack of institutional expertise in using retention data. Secondly, academic support services are disconnected and not sufficiently monitoring students in the first two years. Thirdly, adjunct faculty are not well-served by existing faculty development opportunities, which is impacting student success in the gateway courses.

**Project Description –**The overarching goal of **Project RISE**is to increase degree completion via a) new retention strategies, b) redesigned academic support services, and c) coordinated adjunct faculty development. The project objective and activity objectives are as follows:

· Project Objective – By 9/30/2028, increase the completion of full-time, degree-seeking undergraduate students graduating within six years of enrollment from 37% to 42%.

· Activity Objective 1 – By 9/30/2028, increase fall-to-spring retention rate for all students from 64% to 89%, for first-time-in-college, full-time students from 58% to 83%, and for Hispanic/Latino and low income students from 59% to 84%.

· Activity Objective 2 – By 9/30/2028, increase year-to-year (fall-to-fall) persistence rate for all students from 49% to 74%, for first-time-in-college, full-time students from 58% to 83%, and for Hispanic/Latino and low income students from 61% to 86%.

The project involves the following three tasks:

· Task 1 – Establish a Research and Retention Office to lead institutional retention efforts using new technology that monitor student success.

· Task 2 – Centralize academic supports and services within an Academic Success Center on each campus.

· Task 3 – Implement a comprehensive and coordinated approach to the professional development of adjunct faculty.

**Competitive Preference Priority**– The project responds to the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230056 - Missouri Southern State University 

Joplin, MO

# Abstract

Missouri Southern State University (MSSU) is a public, moderately selective four-year institution in southwest Missouri offering certificates; associate' s, bachelor's, and graduate degrees; dual high school/college enrollment; and distance and continuing education. Our mission is to "educate and graduate knowledgeable, responsible, successful global citizens." One of the state's 13 public four-year universities, MSSU is fully accredited and the most affordable university in Missouri not designated as Historically Black.

Disadvantage is widespread-15% of area residents live in poverty and only 23% hold bachelor's degrees (Census 2022)-but residents value higher education, and MSSU's enrollment grew steadily until 2016. Since then, however, it has declined sharply­ down 39% in FTE since 2017-and among nearly all student groups. The most dramatic declines are for continuing, new first­ time, and transfer students and for full-time, 18 -19 and 25 - 64 year-old, and lower-income members of all groups. Retention and completion lag ten or more points behind national and peer averages as well. So, our priority now is to create programs and options that

give prospective students reasons to choose MSSU and support to help them reach their goals.

MSSU therefore proposes Pathways to Success to develop high-demand, regionally responsive bachelor's degree programs in Agribusiness and Food Science, online completion options for Bachelor-of-Science Nursing (BSN) and Early

Childhood Education degrees, online options for accelerated general education courses, and corequisite English remediation. Pathways will also create comprehensive, evidence-based services: meta-majors/degree mapping and summer bridge, mental wellness, predictive alert/referral, and probationary student academic recovery programs. Supporting all project efforts are faculty and staff development in interactive instruction and effective service delivery. Continued high-quality data collection and analysis will measure success to communicate progress and improve ongoing operation.

Pathways to Success addresses problems detailed in our Comprehensive Development Plan (insufficient high-quality degree and completion options and support, underdeveloped student services, inability to increase student enrollment and retention without external support) and solutions reflected in MSSU's Institutional Goals and Objectives. The project responds as well to the Competitive Program Priority to establish a system of high-quality data collection and analysis-for which we propose a number of data-gathering and analysis tools-and to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success for the underserved students highlighted in the profile above; these measures also address the Invitational Priority to serve students no longer enrolled because of COVID-19 or other challenges. Outcomes (increased enrollment, retention, and completion leading to greater fiscal stability) address GPRA and ED SIP Performance Indicators for enrollment, retention, graduation, and cost. The Year 1 budget request totals $449,950.

# 

# P031A230059 - Stanly Community College 

Albemarle, NC

# Abstract

Stanly Community College (SCC) is located in Albemarle, North Carolina, and was chartered in 1971. Today, the College serves approximately 8,350 credential-seeking, continuing education, and basic skills students annually through both career and technical programs and college transfer programs. SCC offers educational programming on campus, online, at the Albemarle Correctional Institute, and through early college high school and dual enrollment.

SCC’s region faces significant economic challenges. Twelve percent of Stanly County residents live below the federal poverty line. Of county residents ages 25 and older, 13.5 percent do not have a high school diploma, and 22.5 percent are not working (EIG, 2022). SCC serves as a critical partner in broadening students’ employment prospects, from having few employment opportunities to workforce success by earning a credential with labor market value.

Through Title III, SCC will develop a comprehensive work-based learning (WBL) program, aligned to the JFF WBL Framework (2018). The project includes the following elements, incorporating the Competitive Preference Priority and Invitational Priority:

1. Embedded job shadows, company tours, and simulations (*i.e.,*career exposure) and internships, cooperative education, and service learning (*i.e.,*career engagement).

2. Registered Apprenticeship program to support WBL career experience.

3. System of touchpoints from enrollment through credential completion to enhance career engagement.

4. Career assessment, customized for SCC program pathways.

5. Academic and career planning.

6. Contextualized employability skill-building for all program pathways.

7. Case management and expanded student-level qualitative data support for the college’s advising and success coaching.

8. Academic supports for credit momentum.

9. Student success monitoring and career planning technologies, supporting *Guided Pathways*.

10. Process documentation with technology-supported workflows to support student success.

11. Professional development to support the *Guided Pathways*project.

Key student success outcomes include:

1. Persistence momentum: First-time full-time: Fall-to-fall, from 60% (134/225) to 64%.

2. Persistence momentum: First-time part-time: Fall-to-fall, from 57% (397/701) to 60%.

3. Credit momentum: from 13% (119/885) to 16% of students earning > 12 credits in their first semester.

4. Three-year graduation: from 56% (IPEDS, 2022 DFR) to 60%.

5. CTE Concentrator Post-program placement: from 88% (2021-2022 reporting year) to 91%.

6. Earnings ($16/hour) among completers of new apprenticeship program: 90%.

This proposal addresses the CPP and IP and requests $2,222,871 in federal funds.

# 

# P031A230060 - Indiana University of Pennsylvania 

Indiana, PA

# Abstract

**Hawks S.O.A.R. Program at IUP (Student Opportunity for Achievement and Readiness): Title III**

Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) proposes a robust Title III program to bolster our students’ academic success. IUP has identified two overarching goals to guide our Title III initiative. ***Goal 1)***Improve retention and persistence rates for our Pell-eligible (PE), first- generation (FG), and underrepresented minority (URM) students by institutionalizing a student success outreach model. This will be accomplished by ***Objective 1)***increasing first to second year retention for PE, FG, and URM students from 64.7% to 70% by systematizing a university-wide student success support structure to close the equity gap, increasing second to third year retention for PE, FG, and URM students from 54.14% to 60% as a predictor of increased graduation rates by strengthening academic advising and career planning resources, and ***Objective 2)***increasing PE, FG, and URM students’ self-reported sense of belonging by educating and training IUP employees to provide holistic and responsive support. We will achieve these objectives through several activities targeting PE, FG, and URM students including a remedial Summer Bridge Program, Student Navigators, Association of College and University Educators (ACUE) and Life Design professional development, integrating ACUE active learning strategies into foundational courses, and integrating Life Design career planning principles into specific foundational courses and workshops. ***Goal 2)***Improve institutional structures and campus culture to be more proactive and responsive to the diverse needs of students. This will be accomplished by ***Objective 3)***improving faculty pedagogy and active learning strategies to close equity gaps in student achievement. IUP will achieve this objective by fully integrating our existing IUP Advise student success software, standardizing an IUP Advise training for faculty and staff, and appointing new Graduate Assistants within the IUP Advising Center.

All these goals, objectives, and activities are linked to our university-wide strategic plan and directly address weaknesses identified in our Comprehensive Development Plan related to academic programming, institutional management, and fiscal responsibility. Each activity is evidence-supported and is achievable based on our institution’s resources and faculty who are committed to our students’ success. IUP President, Dr. Michael Driscoll, is committed to the success of our Title III program, and IUP will incrementally take on the cost of the new Student Navigators and Graduate Assistants. Student Success Data and Technology Specialists who will lead IUP Advise activities will be funded by the university during and after the funding period. We will follow a “train-the-trainer” model for all professional development activities thus creating a sustainable training program. Through the Title III program, IUP’s Pell-eligible, first-generation, and URM students will have direct access to academic advising, career planning resources, and exceptional instruction. Title III activities will also equip our faculty and staff to meet the diverse needs of students and allow our institution to narrow equity gaps in student achievement through improved retention, persistence, and sense of belonging among Pell-eligible, first-generation, and URM students.

# P031A230064 - Clark College 

Vancouver, WA

# Abstract

Clark College (Clark) is a public community college located in Vancouver, Washington in the southwest region of Washington State. Serving three counties (Clark, Skamania, and Klickitat), the service district population is over one-half million people (530,945) and is expected to grow another 18% over the next ten years. In 2021-2022, the College served 11,511 students, with 5,659 credit full-time equivalent students. It is one of 34 community and technical colleges in a system under the Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges and is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities.

Based on the Comprehensive Development Plan, Clark identified the need to **increase completion rates through the implementation of data-informed, technology-enabled career pathways.**To achieve this, three strategic objectives were selected by a cross-institutional Strategic Enrollment Management team: (1) Evaluate the effectiveness of programs and services to continuously adapt and improve; (2) Implement Penguin Path, an integrated student success model that connects each student with the evidence-based practices that address their individualized needs; and (3) Engage industry partners to provide career-connected learning throughout the student pathway.

Implementation of program planning and assessment will ensure that the institution provides the most effective programs and services to support student success and completion, with data-informed assessment and continuous improvement. Executing an integrated student success model that leverages technology to increase student connection to evidence-based practices, including campus programs and community resources that support student persistence and completion. The development of the Career HUB and infusion of career-connected learning through the student pathway ensures that students have access to contextualized career pathways that bolster student motivation and interactive learning. Combined, the implementation of data- informed, technology-enabled career pathways will increase completion rates at the college by addressing the weaknesses and significant problems facing the institution.

Clark College is pursuing the Competitive Preference Priority, with project activities that will directly support (a) Institutional data collection and analysis integrated within holistic planning and assessment processes; (b) Evidence-based initiatives in advising and career services through PenguinPath model to provide individualized success planning; and (c) Creation of flexible learning opportunities through the centralized Career HUB– specifically increasing equitable access to work-based learning opportunities for students.

The project design will institutionalize programs and services that ensure students receive the customized support needed to be successful, with project objectives to increase student retention rates by 10%; increase student enrollment by 5%; and increase completion rates by 10%. All expenses funded by Title III funds are temporary to the grant period or lead to institutionalized processes, faculty and student service training resources, curriculum, and technological tools.

# P031A230066 - Western Oregon University 

Monmouth, OR

# Abstract

**Project Title: Western Oregon University Retention Improvement Project**

**Project Profile:**A public comprehensive, master’s granting university, Western Oregon University (WOU) had an undergraduate enrollment of 3,320 students in Fall 2022. WOU serves a diverse population of students, including a significant number who are first-generation or Pell- eligible. Students of color are an increasing part of the student population, and WOU is an emerging Hispanic Serving Institution with a current Hispanic student population of 22%.

**Significant Problems**: Our comprehensive analysis discovered a set of interrelated problems surrounding retention rates. Specifically, poor first-to-second year retention rates were associated with high D, F, and W rates in first-year foundation courses, including first-year seminars, which are meant to be high impact student success courses. An institutional SWOT analysis revealed these courses are not meeting the needs of our students. Delving deeper into some of the root causes, we realized WOU does not have an institutional mechanism to obtain student feedback, a vital tool necessary to measure and improve student outcomes. Additionally, students are experiencing significant equity gaps in retention, further emphasizing the need for a student- centered approach within our course design. Other significant problems identified include uncoordinated and fragmented student support services and significant gaps in helping students find meaning and purpose in college. These problems affect student retention and post- enrollment success throughout the college lifecycle.

**Title III Goal**: Based on the analysis in the Comprehensive Development Plan, WOU has identified the overarching goal: to improve undergraduate retention and reduce equity gaps for at risk students. To achieve this goal, WOU will implement a comprehensive set of activities to (1) Enhance assessment and continuous improvement of student experience with a local adaptation of the Penn State Survey of Student Experience (the Wolf Experience Survey); (2) Leverage and coordinate first-year seminars; (3) Increase faculty development programming and instructional design support; (4) improve advising and clarity of degree paths; and (5) integrate principles of purposeful Life Design into curricula.

**Expected Outcomes**: By the end of year 5, the expected outcomes from WOU’s proposed comprehensive activities are: (1) Increased overall undergraduate retention to a three-year average of 76%; (2) Increased undergraduate transfer retention from the first-second year for full-time and part-time students by 10% and 25% respectively; (3) Reduced equity gaps in retention by 50% for at-risk groups, including male, Pell, first-generation and students of color (excluding Hispanic); (4) Increased student experience of belonging by 5%; and (5) Increased student experience of purpose by 7.5%. In addition, WOU would institutionalize the following activities by the end of the funding period: (1) Annual administration of the Wolf Experience Survey, (2) A redesigned and coordinated FYS that improves student sense of belonging, (3) Inclusive teaching practices and redesigned math and writing foundational courses, (4) Improved advising, student communication systems, and clarity of degree paths and (5) Increased access to career readiness courses.

**Total Funds Requested:**$2,048,136

# P031A230067 - Bellingham Technical College 

Bellingham, WA

# Abstract

**Institutional Description:**Bellingham Technical College (BTC) and Walla Walla Community College (WWCC) are two-year colleges in Washington State: BTC is located in the northwest and WWCC in the southeast corner. The institutions are open-admission and offer educational opportunities in **high-wage, high-demand career areas**. In Fall 2022, the typical student enrolled in professional technical programs at both institutions was over 25, first-generation, and low-income. While both colleges offer professional technical programs that provide critical workforce training and boast high placement rates, there are **serious issues with student access**to these programs, and **persistence and credential attainment levels are particularly low for part-time students**. Over time, students navigating the colleges’ entry pipelines and trying to persist in these rigidly-scheduled programs lose heart, lose interest, and ultimately lose their way.

**Title III Project**: ***Redesigning Professional Technical Programs for Student Access & Success***The institutions have selected primary interventions to address student access and success issues, which are based on multiple evidence-based strategies. BTC and WWCC will 1) **build data systems and tools**that empower employees to engage with data analysis and enable equity- based decision-making; 2) implement an **entry services coaching**model to better support students in entry pipelines; 3) design, develop and implement AI-enabled **text/chat nudging**models to more effectively communicate with students trying to navigate application milestones and enroll in professional technical programs; and 4) be among the first two-year public colleges in Washington State to implement a **competency-based education**model in their professional technical programs. Project funds will provide support for these strategies to improve student access, persistence and credential attainment. The entry coaching and text/chat nudging interventions are based on WWC studies that document strong evidence of effectiveness, including studies on completion coaching and counseling services to avoid ‘summer melt,’ as well as those assessing the effectiveness of texting and other student communications strategies.

The project also addresses **tie-breaker priorities**in response to **(1)**faculty development, **(2)**administrative management, **(3)**development and improvement of academic programs, and **(4)**strengthening student services. This Title III proposal addresses the **Competitive Preference Priorities,**modelling project activities based on best practices in high quality data collection and analysis, student success programming, and implementation of high-quality and accessible learning opportunities.

**Evidence of Strong Effectiveness, Study Citations**:

Bettinger, E.P., Baker, R. (2014). The Effects of Student Coaching: An Evaluation of a Randomized Experiment in Student Advising. Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis, 36(1), 3-19.

Castleman, B., Page, L., Schooley, K. (2014). The Forgotten Summer: Does the Offer of College Counseling after High School Mitigate Summer Melt among College-Intending, Low-Income High School Graduates? Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, 33(2), 320-344.

Oreopoulos, P., Petronijevic, U. (2018). Student Coaching: How Far Can Technology Go? Journal of Human Resources, 53(2), 299-329.

**Five-Year Project Budget:**$2,750,000

# P031A230068 - Husson University 

Bangor, ME

# Abstract

The mission of Husson University is to inspire and prepare students for professional careers in current and emerging fields within the context of an education informed by the sciences and humanities. Husson achieves its mission by supporting and emphasizing outstanding teaching, faculty scholarship, a commitment to social responsibility, a diverse cultural and global perspective, and careful management of resources. A small, private university, Husson offers students a high-quality and affordable post-secondary education that prepares them for well rounded lives, future educational opportunities, and successful employment. Approximately 67% of Husson’s students come from the state of Maine, 45% are Pell recipients, and 37% are first generation students.

**PROJECT TITLE**

Supporting Students through Advising, Programming, and Technology (SSAPT) 

**PROBLEMS**

AP Problems: Retention and graduation rates are too low for the general student population and especially for low-income students; high failure rates in developmental math, first-year English, and science gateway courses. IM Problems: Inadequate academic advising and advisor training; lack of appropriate advising software and training; inadequate student technology access and support. FS Problem: High dependency on tuition revenue; low retention and graduation rates threatens fiscal stability.

**OVERALL GOALS**

AP/IM Goal: Foster success, promote exceptional educational experiences, and encourage persistence to graduation, FS Goal: Position for long-term stability.

**OUTCOMES**

Objectives related to Husson University’s major problems are designed to measure changes in retention (Obj. 1-2); graduation (Obj. 3-4); increased student success in developmental math, corequisite English (replacing developmental English), and science gateway courses as measured by DFWIX grades (Obj. 5-7); advisor and faculty professional development (Obj. 8); and advisor training (Obj. 9).

**STRATEGIES**

Strategy 1: Enhance academic advising services, Strategy 2: Restructure first-year English, developmental math, and science gateway courses for student success, Strategy 3: Improve student technology access and support.

**COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE PRIORITIES**

The project addresses CPP 1 (pp. 51-53)

**FUNDS REQUESTED:**$2,125,138

# P031A230071 - Nazareth College of Rochester 

Rochester, NY

# Abstract

 Nazareth College (Nazareth), a small, private, comprehensive university located just outside of Rochester, NY, proposes the ***Revitalizing Educational Equity at Nazareth University (REENU)***Program, a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP). Nazareth is requesting consideration under the Competitive Preference Priority. Envisioned by a cross-campus taskforce committed to improving retention and graduation of Nazareth’s most at-risk students, the *REENU Program*is designed in direct response to student needs, particularly needs of students who are underrepresented minorities (URM), low-income (LI), first-generation college students (FG), neuro-atypical students, and students requiring accommodations for disability or mental health reasons. The *REENU Program*will achieve four goals as follows: (1) increase first-year retention and graduation rates, particularly for LI, URM, and FG students; (2) increase Nazareth’s capacity to support the needs of students with disabilities and students seeking support and accommodations; (3) increase faculty expertise in best practices in inclusive teaching and proactive advising both in the classroom and beyond; and (4) increase Nazareth’s capacity for grant seeking and grants management, particularly for programs that support LI, URM, and FG students.

The *REENU Program*will feature the following activities. (1) Nazareth will implement Launch@NazU, a bridge program spanning the summer before matriculation through the students’ first fall semester to support student success in key gateway courses; (2) the Office of Student Success will increase access to Supplemental Instruction and Tutoring for key gateway courses to improving passing rates, particularly for underrepresented students; (3) the Office of Student Success and Office of Institutional Research and Assessment will lead the transition of the campus from Starfish to EAB Navigate and the creation of a predictive analytic model to identify both at risk entering students and current students at risk of not graduating; (4) Institutional Advancement will create an endowment account dedicated to Equal Access to Experiential Learning; (5) Student Accessibility Services will increase its capacity with a Learning Specialist and will renovate an adjacent classroom to expand and equip its testing center; (6) the division of Academic Affairs will create a Center for Professional Learning, Innovation, & Creativity to lead faculty development in inclusive teaching and advising practices; and (7) the division of Academic Affairs will increase the capacity of faculty and staff to apply for and manage grants through dedicated grants administrative support.

A Title III Project Director will be hired to oversee the implementation of all project activities and will report directly to the Associate Provost with a dotted line to the Provost and President. Project evaluation will be conducted by Brockport Research Institute.

# P031A230074 - Kutztown University of Pennsylvania 

Kutztown, PA

# Abstract

Kutztown University (KU), of Berks County, Pennsylvania, proposes to implement a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program, **Increasing Retention and Persistence Through Deliberate Design of High-Impact Practices and Targeted Student Support Services**. KU has established one overarching Title III project goal, **to increase undergraduate retention and graduationrates and eliminate equity gaps for Kutztown students**. KU will achieve its Title III goal through two primary activities that will contribute to institutional growth and self-sufficiency: (1) increase equitable access to high impact practices (HIPs) to promote engagement and retention for all students, including those who are underrepresented minorities (URM) and/or low-income; and (2) provide comprehensive support systems to assure academic success, student well-being, sense of belonging, and career preparedness, contributing to increased retention and graduation rates. **Outcomes expected**as a result of these goals are to (1) increase first-to-second year retention for all undergraduates and subpopulations (URM, Pell-eligible, and first-generation students) by five percentage points compared to the 2022 baseline, by creating equitable access to high impact practices (HIPs) that promote engagement and retention for all students, particularly those who are underrepresented in higher education; and (2) increase five-year graduation rates for all undergraduates and for subpopulations (URM, Pell-eligible, and first- generation students) by five percentage points compared to the 2022 baseline by sustaining comprehensive support systems that assure academic success, student well-being, sense of belonging, and career preparedness.

**Focus population**: The project will serve KU’s approximately 6,500 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students. Among KU undergraduates, 27% are first-generation college students, 31% are Pell eligible, and 28% are URM.

**Primary activities will include**expanding access to HIPs through new micro-internships, increasing study away experiences, and significantly increasing the number of course-based undergraduate research experiences (CURES). These activities will boost academic engagement and success by removing barriers, in part by making HIPs integral components of more undergraduate courses. Improvements in HIPs will also include strengthening the First-Year Seminar, by providing additional tutoring, faculty training, and support. In addition, KU will support retention for academically at-risk students through new Student Success programs with the addition of a Student Success and Academic Recovery case manager, online tutoring, and expanded integration of the Starfish student support platform, as well as through the Reboot academic recovery program for first-year students. The project will conduct faculty development on leading study away and CURES, as well as on meeting the educational needs of neurodiverse students. Lastly, KU will relocate its Career Development Center to the Rohrbach Library, bringing it into the facility where other student services are housed, to increase access and expand the hours of service. Collectively, these services and activities will improve undergraduate retention and graduation rates, contributing to KU’s long-term academic program, institutional management, and fiscal stability goals.

