Gardner Institute https://gardnerinstitute.org/ Institution-Driven Strategies For Student-Driven Institutions Mon, 18 Mar 2024 15:17:42 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.3 https://gardnerinstitute.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/cropped-icon-full-color-png-32x32.png Gardner Institute https://gardnerinstitute.org/ 32 32 Why Transform the First Two Years of College? https://gardnerinstitute.org/why-transform-the-first-two-years-of-college/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 13:00:29 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9353 Because That’s Where the Highest Levels of Attrition and Inequitable Student Performance Gaps Are Essay by Andrew K. Koch, Ph.D., CEO, Gardner Institute March 18, 2024 Willie Sutton was a colorful character. His impeccable attire and charismatic demeanor made him stand out, even as he committed daring bank robberies. Sutton’s notoriety extended beyond his criminal […]

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Drew Koch pictured in front of a stone wall in a light blue shirt and dark blue suit jacketBecause That’s Where the Highest Levels of Attrition and Inequitable Student Performance Gaps Are

Essay by Andrew K. Koch, Ph.D., CEO, Gardner Institute

March 18, 2024

Willie Sutton was a colorful character. His impeccable attire and charismatic demeanor made him stand out, even as he committed daring bank robberies. Sutton’s notoriety extended beyond his criminal exploits; his wit and humor became as legendary as his heists. When questioned by FBI interrogators about why he robbed banks, Sutton was alleged to quip, “Because that’s where the money is.”

Sutton’s words harbor a deeper truth applicable to realms far beyond the world of crime. Just as banks hold substantial wealth, the first two years of college harbor immense potential for students. However, these years also witness staggering attrition rates and disparities in educational outcomes. Studies conducted by the National Student Clearinghouse (NSC) and Dr. Brent Drake from the Gardner Institute shed light on both the student success problems and possibilities in the first two college years.

In their July 2022 Yearly Success and Progress Rates report, the NSC analyzed the trajectory of 2.3 million students who commenced college in fall 2015. Among the full-time student cohort, comprising 82% of the study’s participants, alarming trends emerged. Six years after starting college, 67.4% of full-time students had obtained a credential, while nearly a quarter left higher education all together. That loss amounts to almost 460,000 individuals from this single cohort. Most concerning was the revelation that a significant majority of the attrition, approximately 73.9%, occurred within or immediately after the first two years of college.

These statistics underscore the importance of addressing not only the first but also the second college year. Focusing on the first college year, while necessary, is not enough. Postsecondary educators must adopt a holistic approach, whereby they examine and address issues in both years., collectively and respectively, to fulfill the promise of higher education for hundreds of thousands of students annually.

While the NSC study provides valuable insights, it lacks a disaggregated analysis of student data by race/ethnicity or other demographics. Fortunately, Dr. Brent Drake’s study, leveraging data from thirty-three institutions collaborating with the Gardner Institute, offers deeper insights into demographic disparities in attrition rates.

Factoring data for over 300,000 unique students, the findings, which are summarized in the table below, reveal that on average 40.5% of all students do not return to the institution at which they started college during or after the first two years of college. Further there are alarming discrepancies, particularly for students of color as well as Pell Grant recipients and first-generation students, all of whom exhibit significantly higher attrition rates compared to the overall average.

Table 1. Aggregate and Disaggregated Rates of Attrition During the First Two College Years*

 

 

All Students Aggregate

African American

Amer. Ind. / Alaska Native

Hispanic / Latinx

Native Hawaiian / Pac. Isl.

White

Pell Grant

First-

Gen.

1st Year Attrition

28.0%

45.4%

45.4%

30.3%

44.5%

25.2%

39.2%

36.5%

2nd Year Attrition

12.5%

14.4%

17.4%

13.1%

18.4%

11.8%

15.6%

14.7%

Total Attrition First Two Years

40.5%

59.8%

62.8%

43.4%

62.9%

37.0%

54.8%

51.2%

Total Attrition Over Six Years

53.3%

74.8%

73.4%

56.4%

74.9%

48.3%

68.4%

69.2%

% of Overall Attrition Occurring During First Two Years

76.0%

79.9%

85.6%

77.0%

84.0%

76.6%

80.1%

74.0%

* Source: Data from 33 institutions participating in the Gardner Institute retention redesign process.

But even when graduation and retention rates are higher, the amount of attrition that occurs by racial, socioeconomic (Pell), and first-generation status during the foundational postsecondary experience are roughly similar to the aggregate (76.0%) for all students. For example, retention and graduation rates are higher for White students. But the proportion of attrition that occurs during the first two years of college for White students (76.6%) is roughly equivalent to the proportion of attrition that occurs for students of color.

