2009 Performance Accountability Report Vol. 2 - Maryland Higher ...

usiness community it says BCCC is where to go when you need highly skilled competent staff
or customized, workplace-based training programs; and to state and city officials it says BCCC is
a partner in addressing the region’s critical workforce shortage areas, including biotechnology,
hospitality, allied health and nursing and construction (State Plan - Goal 5). A key component of
the Workforce Pipeline Solutions campaign is representative images of successful BCCC
graduates in a variety of real-life work environments, exclaiming “I did it! You can, too.” This
campaign is designed to also appeal to disenfranchised individuals who may not be convinced
that education is accessible, that educational success is possible and that it is essential to
improving their quality of life. In addition to building awareness and articulating image, this
campaign supports recruitment goals related to recovering drop-outs and enhancing retention.
Online Courses
BCCC’s enrollment in online credit courses increased from 5,779 to 6,835 (FY 2007 to FY
2008) (Indicator 5a) and the number of courses increased to 148 (fall 2008). FTE enrollment in
credit online courses increased 84 percent from FY 2005 to FY 2008, from 373 to 686 FTEs.
Unduplicated non-credit enrollment increased from 470 to 480; many online GED and NOVEL
courses are not reflected due to the strong on-campus component (Indicator 5b). Online credit
students are surveyed each semester. The majority of students have expressed high satisfaction
with the courses and services. In spring 2009, 616 students responded and 92 percent indicated
that they would take another online course through BCCC. BCCC has received many awards for
its distance learning program (State Plan – Goals 1, 2). Our program’s unique technology
enables students and faculty to access all their online courses with one log-in; this has increased
the number of faculty using online technology to enhance courses. All BCCC students can access
BCCC’s library databases through Blackboard online and receive around-the-clock online
tutoring through Smarthinking. Online course offerings expand weekly through ED2GO; this
year the offerings in the Education area have especially increased (State Plan - Goal 2).
Tuition and Fees
Many BCCC students receive Pell grants and other financial aid. The low incomes, personal
responsibilities, and job schedules characteristic of most BCCC students have always made
affordability a key issue in providing accessibility to our students. Consequently, BCCC makes
every effort to keep tuition and fees at a fraction of those charged by Maryland public 4-year
institutions (38.2% in FY 2008, Indicator 6) (State Plan - Goal 2).
Quality and Effectiveness: Student Satisfaction, Progress, and Achievement
Developmental Education: Needs and Completers
Eighty-four percent of our first-time students need developmental education (Characteristic B).
For the fall 2004 cohort, 30 percent completed the required developmental courses (Indicator 9).
To enhance this rate, the Title III Grant Office issues certificates of completion for
Developmental Education; over 2,500 have been awarded since 2005. The First Steps to College
Bridge Learning Community provides a support system to enhance the success of developmental
students and offers developmental education scholarships. It began with a summer 2006 cohort
and two more summer cohorts have entered the program. As of fall 2008, 99 developmental
education scholarships were awarded. Eighty percent of the summer 2007 cohort were retained
in fall 2008 (State Plan – Goal 1). Nearly all students require developmental math who took
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