# P031A230075 - Cape Cod Community College

West Barnstable, MA

# Abstract

Cape Cod Community College (CCCC) is a small (1,296.7 FTE in fall 2022), two-year college located on Cape Cod, MA a mainly rural, 65-mile-long peninsula that is linked to the mainland by two bridges. It is the only institution providing comprehensive higher education to the residents of Cape Cod, the islands of Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, and Plymouth County Among degree-seeking students enrolled in fall 2022, 40.59% were Pell eligible, 55.1% were the first generation in their family to attend college, and 13.6% had a documented disability. Racial/ethnic minorities comprised 30% of the student body (12% Hispanic, 9% Black, 2% Asian, 1% other, 6% two or more races). The median age of the student body is 22, and 56% of students are 18-24 years in age. A combined 80.4% of students at CCCC present risk factors.

Project POWERS has one Title III Activity with two, inter-related components designed to meet the following performance outcomes: (1) Increase enrollment in HyFlex and Online courses by 20%, (2) Increase success rate in HyFlex/online courses among low income students by 20%, (3) Increase retention for first-time students by 20%; (4) Increase the percentage of low-income and part-time students who complete an AA/AS degree or certificate by 20%; (5) Decrease time to AA/AS degree attainment from an average of 3.16 years to 3 years. The activity components are: 

Component 1: Integrated Student Services: Implement a Virtual One Stop Center for Enrollment Services, Implement degree auditing and student data analytics using EAB Navigate, use Early warning systems with continued deployment to track student performance in programs, Technology Peer Mentors support available for students, provide comprehensive professional  development for enrollment management staff on virtual one stop, and advanced technology training to faculty and staff to support degree audit.

Component 2: Component 2: Strengthen Accessible Learning Opportunities with HyFlex/Online Expand classroom capacity to offer HyFlex and Online courses and Interactive learning classrooms, provide comprehensive professional development and advanced technology training to faculty and staff on HyFlex and Online Learning, Create an online “toolkit” of best practices for faculty teaching HyFlex/online courses, Embed Career Advising Additional Career and Experiential Counselor to lead embedding career skills into curriculum, improve placement into jobs and internships; Faculty Institutes will allow faculty members to embed career readiness preparation into programs and courses in collaboration with student support services; Improve systems to collect student post-enrollment and career data.

An external evaluation plan ensures continuous assessment and improvement of the interventions. A total of $ 2,249,678.57 is requested over the five years of project implementation to achieve the Project POWERS outcomes. CCCC will also allocate its own resources to support the proposed interventions, including in-kind personnel time (Project Director, clerical support, and grants compliance officer), facilities, supplies, office equipment and IT support. CCCC will commit to supporting two positions beyond the funding period.

The proposal also addresses the Competitive Priority Points (a) establishing a system of highquality data collection post-enrollment, (b) supporting student services that integrate evidence based interventions, and (c) supporting the implementation of high quality learning opportunities that are hybrid/online and flexible for working students. The invitational priority is addressed by interventions aimed at making it possible for students who have stopped out to return.

# P031A230079 - Carlow University 

Pittsburgh, PA

# Abstract

Carlow University (Carlow), a private, co-educational, Catholic liberal arts university located in Pittsburgh, requests support from the Department of Education for a Title III Strengthening Institutions grant to develop the project entitled “Empowering Students through Institutional Change (ESIC).” Carlow is requesting consideration under the Competitive Preference Priority. The ESIC project will address ongoing needs on the Carlow campus, including the high rates of students receiving a grade of D, failing, or withdrawing (DFW) from required skills courses; the high number of students entering Carlow without sufficient academic preparation; the low participation rate of faculty members in opportunities for improving the curriculum and classroom pedagogies; the low self-efficacy of students of color; and the ongoing budgetary pressures. In response to those needs, Carlow will seek to accomplish the following three goals: (1) improve the first-second year retention rate and four-year graduation rates of all students; (2) increase levels of student engagement in and out of the classroom on campus; and(3) create a more inclusive and welcoming environment on campus.

The ESIC project will feature the following activities. First, Carlow will hire a full-time Director of Advising and Retention and a full-time Retention Specialist. Each of these positions will be tasked with increasing the retention and persistence of high-risk students. One of these two positions will meet one-on-one with any student who is flagged by faculty and staff as being at risk of not finishing. They will help each student develop an action plan for staying in school, including the concrete steps that need to be taken to improve academic performance. They will also proactively connect these students with resources on campus, and they will follow up with each student periodically to ensure the student has ongoing support and encouragement. Second, these two positions will help launch bridge programs for at-risk incoming students, rising sophomores, and rising juniors. Each program will be tailored to the unique needs of that cohort with an emphasis on connecting all students with community resources and fostering a sense of community among students. Third, Carlow will contract with EAB to introduce Navigate, a software platform that will engage faculty and staff to issue alerts about at-risk students and better communicate with one another about students of need. Fourth, the project will develop several workshops to enhance the student support provided by faculty and staff, including workshops on the use of Navigate; best practices in learner-centered and trauma-informed advising; the use of universal design for learning (UDL) principles in class-based teaching; and issues related to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Finally, Carlow will introduce an embedded peer tutoring system to improve student performance in the introductory skills courses. All tutors will be trained and supervised by the Director of Advising and Retention to help struggling students learn content and to offer support and encouragement. Collectively, these activities respond to the institutional needs and will seek to accomplish the project goals.

Dr. Alexis Macklin, Director of the Library and the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning, will serve as the Project Coordinator for the proposed project. She will supervise the newly created positions of the Director of Advising and Retention and the Retention Specialist. She will report to the Provost on the project and offer regular updates to the entire Carlow leadership team to keep them apprised of the project activities. The project evaluation will be conducted by Dr. Tania Jarosewich who will gather all relevant performance data and meet annually with the project staff to discuss the efficacy of project activities and any changes that might allow Carlow to better achieve the project objectives

# 

# P031A230082 - University of Maine at Farmington 

Farmington, ME

# Abstract

**Project Title:**The Belonging Initiative: Strengthening Retention for First Years—Title III SIP Developmental Application from the University of Maine at Farmington

**Goals**: 1. Increase the number of FT degree-seeking UGs enrolled at UMF; 2. Improve student retention, especially of FY first-gen and low-income (FGLI) students; 3. Increase student graduation rate; 4. Increase UMF fiscal stability via increased retention; 5. Create a campus that is focused on belonging.

**Outcomes: (L=long-term; M=mid-term; S=short-term)**

1. By the end of Y5, 85% of FY students will increase their acquisition of college success skills with a B- or higher grade (L)

2. By Spring of Y2, 68% FGLI student GPAs will be 2.75+ (Y3 70%; Y4 72%; Y5 74%)

3. By the end of Y5, increase the number of FY students who feel a sense of belonging during Summer Outreach Days to 200 (L)

4. Students increase sense of belonging from 60% at baseline to 85% at Y5 as measured by surveys and participation in groups

5. Increase the number of FY students to receive AppA from current 0 to a total 600 by Y5 (L)

6. By Spring of Y1, 30% of FY students will have an academic/ career path (S) (Y3 40%; Y4 50% [L]; Y5 60%) (L)

7. Increase FGLI, degree-seeking retention from first fall semester to second fall semester from a baseline of 62% to 72% by end of Y5 (L)

8. Increase the percent of first-time, full-time, degree-seeking, UG students graduating within 6 years of enrollment from baseline 53% to 58% in Y5 (L)

9. Increase the number of full-time degree- seeking undergrads enrolled from the 1,217 Y1 enrolled baseline to 1,395 by the end of Y5 (L)

10. Increase fiscal stability based on increased retention, culminating in $1,373,655 additional revenue by Y5 (L)

**Contributions related to research, policy, and practice**: The project will contribute to research, policy, and practice regarding serving rural first generation and/or low income students, especially in the areas of college skill building; training and activities related to belonging; and appreciative advising methods.

**Population(s) to be served**: The project serves a rural population in Maine and also draws regionally and from across the State of Maine. All students will be served and first generation and/or low income students will be specifically targeted.

**Primary activities to be performed by the recipient**:

1) Launch (FY) College Success Skill Lab  to ensure all FY students have college success skills;

2) create new FY Belonging Training & Activities that focus on campus-wide services; and

3) institute FY Appreciative Advising by training advisors in purposeful advising. Strengthening these aspects of UMF via an overall view of “Belonging” will increase retention (progression to second semester and the following year) of FY students, thereby improving UMF’s fiscal stability.

# P031A230083 - Ursuline College 

Pepper Pike, OH

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Ursuline Progressing With Actionable Resources and Data (UPWARD)

**Institutional Profile:**Ursuline College was founded in 1871 as the first women’s Catholic college in Ohio. Today, approximately 61% of the student population is undergraduate while 39% is graduate, and Nursing is the largest program at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Ursuline students are predominately female, even though the institution has been fully coeducational since 1969. At the undergraduate level there are high percentages of students of color (40%), Pell-eligible (38%), and first-generation students (31%), and 86% of students come from Ohio. Ursuline College is rated number one in upward mobility out of 1100 institutions nationwide based on a 2020 American Enterprise Institute study. Opportunity Insights also gave Ursuline College a high score of 128.5 (top 14.5% nationwide) on economic mobility.

**Problems:**Despite these strengths, Ursuline College has struggled especially in recent years with low enrollment, and low retention and completion rates. The resulting loss of net tuition revenue has been extremely challenging for the institution, exacerbating the existing operating deficit and not allowing adequate staffing or resourcing of the institution so that it can move forward.

**Theoretical Framework:**The UPWARD project seeks to move the institution forward in the same way that it has moved students forward in social and economic mobility. Tinto provides the theoretical framework for this project in a 2017 article in which he outlines the three factors most important for student enrollment, persistence, and completion: a sense of self-efficacy, a sense of belonging, and a perception of the value of the academic programs.

**Project Goals:**The goals for the project are as follows: Develop a portfolio of academic programs and related support services that maximize student success; Implement systems that will provide data for decision-making and train faculty and staff to use these systems; and Substantially reduce the College-wide operating deficit.

**Project Activities:**The primary activities of the project include the creation of data dashboards for academic programs (to determine return on investment and improve program viability) and dashboards for students as part of a retention management system (to promote holistic, humanized, and proactive advising). Training and professional development opportunities made possible by this grant will focus on supporting under-resourced students and offering programs and services that will increase their chance for success.

**Expected Outcomes:**The expected outcomes of these activities will be more robust and sustainable academic programs that promote student success, especially for under-resourced students, an improved ability to pursue partnership and grant opportunities that will move the institution forward, and faculty and staff who are better equipped to support students in their pursuit of an education.

**Contributions:**The UPWARD project will serve as a model for other institutions for maximizing the utility of existing data to make decisions that will strengthen the institution’s ability to promote student success.

# P031A230084 - Texas A&M University-Commerce 

Commerce, TX

# Abstract

**Institution Name**: Texas A&M University-Commerce

**Project Title**: *Lions Success Teams: Wrap-Around Support to Increase Access, Retention and Academic Success*

Founded in 1889, Texas A&M University-Commerce (A&M-Commerce) is the fifth oldest public university in the State of Texas and part of the prestigious Texas A&M University System. Approximately 89% of the A&M-Commerce student body comes from a 38-county area in East and Northeast Texas. The institution is moving to establish a central location for key, interconnected student services—the Student Academic Success Center. ***Lions Success Teams: Wrap-around Support to Increase Access, Retention, and Academic Success***aims to augment the impact of academic advising by creating additional student supports focused upon known challenges to persistence and graduation for our students.

**Overall Goals**

Goal 1: Academic Programs and Institutional Management: Increase educational access and success through enhancing first-time, full-time student access to targeted advising and tailored career preparedness opportunities.

Goal 2: Institutional Management: Increase educational access and success through enhancing student access to quality financial advice and support to attain their educational goals.

Goal 3: Fiscal Stability: Improve outcome metrics for future sustainability.

**Problems to be Addressed**

Low retention for first-time, full-time students in their first two years; poor institutional management of processes related to major change which contributes to lower retention; lack of student-centered support around questions of how to finance their educations.

**Implementation Strategies**

Strategy 1: Establish a centralized Student Academic Success Center. 

Strategy 2: Strengthen Academic Advising.

Strategy 3: Establish the Office of Student Career Preparedness. 

Strategy 4: Create a team of two Student Financial Wellness Counselors. 

**Outcomes**

Improved retention and graduation rates for first-time, full-time students. More effective guidance for students in selecting or changing major. Better support for students’ making decisions about how to finance their educations. Increased return on investment through higher retention rates.

Addresses Competitive Preference Priorities 

CPP1 

CPP2

# P031A230085 - Millikin University 

Decatur, IL

# Abstract

Founded in 1901, Millikin University is located on a 75-acre campus in Decatur, Illinois, a metropolitan area of 70,000 residents. It is close to three of the largest job markets in the U.S.— Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis are all within a three-hour drive—and it is home to both Fortune 100 and small businesses alike. Millikin, a four-year, private, non-profit institution, offers a range of majors in four colleges and schools—Business, Professional Studies, Fine Arts, and Arts & Sciences—to approximately 1,800 undergraduate and 90 graduate students. In fall 2022, 58% of students were female; 42% Pell eligible; 25% first-generation; 28% minority populations; 99% received some form of financial aid or scholarship from the university; and 65% of students were in at least one of the Pell eligible, first-generation, or minority student categories. Millikin’s mission is to deliver on the promise of excellence in education.

**Goals: AP Goal 1—**Foster a learning environment supportive of academic excellence, especially for underserved students; **IM Goal 2—**Foster a sense of belonging through improved onboarding; provision of culturally- and difference-sensitive courses, services and programming; and improved communications; **FS Goal 3—**Secure Millikin University’s financial future through activities and actions designed to increase revenue.

**Problems to be Addressed:**Retention rates are declining, are lower than peers, and there are equity gaps for underserved students (AP 1); poor six-year graduation rates with lack of parity for underserved students (AP 2); poor retention rates for undecided students (AP 3); sub-par onboarding experience for new/transfer students (IM 1); portal for student resources is outdated, problematic, and results in inconsistent student information and communication flow experiences (IM 2); faculty/staff development opportunities are inadequate and limited (IM 3); and a pattern of declining enrollment, net tuition revenue, and unsustainable endowment draws (FS 1).

**Implementation Strategies: Initiative 1:**Provide personalized academic, skills-based, and social-emotional support with focused programming for students at risk for early attrition and non-completion. **Initiative 2:**Create a campus culture that promotes students’ sense of belonging by improving student communications; assisting faculty and staff to provide culturally competent, effective, personalized, responsive instruction and service; and supporting under- resourced students to engage in active high-impact learning experiences.

**Outcomes:**Increased retention overall and for underserved and undecided students (Obj. 1-3); increased six-year graduation rates overall and for underserved students (Obj. 4-5); reduced new student “melt” (students who register/deposit but do not matriculate) (Obj. 6); increased percentage of students who report feeling a sense of belonging at Millikin University (Obj. 7); increased faculty/staff training in IDEA (inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility) (Obj. 8); increased training for faculty/staff on proposed student communication solution (Obj. 9); and increased endowment (Obj. 10).

**Competitive Preference Priority**is addressed and included as an attachment.

**Total Requested:**$2,213,883

# P031A230090 - Fairmont State University 

Fairmont, WV

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Fairmont State University is situated at the heart of Appalachia in Marion County, West Virginia (WV). Enrolling approximately 3,500 students in 113 programs of study, it has the fourth largest enrollment among WV’s four-year public universities and colleges.

**Regional Profile:**Residents of Appalachia, especially WV, face high poverty rates related to low educational attainment. WV has the nation’s lowest educational attainment rate coupled with a decreasing college-going rate (Appalachian Regional Commission, 2020; US Census Bureau, 2021; WV Higher Education Policy Commission [WVHEPC], 2022).

**Student Demographics:**Fairmont State had the highest percentage of in-state students of all 4- year WV colleges at 87.4% in 2021-2022 (WVHEPC, 2022). The socioeconomic status of the student body largely mirrors that of the state. A significant proportion of its population is first- generation college students, and many must work to afford their education.

**PROJECT ACTIVITIES:**To address key institutional weaknesses related to institutional retention rates, institutional planning and data collection, student success resources, and course delivery options, Fairmont State requests Title III funds to support the following activities: *Connecting Systems—People, Processes, and Technologies*

· Establish evaluation taskforce teams for data systems and processes

· Conduct audit of existing data systems and develop improvement plan

· Realign existing technologies and processes for effective data collection and analysis

· Harmonize technology platforms and processes to meet needs of underserved students

*Connecting Resources—Holistic Student Success*

· Conduct gap analysis for comprehensive review/realignment of student success organizational structure

· Create Student Success Team (SST) and Student Success Ambassador (SSA) program

· Provide professional development for faculty/staff on supporting underserved students

*Connecting Classrooms—Flexible Modalities to Accommodate Student Circumstance*

· Provide professional development/stipends for courses to be redesigned as Hybrid- Flexible (HyFlex)

· Convert classrooms to HyFlex and hire HyFlex Classroom Assistants

*Connecting Experiences—Current Opportunities Tie to Future Career*

· Develop Student Professional Corps (SPC) and career mentoring program

· Provide professional development for supervisors of student employees

· Provide microcredentialing and digital badges for students, faculty, and staff

The **Invitational Priority**is addressed through implementation of HyFlex course delivery. The **Competitive Preference Priority**is addressed through a) data systems/processes audit *(high- quality data collection and analysis)*, b) SST, SSA, SPC *(student success programs that integrate multiple cohesive and evidence-based services and initiatives)*, and c) HyFlex implementation *(high-quality and accessible learning activities).*

**FUNDS REQUESTED:**$2,248,190 [Endowment Match Request - $205,000]

# P031A230093 - Wesleyan College 

Macon, GA

# Abstract

Wesleyan College (WC), a private, four-year, nonprofit women’s college located approximately 90 minutes south of Atlanta, in Macon, Georgia was founded in 1836 as the Georgia Female College. We were the first college in the world chartered to grant degrees to women. Today, WC serves a population that is 40% Pell-eligible, and 83% first-generation college students who are not college-ready as indicated by an average ACT score of 17.

Title III funding will allow WC to improve the educational and career outcomes of our students while addressing some of the institution’s most pressing needs. Specifically we will: **1)**Redesign 35 core courses into an accelerated eight-week format allowing our students to experience greater success and develop the college mindset; **2)**Establish a Comprehensive Student Success Center to address student academic, social, and emotional needs to increase retention and graduation rates; **3)**Establish an improved career center that more closely links an academic plan to a career plan resulting in improved retention and graduation rates, as well as embedding industry-recognized certificates into credit-bearing courses; **4)**Comprehensively update technology across campus that improves teaching, learning, and institutional management.

Our project is responsive to the Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities:

· Competitive Preference Priority (CPP): Our Title III proposal is responsive to the overall CPP as well as subsections a, b, and c. Specifically we are: a) establishing a system of high- quality data collection and analysis; b) Developing and implementing a Comprehensive Student Success Center using evidence-based services including advising, career services, and linking academic and career pathways, and creating opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized credentials prior to graduation; and c) redesigning 35 core courses, accelerating them from a 16-week format to an 8-weekformat that will allow students to gain confidence and develop self-efficacy.

· Invitational Priority: Wesleyan College, as detailed in our Invitational Priority response, has worked diligently with our student body, particularly low-income and first-generation students to re-enroll them. We have worked with them to address many of the financial impacts caused by COVID-19, as well as other reasons that have necessitated dropping out.

Our comprehensive development plan identifies our strengths and weaknesses and identifies creative solutions grounded in evidence-based, best- and emerging best-practices. In preparing this proposal, we engaged in a strong, data-driven planning process with participation all across WC. Weaknesses identified in our Title III proposal include: **a)**Too many students fail to persist, be retained year to year, and fail to graduate on time, or within 150% of time; **b)**Too many students fail, or withdraw from core-courses; **c)**A lack of career planning throughout degree programs negatively impacts student completion and graduation; **d)**Outdated systems and technology make it difficult for Wesleyan College to effectively track students, schedule courses, and support students; and **e)**Low rates of retention placed financial pressures on the institution that made it impossible to provide the upfront funding for new student success initiatives and maintaining current technology.

We are confident that with the support of Title III funding we can provide these services that strengthen our institution, improve student outcomes, allowing us to continue sustainably providing a high-quality higher education experience to the young women we serve.

# P031A230105 - Kirtland Community College 

Grayling, MI

# Abstract

**Institutional Background:**In 1966 Kirtland Community College (Kirtland) was created by a vote of the electorate from six local K-12 school districts (Crawford-AuSable, Fairview Area, Gerrish-Higgins, Houghton Lake, Mio-AuSable and West Branch-Rose City), which form the COOR Intermediate School District. Kirtland is a public community college located in Grayling, Michigan. Kirtland is in the north central part of the lower peninsula of Michigan, about one- and one-half hours south of the straits of Mackinaw. The average one-way commute for students to campus is 40 miles. Kirtland is the largest community college district in Michigan totaling 2,500 square miles with a population of 92,000 people. Nearly 20% of families in the service area live below the poverty level and less than 13% of the population holds a bachelor’s degree or higher. An average of 58% of students in local K-12 districts receive free or reduced-price lunches.

**Project Title:**Improving Post-Secondary Attainment, Retention and Completion Through Success Coaching, Flexible Instruction, and Data-Informed Decision-Making.

**Implementation Strategies:**The project will (1) provide ongoing professional development and support for faculty to improve student outcomes and the development of flexible instruction and credentials; (2) increase completion of enrollment milestones and improve student retention through success coaching; and (3) develop a culture of data-informed decision making and institutional effectiveness.

**Objectives:**By September 30, 2028, **Obj. 1**: Increase the percentage of students who complete an application to Kirtland and subsequently enroll at Kirtland within one year from 44.9% to 59.9%. **Obj. 2**: Increase the percentage and number of all first-time, full-time students who are retained fall to fall by 10% from 56.6% to 66.6%. **Obj. 3.**By September 30, 2028, increase by 10% the percentage and number of all first-time, full-time students who complete a two-year degree within 150% of normal time from 28.0% to 38.0%. **Obj. 4.**Increase the number of new less-than-2-year credentials developed by 100% from the baseline of 18 (2022-2023) to 36.