This doesn’t ignore the reality of lower retention and graduation rates among students of color and Pell grant recipients. Rather, it emphasizes the critical need to address attrition early in the college experience. While disparities persist across racial and socioeconomic lines, the shared truth is that success or failure during the foundational postsecondary years affects students of all demographics. Simply put, the first two years are crucial for everyone. Thus, investing in student success during this period aligns with both the higher education completion agenda and equity imperative.

Recognizing the urgency of this issue, the Gardner Institute has initiated a national effort focused on Transforming the Foundational Postsecondary Experience with support from five different national foundations as well as participating institutions. You can learn more about that effort and how your institution can get involved in this recent Inside Higher Ed story.

Whether institutions decide to work with the Gardner Institute or not, the findings of these studies strongly suggest that most if not all colleges and universities must redouble efforts to improve student success during the foundational postsecondary experience. Because, after all, and with a nod to Willie Sutton, that’s where the attrition and inequitable performance gaps are.

Learn about Transforming The Foundational Postsecondary Experience™

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Episode 104- Changing the Culture with Evon Walters https://gardnerinstitute.org/episode-104-changing-the-culture-with-evon-walters/ Mon, 18 Mar 2024 11:00:04 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9247 Office Hours with John Gardner Listen now Evon Walters reflects on how his experience as a student coming from Jamaica to study in the US shaped his perspective on guidance. Discover the role community colleges can play in creating a guided and intentional path for student success. His 30 years of experience in teaching, research […]

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Office Hours with John Gardner

Evon Walters reflects on how his experience as a student coming from Jamaica to study in the US shaped his perspective on guidance. Discover the role community colleges can play in creating a guided and intentional path for student success.

His 30 years of experience in teaching, research & executive leadership, includes being a 2003 Fellow of the American Council on Education. Currently, he is the Northwest region President at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Previous roles included President, Campus CEO and Vice President for Student Affairs and Enrollment Management. He was the recipient of the Faculty Award, for “Excellence in Scholarship” while serving as faculty and chairperson of the education department at Olivet College. In 2020, he was the recipient of the prestigious Paragon Award for New Presidents, where he was one of 28 community college presidents who were recognized by the Phi Theta Kappa national honor society. This award is given to new presidents who have shown strong support of student success by recognizing academic achievement, leadership and service among high-achieving students at their college.

During his career, he served as a systems appraiser for the Academic Quality Improvement program for the Higher Learning Commission, as well as being appointed the American Association of Community Colleges to serve as a Commissioner on their College Readiness and on Student Success. He is currently serves a three year term on the structured pathways commission. His research activities on issues associated with student success, diversity, strategic planning and enrollment management, have led to over 150 citations of his work, as well as book chapters and publications in national journals. He currently serves as a reviewer for the Journal of College Student Retention: Research, Theory and Practice and editor for the American Association for Advancement of Science – AAAS-IUSE’s The Disruptor Blog. He teaches within the Higher Education program at Stony Brook University, where he teaches their Community College Leadership course.

Recognized for his entrepreneurial and collaborative leadership approach, he is credited with spearheading the conceptualizing and redesign of high tech and data driven Student Success Centers and enrollment processes at three community colleges. In addition to receiving national recognition from the League of Innovation and EDUCAUSE, these initiatives led to increases in student persistence and enrollment. While at Suffolk County Community College, he was a part of an executive team that partnered with the faculty and the union leadership in spearheading advocacy efforts on behalf of the Eastern campus that led to receiving $40 million in capital funding to construct a new Learning Resource Center and a Health and Wellness facility.

In 2013, he was awarded the New York Suffolk County, Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commission award and the New York Governor’s certificate of recognition for his public service and contributions to diversity in Suffolk County. Locally, he currently serves on the boards of the Northside Shore Chamber of Commerce as its Vice Chair, Propel Charter Schools as its Vice President and Secretary and Allen Place. He is also a member of Carnegie Mellon University’s “Center for Shared Prosperity”. He is involved with the Pittsburgh Region Talent Coalition and the Chamber’s Northside Works Committee on Workforce development.

