Strengthening program onboarding through guided pathways will be even more critical to student and college success post-COVID. At this point, it is uncertain what the effects of the pandemic will be on fall enrollments and whether institutions will be able to offer courses in-person or online. However, whether enrollments go up or down, and whether the courses are in-person, online, or some combination of the two, guided pathways onboarding practices will become even more critical to student and college success in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
To serve students challenged by the COVID-19 fallout—and thereby continue to attract and retain students in the fall and beyond, colleges should ensure that all new (and returning) students:
- Explore options and interests and develop an education and training plan that will enable them to secure stable employment in the near term and advance to better jobs over time.
- Ensure that every student takes courses that spark their interest and enable them to develop 21st Century professional skills, which will maximize their chances for success in a highly competitive job market.
- Connect with faculty, other students and others in their field of interest to create networks of support and contacts that will help them find jobs and increase their chances of completion.
In this (slightly) redesigned workshop, college teams of 4-6 individuals will examine their students’ program enrollment data and first-term course taking patterns. Then teams will map the ideal onboarding experience for different student groups to ensure every student has a rich learning experience, connects with others and develops a short- and longer-term education plan in a field of interest. Finally, teams will develop a plan to begin implementing these ideas starting in the fall semester. Teams should include an IR director or representative, the pathways lead, at least one person from academic affairs, and at least one person from student affairs.
Presenters:
- Dr. Hana Lahr, Senior Research Associate, Community College Research Center
- Dr. Davis Jenkins, Senior Research Scholar, Community College Research Center
As advance work, participating colleges should complete the following materials by June 19:
- 2020 Texas Program-Level Data Template (Excel) - Program Completion Summary Data and Student-Level Enrollment Data tabs
- Also advance work for Texas Pathways Institute #2.
- Complete with most current data, as possible.
- If your college has already completed this template with 2018-2019 data, please use the version already completed.
- Texas CCRC Workshop Data Request (Word)
Please review the CCRC PowerPoint for additional information, including definitions of workforce and transfer categories.