**Objective 5:**Increase the number (unduplicated) of students graduating with any less-than-2- year credential each year by 50% from a baseline of 107 to 161. **Obj. 6:**Increase the number (unduplicated) of less-than-2-year credentials awarded each year by 100% from a baseline of 118 to 236. **Obj. 7:**Increase postsecondary continuation in the Kirtland service area by 10% from the baseline of 16.4 FTE/1,000 adults in the service area to 18.1 FTE/1,000 adults. **Obj. 8:**80% of identified faculty, staff and managers will participate in training and demonstrate competency to identify, analyze, and present data in useful formats for decision making at the 70% proficiency level compared to 0% in 2023. **Obj. #9**: Increase the number of accessible and broadly available data dashboards/interactive reports, with multiple data points and the ability to disaggregate data available to faculty and staff to support institutional goals from the 2023 baseline of 0 to 10. The project responds to parts a, b, and c of the **Competitive Preference Priority.**

**Contributions to Research, Policy, Practice:**This project builds on the body of research that supports success coaching as a viable strategy to improve fall-to-fall retention of college students (Bettinger & Baker, 2011 and 2014) and reduce “summer melt” (Castleman, Page & Schooley, 2014).

**Five-Year Project Budget**: $2,250,000.

# 

# P031A230107 - Rappahannock Community College 

Warsaw, VA

# Abstract

Rappahannock Community College (RCC) is a comprehensive two-year institution of higher education. One of 23 Colleges in the Virginia Community College System, RCC serves a 12- county region in the Northern Neck and Middle Peninsula of Virginia. The service region – the size of Delaware - is rural, interspersed with many rivers and creeks, and covers over 3,000 square miles. Adjacent to the Chesapeake Bay, RCC’s region has a general population of approximately 192,000. RCC has an annual head count of 3,259 and serves a diverse racial, cultural, and socio-economic student body.

RCC’s project will address five key goals, including:

1. Developing and delivering a student advising model that supports equity in access and holistic student supports across the institution with intentionality in management of the student journey from first contact to graduation/credential obtainment

2. Delivering high quality, accessible learning models that support student success.

3. Ensuring students are prepared for post-enrollment success

4. Providing information and resources to students to ensure access to all available funding sources

5. Developing long-term funding resources to sustain career services initiatives

RCC will implement key strategies and activities to meet the goals noted above, including:

1. Advising. Improve all student advising opportunities for students on their academic journey through transformational assessment and change, professional development, targeted advising and enhance spaces for counseling.

2. Career services. Provide career-based services to students to support post-enrollment success by launching a career services unit and engaging in an endowment campaign to sustain the unit.

3. Instruction Models. Increase the number of flexible, high-quality instruction opportunities to transform the post-secondary classroom learning opportunities through revised teaching models.

The project's overall outcome is to support all students to succeed in college to ensure post- secondary success. To achieve this goal, activities will support student retention, persistence and completion; learning models that promote student course success; post-graduation job attainment; and expanded funding opportunities for students and the college.

# P031A230108 - Brd of Regents, of WI System,University of Wisconsin - Stout 

Menomonie, WI

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile**

Founded in 1891, the University of Wisconsin-Stout (UW-Stout) is a four-year public polytechnic university – one of thirteen four-year universities within the University of Wisconsin System (UW System). Situated on beautiful Lake Menomin in downtown Menomonie (population: ~16,000), the campus lies on the western side of the state – a mere 45 miles from the Minnesota border. UW-Stout fulfills its mission through a curriculum that combines interdisciplinary knowledge and technical skills. The university offers 48 undergraduate career- focused majors and 22 graduate programs for students in in-person, hybrid, and virtual formats. Undergraduate programs are organized into the following career clusters: (1) science, techno- logy, engineering, and mathematics; (2) art and design; (3) business and management; (4) educa- tion; (5) social and behavioral sciences; and (6) information technology and communications. In 2021-22, UW-Stout served 6,634 full- and part-time undergraduate students (5.950 student FTE) and 1,061 full- and part-time graduate students (696 student FTE). In 2020-21, 51 percent of all undergraduate students received financial aid (IPEDS, 2023). Almost half of undergraduates (47.6%) took at least one online course while 13.4 percent were enrolled solely in distance education programs. Fifteen percent (15%) of students consider themselves culturally and ethnically diverse (IPEDS, 2023).

**Project Overview**

UW-Stout will ensure that student success strategies and services meet students’ needs and provide sound programming based on evidence-based practices. Stout’s project includes six overarching strategies: (1) a new centralized advising model; (2) mandatory first year experience; (3) bolstered financial wellness center; (4) enhanced mental health strategies; (5) a retention and student success framework through the Higher Learning Commission’s Student Success Academy; (6) a new in-house organic professional learning community (PLC).

**Outcomes**

The Title III project will increase student retention, increase six-year graduation rates, increase student academic performance, increase student satisfaction and engagement, and increase fiscal stability of the institution through stronger student persistence and retention.

This project addresses all elements of the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority. The Title III SIP five-year budget for *STRONG*totals $2,250,000.

# P031A230109 - West Kentucky Community and Technical College 

Paducah, KY

# Abstract

***Proposed Project:****2023 WKCTC Title III SIP: Technology Readiness & Wayfinding/Navigation*

West Kentucky Community and Technical College (WKCTC) is a publicly funded two-year community and technical college located in far western Kentucky. WKCTC provides postsecondary educational opportunities to students in a 2,898 square mile rural, low-income, underserved service area comprised of the state’s ten (10) westernmost counties and characterized by low levels of educational attainment. The total population is 216,054. The area was hit by the deadliest December tornado outbreak in U. S. history, which resulted in widespread damage and several deaths.

WKCTC serves more than 6,300 students annually and offers more than 200 associate degree, diploma, and certificate options in 38 academic and career programs. The student population is 61% female, 30% male, 20% minority, and the average student age is 25. WKCTC does not have dormitories and 100% of students commute.

The goals of the WKCTC project are to (1) increase student technology readiness and support to increase student persistence and completion, (2) increase faculty knowledge, comfort, and consistency in the use of course technology and tools to deepen student engagement and persistence, and (3) improve students’ Sense of Belonging by addressing inadequate campus Wayfinding/Navigation.

Expected outcomes are: increased student and faculty technology readiness; improved student persistence, performance, and completion rates; an increased Sense of Belonging among students; increased faculty knowledge, comfort, and consistency in using course technology and tools to deepen student engagement in online, hybrid, and in-person courses; and enhanced data collection for analysis of student persistence and re-engagement efforts.

Primary Activities include (1) the development of technology readiness assessments for students and faculty, (2) renovation of a first-floor wing of the Matheson Learning Center to house a dedicated Tech Hub to provide a place for students and faculty to go for help with technology readiness, (3) promote Tech Hub services in re-engagement efforts with students who have stopped attending, (4) develop and implement a five-phase Wayfinding/Navigation strategy which includes creation of campus maps, parking lot identification system, campus directional and navigational signage, self-service interior wayfinding/navigation digital kiosk system, and exterior building identification signage

.

# P031A230110 - Horry-Georgetown Technical College

Conway, SC

# Abstract

Horry-Georgetown Technical College (HGTC) requests $2,013,912 in Title III grant support for the Institutional Capacity for Achieving Resilience and Effectiveness (ICARE) initiative. As the only public two-year college in northeastern coastal South Carolina, HGTC provides a key entry point to higher education for underserved students who are at greater academic risk. These risks are amplified in a region of socially vulnerable communities that have been hit by a steady succession of nine FEMA disaster declarations in as many years for hurricanes, tropical storms, winter storms, flooding, and the pandemic.

Backed by a comprehensive analysis of strengths and weaknesses, project activities will focus on enhancing institutional viability by helping a greater number of students successfully graduate. The ICARE project consists of two primary activities grounded in the theme of institutional and student resiliency. Activity 1 (Building Information Capacity, Competency and Continuity) will strengthen institutional resiliency by creating an integrated, data-rich environment across the College community that supports agile planning, decision-making, and resource allocation. Activity 2 (Leveraging Data to Improve Student Outcomes) will enhance student resiliency and success through in-person, data-informed academic coaching and career navigation to identify and mitigate student issues and problems before they derail academic progress.

In Activity 1, HGTC will add a business analyst to manage the creation of a comprehensive, accessible, and integrated data infrastructure. This activity will strengthen student information systems and data access and train staff and faculty in software use and data management platform capabilities. Access to timely and accurate data resources will increase the College’s resilience, agility and responsiveness not only to student needs, but to external events such as technological change, leadership transition, economic disruptions, natural disasters, and public health emergencies. Improving academic case management and data analytics for more focused post- enrollment academic and career advising will improve student outcomes and preserve institutional investments in entering students. Management efficiencies achieved through an integrated data infrastructure will increase data accessibility, transparency, and staff productivity by weeding out the inefficient and resource-intensive manual recordkeeping workarounds currently in use. Creating a data-rich environment for decision-making and support will guide College leadership in making targeted investments where needed most. This will lead to greater efficiency and time- savings, allowing HGTC administration, staff, and faculty the time to focus on strategic questions, shorten analysis cycle times, and breakdown organizational data silos with improved collaboration.

Activity 2 directly builds on the new college-wide capacity for high-quality, insightful, and shared data collection and analysis implemented in Activity 1. Academic and career coaching will be informed by timely and insightful data that identifies student issues and problems before they threaten academic progress. Two academic coaches/career navigators will maximize the proactive use of Early Alert and early momentum metrics to identify students at risk of not making academic progress. Better analytics will help coaches identify students at early and key pathway points. ICARE coaches will utilize data to identify and decrease equity gaps in gateway course pass and completion rates and graduation rates.

ICARE activities and strategies are based on institutional needs and experience, as well as evidence-based research for improving organizational resiliency with data, the importance of building capacity in both data collection and data systems, the positive relationship between academic progress and in-person coaching, and the role of data access and sharing in early academic intervention efforts for community college students.

# 

# P031A230111 - Campbellsville University, Inc.

Campbellsville, KY

# Abstract

Campbellsville University's project *the 21'1 Century University: A Transformative Investment in Institutional Effectiveness for Improved Student Success*has an overarching goal of improving student success through two essential project components - Improved Technological Infrastructure and Operational Processes and Enhanced Academic Advising and Student Support. Taken together, these two components will ensure improvements in student achievement, persistence, and retention, as well as the efficiency of University operations and the effectiveness of continued planning and development.

The Improved Technological Infrastructure and Operational Processes component will transform the technological infrastructure through the installation of a state-of-the-art enterprise system with modules on admission, academic planner, advising, record, financial aid and finance. Installation includes a comprehensive business process review and linkages with essential student­ facing systems, all supported with continuous training and professional development.

The Enhanced Academic Advising and Student Support component will increase student success through refined academic and student services, and streamlined processes designed to sustain enrollment to on-time graduation. Curriculum maps will be refined and aligned while course scheduling, advising and academic planning will be contextualized with financial literacy and career development services. Thereafter all enrollment processes from registration to early alert, degree audit, and graduation certification will be streamlined.

Project outcomes include a 100% increase in first-time, full-time students with an accurate and accessible academic plan; a 15.0-point increase in the student engagement (student/ faculty interaction) mean score for first year students; a 10% increase in first-time, full-time students with a GPA of 2.0 or above; a 15% increase in overall student retention from 1'' to 2nd year; a 20% increase in overall student retention from 3rd to 4th year; and a 20% increase in the four-year graduation rate. These improvements in student success will strengthen the university's vitality, sustainability and resilience into the future.

The Activity responds to the Competitive Preference Priority: Increasing Postsecondary Access, Affordability, Completion and Post-Enrollment Success, and the Invitational Priority: Providing postsecondary completion activities for students who are no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons. 

Campbellsville University is a private, nonprofit institution offering 93 undergraduate programs of study, 31 master's programs, 2 doctoral degrees, and 8 pre-professional programs. National accreditations by professional associations are sustained by the schools of music, education, business, nursing, and social work. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) reaffirmation is set for 2024.

The fall 2022 undergraduate enrollment of 2,479 FTE students are mostly from Kentucky (79%), augmented by a strong representation of international students, which extends cultural diversity. The majority of students qualify for financial aid (90%) and nearly half (40%) are first­ generation college students. Students are primarily (99%) under 24 years old and 55% are women. Faculty characteristics mirror the student population with 230 full-time and 200 part-time instructors, resulting in a student to faculty ratio of 19 to 1. Managed by the Title III Coordinator along with an Activity Director, the five-year project budget of $2,249,962 promises to deliver a significant improvement in student success and institutional vitality.

# P031A230112 - County College of Morris 

Randolph, NJ

# Abstract

**Institutional Overview:**County College of Morris (CCM) is a two-year, open admission public community college located on 222 acres in suburban Northern New Jersey. The College is fully accredited by the Commission on Higher Education of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. County College of Morris offers more than 50 programs, with both transfer and career-oriented curricula leading to associate degrees, as well as numerous certificate programs. The College also serves its students through developmental education, experiential learning opportunities, and student services.

**Project Title:**County College of Morris’ *Titan’s Track (TT) project*

**Significant Problem:**Pell Grant recipients are at risk and yet often unseen. They suffer financial struggles impacting outcomes, but most do not qualify for CCM’s nationally recognized Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) program. As a result, hundreds of Pell Grant recipients go without the holistic support they need. Caseloads of up to 500 advisees per Student Success Specialist inhibits personalized case management. Moreover, faculty have outdated knowledge of advising best practices. Technology is also under-utilized and insufficient to prompt early alerts and track student progress along a system of touch points. Combined with the responsibility for initiating advising sessions and insufficient integration with career and transfer services, students tend to underutilize advising services. An inadequate advising model has been identified as a significant problem undermining institutional strength and outcomes for Pell Grant recipients.

**Project Goal:***TT*is focused on **increasing first to second year retention and graduation rates for Pell Grant recipients**by modeling its intervention after CCM’s EOF and partnering with InsideTrackTM to implement their proven coaching methodology. Accomplishing project goals will improve fiscal stability and institutional strength.

**Activities/Strategies to meet need:**

1. Hire two *Titan’s Track*Advisors and one Career & Transfer Services Coach.

2. Integrate and better utilize technologies for collecting student data, triggering early alerts, streamlining the advising process, and connecting students with career exploration and transfer services, including existing Ellucian products and Jobs EQ.

3. Train faculty and staff advisors in InsideTrack’s proven coaching methodology.

4. Enroll 250 Pell Grant recipients and assign participants to faculty advisors in new advising groups organized by themed fields of study.

5. Provide touchpoints, progress reports, and workshops in academic/personal/career skills similar to EOF model currently in operation at CCM.

**Key measurable objectives and performance indicators:**

1. 75% of Full-time (FT) *Titan’s Track*participants and 55% of Part-time (PT) *Titan’s Track*participants are retained from their first to second year.

2. 30% of FT participants and 20% of PT participants graduate within three years.

3. 80% of participants who worked w/ their *TT*advisors each semester until graduation earn a cumulative 2.0 grade point average and 45% earn a cumulative 3.0 grade point average.

**Competitive Preference Priorities:**System of high-quality data collection, student success programs such as academic advising, structured/guided pathways, career services (CPP) 

**Funds Requested: $2,250,000 over five years.**

# P031A230113 - Hardin-Simmons University 

Abilene, TX

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile/Demographics:**Hardin-Simmons University (HSU) is a private Baptist university in Abilene, Texas, and accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award bachelor, master, and doctoral degrees. HSU's total undergraduate student population is 1,420, with 49% identified as low-income or first- generation college students. The largest racial and ethnic groups of students on campus were White/Non-Hispanic (56%), Hispanic (25%), and African American/Black (12%).

**Significant Problems**: Thirty-four percent (34%) of incoming freshmen are academically underprepared. A majority of academically underprepared students are low-income (63%), first- generation college (54%), or minority (58%) students. Academically underprepared first-time freshmen students have lower average first-semester GPAs, fall-to-spring persistence, fall-to-fall retention, and graduation rates than academically prepared students. Decreased retention has resulted in lower tuition revenue and increased fiscal stability at HSU.

**Project Design**: The Title III Program will implement the following two (2) Activities supporting HSU’s strategic goals in meeting the critical needs of its academically underprepared students:

***Activity One – Strategic Learning Initiative.***HSU will implement the Strategic Learning Initiative (SLI), a rigorous academic achievement project designed to help academically underprepared first- time freshmen and at-risk continuing students to succeed and maintain HSU's required minimum grade point average (GPA) to achieve good standing. SLI will consist of three (3) one (1) credit hour courses designed to assist students in developing proven learning strategies and applying them to other courses to achieve academic success. SLI students will also engage in weekly individual meetings with an assigned SLI Instructor or Academic Coach.

***Activity Two – Guided Pathways.***HSU will implement Guided Pathways, a nationally recognized strategy for improving 4-year graduation rates. Requires courses needed to graduate in degree programs will be mapped out to ensure that these courses will be scheduled correctly each year. Program maps, intentional course scheduling, and pathways advising will assist students in maintaining program velocity (30 credits annually for a 120-credit degree program) for degree completion in four (4) years.

**Expected Outcomes**: Title III Activities will improve first-semester GPAs, fall-to-fall retention rates for first-time freshmen, and overall four-year and six-year graduation rates.

**Addresses Competitive Preference Priority:**Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

**Funding Requested:**Hardin-Simmons University requests $2,085,534 for the five-year program.

HSU included a separate **GEPA Statement**as part of the Application Packet describing how the institution will ensure equitable access to and participation in Title III programming by addressing the special needs of students, teachers, and other program beneficiaries **(Section 427)**, including barriers based on any federally protected categories, such as sex, gender, race, national origin, color, disability, or age.

# P031A230114 - University of Illinois Springfield 

Springfield, FL

# Abstract

**Project Title - Learning, Expanding, and Developing Enriched Support for High-Impact Practices (LEADERSHIP)**

**Institutional Profile.** The University of Illinois-Springfield (UIS) is a midsized regional university located in the state capital of Springfield, Illinois. UIS was founded in 1970 as Sangamon State University, an upper-division college intended to be a capstone to the community college system. In 1995 the institution joined the University of Illinois System and became a four-year institution in 2006. UIS’s mission is to provide a uniquely student-centered educational experience both in and out of the classroom through active learning, meaningful research, and impactful civic engagement that prepares graduates to contribute fully to society. UIS centers its focus on seven core values: student-focused teaching and learning, integrity, inquiry, civic engagement, diversity, strategic thinking, and accountability.

UIS offers 56 undergraduate programs of study, 44 graduate programs of study, and one doctoral program. As of fall 2022, UIS had 4,198 students (57% of which are undergraduates). Most are full-time students (59%) and the majority are from Illinois (86%). Nearly all first-time full-time UIS students rely on some type of financial aid to pay for college (98%), and 35.7% of UIS undergraduates are the first in their families to attend college. Fully online students comprise 38% of the student population. With a strong emphasis on student engagement and high-impact practices, UIS offers multiple opportunities for a strong student experience.

**Project Overview.**UIS will ensure that student success strategies and services meet students’ needs and provide sound programming based on evidence-based practices. UIS’s project includes four overarching strategies: (1) integrate high-impact practices throughout the institution; (2) strengthen existing high-impact practices at UIS such as implementing a learning community for online students and a living-learning community for juniors and seniors, bolstered first year seminars with financial literacy components, and collaborative internship opportunities; (3) shore up academic supports such as establishing co-requisite writing, strengthening advising, and enhancing the summer bridge program; and (4) institutionalize best practices for student success by instituting campus-wide professional development to address student behavioral and mental health and equity gaps as well as implementing positive student intervention strategies.

**Outcomes.** The combined strategies of LEADERSHIP are intended to increase student retention, increase six-year graduation rates, increase student academic performance, increase student engagement in high-impact practices, and increase student satisfaction.

This project addresses all elements of the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

The Title III SIP five-year budget for LEADERSHIP totals $2,249,881.

# P031A230120 - Fulton-Montgomery Community College 

Johnstown, NY

# Abstract

**Leveraging the FMCC Difference to Drive an Engaged and Data-Driven Culture**

**Service Area**: SUNY Fulton-Montgomery Community College (FM) is a public 2-year, open access, higher education institution that serves communities outside of the Albany area and within the greater Mohawk Valley Region in Upstate New York. FM’s rural service area is mostly comprised of Fulton and Montgomery Counties, areas characterized by high poverty and low-educational attainment rates. As the only open-access educational and workforce training provider in the area, FM strives to adopt innovative programming the meets the unique needs of its service area students and employees.

**Project Goals and Design:**FM has designed a project comprised of interrelated and reinforcing strategies that will transform the colleges academic programming, institutional management, and fiscal stability. FM’s Title III project goals are to 1) Improve Student Achievement, Success, and Completion and 2) Strengthen Data Collection and Institutional Research Capacity. The strategies and activities that serve these goals will help FM to achieve self-sufficiency and ensure it remains a critical educational and community resource for its service area.

**Strategies:**FM has developed 5 strategies that will help it achieve its goals and outcomes. They are 1) Revamp Student Support System and Adopt new Success Coach Model; 2) Strengthen and Expand Hyflex Instructional Modalities; 3) Implement Campus Wide Student Engagement Initiative; 4) Assist Students with Career Planning; and 5) Strengthen Data Collection and Institutional Research capacity. Through these strategies, FM will be positioned to improve student success, reduce equity achievement gaps, provide more accessible learning modalities, and create a culture focused on using data to inform decision-making at the college.

**Outcomes:**1) Increase annual retention rates for first-time, full-time Pell students 2) Increase 3- year graduation rates for first-time, full-time Pell students; 3) Increase 3-year graduation rates for under represented students (those who identify as Black/African American and Hispanic/Latino) 4) Increase student satisfaction on support for learners, career counseling assistance, and job placement assistance; 5) Increase the number of Hyflex courses available; 6) Increase employee satisfaction with data access and timeliness of data access; and 7) Increase the number of employees who report using data for decision-making.

**Priorities:**The project responds to Competitive Preference Priority 1 and the Invitational Preference Priority

**Budget Request: $2,186,177.00**

# P031A230121 - Maysville Community and Technical College 

Maysville, KY

# Abstract

Located in the heart of Appalachia in northeastern Kentucky, Maysville Community and Technical College (MCTC) is the only open-door, comprehensive, public two-year college in a vast service region that encompasses 17 counties in Kentucky and two counties in Ohio. One of 16 institutions that comprise the Kentucky Community and Technical College System (KCTCS) and a leader in Technical Program Education, MCTC was founded in 1968 and now includes four campuses in Maysville, Rowan, Licking Valley and Montgomery. Within the MCTC service region (total pop: 312,546), one in every five individuals (**20.5%**) lives in poverty, unemployment rates are well above state and national levels, and educational attainment rates a very low. A total of 3,976 students enrolled in MCTC in Fall 2022. Of these, 71% are low-income and receiving need-based aid, 39% are the first in their family to attempt college, and 89% are working while in college.