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Online Teaching and Learning in Higher Education https://gardnerinstitute.org/online-teaching-and-learning-in-higher-education/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 20:46:38 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9289 Transformative Conversations March 6, 2024– Online Education in Higher Education Kristin Early, Director, Purdue University Global Judy Lewandowski, Vice Provost for Adult Teaching and Learning, Purdue University Global Naykishia Darby, Teaching Instructor of English, Central State University https://youtu.be/oSD2k9SgAmU

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Transformative Conversations

March 6, 2024– Online Education in Higher Education

Kristin Early, Director, Purdue University Global

Judy Lewandowski, Vice Provost for Adult Teaching and Learning, Purdue University Global

Naykishia Darby, Teaching Instructor of English, Central State University

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Episode 103- The State of Transfer with Stephen J. Handel https://gardnerinstitute.org/episode-103-the-state-of-transfer-with-stephen-j-handel/ Tue, 05 Mar 2024 14:40:23 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9242 Office Hours with John Gardner Listen now Stephen J. Handel discusses the history of the California Master Plan for Higher Education and its effect on community colleges and the transfer process. Despite its limitations, he considers community colleges to be a model for this new century. Stephen J. Handel, PhD, oversees a portfolio of grants […]

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Office Hours with John Gardner

Stephen J. Handel discusses the history of the California Master Plan for Higher Education and its effect on community colleges and the transfer process. Despite its limitations, he considers community colleges to be a model for this new century.

Stephen J. Handel, PhD, oversees a portfolio of grants designed to solidify ECMC Foundation’s commitment to the systematic and widespread improvement of students’ postsecondary education outcomes, especially students from underserved groups. Steve’s special focus is on college and university transformation as a key lever in substantially increasing student degree and credential completion and advancing their social and economic mobility. Prior to joining the Foundation, he served as the College Board’s Senior Strategist for Strategic Higher Education Assessment Use and Opportunity. In this capacity, he consulted with college and university enrollment leaders in the application of fair and effective higher education admission assessments and other resources that benefit students seeking success in postsecondary education, especially students from underserved groups. Steve also served as chief admission officer for the University of California (UC) system, providing leadership on freshman and community college transfer policy and practice for the nine UC undergraduate campuses. With over 23 years of service at the UC, Steve served in a variety of leadership roles in such areas as undergraduate admissions, enrollment management, outreach, and student services.

Steve earned his PhD and MA degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, a BA from California State University, Sacramento, and an AA from Cosumnes River Community College (Sacramento, CA).

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Mental Health in Higher Education https://gardnerinstitute.org/mental-health-in-higher-education/ Wed, 21 Feb 2024 22:10:52 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9199 Transformative Conversations February 21, 2024– Mental Health in Higher Education Carlota Ocampo, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of Psychology, Trinity Washington University Vanessa Hill, Professor of Mathematics at Springfield Technical Community College https://youtu.be/fMUoxE9s8ys

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Transformative Conversations

February 21, 2024– Mental Health in Higher Education

Carlota Ocampo, Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs; Associate Professor of Psychology, Trinity Washington University

Vanessa Hill, Professor of Mathematics at Springfield Technical Community College

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Episode 101- Clearing a Path with Jeffrey Baylor https://gardnerinstitute.org/episode-101-clearing-a-path-with-jeffrey-baylor/ Tue, 20 Feb 2024 14:26:22 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9045 Office Hours with John Gardner Listen now Jeffrey Baylor discusses having the right attitude to make change. In this episode, he describes how financial literacy and transparency in higher education can be a key to student success. Jeffrey Baylor, who has successfully led enrollment efforts at institutions across the U.S., joined the University of Virginia’s […]

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Office Hours with John Gardner

Jeffrey Baylor discusses having the right attitude to make change. In this episode, he describes how financial literacy and transparency in higher education can be a key to student success.

Jeffrey Baylor, who has successfully led enrollment efforts at institutions across the U.S., joined the University of Virginia’s College at Wise in 2022 as Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management. 

Baylor spent three years at West Texas A&M University (WTAMU) as the Associate Vice President for Student Enrollment Engagement and Success. During his time at WTAMU, he led the University’s recruitment efforts through the pandemic, including recording WTAMU’s highest enrollment on record.  

Prior to Texas, Baylor spent eight years as Vice President for Marketing, Enrollment and Student Services at the University of South Dakota (USD), where he was accredited with increasing enrollment while transitioning the University from a regional university to a national brand, claiming its stake as South Dakota’s flagship. 

 Before arriving at USD, Baylor served in several key student services and enrollment leadership positions including Saint Leo University in Florida, Thiel College in Pennsylvania, and his alma mater, Marietta College in Ohio. Baylor’s experiences have included all levels of the NCAA and NAIA, three of the six accreditation regions, and institutions ranging from 1,000 to 14,000 students.

 The Apollo, PA native earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Marietta College in 1993 and 1996 as well as a Master of Business Administration from Tiffin University in 2003. 

