In 2002, Community College Survey of Student Engagement (CCSSE) started to measure the student experience at community colleges. CCSSE provided the resulting data to colleges for the purpose of improving and fostering positive student experiences. The 2007 CCSSE report summarized findings of the lessons learned and reviewed strategies that worked. The findings indicated successful orientation strategies were developed at several community colleges including Valencia (FL), LaGuardia (NY), and Kingsborough (NY).
Valencia Community College had mandatory NSO for students and paired a student success course with developmental math courses. A student success advisor assisted students in forming relationships within learning communities
|
Kingsborough Community College’s Freshman Year Experience (FYE) started with admission to the college and continued with advising, registration, a success course and celebrations throughout the year. Kingsborough students who participated in FYE learning communities had an 11% higher retention rate from fall to spring than did non-participating students (Community, 2007).
|
|
LaGuardia Community College offered family orientations. As a result, students reported the encouragement and support from family and friends contributed significantly to their academic success.
|
Kingsborugh has a page for freshman services.
|
An unidentified college in Texas was recognized as having a low cost, easy to implement promising practice. After pre-semester orientations, the college had weekly one-minute orientations on various topics. Instructors in identified courses use one-minute orientations to share with students available services, resources, and upcoming activities. The weekly information is also shared in a newsletter posted inside of bathroom stalls (Bruce, Shook, Fletcher, & Smith, 2011).
|
California seeks to make NSO mandatory for all community college students. A recent commission reported “students don’t do optional.” Because many California students embrace a “casual” attitude towards community college, colleges do not request mandatory participation in academic and support activities. A lack of funding inhibits statewide implementation of mandatory NSO (Lay & Community College League of California, 2010).
|
Bourdon and Carducci (2002) identified several research based best practices for NSO leading to increased retention and success rates for community college students. NSO should have consistent leadership and designated, dedicated staff to implement session. Topics should include financial aid, study skills, stress management, test-taking skills, and time management. Key college administrators and faculty should be involved in planning and implementation to demonstrate to students their value to the college. Orientation should occur close to the beginning of the term (one week to one day prior) to increase participation and should be offered at various times to accommodate needs of part-time and full-time students. Graded success seminar courses, limited to 25 students per section, should be required of all new students. Orientations tailored to specific groups (adult, transfer, single parent) increase the support for those populations.
Images:http://valenciacollege.edu/, http://www.laguardia.cuny.edu/, http://www.kbcc.cuny.edu/; www.nfw.org; http://www.bpmleader.com/; http://strategicphilanthropyinc.com/; http://joedonatelli.com/