Mission-driven to challenge, encourage, and assist *learners in accomplishing their educational, career, and personal development goals,*MCTC proposes ***Innovative Technical Avenues to Career Success, a Title III Strengthening Institutions Project***that addresses major institutional problems and is in line with regional workforce trends. Specifically, our proposed project will:

· Expand a successful Welding Technology program to MCTC’s Montgomery Campus via a new instructional laboratory, redesign of course sequencing/structure and hybrid/online course conversion to accommodate an accelerated program completion option.

· Develop a new A.A.S degree in Civil Engineering Technology with an emphasis on Surveying and Mapping, tapping into the enrollment potential of an identified high-demand field within the region.

· Upgrade a high-demand Paramedic (Emergency Medical Services) certificate program to an A.A.S. degree – involving course conversion to online/hybrid delivery and development of a mobile Ambulance Simulator to improve instruction.

· Establish a new A.A.S. degree in Mechatronics Technology with additional course conversion for online/hybrid delivery.

· Enrich faculty training to facilitate effective utilization of a variety of multimedia tools, techniques, and strategies such as podcasts, visualization aids, hypertext, and digital images/video.

· Enhance two existing first-year courses by including Career Services (Exploration, Advisement, Job Placement) specific to Technical Programs.

· Revamp enrollment management services via acquisition of an innovated CRM (Customer Relations Management) system to properly manage student data from pre-enrollment, enrollment, registration, and the entire student lifecycle.

***This proposed project addresses all three focus areas of the 2023 Competitive Preference Priority 1:****Project is “designed to increase postsecondary access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success for underserved students” as well as the **2023 Invitational Priority:**Project will “implement activities that promote postsecondary completion for students who are no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID-19 pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons.”*

**Maysville Community & Technical College requests $2,249,826 to implement this comprehensive five-year Title III Strengthening Institutions Project.**

# P031A230129 - Pellissippi State Community College 

Knoxville, TN

# Abstract

Pellissippi State Community College’s Title III *Reimagining the Community College Experience (RCCE@PSCC)*project is designed to address three priorities: 1) Enrollment/First Year Success; 2) Successful Progression; and 3) Completion/Career Readiness.

***Activity 1, Reimagining the First Year Experience at PSCC (FYE@PSCC)***focuses on the development of the first-year experience at Pellissippi State, including expansion and enhancement of Student Success Teams, development of a common First Year Experience by Career Community, and expansion of pre-college experiences, including summer academies and other activities designed to establish ***meaningful, ongoing, strong, and intentional connections***(the *MOSAIC initiative*) for students traditionally underrepresented in higher education, including low-income students and students of color.

***Activity 2, Reimagining Career Development at PSCC - Assess, Connect, Engage-- (ACE@PSCC*),**focuses on the development of a comprehensive work-based learning (WBL) continuum, including career awareness, exploration, preparation, and training opportunities for students in career and technical education and Tennessee Transfer Pathway (TTP) programs. WBL opportunities will be developed, expanded, and enhanced to include comprehensive career interest and aptitude ***assessment***and analysis, early and frequent ***connections***to careers, and meaningful ***engagement***with faculty/staff career mentors and regional business and industry employer representatives.

**Combined**, these activities will strengthen the College’s academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability, making it possible to reach **5-year institutional goals**:  1) to increase by 20% overall headcount enrollment and enrollment of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students at Pellissippi State; 2) to increase from 49% to 60% the percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students at Pellissippi State who persist fall to fall; 3) to increase from 23% to 30% the percentage of Tennessee Transfer Pathway students who successfully transfer to a 4-year university within three years following initial enrollment at Pellissippi State 4) to increase from 25% to 30% the percentage of first-time, full-time degree-seeking students who graduate from Pellissippi State within three years following initial enrollment; 4a) to narrow equity gaps for Black, Hispanic, and low-income students: increase three-year graduation rates for Black students from 13% to 20%; for Hispanic students from 23% to 30%; for low-income students from 20% to 27%; and 5) to decrease the cost per undergraduate degree at Pellissippi State.

**Abstract**

FY 2023 SIP New Awards - Abstracts

# 

# P031A230135 - East Central University 

Ada, OK

# Abstract

East Central University (ECU) is a four-year, state-supported institution in Ada, Oklahoma, that offers 33 programs in art, business, education, mathematics, sciences, nursing, and the social sciences; and six master's degrees in accounting, education, human resources, psychology, management, and water resources, with approximately 2,720 students. Currently, 33% of ECU’s students are first-generation students and do not understand concepts of selecting a major, graduation requirements, etc. The students who identify race/ethnicity, minority students, comprise 42% of the student population, with American Indian students representing 16.5%, ECU’s mission is “we educate and empower students to understand and transform our world.” The university’s vision statement is “first choice because of who we are.” The university has four core values that demonstrate the attitude of the vast majority of the faculty and staff: “We are humble, kind, and generous, caring for our students and one another. We go the extra mile to provide an exceptional experience for students and those we serve. We are forward- thinking, adaptable, and open to new ideas. We are committed to solving problems, whether our own or others’.”

Through SIP funding ECU proposes the Promoting Early Education and Retention through Supplemental/Targeted Advising and Remedial Teaching (PEER-START) Project to increase the academic success of low-income, underserved students at ECU and to strengthen the institution’s management and fiscal stability. This will be accomplished by completing the following goals:

**GOAL 1:**Increase first-year fall-to-fall retention rates by 5% by end of project.

**GOAL 2:**Increase student graduation rate 1% annually from 39% to 44% by the end of the 5-year project period.

**GOAL 3:**Improve and increase use of institutional assessment, strategic planning, data, and outcomes to strengthen institutional management and increase academic success.

**GOAL 4:**Enhance and strengthen learning environment, facilities, and resources, and administrative capacity to serve students, faculty, and staff.

In addition, SIP funding will be used to strengthen ECU’s current endowment.

ECU’s PEER-START Project is addressing all components of the competitive preference priority as well as the invitation priority.

# P031A230137 - University of South Carolina Upstate 

Spartanburg, SC

# Abstract

**Institutional Overview:**The University of South Carolina–Upstate is one of eight institutions of higher education making up the University of South Carolina System. Upstate educates a diverse population of about 5,000 students across 46 bachelor’s, 6 master’s, and 8 certificate programs. Founded in 1967 to address the region’s nursing shortage, Upstate has matured into a high- quality comprehensive institution of higher education for South Carolinians. Ninety percent of Upstate’s students are South Carolinians; 58% of Upstate’s student population are “underserved” (i.e., low-income, first-generation, and/or an underserved minority).

**Project Title:**Persistence, Optimization, Workplace readiness, Empowerment, Retention for Upstate—POWER UP.

**Academic Weaknesses:**High D grade, F grade, and course withdrawal (DFW) rates in foundational courses; students are underprepared in soft skills and career readiness needed to be nimble in an unpredictable economy; student advising is inconsistent and poorly coordinated.

**Institutional Management Weaknesses:**Lack of comprehensive policies and procedures; decentralized student communication; low engagement in professional development by faculty and staff.

**Fiscal Stability Weaknesses:**High tuition relative to nearby institutions; University advancement lags behind peer institutions; students receive limited guidance on financial options to remain enrolled.

**Overall POWER UP Project Goal:**To improve retention and on-time graduation rates for all Upstate students, especially underserved students, thereby strengthening Upstate’s ability to ensure post-secondary success for graduates and remain a premier public higher education option in the region.

**Outcomes:**POWER UP’s four main objectives will address significant points in a students’ academic journey to contribute to their ability to persist in their program through to completion. The POWER UP project’s activities will help the project team meet the following outcomes: Objective 1: Increase credit earning by first-year students; Objective 2: Improve pass rates in foundational undergraduate courses; Objective 3: Prepare students for post-graduation success by embedding career preparation into the holistic student support model; Objective 4: Re-enroll students who disengaged from their learning because of Covid-19 or other reasons, thereby increasing enrollment.

**Competitive Preference Priority and Invitational Priority:**The POWER UP project responds to the Competitive Preference Priority (a–c): *Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success*and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230139 - Northwestern State University of Louisiana 

Natchitoches, LA

# Abstract

**Project Title: Title III *Elevate-U Program***

**Institutional Profile/Demographics:**Northwestern State University (NSU) is a regional public university accredited to award associate, baccalaureate, master’s, specialist, and doctoral degrees. NSU has an undergraduate enrollment of 6,115. White/Non-Hispanic students comprise 55% of the population, while Black/African American students comprise 30%; 52% of first-time freshmen students were classified as low-income. The racial/ethnic breakdown of low-income students is equally distributed between Black (42%) and White students (41%).

**Significant Problems**: Average academic performance measures for low-income students are lower than for students who are not low-income. Lower gateway course success rates and lower GPAs may contribute to students needing more time to graduate. Low-income students have significantly lower 4-year graduation rates compared to rates for students who are not low-income. Advising is decentralized and student-initiated. NSU lacks relational database tools to collect and aggregate data. Lower enrollment and high attrition have decreased tuition dollars.

**Project Design**: The implementation of two (2) Activities supporting NSU’s strategic goals in meeting the critical needs of low-income students:

***Activity One – Improve Academic Advising and Support****.*This Activity will adopt a comprehensive model aligning student-focused support services, reimagining its approach to academic advising, tutoring, and career planning to centralize an infrastructure that fosters a student-focused environment. Strategies will include academic advising, guided pathways to degree completion, and a more integrated advising, tutoring, and career planning experience.

***Activity Two – Expand First and Second-Year Experience.***NSU will implement residential living learning communities to engage low-income students, build community, and promote a sense of belonging. **Activity #2**will consist of the following strategies: a reshaped First-Year Experience and design of a second-year leadership program, Living Learning Communities, a Peer Mentoring program, and a data warehouse platform to collect and aggregate data.

**Expected Outcomes:**

· Increase overall 4-year graduation rates from 29% to 35% in five (5) years.

· Increase 4-year graduation rates of low-income students from 24% to 30% in five (5) years.

· Increase first to second-year retention rates of low-income students from 54% to 66% in five (5) years.

· Increase second to third-year retention rates of low-income students from 31% to 39% in five (5) years.

**Competitive Preference Priority Addressed:**Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success.

**Invitational Priority Addressed:**Providing postsecondary completion activities for students no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID–19 pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons.

NSU requests a total of **$2,072,425**for the five-year program.

FY 2023 SIP New Awards - Abstracts

# P031A230140 - Pennsylvania College of Technology 

Williamsport, PA

# Abstract

*Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College) Improving Success and Retention for Underserved Students at Penn College*

Pennsylvania College of Technology (Penn College), founded in 1914, is an open enrollment, public college affiliated with Pennsylvania State University. Penn College offers an array of nationally recognized academic programs with a strong emphasis on applied technology and a commitment to hands-on, experiential learning. Students can enroll in degree or certificate programs in approximately 100 different career areas. Fall 2021 enrollment of 4,240 students was primarily male (63%). The majority of students (89.1%) are residents of Pennsylvania; 44% reside within the mostly rural ten-county region of central PA; and an additional 6% of students are from the Tri-State Area (i.e., New York and New Jersey). Race/ethnicity of students is White 86.6%; Hispanic/Latino 5%; Black/African American 4%; Asian 2%; Two or More Races 3%; and 1% Race/ethnicity unknown. In Fall 2022, 86% of students received financial aid and 33.25% received Pell grants.

The project will address the following challenges:

*Academic Programs:*Many students do not progress out of developmental mathematics; low fall-to-fall retention rates and persistence to graduation; insufficient number of training opportunities for faculty in teaching best practices for low-income, first-generation, and academically underprepared students.

*Institutional Management:*Students require expanded support services and strategies for student success, particularly for underserved students.

*Financial Stability:*Penn College has been impacted by a decrease in staffing due to lower enrollment; declining enrollment has resulted in increased tuition to help cover rising costs; and losses in fall-to-fall retention have impacted revenue.

The overall goal of *Improving Success and Retention for Underserved Students at Penn College*is to create gateways to student retention and degree completion through curricular reform of developmental coursework; connection to and engagement of students with culturally responsive academic and student supports; and enhanced communication. The objectives of the project are:

(1) Increase first year retention rates; (2) Increase second year to third year retention rates;

(3) Increase third year to fourth year retention rates; and (4) increase the pass rate for developmental mathematics courses.

The project will integrate comprehensive academic and student support services, implement active learning techniques, and implement best practices for teaching underserved students. All students at Penn College will utilize the enhanced student support services and success strategies available through the Center for Academic Excellence (CAE) [CPP (a) and (b)]. Students who require development coursework will participate in the revamped Pre-Algebra (MTH004) and/or Elementary Algebra I (MTH005) courses: MTH004 will include a developmental reading lab component, and the MTH005 curriculum will be revised to incorporate active learning via whiteboard technology and smart room functionality. The technology upgrades will allow for additional virtual services, such as office hours and hybrid classes [CPP (c)]. Success in these courses is a benchmark for further progress at Penn College. Best practices for teaching underserved students will be incorporated into all developmental math courses. Additionally, students who have stopped out due to COVID-19 or other reasons will also benefit from services provided by the proposed project (Invitational Priority).

# P031A230144 - Manor College

Jenkintown, PA

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Manor College is a private, four‐year, Ukrainian‐Catholic, Associate’s‐Dominant institution located just outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Initially a two‐year college, Manor was authorized by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to offer baccalaureate credentials in 2018 and now presents a portfolio of 18 Associate’s and 15 Bachelor’s degrees. Most majors, including three professional licensure programs, provide immediate employment opportunities following graduation. The College is fully accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education.

**Student Profile:**With a demographic of 39% White, 29% Black, 17% Hispanic, and 15% Other, Manor is a minority‐majority institution. Pell Grant eligibility exceeds 70%, and 62% are graduates of the School District of Philadelphia. About 90% of the student body are commuters, 80% are enrolled in Associate’s degree programs, and more than 80% hold jobs while taking classes.

**Problems to be Addressed:**Although a four‐year private institution, the enrollment impact of COVID‐19 was analogous to that experienced by community colleges. As a tuition‐driven college, these declines in enrollment, accompanied by persistence and retention rates below those of comparable institutions, subjected Manor to significant financial stress. Although it has maintained a balanced budget, the College has not been able to reinvest resources into support services to address student needs. In addition, the current structure of existing support services is not supported by a data system that allows for effective tracking and assessment of assistance efforts. Finally, faculty and staff are challenged by new instructional modalities introduced by the COVID pandemic that have become part of students’ expectations.

**Project Activities:**The Manor Project will:

· Realign and expand student support services, including establishing a summer bridge program, and a Career and Transfer Advising Center which will engage all new students immediately after deposit

· Introduce information‐driven support and assessment through the integration of Navigate, a data management solution that integrates tightly with the student information system, Canvas LMS, and Student Affairs information

· Establish a professional development program that will address instructional practices across modalities

**Project Goal:**Improve the viability of the College by stabilizing enrollment

**Outcomes:**Manor will stabilize enrollment by reaching the following objectives:

· Increase student retention and graduation rates

· Increase 3‐semester Associate’s retention rate from 53% to 67%

· Increase 3‐semester Bachelor’s retention rate from 52% to 67%

· Increase 5 semester Bachelor’s retention rate from 41% to 57%

· Increase Associate’s 150% graduation rate from 32% to 43%

· Increase Bachelor’s 150% graduation rate by a total of 10% from Year 1 to Year 5

**All Competitive Preference Priorities are addressed in this project proposal, as is the Invitational Priority.**

**Total Request over Five Years: $1,473,973**

FY 2023 SIP New Awards – Abstracts

# P031A230145 - Spring Hill College 

Mobile, AL

# Abstract

Spring Hill College (SHC) proposes a Title III Strengthening Institutions Program project called*. Supporting Students through Enhanced Academic Advising and Structured Career Pathways to Improve Retention, Graduation and Career Readiness.*

SHC is a private institution of higher education in Mobile, Alabama. SHC is the oldest Catholic college in the Southeast and the third-oldest Jesuit college in the United States. The proposed project includes the following goals related to **(1) Academic Programs, Goal 1:**Increase success and persistence rate of target student populations in the first year at SHC from 76% to 84%; **Goal 2:**Increase success and persistence rates of target student populations through their third year of college from 59% to 69%. **(2) Institutional Management. Goal 1:**Increase the number of faculty and staff PD opportunities that are focused on teaching innovation, academic advising, and co-curricular enhancement to 100% by Year 5; **Goal 2:**Increase student support through development of cross-training and integrated office service models and technology platforms. **(3) Fiscal Stability, Goal 1:**Increase tuition revenue by improving retention rates, re-engaging stopped-out students, and growing the endowment to improve fiscal stability.

Building on institutional strategic planning and a comprehensive development plan, SHC will implement a far-reaching project to provide extensive academic support and career development- structured pathways to student groups that have historically underperformed at SHC, including first-year students during and those from target groups between their second year of college and graduation. The target groups include underrepresented minority, commuter, first-generation, low-income, and transfer students. Further, the project has an initiative to re-engage students who previously stopped-out due to the pandemic or otherwise through needs-based outreach, access to supports, and personalized advising. Critical to the proposed project is enhanced academic and non-academic advising through dedicated first-year advisors during their first year, which passes to faculty advisors who remain with students through graduation. The project will integrate structured career pathways that include career development coursework and exploratory externships during sophomore year, on-campus internships during junior year, and community for-credit internships during senior year. Through the proposed project, SHC will build for-credit internships in gap disciplines for which internships are underutilized or do not exist to ensure all SHC students have opportunities for work-based learning and work experience.

The proposed project includes an initiative to establish a system of high-quality data collection and analysis across multiple platforms, including critical functions such as billing, student communication, predictive analytics, academic progress, course management, registration, career development, student surveys, and personality and career interest tools through a single, unified platform. This data collection and analysis will enable SHC to identify which service areas need strengthening, what services are now necessary, and where funds should be invested for maximum impact. Further, it will enable SHC to better serve students by supporting their year-to-year retention, graduation, and career preparedness. The project will support fiscal stability through increased tuition revenue related to improved retention and re- engagement strategies to build the endowment and set the college on a path to fiscal stability.

The proposed project meets the criteria for both the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority.

# 

# P031A230146 - Grand Valley State University 

Allendale, MI

# Abstract

Grand Valley State University proposes a Title IIIA-funded project to close equity gaps in access and participation in high-quality, student success focused pedagogies such as high- impact practices. The projects three goals are to (1) build comprehensive dashboards useful for data-driven decision making in target early career, high-capacity, gateway, or high D, F, or Withdraw (DFW) courses; (2) prepare and support target faculty who teach these courses to embed high-impact practices into them; and (3) build a connected and coherent first-year academic seminar which integrates key evidence-based stakeholders across the university, including academic affairs, student affairs, enrollment development, career services, advising and others.

Nearly one year into launching the CLAS Voyage, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) has identified barriers to realizing the curricular promise that all students, in all majors in CLAS will engage in a robust and intentional career-connected liberal arts and sciences education through high-impact practices (HIPs). This Title IIIA proposal will fund key personnel to support the building of the resources and structures necessary to launch the equity and sustainability minded model of the Voyage in Fall 2025, particularly around the first-year academic seminar (the “Embarking Experience”) and other difficult-to-embed-HIP courses. The proposal focuses on the work that is difficult to find dedicated time for, including piloting and analyzing various efforts, identifying data streams and building useful dashboards, and building resource guides and faculty learning communities. Through the intended efforts, GVSU will increase retention, sense-of-belonging and student meaning making, while also leading to improved 6-year graduation rates, particularly amongst racial minorities, first-generation college students, and financially needy students. By testing and iterating on successful resources and models, GVSU can build a compendium of knowledge to support the ongoing efforts of the CLAS Voyage.

# P031A230147 - Paradise Valley Community College 

Phoenix, AZ

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Improving Retention Through an Enhanced Learning Success Center (IRELSC) **Target Population:**Students at risk of failing critical courses or withdrawing, especially first- year underserved students enrolled in STEM and English language courses.

**Requested Amount:**$2,078,855

**Services and Proposed Activities:**IRELSC will improve course grades, retention, enrollment and completion of underserved students through six project components: (a) Enhancement of the PVCC’s Learning Success Center (LSC): includes replacement of old/broken student furniture, science models, and other learning materials; acquisition and installation of new items such as power stations and Rosetta Stone Foundation Silver for out-of-class learning of ESL and other languages**;**migration of TutorTrac to TracCloud; expansion of learning spaces, etc.; (b) Introduction and Implementation Supplemental Instruction as part of the services offered by the LSC: includes recruiting a SI Coordinator and ten SI leaders to provide for in-class and out-of- class weekly group study sessions for underserved students enrolled in first-year traditionally difficult (“high-risk”) courses with high DFW rates; (c) Improving and expanding the current services of the LSC; (d) Broad campus outreach and communication about the LSC and orienting students for greater utilization of LSC services; (e) Coordination of LSC services with other academic and non-academic support services to evolve a comprehensive and integrated student support system; (f) Improving the LSC and other student support services data management and tracking system to link service utilization with student outcomes.

**Key Anticipated Results:**

· Objective 1: By May 2025, enhancement of the LSC is completed leading to improved and expanded services, increased service utilization and enrollment numbers, successful course completion, and retention, along with enrollment-based revenue for the college.

· Objective 2: By May 2024, supplemental instruction will be included as a service, thus leading to improved course grades, increased retention and completion rates for underserved students enrolled in first-year high-risk courses.

· Objective 3: By the end of Fall 24, the goal is to have the number of students using the LSC increase by 15% from the current baseline, and 10% each year thereafter.

· Objective 4: By end of Fall 24, the number of first-year underserved students using the LSC will increase by 20% from current baseline, and 12% each year thereafter;

· By end of Fall 2024, overall course completion success rate in high-risk courses for first-year and underserved students increases by 5% points, (2 % points thereafter).

· By end of Fall 24 and to the end of the project, the overall college retention rate increases by 2% points each year ( 3% points for first year and underserved students)

· By Fall 25, a comprehensive, integrated student support system will be implemented.

· Starting from 2023/24 academic year, a data management system that tracks and links utilization of student support services and student outcomes is implemented.

· By the end of Fall 24, enrollment increase of 2% per annum due to higher retention.

**Competitive Preference Priority Addressed:**Yes. Project addresses the CPP.

**Invitational Priority Addressed**: No

# P031A230148 - Texas A&M University - Central Texas 

Killeen, TX

# Abstract

**WarriorU: Increasing Belonging, Inclusion, Success, and Completion**

**Target Area:**The proposed WarriorU program is focused on increasing belonging, success, and completion and will help A&M-Central Texas further articulate the “serving” aspect of its HSI identity, build a sense of identity, belonging, and success for its at-risk communities and provide valuable connections to internal support services and external social service resources. Project activities to address identified needs include (1) Learning Assistance and Supplemental Instruction Programs; outreach through CIVITAS Learning Early Alert program, and Student Success Coaching and/or Peer Mentoring; (2) Student Campus Community Activities Board; SWAG- Supporting Warrior Academic Goals incentive program; Badging program activities; ACUE Training for Faculty and Staff; and (3) Coordinated campus and community resources to address basic needs (food insecurity, medical/mental health, homelessness, family/legal issues, financial literacy and related needs) and reduce attrition.