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Episode 102- Serving All Students with Amy Salazar https://gardnerinstitute.org/episode-102-serving-all-students-with-amy-salazar/ Tue, 20 Feb 2024 07:00:50 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9047 Office Hours with John Gardner Listen now Amy Salazar works to ensure that every student who begins the college journey has the opportunity to graduate. Learn how she works to support all students including those with less visible needs such as students coming from the foster care system. Dr. Amy Salazar currently serves as the […]

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Office Hours with John Gardner

Amy Salazar works to ensure that every student who begins the college journey has the opportunity to graduate. Learn how she works to support all students including those with less visible needs such as students coming from the foster care system.

Dr. Amy Salazar currently serves as the Associate Vice Provost of Student Success at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, TX. In her current role, she oversees several functional areas related to student success including Academic Advising, Academic Support, First Year Experience, Career Success, Global Engagement, First Gen Student Center, and Academic Redesign & Course Enhancement.

In addition to the leadership of these areas, Dr. Salazar works at the institutional level to identify barriers to student success informed by data, and designs and implements solutions to increase the likelihood of student persistence and degree attainment.

She is currently focused on the effects of COVID-19 related learning loss and the ways it has shaped both the student and faculty experience. Her prior experience and publications have focused on student success in the areas above, and also include TRiO programs, high impact practices such as undergraduate research, and mentorship programs. Her current teaching foci include assessment in higher education, teaching and learning for student success, and advocacy for underserved student populations in higher education.

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Celebrating 100 episodes of Office Hours with John Gardner https://gardnerinstitute.org/celebrating-100-episodes-of-office-hours-with-john-gardner/ Thu, 15 Feb 2024 22:28:45 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9173 This week we are celebrating 100 episodes of the Office Hours with John Gardner podcast! Thank you to all of our listeners for joining us in learning about innovation with John Gardner and our guests. Our top 5 episodes on innovation in higher education are:  Episode 1- Walter Kimbrough Interrogating Reality: Who should be a […]

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This week we are celebrating 100 episodes of the Office Hours with John Gardner podcast! Thank you to all of our listeners for joining us in learning about innovation with John Gardner and our guests.

Our top 5 episodes on innovation in higher education are:

 
 
 
 
 
 
Find the episodes here or on your favorite streaming service:

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Episode 100- Transformative Experiences with Drew Koch https://gardnerinstitute.org/episode-100-transformative-experiences-with-drew-koch/ Mon, 12 Feb 2024 15:37:43 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9044 Office Hours with John Gardner Listen now In this second interview, Drew Koch reflects on efforts to improve student experience in gateway courses and the development of Transforming the Foundational Postsecondary Experience™. Learn where the first cohort of institutions are and the key points that led them to commit to long-term change. Dr. Andrew Koch […]

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Office Hours with John Gardner

In this second interview, Drew Koch reflects on efforts to improve student experience in gateway courses and the development of Transforming the Foundational Postsecondary Experience™. Learn where the first cohort of institutions are and the key points that led them to commit to long-term change.

Dr. Andrew Koch is a child of immigrants who came to the United States in pursuit of a better life. His first language was not English, and postsecondary education was valued by his family as a means for realizing the American Dream. A recipient of need-based aid while in school, Koch is a staunch advocate for and leader of efforts that increase student access to and, ultimately, completion of postsecondary education. He has worked in and with higher education institutions for over 30 years. He has done so since 2010 at the Gardner Institute where he was named Chief Executive Officer in 2021.

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Gardner Institute Team Volunteers with Brevard Community https://gardnerinstitute.org/gardner-institute-team-volunteers-with-brevard-community/ Fri, 09 Feb 2024 20:36:43 +0000 https://gardnerinstitute.org/?p=9112   February 2, 2024 On February 2, 2024, the Gardner Institute team had the opportunity to work with the Brevard, North Carolina community by volunteering with The Boys and Girls Club, The Family Place, Habitat for Humanity, and Sharing House. Check out photos of our team from their service activities. These activities are a part […]

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February 2, 2024

On February 2, 2024, the Gardner Institute team had the opportunity to work with the Brevard, North Carolina community by volunteering with The Boys and Girls Club, The Family Place, Habitat for Humanity, and Sharing House. Check out photos of our team from their service activities.

These activities are a part of the Gardner Institute’s organizational development days, which are in-person meetings with our full staff. The entire team took time to select an organization where they could learn about the community where the Institute is located and provide support.

Felita Williams, Drew Koch, Rob Rodier, and Kristen Trader standing outside in front of building with sign above reading Habitat for Humanity Restore
Rob Rodier and Felita Williams sorting hardware
Christina Harris and Jill Robinson Kramer sorting clothing
Cory Clasemann, Angie Whiteside, and John Gardner sorting clothing at Sharing House
Brittany Connor and Monica Flippin Wynn sorting clothing
Brandon Smith, Vicki McGillin, Sara Stein Koch, and Ed Willis standing outside in front of Boys & Girls Club bus

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