ILEA Equity Plan | Elgin Community College (ECC)
There are wide and persistent gaps in college completion rates in Illinois, especially among students of color and low-income students. After an in-depth analysis of our institutional data, Elgin Community College (“ECC” or “the College” or “we” or “our”) has developed an Equity Plan containing annual growth targets for which progress updates will be shared publicly over the next five years. Our Equity Plan reflects the unique characteristics of our institution. For example, ECC is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the US Department of Education, with just over 42% of the students identifying as Latinx or Hispanic. Also, the district served by ECC is widely diverse in terms of income and educational attainment. We will identify the obstacles students face and develop programs and policies that break down unnecessary college graduation barriers. Along with our fellow colleges, in the Partnership for College Completion organization, with this Illinois Equity in Attainment (“ILEA”) plan, we pledge to close the completion gaps by 2025.
There are wide and persistent gaps in college completion rates in Illinois, especially among students of color and low-income students. After an in-depth analysis of our institutional data, Elgin Community College (“ECC” or “the College” or “we” or “our”) has developed an Equity Plan containing annual growth targets for which progress updates will be shared publicly over the next five years. Our Equity Plan reflects the unique characteristics of our institution. For example, ECC is designated as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the US Department of Education, with just over 42% of the students identifying as Latinx or Hispanic. Also, the district served by ECC is widely diverse in terms of income and educational attainment. We will identify the obstacles students face and develop programs and policies that break down unnecessary college graduation barriers. Along with our fellow colleges, in the Partnership for College Completion organization, with this Illinois Equity in Attainment (“ILEA”) plan, we pledge to close the completion gaps by 2025.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
SPECIFIC STRATEGY DESCRIPTIONS<br />
<strong>ECC</strong> is committed to implementing, evolving, and institutionalizing the following specific<br />
strategies. During 2019, each strategy is in a different stage of development. Some are brand<br />
new and will require great planning in the next year while others are well established and<br />
proven strategies that we are expanding in order to close the gaps by 2025.<br />
<strong>ILEA</strong> EQUITY PLAN STRATEGY 1: MANDATORY ADVISING PROGRAM (MAP)<br />
In an effort to promote and foster an environment of academic success, the <strong>ECC</strong> Academic<br />
Advising Team instituted a Mandatory Advising Program (MAP) Pilot in February 2019. Studies<br />
have shown that students who meet with an advisor either “sometimes” or “often” had<br />
significantly higher persistence rates than those who did not (Klepfer & Hull, 2012). The goal of<br />
MAP is to ensure students meet with an advisor, especially at key academic milestones. MAP<br />
targeted all current, full-time, transfer degree students who were on track to complete 24-36<br />
credit hours by the end of the Spring 2019 semester. Seven hundred and twenty five (725)<br />
students were identified to participate in the pilot. As of Fall 2019, 92% of students (667) had<br />
completed their MAP appointment.<br />
The MAP appointment includes:<br />
• Identification of academic goals (reassessment, if necessary)<br />
• Discussion and/or confirmation of program of study<br />
• Transfer/pathway guidance<br />
• Courses planned for upcoming semester(s)<br />
• Create “next steps” towards successful completion<br />
• Discuss overcoming barriers to success<br />
• If undecided-referred to Career Development<br />
• Discussion of success strategies<br />
• Access to Time Management Module, an online tutorial in Desire2Learn, the <strong>College</strong>’s<br />
learning management system, to teach students how to manage their time<br />
During their entire enrollment, 94% of MAP group students met with an advisor compared to<br />
69% of Other Spring 2019 Students. While 86% met with their assigned advisor during the<br />
advising year compared to 37%. Of those who met with any advisor, the average number of<br />
appointments this advising year was 3.0 for MAP compared to 2.2 (Table 10).<br />
Table 10. Map Pilot Advising Appointment Results<br />
MAP<br />
Group<br />
Other Spring<br />
2019 Students<br />
Ever met with any advisor 94% 69%<br />
Met with assigned advisor this Advising Year 86% 37%<br />
Of those who've met with any advisor, average number<br />
appointments this Adv. Year 3.0 2.2<br />
32<br />
<strong>ILEA</strong> <strong>Equity</strong> <strong>Plan</strong><br />
Institutional Strategies
Change language