WarriorU will realize the following annual objectives over the five-year grant period: 1) 90% of students annually will have participated in one or more Student Success and Completion interventions and increase our retention rates from 69% for full-time and 59% for part-time students in 2020 to 79% for full-time and 66% for part-time students for the students entering in the Fall 2027 cohort. 2) 85% of students annually will have participated in one or more Student Belonging services. 3) 90% of incoming students will complete a basic needs assessment and social service knowledge survey and complete an orientation about the university’s internal and

community’s external social service resources. This data will inform institutional knowledge and response to identified student needs.

**Goals: Goal 1:**Increase retention and degree completion for students through the launch of Student Success and Completion interventions including Learning Assistance and SI Programs, Early Alert and Student Success Coaching/Peer Mentoring. **Goal 2:**Enhance student and family engagement with A&M-Central Texas by providing culturally responsive, consolidated, and integrated Student Belonging and Inclusion services for students and their families through the Student Campus Community Activities Board; SWAG- Supporting Warrior Academic Goals incentive program; Badging program activities; events or programs stemming from ACUE Training for Faculty and Staff (Teaching for equitable Learning and Fostering a Culture of Belonging) and integrated and targeted campus activities. **Goal 3:**Increase the number of students retained from year to year by providing support with community social services; conducting outreach and collaborating with community organizations to provide physical, mental health support, as well as legal, medical, financial and social services aid to at-risk students and their families. Directly connect students with social services to address basic needs (food insecurity, medical/mental health, homelessness, family/legal issues, financial literacy and related needs) and stem attrition by ensuring they have an advocate to help them identify and access social-community resources and navigate and/or overcome barriers.

# P031A230149 - Daemen University 

Amherst, NY

# Abstract

**PROJECT TITLE:**Advancing Equity by Strengthening Student Support, Systems, and Instruction

**INSTITUTIONAL PROFILE:**Daemen University (DU) is a private, independent university founded in 1947 and accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education. DU is located in Amherst, a first ring suburb of Buffalo, New York which has one of the third highest poverty rates among large cities nationwide. DU offers a distinctive balance of liberal arts and professional programs that serves 1,700 undergraduates and 800 graduate students in 38 undergraduate and 22 graduate degree programs. DU strives to provide educational opportunities for a diverse student population with 20% underrepresented minority, 23% first-generation, and 44% low-income (Pell) students.

**PROBLEMS**: Academic Programs - Retention is too low among underserved students; graduation rates are too low and declining, especially for underserved students; high failure rates in key gateway courses block progression in popular healthcare programs and equity gaps exist; Institutional Management - Too few students are identified and receive support interventions; ineffective communication across campus; inadequate implementation of gen ed, FYE, and transition programs; limited participation in professional development fails to promote culture change; Fiscal Stability - Tuition dependence and enrollment challenges threaten fiscal stability.

**STRATEGIES:**DU’s Title III project aligns with DU’s 2020-25 strategic plan which identifies equitable pathways to success for all students and prioritizes targeted interventions to minimize disparities in retention and persistence among student populations. DU’s Title III strategies to increase student success and advance equity include strengthening student supports (first year experience, advising, embedded tutoring), systems (early alert, predictive analytics, curriculum and communication tools), and instruction (curricular revisions and professional development to improve pedagogy, inclusive student support, and service excellence). This SIP project also aligns with DU’s 2019 Diversity & Inclusion Strategic Plan which emphasizes professional development and student support focused on equity and inclusion.

**GOALS AND EXPECTED OUTCOMES:**The overarching project goals are to improve retention and graduation rates, advance equity, and strengthen systems and fiscal stability. Project outcomes will be tracked through measurable objectives, including retention of underserved students, graduation rates, failure rates in key gateway courses, faculty use of early alerts, students receiving supports, communication across support areas, student satisfaction with gen ed and first-year experience, college readiness, participation in professional development, integration of best practices, and tuition revenue generated through improved student retention.

**COMPETITIVE & INVITATIONAL PREFERENCE PRIORITIES:**DU’s Title III project responds to the CPP & IPP.

**FUNDS REQUESTED:**$2,232,527

# P031A230151 - Bethany College 

Bethany, WV

# Abstract

**2023 Title III SIP Submission Abstract: Bethany College**

Bethany College respectfully requests **$2,200,154.00**to fund our 2023 Title III Strengthening Institutions Program project submission**: *Building Connections for Student Success and Excellence in Advising at Bethany College***. Our program will serve a population of 700 students.

Bethany College has set three goals for this project across the areas of Academic Programs (AP), Institutional Management (IM), and Fiscal Stability (FS). The AP goal is to integrate high-impact advising and educational experiences to improve student success and retention. The IM goal is to centralize, streamline, and coordinate student services and student performance data. Finally, the FS goal is to strengthen the College’s fiscal stability by retaining more students to successful completion of their course of study as well as contributing to Bethany’s endowment fund.

We propose to meet these goals by undertaking the following activities: (1) renovate and establish a physical location for a student-centered, centrally located Student Success and Advising Center on Bethany’s campus; (2) implement data-informed, high-impact measures to improve student success and retention, strengthen relationships with other college services, connect students to essential services, and implement proactive, holistic, high-impact practices for student advising; (3) implement a new CRM system to incorporate early warnings and other student referrals, to centralize data on student attendance, advisor contacts, etc., train employees on use of the system, and establish policies and procedures for creating and disseminating student academic performance data; and (4) continue to roll out collaborative, targeted enrollment marketing initiatives and implement best practices such as requiring enrollment deposits while we transition to the public phase of our $20 million capital campaign.

# P031A230152 - Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College 

Asheville, NC

# Abstract

Asheville–Buncombe Technical Community College is an open-access, public community college in Asheville, North Carolina serving the residents of Buncombe and Madison Counties.

**PROJECT TITLE:**RISE Above

**GOALS: Academic Program Goals:**1) Provide comprehensive support to students in defining and achieving their educational and career goals from enrollment through retention to timely completion of a credential and career or transfer placement. 2) Improve access and outcomes for student subgroups, especially Black students. **Institutional Management Goals:**1) Enhance programs and services that support the whole College. 2) Affect institutional culture change through shared resources and professional development. **Fiscal Stability Goal:**Demonstrate the efficacy of innovative practices tied to optimizing revenue within the existing funding structure and policy environment.

**OUTCOMES: 1)**Increase enrollment by 15% over 5 years. **2)**Increase first-to-second year retention to reach NCCCS excellence-level performance to reach excellence-level performance in 5 years (71.9%). **3)**Improve course success for underserved student subgroups by 17% over 5 years. **4)**Increase graduation and completion/credentialing rate by 4.5 percentage points over 5 years. **5)**Decrease the deregistration rate for underserved student subgroups from 6% to 2% over 5 years. **6)**Increase usability of student-facing online supports by 25% over 5 years. **7)**Inventory the technology skills, hardware, and software needed for to achieve a full inventory by the end of 5 years and ensure that all new courses going forward include Course Technology Standards and Competencies. **8)**All eligible credentials will have pathways leading students to completion efficiently and effectively. **9)**Improve the transfer performance at four-year institutions to excellence-level, 4.5 over 5 years. **10)**Identify, develop, and implement at least 6-10 stackable Continuing Education and/or Workforce Development credentials aligned to associate degree programs. **11)**Increase institutional knowledge of operations efficacy with regard to key performance metrics, cost efficiency, and return on investment by 50% over 5 years.

**STRATEGIES: 1) The Welcome Center:**Enhance student orientation and access to support from admission through transfer or career. **2) Student Success Coaching & Advisement Model:**Implement a comprehensive student success model that includes integrated case management, early-alert system technology, & culturally competent, proactive, and individualized career services. **3) Professional Development:**Provide comprehensive professional development centered on high-impact practices, and other student-success topics that includes adjunct faculty, instructors, and staff. **4) Project Counterbalance:**Identify and support underserved student subgroups at risk of stop-out or have been blocked on their educational pathway due to outstanding balances. **5) Technology Needs Assessment:**Conduct a comprehensive technology usability and needs inventory including hardware, software, and skills covering support access and all courses. **6) Pathways Project:**Expand upon existing pathways to include all eligible academic programs. **7) Stackable Credentials:**Explore opportunities to create stackable credentials that bridge our non-degree Continuing Education and Workforce Development programs to associate degrees. **8) Management Capacity:**Enhance our capacity to analyze student success, institutionalize data-driven continuous improvement, and its impact on revenue generation.

**COMPETITIVE PREFERENCE PRIORITY:**RISE Above addresses CPP 1.

**FUNDS REQUESTED:**$2,250,000

# P031A230154 - South Seattle College 

Seattle, WA

# Abstract

The Seattle Colleges District (SCD) is a multi-college district that is the largest and most diverse community college district in the state of Washington comprised of three distinctive colleges— North Seattle College, Seattle Central College, and South Seattle College. The areas served by these colleges in Seattle and King County is one of extremely high need, with both high numbers and percentages of low-income households and potential first-generation college students, in contrast with the high cost of living that is common in urban settings.

The **Seattle Colleges District proposes to establish a comprehensive Funding Access Hub at each college**. These centers will provide a one-stop-shop for students to understand their options, complete an individualized plan and secure the funds needed to achieve their educational goals.

The project is designed to 1) increase enrollment, retention and completion rates for students, particularly historically underrepresented students of color (HU-SOC); 2) provide navigation assistance to these students in applying for funding; 3) increase student knowledge/satisfaction with funding navigation; 4) increase the percentage of FAFSA’s completed; and 4) provide professional development to faculty and staff so they can be a resource for students.

The SCD Title III program will accomplish these goals using the following methods:

1. Funding Navigators: One Navigator at each college will ensure that the students have access to comprehensive services that will enable them to understand their options and secure the funds needed for their education goals.

2. Funding Planning Tool: An online tool that is a quarter-by-quarter plan to assist students with funding resources and a plan that will take them from entry to graduation.

3. Data collection and reporting: Student satisfaction surveys will be part of the district culture and will provide an institutionalized approach to student feedback and ensure that the initiative continues to meet the evolving needs of the students.

4. Improved communications plan: Create a coordinated annual communications campaign for reminders and nudges that will utilize a variety of communication methods including emails, phone calls, social media, websites, workshops and classroom visits.

5. Engage staff and faculty in professional development workshops: Create and disseminate training resources to staff and faculty related to financial aid and funding resources.

The proposal addresses:

CPP: Increasing Postsecondary Education Access, Affordability, Completion, and Post-Enrollment Success. Our proposed project also aligns with the priority of addressing student financial barriers to college completion by focusing on communication, integration, and engagement strategies.

Invitational Priority: Providing postsecondary completion activities for students who are no longer enrolled because of challenges they faced during the COVID–19 pandemic or who stopped attending for other reasons. Results from student surveys showed that many students did not return due to having a past-due balance owed to the college or personal reasons related to the pandemic. SCD used completion coaches and emergency funds to implement a successful “past- due balance” campaign that gave students the opportunity to return to college.

# P031A230155 - Western Piedmont Community College 

Morganton, NC

# Abstract

*Western Piedmont Community College Project Connect*

**Overview:**Western Piedmont Community College (WPCC) in Burke County, North Carolina requests $2,041,759 to implement *Project Connect*to support student success and fiscal stability. The project addresses four significant interconnected problems: 1) low progression and completion for adult students, 2) lower success rates in online courses, 3) an advising model that does not meet the needs of students, and 4) lack of capacity for an endowment campaign.

**Goals: 1)**Increase students’ persistence, retention, and degree completion while reducing gaps for Black, Hispanic, and Pell-Eligible students. **2)**Increase long-term fiscal stability and provide more flexible financial support to students through building an endowment fund.

**Activities**: WPCC proposes one primary Title III activity – *Supporting Student Success*– with interdependent components addressing academic programs and institutional management – and one secondary activity – *Building Financial Capacity*– addressing fiscal stability. The main components of our first activity are as follows. 1) A revised advising model focused on comprehensive, holistic, and individualized support for students; 2) Implementation of advising tools – Watermark student retention software enabling early-alerts and automated messaging and reminders, an improved website, and an intake form increasing advisor and coach efficiency; 3) a new student-centered orientation and introductory videos; 4) a First Year Experience (FYE) College Success course for AAS students that is contextualized to their programs; and 5) improvements in pedagogy and technology to support online course success. Our plan includes extensive professional development to support faculty and staff in implementing each of these components along with capacity-building in data dashboards and data literacy to support a culture of continuous improvement through data-informed decision-making. Our secondary activity – Building Financial Capacity – focuses on capacity-building for our Foundation Executive Director and Foundation Board of Directors to enable them to create, invest, and manage an endowment fund and implement an endowment campaign.

**Measurable Objectives:**1. Increase student satisfaction with advising to 95% from baseline 84%; 2. Increase percentage of students who complete a FAFSA to over 80%; 3. Increase overall success (A, B, C, or Pass) in online modalities to 85%; 4. By Y5 increase persistence of adult students to 80%; 5: Increase retention of adult students to 74%; 6. Increase retention/completion of Pell eligible students to 70%.; 7. Increase retention/completion of Black students to 67% from baseline 56.8%; 8. Increase retention/completion of Hispanic students to 72% from baseline

67.2; 9. Increase completion for adult FTIC to 53% with reduced gaps for Pell-eligible and minority students; 10. Increase giving by 30%.

**Competitive Preference Priority:**WPCC addresses all three parts of the CPP with capacity building in data dashboards and data literacy; a revised and evidence based advising model to provide students with academic and non-academic supports to increase their success; and improved quality and access in online courses through professional development and technology to increase visibility and interaction between remote participants, in-person participants, and instructors.

# P031A230157 - Eastern Shore Community College 

Melfa, VA

# Abstract

Eastern Shore Community College (ESCC) is the only higher education institution located on the Eastern Shore of Virginia and serves a highly rural and impoverished area in which 50% of the population is either in poverty or considered working poor. To address this, ESCC faces an urgent need to expand its capacity to support placement of students in industries that provide family-sustaining wages. ESCC is seeking a five-year U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program (SIP) grant to support the *Contact to Career*Employment Services Program (*Contact to Career*).*Contact to Career*will meet the needs of ESCC low income and first-generation students through career assessments, individualized career development support, paid credit-bearing internships, and additional activities designed to strengthen the College’s ability to provide students the skills they need to graduate and thrive in the labor market.

The primary goal of *Contact to Career*is to provide comprehensive career services and credit-bearing workplace learning experiences to low income and first-generation students that lead to increased student retention and completion while increasing their access to well-paying jobs and career opportunities. ESCC’s *Contact to Career*is structured to ensure students, staff, and the community can ascend career pathways and develop the interconnected relationships among career skills and career fields. Each ESCC career pathway embeds technical knowledge; transferable skills such as communication, collaboration, and problem-solving; and workplace learning experiences based on industry needs in alignment with promising interventions as outlined by the U.S. Department of

Education’s What Works Clearinghouse, “Designing and Delivering Career Pathways at Community Colleges.” In response to regional and national needs, ESCC has prioritized the development of comprehensive career services to support underserved populations through the equity-focused, multi- dimensional, culturally appropriate *Contact to Career*model.

The *value-added*will be improved institutional management and support services in the offices of admissions, advisement, enrollment, financial aid, and other departments for ALL students through the implementation of the following goals:

**INSTITUTIONAL GOAL 1**: Develop more and diverse business partnerships to ensure student access as well as to promote ESCC as the primary training provider on the Eastern Shore.

**INSTITUTIONAL GOAL 2**: Integrate High Impact Practices (HIPs) across all programs at ESCC. **INSTITUTIONAL GOAL 3**: Focus on creating a culture of care that increases retention and completion and provides the necessary support for students to be successful.

**INSTITUTIONAL GOAL 4:**Provide students with the knowledge and skills to obtain credentials while ensuring diversity, equity and inclusion and aligning with the local ESCC culture of YES!

**INSTITUTIONAL GOAL 5**: Provide and promote access to affordable education to all ESCC students.

Program Objectives for Contact to Career include:

**Objective 1:**Increase retention of first-year students from 36% to 45% by September 30, 2028

**Objective 2:**Increase three-year graduation rate from 27% to 34% by September 30, 2028.

**Objective 3:**Increase the number of students participating in internships from 15 to 57 by September 2028.

# P031A230161 - Lake Washington Institute of Technology 

Kirkland, WA

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Project Transform: Data-Driven and Equity-Centered Transformation for Student Success in Technical Education

**Institutional Profile and Population Served:**Lake Washington Institute of Technology (LWTech) is located in a high-technology corridor in Kirkland, WA, just 15 miles east of Seattle. Formerly a K-12 vocational-technical institute, LWTech now offers 10 applied bachelor’s degrees, more than 40 associate degrees, and 80 professional certificates in 41 areas of study. In Fall 2022, LWTech served 3,647 students: 49% attended full time, 45% identified as White; 58% identified as female; 42% are low-income; and, the majority attend for workforce training (55%).

**Weaknesses:**LWTech identified the following eight weaknesses: Weakness 1 (AP): Limited Data Use – especially at the course level – within Instruction; Weakness 2 (IM): Low Data Literacy Across Campus; Weakness 3 (AP): Poor Student Outcomes – Overall rates in retention completion outcomes prevent students from attaining educational and career goals; Weakness 4 (IM): Low Yield Rates – Less than half of applicants enroll in classes; Weakness 5 (AP): Equity Gaps – Significant equity gaps in student outcomes in persistence, retention, completion, and post-collegiate outcomes for HU students; Weakness 6 (IM): Poor Transitions – Extraordinarily low transition rates from basic skills/English language learning/developmental classes to college- level coursework; Weakness 7 (FS): Tuition Shortfall – Poor access and low retention lead to significant tuition revenue shortfall and risks reduced state funding; and, Weakness 8 (FS): Challenging COVID-19 Recovery – Technical colleges face disproportionate fiscal challenges in COVID-19 recovery.

**Project Goals:**LWTech identified two project goals to be addressed through three activities: *Goal 1*– Infuse and expand equity-centered use of data in technical education and *Goal 2 –*Build systems that lead to equitable enrollment, retention, and completion outcomes for students.

**Activities:**LWTech will implement the following activities: *Activity 1 – Institutional Research:*Create a culture of equity-centered and data-informed decision-making and continuous improvement; *Activity 2 – Student Services:*Transform Student Services into a holistic, collaborative department to improve access, retention, and completion for HU students; and, *Activity 3 – Instruction:*Enhance faculty-driven, equity-centered teaching and advising practices – in hybrid, online, and in-person courses – to ensure HU students can access and complete high- quality technical education.

**Selected Project Outcomes:**Key outcomes for Project Transform include: Increase the Fall-to- Fall retention of degree-seeking students from 46% to 58%; Increase the rate at which degree- seeking students complete a degree/certificate within 150% time from 36% to 45; and, Increase enrollment from 2,360 FTE to 3,200 FTE. These results will contribute to institutional self- sufficiency and full institutionalization of all grant activities.

**Competitive Preference Priority and Invitational Priority:**This project responds to both the Competitive Preference Priority (a-c) and the Invitational Priority.

**Total Request:**$2,186,142

# P031A230164 - Warren County Community College 

Washington, NJ

# Abstract

**Project Title – Improving Development, Expansion, and Assessments for Learning (*IDEAL*)**

**Institutional Profile.**Established in 1981, Warren County Community College (WCCC or Warren) is a fully accredited public two-year community college serving a rural population of 110,000 in northern New Jersey. With campuses in Washington and Philipsburg, New Jersey, WCCC’s vision is to provide lifelong learning opportunities that will enhance individuals’ success, strengthen commitment to the community, and reflect innovation and change.

WCCC offers 33 associate degrees and 10 certificate programs in fields such as business, liberal arts, health sciences, and technology. The college also offers transfer programs to four-year colleges and universities, enabling students to complete their bachelor's degree.

In 2021-22, WCCC served 3,230 full- and part-time students. The college supports a diverse student body, including recent high school graduates, adult learners, and working professionals. However, most students come from low-income backgrounds as 56 percent of full-time, first-time degree-seeking students receive some type of financial assistance. Many students arrive academically underprepared for postsecondary education. The college is also serving a growing English as a Second Language (ESL) student population.

**Strengths and Weaknesses.**Pockets of success have launched WCCC into leading edge positions in certain areas, like the award-winning drone technology program and status as the #1 community college in New Jersey. Yet, the challenges in growing new academic programs, institutional staffing, and fiscal stability create a cycle in which many students suffer from WCCC’s inadequate systems, growth opportunities, and resources. These deficiencies contribute to students’ lack of knowledge of how to succeed in college and how to achieve academic and career goals. *IDEAL*capitalizes on staff commitment to students, dedication to data-driven decisions, strong leadership, and years of campus-wide planning to create a comprehensive program that leverages resources and improves student outcomes with evidence-based, student- centered programs, guidance, and support structures.

**Project Overview.**The major components of *IDEAL*include: (1) a redesigned advising model with two new academic advisors (one bilingual in Spanish), technology-assisted early alerts, and professional development; (2) holistic academic and co-curricular supports that address the whole student, with a new retention coordinator, peer mentors, tutors (including multilingual tutoring), equipment checkout, and coordinated referrals; (3) improved data analysis and implementation with a new Office of Institutional Effectiveness; (4) expanded instructional innovation through purchase and implementation of a new learning management system aided by instructional design and professional development; and (5) a professional learning community (PLC) to provide campuswide capacity building to increase faculty and staff knowledge and skills in topics critical to supporting institutional and student success.

Outcomes include increased student retention, increased three-year graduation rates, improved academic progress and success, stronger use of data analytics, and more knowledgeable faculty and staff.

This project addresses all elements of the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority. The five-year budget is $2,250,000.

# P031A230167 - Virginia Wesleyan University 

Virginia Beach, VA

# Abstract

Virginia Wesleyan University (VWU) requests funding from the Department of Education for a Title III Individual Development Grant that will help VWU improve academic, institutional management and fiscal stability programs and achieve outcomes of (1) increased self sufficiency and (2) more effective retention to graduation for first generation and Pell eligible students. The project, **Bridging, Connecting, and Building Student Success (BCB)**, has three primary goals.

1. Establish a system of high quality data collection and analysis that predicts reliably those factors correlation with student persistence and attrition.

2. Increase VWU’s first-to-second year retention rate.

3. Improve VWU’s four-and six-year graduation rates.

Primary activities to be performed in the BCB program follow:

(a) Utilize the Oracle Student Management (OSM) System to build a data informed retention model for first generation and Pell-eligible students.

(b) Utilize the OSM to improve communications between all VWU colleagues working with first generation/Pell students.

(c) Hire and train tutors who focus tutoring support for first generation/Pell students in gateway courses with traditionally high numbers of D’s, F’s, withdrawals.

(d) Add counseling staff with experience in academic, emotional, and career support of first generation/Pell students.

(e) Integrate paid work and learn opportunities. They enhance first generation/Pell students’ experiential knowledge while reducing their need to take on student debt.

# P031A230169 - University of Saint Francis 

Fort Wayne, IN

# Abstract

University of Saint Francis: Project Catalyst - Fostering Student Success in the Health Sciences

**Overview of Saint Francis:**The University of Saint Francis (USF) is a private, faith-based, non- profit institution of higher education with an enrollment of 1,572 undergraduate students. USF’s main campus is located in Fort Wayne, IN, with a newer second campus just south of Chicago in Crown Point, IN. The institution is well-known in central Indiana for its College of Health Sciences (COHS), which is a critical access point for postsecondary-underserved individuals seeking preparation for nursing and other applied healthcare occupations that provide strong, sustainable wages. The COHS has strong ties to regional healthcare partners. USF’s student population is similar to that of technical colleges that specialize in applied healthcare training. Seventy-seven percent of students are commuter students, 50% of first-year students also have employment or caregiving responsibilities, and 42% come from low-income families. While USF’s general enrollment continues to decline, its enrollment of students who are Black and Hispanic has steadily increased over the last decade (now 23% of the student body).

**Proposed SIP Project:**USF’s five-year SIP project, Project Catalyst, responds to identified needs to strengthen USF’s academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability. A comprehensive analysis led to proposed project activities that address USF’s struggle to support its underserved students, the populations to be served: low-income, first generation, and Black and Hispanic students across the institution, and COHS Associate of Science (AAS) and Exploratory Health (EH) students. The university cannot remain a premiere, regionally-serving, professional healthcare preparation institution if it cannot support the needs of these students. Institutional weaknesses currently prohibiting student success include (1) lack of equity-minded first-year readiness supports to ensure admits can successfully navigate the enrollment process, (2) no Diversity, Equity and Inclusion plan or personnel training and associated missing holistic, relational non-academic student supports; and (3) no guided degree pathways or career exploration opportunities for COHS AAS and EH students.

**GOAL:**Institutionalize strategies to increase enrollment, persistence, and retention of underserved students, COHS AAS and EH students from admittance and through their first year.

**OBJECTIVES BY 9/2028:**

(1) Increase the enrollment rates of the targeted student groups admitted to USF:

· ***Underserved bachelor’s and associate degree-seekers:*50%**from **32%**(2021–22 baseline)

· ***AAS degree-seekers:*73%**from **57%**(2021–22 baseline)

(2) Increase the first-to-second-semester persistence rates of the targeted student groups:

· ***Underserved bachelor’s and associate degree-seekers :*88%**from **77%**(2021–22 baseline)

· ***AAS degree-seekers:*85%**from **73%**(2021–22 baseline)

(3) **:**Increase the first-year retention rates of the targeted student groups:

· ***Underserved bachelor’s and associate degree-seekers :*73%**from **61%**(2021–22 baseline)

· ***AAS degree-seekers :*76%**from **64%**(2021–22 baseline)

**Competitive Preference and Invitational Priorities:**The project will address the Competitive Preference Priority, as well as the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230170 - Tyler Junior College 

Tyler, TX

# Abstract

Tyler Junior College (TJC) is a two-year college in East Texas serving a primarily rural and underserved catchment area comprised of 406,600 individuals. The student body, which is 54% Pell Grant eligible and 74.72% first generation, face numerous barriers to entering and completing college. As a result, retention, completion, and transfer rates, in addition to successful placement in targeted industries are lower for the College’s underserved students. Therefore, there is a *critical need*to provide 1) assistance to increase post-enrollment success and completion rates for underserved students through implementation of strategic coaching programs, with an emphasis on transfer and career supports; and 2) professional development for faculty and staff to provide the necessary skills essential to prepare and support students to complete degrees or transfer to a baccalaureate program. The *primary goal*of this proposed program is to increase retention, four-year graduation rates, and persistence rates among TJC underserved students resulting in higher transfer rates to four-year institutions and career placement metrics. TJC will achieve this through four goals. Goal 1: Develop student success programming with an emphasis on better serving specific needs of underserved covid-era opt-out students, including support for university transfer and career success. Goal 2: Retain appropriate staff to provide identified services through a Director of Foundations for Student Success and two dedicated Success Coaches focused on addressing the needs and challenges of underserved students. Goal 3: Develop ongoing training programs to ensure that TJC faculty and staff gain and retain responsive skills and knowledge to implement student success programs effectively for the underserved student population. Goal 4: Establish a new endowed fund to ensure long- term sustainability of the proposed activities. Expected outcomes include increases in student success metrics, transfer rates, number of students entering their targeted careers, and increase in the number of faculty and staff trained in methods to support underserved students.

# P031A230171 - New York Institute of Technology 

Old Westbury, NY

# Abstract

New York Institute of Technology (NYIT) is a private institution of higher education with two campuses for undergraduates: one in Old Westbury, Long Island, NY and one in Manhattan, New York City. Since 1955, NYIT has pursued its mission to provide career- oriented professional education, give all qualified students access to opportunity, and support research and scholarship that benefit the larger world. NYIT’s academic programs encourage students to become lifelong learners–doers, makers, and innovators poised to reinvent the future. In Fall 2021, NYIT enrolled 6,696 students, of which 3,414 were undergraduates. Eight-eight percent of undergraduate and 86% of graduate students were enrolled full-time. The male-female ratio among all students was 53% to 47%. Among undergraduate students, 24% identified as Asian, 11% as Black/African American, 21% as Hispanic, 23% as White, and 4% as Two or More Races. Among first-time, full-time freshmen (FTFTF) in Fall 2021, 99% received financial aid, 49% received Pell grants, and 87% lived off campus. The project team set two Title III goals: increase FTFTF first-year retention rate by 4% by Year 3 and increase the 6-year graduation rate by 9% by Year 5.

NYIT will implement six core activities to raise retention and graduation rates: 1) expanded, holistic case-management academic advising, 2) use of academic and course-planning software, 3) expanded peer mentoring and wraparound services 4) portfolio-based prior-learning assessment 5) establishment of communities of practice to support course re-design efforts and 6) scaffold career-focused online credentials. The integration of advising and wraparound student supports, faculty development, and curricular enhancements with a career-oriented focus will contribute to NYIT’s ability to focus strategies and interventions to the benefit of students. While activities are intended to impact all NYIT students, NYIT especially aims to provide more equitable educational experiences for undergraduate students who are currently less likely to persist and graduate from NYIT, particularly underserved students.

New York Tech’s Title III project has the enthusiastic support of President Foley, and the project’s implementation plan has been approved. The project’s components have been chosen from priorities in New York Tech’s strategic action plan, which has an implementation process that includes members that span the campus community. The Title III project addresses the Competitive Preference Priority.

# P031A230173 - Cedar Crest College 

Allentown, PA

# Abstract

**Project Title:***Crest to Career*

**Institutional Profile:**Founded in 1867, Cedar Crest College is a private liberal arts college located in Allentown, PA, primarily for women, dedicated to the education of the next generation of leaders. Enrolling approximately 46% of students in the traditional women’s college and 54% in the co-ed School of Adult and Graduate Education, Cedar Crest educates the most diverse student body in the Lehigh Valley region.

**Significant Problems:**The number of new first-time, first-year students enrolling at Cedar Crest has been dropping, as have retention and graduation rates. Data indicate that Cedar Crest students engage with academic advisors and career development activities at lower rates than peer institutions. Information regarding student outcomes is limited and not easily accessible. As an institution that is 82% tuition dependent, the College must stabilize its enrollment, improve retention and graduation rates, and better communicate student outcomes in order to ensure its sustainability for another 156 years.

**Project Description:**To strengthen the College’s academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal sustainability, the *Crest to Career*project will expand the academic advising and career development resources available to students and increase opportunities for work-based learning. These activities will be supported by an investment in the College’s **data infrastructure**(Competitive Priority 1) to better support students, manage support services, and track and report student outcomes. The activities that will comprise this project are:

1. The Falcon Navigator program, which will assign each first-year, first-time student a student success advisor that will work with them until graduation. The Falcon Navigators will support their students through an **integrated approach to academic advising, career counseling, and success coaching**(Competitive Priority 2) and provide individualized support for students **returning to Cedar Crest**after a leave of absence (Invitational Priority); and

2. Professional development for faculty to increase **work-based learning opportunities**(Competitive Priority 3), develop an **advanced career development course**, and to improve courses that contain **career development content in academic programs**(Competitive Priority 2).

**Expected Outcomes:**The *Crest to Career*project will impact **student success**, resulting in increased first-year retention rates (from 73% to 80%) and increased completion rates (from 62% to 65%). Further, the *Crest to Career*project will a) **improve academic programs**by expanding internships, enhancing career development content in the curriculum, and preparing faculty to teach this content, and b) improve **institutional management and fiscal stability**by increasing enrollment (from 1,125 FTE to 1,300 FTE) and developing a data infrastructure that supports accurate and timely decision-making relative to student success and enrollment management and improves the collection and transparency of data relative to student outcomes.

**Funds Requested:**$1,763,752.52

# P031A230175 - Loyola Marymount University 

Los Angeles, CA

# Abstract

Loyola Marymount University (LMU) is a mid-sized non-profit private university located in Los Angeles, California, with a diverse population of academically ambitious undergraduate students (Hispanic / Latino 23%, African American 10.7%) who are committed to living lives of meaning and purpose. LMU’s dedication to both racial and economic justice urges us to more comprehensively prioritize the success of low-income students.

**Problems to be Addressed:**LMU’s investment in the success of low-income students shows in our support for students transferring from community colleges, who enjoy retention and graduation rates far above national averages. **But key inequities for low-income transfer students persist, particularly in access to the institution, completion, and time-to-degree outcomes**. These result from institutional barriers and weaknesses, including a lack of degree maps into LMU’s major degree programs, and an under-prioritization of low-income community college transfer students in key support programs and institutional data collection and analysis.

**Overall Goals: Goal 1 (AP):**Expand and enhance transfer student support services, prioritizing access, completion, and timely graduation for low-income students. **Goal 2 (IM):**Generate transfer articulations to LMU major programs from affiliated community colleges, and establish improved, equity-minded data collection and analysis protocols for low-income student data. **Goal 3 (FS):**Increase institutional fiscal capacity to expand access to low-income students.

**Objectives and Outcomes: 1. Access.**Increase the percentage of low-income transfer students at LMU by 10 points over 2020-2021 baseline by improving pathway programs and strengthening handoffs for community college student transfers. **2. Completion.**Reduce equity gaps in the effective **6-year**graduation rate by 5 points for low-income students entering in their 2nd year, and eliminate the equity gap for transfers entering in their 3rd year (in comparison to 2020-2021 baseline). **3. Timely Completion.**Reduce equity gaps in the effective **4-year**graduation rate by 5 points for low-income transfer students in their 2nd year, and eliminate the equity gap for transfers entering in their 3rd year (in comparison to 2020-2021 baseline).

**Strategies: Strategy 1: Improve Handoffs.**Create seamless handoffs for community college students’ matriculation to LMU (CPP b). **Strategy 2: Strengthen Transfer Promise Program.**Increase the capacity, reach, and strength of LMU’s Transfer Promise Program (CPP b). **Strategy 3: Remove Barriers and Strengthen Support.**Eliminate policy and procedural barriers while also strengthening and expanding services for low-income students (CPP a; CPP b).

**Priorities:**This proposal addresses the **Competitive Preference Priority**by developing a Guided Pathways approach to student success that integrates multiple research-backed services, and the **Invitational Priority**through activities promoting postsecondary completion for students who stopped out of school during the COVID-19 pandemic.

**Funds Requested:**$2,250,000

# P031A230176 - Cincinnati State Technical and Community College 

Cincinnati, OH

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Reconnecting Stopped Out Students: A Relationship-Building Approach to Student Success

**Overview of Project:**

This project will take to scale an innovative program based on a pilot that will enhance the college’s ability to incorporate data in its retention and stop-out efforts; build a culture of retention and stop-out prevention among faculty and staff; and launch an endowed fund to stimulate further innovative faculty and staff-led pilot projects aimed at retention and student success. In doing so, the project will help address key institutional strategic planning goals.

**Activities Summary:**

Project activities will include the creation of a stopped out student database; utilizing student peer ambassadors to contact stopped out students; reconnecting interested stopped out advisors and services; tracking and monitoring re-enrolled stopped out students; enhancing the college’s predictive analytics capabilities to create a better warning system for students likely to stop out; utilizing training and stipends to build a college wide culture of relationship-based retention and stop out prevention, including amongst faculty, adjuncts, administrators and staff; developing an endowment that funds promising internal pilot project idea that will further retention and student success initiatives.

**Objectives of the Project:**

1) By the end of Year 1, the project will work with Institutional Research to complete the Starfish predictive analytics system that help identify at-risk students through the implantation of a Retention Scoring System.

2) By the end of Year 1, the project will be making direct contact with 90% of stopped-out students annually throughout the project.

3) By the end of the period of performance for the grant, the project increase the number of stopped-out students returning to Cincinnati State by 14% (baseline 67%), with a goal of 80%.

4) By the end of the period of performance for the grant, the project will return adult retention levels at college to pre-pandemic levels.

5) By the end of the period of performance for the grant, Increase the graduation rate of stopped-out students at Cincinnati State by 20% (baseline 5%).

# P031A230178 - Trustees of the Hamline University of Minnesota 

Saint Paul, MN

# Abstract

Hamline University will implement the ***Student Pathways to Belonging and Success***project to accomplish the following goals in support of its students: i). degree seeking undergraduates will complete at least two courses every semester that provide high impact pedagogical experiences, ii). the retention rate for fall one to fall two for first time, full time undergraduates from underserved communities will increase by at least six percentage points to 77.8%, iii). the six-year graduation rate for first time, full time degree seeking undergraduates from underserved communities will increase by at least four percentage points to 65.1%, and iv). the University's endowment will increase by at least $520,000.

Over the course of the project the following activities will be implemented: i). **Student Belonging**will develop a continuum of programming that connects students to tutors and mentors from their first year through graduation that helps them understand their accomplishing their education goals, connects them with an academic-career pathway, and supports progress toward retention and graduation. ii). **Student Financial Aid Optimization**will investigate the FAFSA Simplification Act and development a responsive institutional process that optimizes financial aid while minimizing underserved students' financial challenges. iii). **High Impact Pedagogy**will systemically train faculty members and support them to embed evidence-based learning methods and experiences in courses to help students succeed. iv). **Alumni Engagement and Student Success**will connect students, alumni and employers in innovative ways to develop a micro-internship program and build inclusive committees that inform academic programming.

The design of *Student Pathways to Belonging and Success*is evidence-based and supported by the following research:

· Campit, J., Cayabyab, J. & Galas, E. *The Effect of Peer Tutoring on Achievement of Students in Discrete Structures.*Asia Pacific Journal of Multidisciplinary Research, Vol. 3, No. 5, Dec 2015.

· Huselman, M. *The Debt Divide: The Racial and Class Bias Behind the “New Normal” of Student Borrowing.*Demos.org, New York, 2015.

· Kuh, G., & O’Donnell, K. *Ensuring Quality & Taking High Impact Practices to Scale*, AAC&U, Washington, DC. 2013.

· Kinzie, J., McCormick, A., Gonyea, R., Dugan, B., & Silberstein, S. *Assessing Quality and Equity in High Impact Practices: Comprehensive Report.*Initial Report on Project Findings Submitted to Lumina Foundation, Jul 2020.

· Toyn, G. Alumni Access®, *VAESE Alumni Benchmarking Study. Voluntary Alumni Engagement in Support of Education*, Salt Lake City, 2020.

# P031A230180 - Buena Vista University Storm 

Lake, IA

# Abstract

**Project Title:**Every Student Matters: *Eliminating Race and Income as Predictors of Success at Buena Vista University*

**Institutional Profile:**Founded in 1891 as an affiliate of the Presbyterian Church, Buena Vista University (BVU) is a private liberal arts college in Storm Lake, Iowa, providing undergraduate and graduate degrees in four schools. BVU’s enrollment in FY 2022-23 is 1474 undergraduates and 499 graduate students, including 25% students of color, and 40% Pell-eligible students.

**Significant Problem:**BVU’s retention and graduation rates consistently fall short of targets and lag those of many of our peer and aspirant institutions. Students of color and Pell grant recipients are underserved when compared with peers in every measure of success at BVU: first-year-to- sophomore and sophomore-to-junior retention, success in gateway courses, participation in High Impact Practices, and graduation rates. These equity gaps are especially concerning, as students of color and Pell recipients are the fastest growing enrollment population at BVU.

**Project Goal:**BVU has one project goal: **To increase student retention and graduation rates for all students, with a particular emphasis on underserved low-income students and students of color.**Recognizing that improving student success requires a multi-faceted approach, four Project Activities will direct the comprehensive reform BVU is prepared to undertake to improve retention and graduation rates and close equity gaps.

**Project Activities to address the problem:**

1. Improve activities, interventions, and practices related to first-year and sophomore retention with attention to differentiated needs.

2. Revise institutional policies and procedures that exacerbate equity gaps.

3. Revise pedagogical practices using Universal Design and inclusive pedagogy strategies.

4. Create a universal sense of belonging for all students.

**Measurable objectives:**

1. Increase the first-to-second year retention rate for all students from 71% to 80%; narrow equity gaps for students of color from 15% to 7% and from 7% to 2% for low-income students.

2. Improve the second-to-third year retention for all students from 85% to 90%; narrow equity gaps for students of color from 10% to 5%; close the 2% gap for low-income students.

3. Increase the six-year graduation rate for all students from 58% to 65%; narrow equity gaps for students of color from 20% to 10%; and from 9% to 4% for low-income students.

4. Decrease DFW rates for all gateway courses from 13% to 8%; narrow equity gap for students of color to be within 5%; and to within 1% for low-income students.

**Total Federal Funds: $2,156,154**

**Competitive Preference Priority:**BVU will address Competitive Preference Priority 1.

**Abstract**

# P031A230182 - J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College 

Goochland, VA

# Abstract

Founded in 1972, J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College (Reynolds) has been a leader in providing educational pathways to rewarding careers in Central Virginia for over 50 years. Among the largest of 23 community colleges in the Commonwealth of Virginia, Reynolds offers robust transfer pathways and sector-led training programs across four campuses, serving residents in the city of Richmond and the counties of Henrico, Hanover, Goochland, Powhatan, and Louisa.

The Richmond region is more diverse than Virginia and the United States as a whole with a black, non-Hispanic population over twice the national average, or 30.2% compared to 12.6% (Chamber RVA, 2021). About 20% of the population in the City of Richmond live in poverty; about 60% of whom are Black – comparatively, only a quarter of people living in poverty are white. In Richmond, historically marginalized communities are characterized by poverty and low educational attainment (Engineering National Academies of Science et al, 2017).

In fall 2021, Reynolds served over 7,200 curricular students from the Richmond region, nearly 60% of whom were eligible to receive need-based aid; 51% were minority. Reynolds’ strategic goal is to close equity gaps in student success outcomes. The college’s participation in Achieving the Dream is driving the development and evaluation of initiatives to increase student success outcomes, including targeted interventions designed to remove barriers for low-income individuals.

Drawing on research and recommendations from the Community College Research Center (CCRC), Achieving the Dream (ATD), and What Works Clearinghouse (WWC), Reynolds has created a Title III project that redesigns the student experience from enrollment to graduation to increase enrollment, persistence, retention, and graduation rates of low-income minority students. Redesigning the Student Experience from Enrollment through Graduation is grounded in the Guiding Pathways Principles and is comprised of interventions that when woven together, provide a clear pathway for individuals to explore, learn, achieve, and earn.

Holistic advising is the “glue” of Redesigning and will be integrated with academic and non-academic supports and embedded in each of the project initiatives. The project will combine initiatives and disconnected services and departments into a cohesive strategy individualized for each student. Redesign will use early momentum metrics from math and English gateway course completions to serve as leading indicators of long-term success, and the college’s Internal Research Department will provide predictive and prescriptive data analytics to drive strategic decisions and inform direction.

Teaching students to be effective learners in college-level courses is imperative to increasing equitable outcomes at Reynolds. The goal of Redesigning is to increase student success through the implementation of five initiatives: 1) Develop and implement program maps; 2) Revise math and English gateway courses and focus interventions on early momentum; 3) Integrate holistic advising with comprehensive student supports; 4) Increase the college’s prescriptive data capacity; 5) Provide comprehensive professional development through the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning. To implement Redesigning the Student Experience from Enrollment through Graduation, Reynolds is requesting $2.5 million ($450,000/year for five years) from the Department of Education and the Strengthening Institutions Program. The college is confident that the implementation of Redesigning’s initiatives will remove barriers for low-income and minority individuals and increase student success.

# P031A230183 - University of Tennessee at Martin 

Martin, TN

# Abstract

The University of Tennessee at Martin (UTM) is a four-year public institution of higher education in rural Northwest Tennessee offering over 100 academic areas of study with an enrollment of over 6,800 students. UTM offers 18 undergraduate degree programs and 5 master’s degrees under its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. UTM requests $1,543,212 in Title III funding to implement the *Elevating for Take-Off*proposed project.

In recent years, UTM has struggled with retention and progression rates that are too low, with significant gaps in key demographics and areas of study. These rates have resulted, in part, from the following: lack of consistent training and professional development opportunities for faculty, staff, and peer educators; absence of formalized institutional support for academic advising; lack of clearly defined, university-wide academic expectations for high-impact practices; under- representation of key areas of study (including certain high-enrollment, high-DWF rate coursework) in learning support services; underutilization of learning support services due to a lack of a centralized framework. To meet its institutional mission, UTM must increase retention, progression, and ultimately, graduation rates. Rigorous self-study indicates the greatest opportunities for improvement exist within the academic support structures designed to help first-year students.

UTM proposes to focus on improving student success by (1) increasing overall retention and (2) improving overall progression rates. The first part of the plan focuses on strengthening and expanding the academic support framework in the following ways: (1) establishing an accessible, high-quality professional development resource structure emphasizing instruction, mentoring, and advising; and (2) ensuring frequent, consistent incorporation of high-impact practices with continuous assessment. The second part of the proposal focuses on revision and expansion of learning support services with an emphasis on identified high-enrollment high-DFW courses, the needs of first-year students, and currently underserved academic areas. Analysis of current data and research of best practices resulted in the two institutional goals: (1) *Create a Center for Teaching and Learning to provide training and resources to improve progression, retention, and student success*; and (2) *Create a Learning Commons to centralize learning support services and expand high-impact practices*.

Expected outcomes include (1) increased retention rate of full-time undergraduate students by 5%; (2) increased retention rates for first-time, full-time freshmen by 4%, (3) increased progression rate for all full-time undergraduate students by 4%; (4) increased student usage and availability of learning support services by 5% over baseline; and (5) professional development certification obtained by 25% of full-time faculty.

# P031A230184 - Kennebec Valley Community College 

Fairfield, ME

# Abstract

Kennebec Valley Community College (KVCC), one of the seven colleges in the Maine Community College System (MCCS), is a commuter college located on two campuses in mid- Maine: the original 70-acre main campus located in Fairfield and the 600-acre Harold Alfond Campus located seven miles north in Hinckley, Maine. KVCC prepares students to achieve their educational, professional, and personal goals in a supportive environment through shared values of responsibility, integrity, and respect. Located in the heart of rural Maine, the College plays a vital role in enhancing the academic, economic, workforce, and quality of life factors and outcomes of the local predominately low-income population. In fall 2022, KVCC had 1,311 degree-seeking students with an average age of 27 years. Twenty-seven percent of the degree-seeking students were residents of Somerset County and 45% were residents of Kennebec County.

As a non-residential commuter college, KVCC serves a rural, predominately low-income population. Somerset County is the third poorest county in the state, with 17.8% of residents subsisting below the poverty line. It also has one of the lowest post-secondary degree attainment rates in the state, with 72% of residents holding no post-secondary credential. With an average of only 14 people per square mile, the impacts of geographic isolation on residents of KVCC’s catchment are many: transportation concerns, food insecurity, low educational and career aspirations, high incidences of childhood poverty, and limited broadband access. KVCC is committed to creating educational pathways and providing the support necessary for students to pursue credentials that will lead to a livable wage.

The College provides high-quality degrees, certificates, and workforce credentials in a welcoming student-centered environment. The College offers 29 Associate degrees in allied health, nursing, technical trades, liberal and general studies, and 20 one-year certificate programs and a vast array of non-credit professional development and workforce credential training. Nearly 1,200 high school students complete KVCC courses each year through dual and concurrent enrollment programs across the state.

KVCC’s Enhancing Holistic Student Support and Engagement to Promote Student Success Title III program will implement best practices from the Guided Pathways model to increase student access to holistic academic supports and services, increase access to career counseling, transfer, and internships services, and increase student participation in meaningful student and community engagement activities. As a result, the College will increase the number of students who are retained from fall to spring term from 80.4% to 85%, increase the number of students who are retained from fall-to-fall term from 66% to 73%, increase the number of students who complete a credential at 150% of time from 43% to 48%, and increase the number of KVCC students who transfer to another post- secondary institution prior to completing a degree at KVCC from 9% to 18%.

# P031A230185 - San Jose State University Research Foundation 

San Jose, CA

# Abstract

**Title: Spartan Phalanx: Holistic, Support to Retain Students on Academic Probation**

San José State University (SJSU), the largest university in the populous San Francisco Bay Area, is home to one of the nation’s most ethnically diverse student populations. In Fall 2022, 86% of SJSU first-time first-year students self-reported as students of color, more than 40% reported being first-generation college students, and just over 50% were also Pell Grant eligible. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted SJSU students’ academic success, and many of our low-income and racially minoritized are being put on probation at alarming rates. From Academic Year (AY) 2020-21 to AY 2021-22, the rate of students new to probation jumped 24% (from 557 to 2,299). SJSU’s College of Social Science (CoSS) and College of Health and Human Sciences (CHHS) are those that have the highest numbers of students who are both racially minoritized and/or Pell eligible, and also have high numbers of students on academic probation. Spartan Phalanx seeks to support students on probation, particularly focusing on the target populations, by improving academic advising services, increasing success, and providing a greater climate of inclusion. Spartan Phalanx provides integrated activities to develop a more standardized, coordinated system of academic advising and support services. Spartan Phalanx has four components critical to improving the academic success of low-income, minority, and disproportionately underserved students. Component 1 will create an online course to develop skills and support understanding of students’ community cultural wealth. Component 2 will provide a comprehensive, accessible tutoring program to serve those on academic probation. Component 3 will focus on supporting and training faculty teaching courses with high rates of D/F/W grades. Finally, Component 4 will develop a robust, coordinated program of coaching support from advisors, clinicians-in-training, and peer mentors.

# P031A230188 - Corporation of Haverford College 

Haverford, PA

# Abstract

Haverford College (HC) was founded in 1833 by a group of Quakers who sought to create an institution of learning grounded in Quaker values. Located in the Greater Philadelphia Area (PA), Haverford is a liberal arts, undergraduate-only institution that enrolls approximately 1,425 students annually. In Fiscal Year 2022-2023, 39% of all students identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color, 54% were women, 14.1% were Pell recipients, and 11.2% were first- generation students. The faculty to student ratio is 1:9. HC currently employs 91 tenured, 27 tenure-track, 14 continuing non-tenure track and 91 visiting faculty members (43 full-time and 48 part-time). With more than 70 majors, minors, and concentrations, a world-class faculty, and extensive partnerships with regional and global communities, HC promises an inclusive, values- centered academic experience within a vibrant and caring residential community.

**Goals:**Based on the comprehensive analysis of HC’s institutional strengths, weaknesses, and significant problems, HC’s Title III project has four comprehensive goals, the first three of which are identical to the U.S. Department of Education’s 2022-2026 Strategic Plan goals: 1) Promote equity in student access to education resources, opportunities, and inclusive environments; 2) Support a diverse and talented education workforce and professional growth to strengthen student learning; 3) Meet students’ social, emotional, and academic needs; and 4) Enhance Institutional Research (IR)-related Information Technology (IT) infrastructure and organizational capacity to foster a culture of decision making & improve assessment.

Project Description HC’s Uplift [Title III grant] project consists of one comprehensive activity, Building Inclusion and Ensuring Student Success on an Enterprise Level, with two highly- integrated components to achieve the goals and objectives outlined in the Comprehensive Development Plan and Activity Objectives. The two components are: 1) develop new and expand existing initiatives that support inclusion, diversity, equity, access and belonging to enhance student success, and 2) implement comprehensive initiatives to increase Business Intelligence maturity and analytic capability. Both components are underpinned by a comprehensive change management process to ensure effective implementation.

Outcomes: By September 30, 2028, the project will achieve the following objectives: 1) Increase the 4- and 6-year graduation rate by 3.5%; 2) Increase the number of new campus-wide initiatives to promote equity & belonging by 3; and 3) Improve targeted data analysis for a minimum of five departments/divisions. During the grant period, HC also will increase fall-to- fall retention of first-year students by 2%. No change is projected for HC’s enrollment.

**Funds Requested:**$2,250,000

# P031A230191 - Mount Wachusett Community College 

Gardner, MA

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Mount Wachusett Community College (MWCC) is a public, two-year, multi-site, comprehensive community college serving Worcester County in North Central Massachusetts, some 60 miles west of Boston. MWCC’s degree seeking enrollment totaled 4,343 students. The college is one of 15 community colleges in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

**CDP Problems Addressed:**Currently, four out of ten students accepted to MWCC enroll at the college, with only two of those students returning for a second year, and only one of those students graduating within 3-years. Low enrollment, persistence, and completion rates are the result of inconsistent and disjointed orientation processes, deficient early career development opportunities, and fragmented and antiquated technology systems and processes.

**Project Design:**The proposed Title III project, *Pathways to the Future*, consists of a single integrated activity with three key components: Enhanced onboarding and student support, reformed curriculum and instruction, and Improved technological systems and processes. MWCC is requesting $2,249,790 over 5 years to support project implementation.

· *Enhanced Onboarding & Student Support*implements the Guided Pathways Ask-Connect- Inspire-Plan informed onboarding model building a cohesive orientation/first year experiences at all entrance points, including building 6 career communities, supported by a unified, holistic, proactive advising/career counseling model bolstered by professional development.

· *Reformed Curriculum and Instruction*engages faculty in high-impact career contextualization integration into learning design curriculum, and instruction aligning with guided pathways that expands work-based/experiential learning opportunities for students, including internships, practicums, externships, cooperative education, service learning, and undergraduate research.

· *Improved Technological Systems & Processes*modernizes, integrates, automates, and streamlines business processes of existing/new enterprise/supporting systems via installation, professional development, and optimization for improved student services, which include master course schedules aligned to maximize student progression within guided pathways.

**Project Goals and Objectives:**The overarching goals of this project are to increase persistence and retention from admission to the second year of study through enhanced onboarding and student supports, increase student engagement and achievement via reformed curriculum/ instruction, and increase 3 year graduation rate via implementation of *Pathways to the Future.*The objectives include: increase of admitted students enrolling in fall term from 41.9% to 46.9% (all) and 36.8% to 41.8% (students of color), increase “clear academic plan & pathway” SENSE score by 5 points, increase “support for learners” CCSSE score by 5 points, increase fall-to- spring persistence of all 1st time, full-time degree seeking students from 73.9% to 78.9% (all students), 67.1% to 72.1% for (students of color), increase fall-to-fall retention of all 1st time, full-time degree seeking students from 55.8% to 60.8% (all students), 45.1% to 50.1% (students of color, increase career contextualized or experiential learning experiences with career aligned learning outcomes from 53 to 85 courses/sections, increase “active collaborative learning” (CCSSE) by 5 points, increase college level course success rate in 1st AY from 69% to 76%, increase course sections with 12+students from 65.6% to 90.6%, and increase 3-yr. graduation rate of 1st time FT students from 27.1% to 29.1% (all) and 26.9% to 28.9% (students of color)

This project includes Competitive Preference Priority: Increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment access and the Invitational Priority.

# P031A230193 -Rend Lake College 

Ina, IL

# Abstract

Rend Lake College (RLC) is a public, open-door, comprehensive community college, serving a district (pop. 102,214) in Southern Illinois. RLC offers occupational certificate and associate degree programs to prepare disadvantaged area residents for opportunities for advanced education and well-paying jobs. In Fall 2022, RLC served 2,097 students. Many RLC students are disadvantaged and underserved. Nearly half of RLC’s students are first generation in college students (45%). The vast majority (71%) work at least part time (31% of working students work full-time). A fourth (24%) of students are parents or caregivers to elderly relatives or family members with disabilities. More than half (52%) attend part-time, and 40% meet the Illinois Community College Board definition of disadvantaged, identifying students who are less likely to succeed in college without special assistance due to economic hardships and/or academic risks. More than one in every three RLC students is low income. Many students come to RLC academically underprepared for college level studies, testing below college level in Math (71%), Writing (41%), and Reading (47%) (RLC Inst. Data, 2023; Student Survey, 2023).

Part of the Mississippi Delta Region, RLC’s district is home to many residents who struggle with poverty. In the district, 16.1% live in poverty compared to 12.1% in Illinois and 11.6% in the U.S., and more than one in five district families (20.4%) is low income, a much higher rate than that for the state (14.4%) or nation (15.6%). Educational attainment rates are low in the district. Very few district residents (29.1%) have any higher education credential, compared to 55.5% of Illinois residents and 57.6% U.S., and only 16.7% of residents hold a bachelor’s degree or higher compared to 36.2% in Illinois and 33.7% in the U.S. (U.S. Census, 2022).

While need is great in our area, so is opportunity. State and federal initiatives are investing in advancements in the state’s leading industries – agriculture and manufacturing—to transition the industries to sustainable practices. With advances in the industries, promising career options are becoming available for those who have the education to take advantage of them.

Through analysis of institutional strengths and weaknesses, RLC has identified it has underdeveloped academic programs and an insufficient student support system. The COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated student need and magnified gaps in RLC’s student support system. At the same time, industry changes have created gaps in RLC’s academic programs. To fulfill its purpose, RLC must adapt to meet the needs of its students and best serve its district. To do so, RLC proposes a Title III project entitled ***Thriving through Change***, which has two components. The first component is to develop new academic programs in sustainable manufacturing and sustainable agriculture to prepare area residents for new employment options. The second component focuses on developing a new data-driven, holistic student success management system to include targeted strategies to improve support for RLC’s disadvantaged, underserved students. As a result of the project, RLC anticipates increased enrollment and increased retention rates.

The project addresses all three priority areas under the competitive preference priority as well as the invitational priority for the competition.

RLC’s five-year budget request totals $2,249,977.

# P031A230197 - Junior College District of East Central Missouri 

Union, MO

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile and Population Served:**East Central College (ECC) was established in 1968 as East Central Junior College, a public, two-year institution to serve parts of six counties in east central Missouri. ECC today is a comprehensive community college serving an 11-county region, with its main campus in Union, MO and an off-campus site in Rolla, MO. ECC offers associate degrees (Associate of Arts, Associate of Applied Science, Associate of Fine Arts, Associate of Arts in Teaching, and Associate of Science), as well as Certificates of Achievement and Specialization. The Higher Learning Commission accredits the college. The college’s service region includes counties with high poverty rates. Approximately 54% of students are Pell-eligible, and 93% of first-time, full-time students receive some level of financial assistance. In this diverse region, ECC is a low-cost, open-enrollment institution serving many students at highest risk of failure.

**Project Title:**Soar to Success

**Goals:**ECC finds underserved, low-income students do not succeed at rates comparable to their peers. Key measures include retention rates, success rates in developmental and gateway math, developmental and gateway English, and overall course success rates. Student-initiated and administrative withdrawals exceed national benchmarks for all students, particularly low-income students. Student support services are fragmented, the institution lacks sufficient resources to fully implement Guided Pathways, student data are not well utilized for decision-making, and there are insufficient resources to expand quality hybrid or on-line offerings. Professional development is needed to better serve students. ECC lacks adequate resources to support enrollment growth at its remote site and faces insufficient revenue due to long-term enrollment declines. Through a comprehensive review of its academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability, ECC has three overarching strategies:

1. Enhancing advising processes and functions

2. Providing training and resources to promote effective advising and instruction, and

3. Improving academic support.

**Expected Outcomes:**By September 30, 2028, ECC will (1) increase fall-to-fall retention rates for full-time low-income students to 60%, (2) increase retention rates for part-time low-income students to 53%, (3) increase retention rates in Developmental Math to 80%, (4) increase course success rates for low-income students to 48%, (5) increase success rates for low-income students in College Algebra to 60%, (6) increase success rates for low-income students in Developmental Reading to 81%, (7) increase success rates for low-income students in Developmental Writing to 80%, (8) increase success rates for low-income students in English Composition I to 72%, (9) increase course completion rates for low-income students to 80%, (10) decrease withdrawal rates for low-income students to 11%, (11) increase satisfaction with course availability to 80% for all students, (12) increase the percentage of employees satisfied with professional development to 71%, (13) increase enrollment of continuing students by 10%, and (14) increase tuition revenue from continuing students by 10%.

**Funds Requested:**$2,198,305

# P031A230198 - University of Alaska Anchorage 

Anchorage, AK

# Abstract

**Student Academic Growth, Engagement, and Success (SAGE Success)**

University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) is a community-based, open-enrollment four-year university. With its main campus in Anchorage and four community campuses, UAA is the only public, state institution of higher education in its service area of 85,000 square miles. The 10,845 undergraduate student population at UAA is quite diverse (37% minority), and has 37.4% that are low income (per 34 CFR 607.7(e); UAA IR).

As an open enrollment Alaskan institution, UAA faces a number of problems: historically excluded students with academic challenges, work and family responsibilities, and financial barriers; funding problems due to Alaska’s weak economy; COVID impacts; and a gap between operational realities and our mission to serve our students. UAA developed a proposal that addresses the problems outlined above, rooted in UAA planning processes and strategies.

Based on a thorough analysis of institutional strengths, weaknesses and problems, UAA and IC are proposing a single, comprehensive activity, *Student Academic Growth, Engagement, and Success (SAGE Success)*to achieve eight objectives:

**Objective 1:**By Sept 30, 2028, 100% of academic tutoring services will be available through the UAA Learning Commons (Baseline 36%, 2023).

**Objective 2:**By Sept 30, 2028, 100% of centralized tutoring services in the Learning Commons will be supported by appropriate policy, process, and funding structures (baseline 0%, 2023).

**Objective 3:**By September 30, 2028, students enrolled in target high-DFW gateway courses will succeed at a rate of 70% (Baseline=64%: 2022).

**Objective 4:**By September 30, 2028, 75% of freshman-level (up to 30 credits) students will participate in a Learning Commons Success program (peer mentoring, academic coaching, and/or learning assistants) (Baseline=0; 2023).

**Objective 5:**By Sept 30, 2028, UAA freshman-level (up to 30 credits) students persist to the following semester at a rate of 70% (Baseline=66.4%: 2021).

**Objective 6:**By Sept 30, 2028, 100 % of Learning Commons SAGE Success programs incorporate, refine, and institutionalize rigorous assessment plan and practices.

**Objective 7:**By Sept 30, 2028, 25% of UAA students engage with SAGE Success programs (Baseline=0: 2023).

**Objective 8:**By September 30, 2028, freshman-level (up to 30 credits) students who have participated in a LC Success Program will be retained at 70% (2022 baseline 66.3%).

The project proposal is based on building infrastructure that leverages the fiscal and student success impact of peer-to-peer programming, centralizing tutoring services, and supporting students enrolled in high-DFW gateway courses. These strategies reflect the institution’s strategic priorities, address chronic problems, and strengthen fiscal stability in the long term. Both Competitive Preference Priorities are addressed.

**Funding Request: $2,223,573**

# P031A230200 - California State University, Stanislaus 

Turlock, CA

# Abstract

The following describes the Pandemic Recovery with Equity (PRE) Initiative which is designed to return Stanislaus State to pre-pandemic levels of enrollment, retention, and completion while improving institutional stability and the university’s capacity to serve low-income and under- represented minority (URM) students. This proposal describes institutional challenges which emerged during the covid pandemic, and have persisted since to varying degrees, including increased student attrition, decreased unit taking, and increased equity gaps.

Three evidenced based initiatives are proposed to address these challenges including: the expansion of support for re-enrolling students who stopped out during the pandemic; development of an early support program for incoming students whose education was hindered due to the pandemic; and improvements to data collection and analysis to better assess, and respond to, student needs post-pandemic.

Specifically, the Returning Student Initiative will enable the institution to support the re- enrollment and re-integration of students who stopped out during the pandemic. The Early Support Program will provide incoming students who had their post-secondary education upended by the pandemic with proactive advising integrated with mental health and career services. Finally, the Student Equity Analytics initiative will provide ongoing systematic analysis of data related to student equity and success which will enable practitioners to be more aware of, and responsive to, inequities and students’ changing needs post-pandemic. This data will be critical to institutional efforts to prioritize resources for maximum impact.

# P031A230203 - Oral Roberts University 

Tulsa, OK

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Oral Roberts University is a private 4-year university located in Tulsa, OK. ORU’s Fall 2022 total enrollment was 5,051 of which 2,755 were full-time undergraduate students. ORU’s diverse population includes 41.2% of students that are BIPOC and an additional 19.6% that are international students. All 50 states and 142 different nations are represented in ORU’s student body. ORU is committed to its core value to offer a unique Whole Person education that focuses on spiritual integrity, personal resilience, intellectual pursuit, global engagement, and bold vision.

**Project Title:**Developing Whole Leaders: Improving Student Success Through Strengthening Access, Advising, Retention, and Faculty Professional Development

**Project Overall Goals:**The primary goals of the project are to increase the 150% graduation rate of students, including at-risk students, and to increase access to post-secondary education.

**Expected Outcomes:**Increase in the 150% graduation rate, increase in minority and Pell- eligible 150% graduation rate, increase in pass rates of students enrolled in a remedial course, expanded academic support for at-risk students, permanent and uniform data tracking system for tutoring, advising, coaching, and mentoring, an early alert warning system that provides data for the use of early intervention, a well-developed advising process as well as proficient faculty advisors for timely degree completion, and strong faculty-student relationships that facilitate increased GPA and degree completion.

**Population:**Approximately 43% of undergraduate students are from the state of Oklahoma. Oklahoma recently ranked 49th in the nation in educational opportunities and performance and consistently is in the bottom percentile of state rankings. Many incoming ORU freshmen are underprepared for the rigors of college education and over 60% require one or more remedial courses. Post-pandemic, students have experienced interruptions and exceptional challenges re- engaging in the pursuit of an education and this project seeks to impact this population as well.

**Primary Activities:**1) Develop and implement data tracking for tutoring, advisement and coaching hours, 2) establish an Early Alert System, 3) improve faculty advisement of students, 4) establish a faculty-to-student mentoring program, 5) improve student access to tutoring and advising resources and study areas by creating a centralized location, and 6) improve post- secondary access by offering live synchronous virtual learning options.

This proposal addresses both the competitive and invitational priorities.

**Competitive Preference Priority:**Increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success.

**Invitational Priority:**Implement activities that propose to help students whose education was interrupted by the pandemic or other challenges reach degree completion.

**Total Funds requested:**$2,249,863

# P031A230204 - Delta State University 

Cleveland, MS

# Abstract

Delta State University (DSU), a regional university located in the Mississippi Delta, serves one of the poorest, most undereducated populations in the United States. DSU has a diverse student body, with 36% Black or African American, 8% other or more than one race, and 55% White selecting as other or more than one category (IPEDS, 2022). Sixty-five percent (65%) of its undergraduate population comes from Mississippi Delta schools that are considered *Failing High Schools*(Mississippi Department of Education, 2018).

**Destination Graduation**is the proposed program to help current undergraduate and graduate students overcome barriers to continued enrollment and persist to graduation. Activity Objectives to increase retention and reduce stop-out (withdrawing temporarily) include student support services such as summer bridge, supplemental instruction, tutoring, and increasing access and awareness of financial aid opportunities for our students. While these interventions are ongoing at DSU, this funding will strengthen these programs by providing faculty stipends, interns, and staff fully devoted to these programs instead of the currently shared resources. The activities that will be supported include:

# P031A230205 - Wells College 

Aurora, NY

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**Wells College (Wells) is a small, independent liberal arts college located in rural Aurora, New York, in the Finger Lakes region. Founded in 1868 by Henry Wells, founder of American Express and Wells Fargo, Wells has grown from a seminary for the young women of New York to a nationally recognized college with a diverse student body from many states and countries. Wells’ mission is to educate students to think critically, reason wisely, and act hu-manely as they cultivate meaningful lives. In 2004, Wells opened its doors to students of all genders.

The college’s undergraduate academic programs connect rigorous classroom theory with applied learning, offering students many opportunities for hands-on education experiences. Wells is committed to mentorship and advising; students work one-on-one with faculty throughout their course of study. Wells continues to attract a student body of increasing diversity: approximately 35 percent identify as students of color; 32 percent are first generation; 15 percent have a qualifying disability under the ADA; and more than 50 percent qualify as lower income. The Wells student body is 60 percent female, 39 percent male, and 1 percent nonbinary. The college’s 335 full-time undergraduate students in Fall 2021 came primarily from New York state (74%), with other U.S. states (24%) and six countries (2%) accounting for the remainder of the student body. (IPEDS, 2023). Wells works hard to make higher education affordable, accessible, and equitable for *all*students, regardless of family income, academic preparedness, or personal circumstances.

**Project Overview and Outcomes:***HOPE*capitalizes on staff engagement with students, new commitments to address students’ needs holistically, strong leadership, and years of campuswide planning to create a program that will remove barriers to student learning and engagement. *HOPE*will help address many of the weaknesses identified in the proposal and improve student retention and graduation outcomes through evidence-based, student-centered programs, guidance, and support structures. The *HOPE Initiative*includes a set of comprehensive strategies that will support Wells’ goals for academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability.

These potential outcomes include improvements in student retention and graduation rates; heightened student satisfaction and engagement; improved student learning, wellbeing, and career readiness; increased faculty capacity to use best practices, data, and assessments; and improved fiscal stability.

Project strategies include: 1) a new Student Success Center; 2) writing, quantitative, and digital literacy implementation; 3) a holistic wellness initiative; 4) a new faculty professional learning community; and improved data analysis and implementation through a new office of institutional effectiveness.

This project addresses all elements of the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority. The five-year budget is $2,250,000.

# P031A230206 - Eureka College 

Eureka, IL

# Abstract

Eureka College requests **$1,967,340**in Title III SIP program funding to support EC PACES (Pathway Achievement for Career Engagement and Success) which will expand the services provided through the College’s Student Success Center. The center physically co-locates high- impact learning experiences, career services, and wrap-around student support services. Specifically, the proposed activity that EC PACES aims to improve includes retention, persistence, graduation rates, and career readiness outcomes through a flexible, affordable path to acquire essential employment skills, supported by experiential learning opportunities, success coaching, and support services. Success coaching is important to ensure student access to support services needed for academic success and effective preparation for their career search and future employment. Success coaches will partner with faculty to ensure that students engage in high-impact experiential learning opportunities, such as practicums, internships, independent research, and service-learning experiences.

Achievement of the institutional goals will be measured by an increase of 4% in first- to second- year retention rates and an 8% increase in student body persistence by the conclusion of the project cycle. In addition, this effort will result in a self-sustaining first-generation pre-college program and additional endowment growth.

Eureka College embraces a culture of continuous improvement that includes thoughtful and thorough assessment and adaptation of all programs and processes across the campus. The commitment to ongoing assessment will be a central priority during the grant period, as the College works to institutionalize the initiatives proposed for Title III grant funding and seeks to meet or exceed its strategic plan goals.

A Title III independent evaluator will oversee the collection of data and analysis of the formative and summative information gathered from the student information and engagement systems. The independent evaluator will be a Eureka College faculty member with extensive experience in grant management and evaluation and will have no other role in the Title III grant. 

Eureka College is eager to partner with the U.S. Department of Education through Title III SIP. President Wright and Provost Fulop along with other identified key personnel will provide the necessary leadership to ensure effective implementation and assessment of the projects and their success. Granting Eureka College’s Title III request will enable the College to address its greatest need, strengthening career and support services to retain and graduate more students prepared with sufficient transferrable and career readiness skills. Without Title III SIP funding, implementation of the proposed projects will occur significantly slower. Title III grant funds will allow for timely implementation of proven academic support, retention and persistence activities, and acceleration of $300,000 revenue gains which the College can reinvest for long-term sustainability of the projects and the College, overall.

# P031A230209 - Western Technical College 

La Crosse, WI

# Abstract

Western Technical College’s (Western) Reducing Equity gaps by Democratizing Data (***REDD***) seeks to build resources and capacity in Institutional Effectiveness to guide institutional growth and recovery in world of steadily increasing need and steadily decreasing resources. Western will increase capacity in its Institutional Effectiveness unit by building a team of Project Manager, Data Analyst, IT programmer, and CRM Communication Technician alongside infrastructure (software) improvements to collect and deliver high quality, understandable, and accessible data to guide programming and success in a long-term change management strategy to improve overall student success across major academic and student support initiatives. The work will focus on building resources within the unit, with a focus on internal growth. New resources can be implemented, tested, and adjusted against key college-funded, ongoing initiatives to increase guided pathway development, equity- and inclusion-informed work, and better systems for coworkers to use data to inform methodologies to close institutional equity gaps.

MAJOR FOCUS AREAS: ***REDD’s***focus is building a data governance system and integrated strategic planning to inform, guide, and better direct planning and efficient management of institutional systems. The project will primarily work towards four central focus areas:

Overall systems of data use, governance, and planning 

An increase in subject-matter expertise comprehensive systems design and capacity to build infrastructure will accompany purchases in advanced data and technology systems to create a structured for integrated planning across the college and access to data through visual dashboards.

Better use of data to identify student needs 

Increasing access to tools and partnering with a team of experts at the college working to address opportunity gaps and equity, ***REDD***has an opportunity to participate in a college-wide guided pathways initiative to reconfigure all technical and associate degree programs into short, seven-week sessions. Using “real-time” data to evaluate the launch of 7-weeks will inform immediate and longer-term adjustments needing to be made.

Improving systems to measure, analyze, and evaluate services and interventions 

Tracking of student data has always been a challenge—along all areas of the enrollment journey. ***REDD***will work to increase access to high quality data across all levels of the college when it is needed to best assist students in real time, measure how services are used, what’s effective, and provide better data to leadership to determine what to scale and what to improve.

Making data tools accessible, user-friendly, and opening up research pathways 

A Research Center will give coworkers, faculty and staff, the opportunity to access data in new ways and work with qualified analysts and researchers to proactively develop new interventions or supports for students in need.

*All work will take place at Western Technical College in Congressional District Three.*

# P031A230211 - Montserrat College of Art 

Beverly, MA

# Abstract

Montserrat College of Art has developed a Comprehensive Development Plan to strengthen our campus support systems, ensuring that as a small college, we are offering the same quality resources seen at larger institutions. This is a multifaceted approach examining support systems from the start of a student’s time at Montserrat to their graduation and career planning.

Montserrat is a “small by design” college serving a population of less than 400 students. The college’s small size continues to be a strength, as the institutional pedagogy is rooted in a personalized approach supported by a 12:1 student-to-teacher ratio, allowing students to build strong bonds with their professors. This personal approach has set us apart from our larger competitors, specifically among certain underserved populations looking for a more supportive environment. To ensure the full benefits of our small classroom size translate to the entire institution, Montserrat will focus on developing a strong structure of resources to comprehensively support students, particularly examining the needs of underserved groups.

This resource would begin with a Summer Bridge program, specifically meant to support first-generation students entering their freshman year. This program would help ensure this population has the same understanding and college preparedness as their peers. As a group historically seen as high-risk for attrition at Montserrat, the college would utilize this program to increase retention among these students.

In addition, as a college that disproportionately sees students at risk for emotional issues as well as an increase in neurodivergence, Montserrat would focus on mental wellness and disability support services. By increasing staff time as well as college-wide awareness of risk factors among this group, the college would not only be able to better serve these students but also identify issues early on to provide proactive care, ultimately leading to improvement in retention.

These mental and emotional resources would pair with support for professional skill-building, as the college would plan to expand its student worker program, specifically focusing on jobs that relate to art and design. These programs have already been shown to increase GPA’s among students, particularly those from our low-income population, who most greatly benefit from the financial stability and social mobility this skill-building offers. In addition to this professional development, Montserrat would look to further support its current mentorship program which pairs our seniors with 1:1 career guidance. These two programs would allow students to strengthen their post-graduate success while helping them better connect with their academics.

Finally, Montserrat would enhance all these activities through a more robust data tracking system across campus, to ensure Montserrat is monitoring institutional functions comprehensively and making strategic decisions based on strong data points.

By strengthening the college’s support services and programming on campus, Montserrat can ensure that the same individualized care we show our students in the classroom will be seen inour overall campus culture. Through this, the college can work towards success in our retention, graduation rates, and overall strength of our institution.

# P031A230215 - Hillsborough Community College 

Tampa, FL

# Abstract

***HCC-PC***, located at 1206 North Park Road, Plant City, FL, 33563-1540, is a two- year, public, comprehensive HSI serving a total unduplicated headcount of 10,285 during the 2021-2022 academic year. Of this total headcount, 3,251, or 32%, self-identified as Hispanic (HCC Division of Strategic Planning and Analysis, 2023a). To better meet the needs of its students, HCC-PC proposes a project entitled, “Strengthening Students Through Innovative Practices” (***SS-TIP).***The principal goal of SS-TIP is to address academic disparities and increase educational attainment by employing data-driven, research-based methods to remove barriers to enrollment and increase the number of full-time students pursuing and successfully completing a credential. In carrying out the project, HCC-PC will also address the Strengthening Institutions Priority of postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success (Federal Register, 2023).

The justification for the SS-TIP project is based on research related to students who have attended a postsecondary institution but have not obtained a credential, also known as “Some College, No Credential” (SCNC) (Causey, J., Kim, H., Ryu, M., Scheetz, A., & Shapiro, D., 2022). By July 2021, the number of SCNC individuals in the United States had risen to 40.4 million, and community colleges were “the most common type of institution of last enrollment...” (National Student Clearing House Research Center, 2023). With its SS-TIP project, HCC-PC will play an important role in reversing this trend of “some college, no credential.” 

The Comprehensive Development Plan’s three long-term goals were based on an analysis of the institution’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the Strengthening Institutions Program’s Performance Indicators (PI) related to 2-year institutions. The resultant goals are listed as follows: **Academic Programs Goal (APG):**Increase academic success (including persistence and graduation rates) by 15% for all students, particularly underserved students (PI 2 and PI 3); **Institutional Management Goals (IMG):**1.) Faculty development will increase use of innovative instructional methods/tools by 10%, thus supporting students in achieving their academic and employment goals (PI 1, PI 2, PI 3). 2.). The provision of improved data reports will increase faculty, staff, and administrator responses to student successes and challenges by 20% (PI 2, PI 3); **Financial Stability Goals (FSG)**: 1.) Increases in HCC-PC research capacity to effectively gather and analyze campus-wide data, as well as disseminate the results of analysis to decision makers in a timely manner, will lead to a 15% increase in programmatic correction (PI 1, PI 2, PI 3, PI 4). 2.) Increased student bilingual outreach and support will result in greater funding (through tuitions) to provide an additional 5% of new programming for HCC-PC students, especially underserved students (PI 1, PI 2, PI 3, PI 4). The main project components to achieve these goals include the following: migrating the SAS applications to a cloud-based environment, thus enhancing data collection and analysis; expanding the use of student early- alert software from fully online classes to HCC-PC classes with on-campus meetings; extending the use of artificial intelligence chatbot advising software to an estimated cohort of 400 HCC-PC students; including technology into a redesigned first-year experience course to further emphasize student credential attainment/career development; and providing professional development workshops to support HCC-PC faculty in bringing innovative teaching practices into their courses. During implementation of these activities, careful attention will be given to both formative and summative assessments of all related outcome measures, thus ensuring the efficiency of the SS-TIP project in meeting the needs of HCC-PC’s unique student population.

# P031A230216 - Black River Technical College 

Pocahontas, AR

# Abstract

Black River Technical College (BRTC) is a public, two-year college in rural Arkansas that serves a large number of socially and financially disadvantaged students. The college’s offerings include a wide variety of high-quality technical and career-oriented programs that lead directly to employment. The proposed Strengthening Institutional Program (SIP) in this narrative describes how BRTC intends to transform the traditional approach to higher education by integrating a durable skills curriculum into its programs and by implementing an innovative career services program. This SIP details how BRTC expects to build upon existing relationships with state workforce partners and local employers to determine the durable skills that are most critical in the workplace and to develop an effective curriculum for teaching these skills. Likewise, these partners will play an important role in building a comprehensive network of services designed to connect students to the future workforce. Finally, this SIP includes a Reengagement Campaign focusing on targeted outreach to students who failed to complete their programs of study during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

# P031A230217 - Virginia Highlands Community College 

Abingdon, VA

# Abstract

**Virginia Highlands Community College**(VHCC, the College) serves a two-county area in the southwestern portion of rural Virginia – situated in the heart of southern Appalachia and a several hour drive from Richmond, Charlotte, and Knoxville. The area is, indeed, in the “highlands” – as it includes the highest point in Virginia (Mount Rogers – 5,729 feet) and a portion of the Appalachian Trail (Jefferson National Forest).

VHCC has served its region as a public two-year college since its establishment in 1967 – and fulfills its mission by delivering programs/services to more than 3,500 residents annually through degree/continuing education programs, workforce development, and community enrichment. In addition to the main campus in Abingdon, the College has two programs that are housed off-site. The College is guided by a board of directors, is accredited by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges (SACS), and has 38 full-time faculty.

The College’s regular planning process has provided an accurate inventory and clear understanding of the institution’s strengths and weaknesses in its academic programs, institutional management, and fiscal stability. The major problems of the institution have been verified through this process (together with Title III Discussion Forums and the work of the Title III Design Team). These are problems which must be addressed to achieve the College’s goals to serve the service area while maintaining self-sufficiency. Of particular concern are three specific issues that are cyclical in nature – (1) low student persistence and success; (2) declining student enrollment; and (3) insufficient unrestricted giving to the VHCC Educational Foundation. If left unattended, these problems will exponentially impact the College and its students in a negative way.

**The College plans**to utilize a proposed $2,227,456 in US Department of Education funds to conduct address its major problems through the following broad activities over a five year period:

(1) the development of an intrusive student advising and segmented engagement program; (2) the creation of a coherent career and academic planning system with meta-majors; (3) the improvement of targeted degree programs via a DACUM process, quality data collection and analysis, improved advisory committee usage, refined on-line learning opportunities, and updated equipment; (4) the redesign of the first-year student success course; (5) implementing required use of an early alert tool and customized student touchpoints via multiple platforms; (6) developing a strategic enrollment management system supported by a customer relationship management tool; (7) developing an alumni and donor management/relations program; (8) implementing a scholarship management system; and (9) establishing an endowment fund (matched 100%) by non-federal funds.

The project also includes robust project management and evaluation plans for implementation and assessment.

**Competitive Preference Priority**. In accordance with the Department’s CPP, the College has integrated a focused response to data collection and analysis, student success programs, and accessible learning opportunities into its Project Design, Activity Objectives, and Implementation Strategy. A high-level summary of this response may be found in the CPP Narrative Response (however, it is intentionally amalgamated with the main application package as well).

# P031A230220 - Southwestern Oregon Community College 

Coos Bay, OR

# Abstract

**Title III SIP Project: Bolstering Educational Supports and Teaching (BEST)**

**Institutional Profile**

Established in 1961, Southwestern Oregon Community College (SWOCC) is a two-year fully accredited, public community college in Coos, Curry, and part of Douglas counties in Oregon. Two campuses in coastal Coos Bay and Brookings offer courses across this rural district of 3,648 square miles. In 2021-22, SWOCC served 2,141 full- and part-time credit students (1,079 FTE) out of 4,024 total students (including noncredit) (IPEDS, 2022-23). SWOCC serves a large num- ber of low-income students. (SWOCC Office of Institutional Effectiveness [OIE]). In 2021-22,

41.5 percent of students who filed a FAFSA had “automatic” Zero Expected Family Contributions. Many SWOCC students are nontraditional – single parents, displaced workers, and individuals underprepared for college. SWOCC represents a way to enter or reenter the workforce, transfer to a baccalaureate program, or improve one’s life economically. Students depend on SWOCC as the sole postsecondary institution in this isolated area.

**Project Overview and Outcomes**

Grounded in a Guided Pathways Framework, *BEST*includes a comprehensive set of strategies to increase student retention, increase three-year graduation rates, improve academic performance, increase student satisfaction and engagement. Key elements include seven components: (1) a new Teaching and Learning Center to offer high-quality intentional instruction and improvements to facilitate improvements and enhancements in teaching, instruction, and assessment in support of students. (2) A professional learning community to improve teaching, instruction, assessment, use of technology, and advising. (3) Three new first year experience options to include new stand-alone FYE courses, redesigned meta-major courses with FYE options, and noncredit FYE student engagement software. (4) An enhanced virtual campus to support development of new transfer and CTE courses, as well as a degree in virtual environments. (5) Enhanced career services to include new staff, professional development, and software-assisted career exploration and guidance. (6) Wraparound services include expanded tutoring, stronger professional advising, and a new online orientation. (7) Investments in enhanced and more integrated software to support FYE, career services, advising, and foundation operations. 

This project addresses all three components of the Competitive Preference Priority and the Invitational Priority. The Title III Strengthening Institutions Program five-year budget for *BEST*totals $2,250,000.

# P031A230224 - Chattanooga State Community College 

**Chattanooga, TN**

# Abstract

Chattanooga State Community College’s (ChSCC) **Pathways to Success**plan is to improve student access and success through three key steps: (1) implementing more 7-week courses; (2) streamlining pathways and processes for monitoring progress; and (3) providing academic support interventions in high-enrollment gateway courses. This accelerated approach is driven by the need to address learning loss, ensure students are on the right track early on, and offer increased academic support.

The College offers credit and clock-hour academic programs, as well as non-credit workforce training. Work-based learning experiences in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs are limited. Additionally, course success rates dropped during the pandemic but have improved with the return of in-person learning and the launch of 7-week sessions. A new full-time position will focus on pathway alignment and seamless transitions for students to further retention and success rates. ChSCC's unique structure allows for aligned pathways between non-credit, clock-hour, and credit coursework, which will help the College fulfill its Vision that by 2027, 5,000 ChSCC students of every race and income level will earn a credential that creates a pathway to family-sustaining wages.

As part of ChSCC’s previous Title III grant, the College formed a Data Team to analyze student success outcomes and improve data monitoring. The activities of the previous grant advanced graduation rates through enhanced tutoring and High Impact Practices. Three-year graduation rates improved from 8% to 22% for first-time full-time freshmen. While significant improvements have been seen, success gaps between student populations remain, and, while the highest enrolled courses have experienced advancement, the gap persists.

The Pathways to Success project aligns with the College’s Vision 2027 Strategic Plan and the Guided Pathways model, aiming to create clear pathways, helping students choose appropriate paths, and ensuring learning through activities that include: expanding advising with pathway guides for credentials; establishing supplemental instruction for low success courses; providing ELL support for writing and reading; integrating advising, career exploration, and student services; enhancing tutoring in high-enrollment courses; improving professional development for teaching and learning; partnering with industry for more work- based opportunities in CTE programs; reorganizing personnel for efficient student services; and enhancing technology support for student communication. ChSCC's proposal includes the establishment of a robust Academic Success Center to centralize and expand support services. These initiatives align with the College's strategic goals of holistic student support, teaching excellence, program innovation, organizational culture, inclusive practices, and fiscal stewardship.

ChSCC has continued to operate with fiscal stability throughout the pandemic and recent enrollment decline. An integrated annual budget planning process requires expenditures to directly relate to the institutional objectives of the Vision 2027 Strategic Plan. However, much work needs to be done that cannot yet be sustained in the annual budget. The proposed Pathways to Success activities will increase student engagement, retention and success, especially for historically underserved student populations. The College has among it 5-year goals to increase the number of students who earn a credential by 5%; expand work-based learning opportunities and improve the institutional graduation rate for each historically underserved population by 2.5 percentage points.

# 

# P031A230233 - The University of Bridgeport, Inc. 

**Bridgeport, CT**

# Abstract

**Institutional Profile:**The University of Bridgeport (UB), founded in 1927, is a four-year, private, institution of higher education located in Bridgeport, Connecticut, the state’s largest city. UB is an urban, culturally-diverse institution. The University enrolled 2,050 undergraduate students (57%) and 3,563 students total in Fall 2021 and saw its first increase in enrollment in Fall 2022-2023 following a four-year downward trend. Based on UB’s Institutional Profile for Fall 2021, faculty totaled 425, 31% of whom are full-time and 69% of whom are adjunct. The University’s FTE student/faculty ratio was 11:1. The University of Bridgeport is governed by a 12-member Board of Trustees and is accredited by the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE) and the Connecticut Office of Higher Education.

**Programs:**Academic programs are largely career-oriented, pre-professional, or preparatory for graduate and advanced study. Twenty-three (23) baccalaureate programs include accounting, biology, business administration, computer science and engineering, criminal justice, data analytics, dental hygiene, education minor, electrical engineering, ELI and Modern Languages, English and Professional Writing, Finance, General Studies, Health Sciences, Human Services, Mathematics, Mechanical Engineering, Medical Laboratory Science, Music, Nursing, Psychology, RN to BSN, and Sport Management. Post-baccalaureate programs include business, education, engineering, and health sciences.

**Student Body Characteristics:**The University’s Fall 2021 enrollment was 3,563 students, of which 57% (2,050) were undergraduates: 34% Black/African American; 29% Hispanic/Latino; 24% White; 5% Asian; 4% International Students; 3% ethnicity unknown; and 1% Multi-Racial.

**Problems:**UB’s major problems include: (1) Large population of at-risk (first-generation and low-income) students; (2) Low retention and graduation rates; (3) Many of UB’s students face significant academic challenges as they attempt to achieve their postsecondary educational goals including undefined educational goals, academic probation, financial aid probation, and lack of familiarity with the college environment.

**Overall Goal:**Enhance student services for persistence/retention and academic success.

**Outcomes:**(1) Increased retention of at-risk students; (2) fewer at-risk students on academic probation at the end of their freshman year; (3) faculty trained in Universal Design for Learning;

(4) 6- year graduation rates increased; (5) undecided students know which college and career pathways are available; (6) students are aware of Career Development Services and Financial Literacy Services; and (7) increased overall fiscal stability for the future.

**Strategies:**(1) Provide Career Development Services and Activities; (2) Enhance Faculty Development and Course Redesign & Teaching Pedagogy; (3) Provide laptops/tablets and/or Wi- Fi hotspots to students each year and purchase equipment for Technology Enhanced Classrooms in Year 4 and 5; (4) Provide Financial Literacy instruction as part of the First-year Seminar course

**Competitive Preference Priority:**This project addresses the competitive preference priority— Increasing postsecondary education access, affordability, completion, and post-enrollment success

**Funds Requested:**$2,245,987