Performing Department
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Non Technical Summary
Cankdeska Cikana Community College (CCCC) is addressing a critical issue facing Native American communities: low college enrollment and graduation rates. Nationally, Native American students have the lowest college enrollment of any ethnic group, and their persistence rates have declined in recent years.When COVID-19 response measures moved classes online, the college used pandemic funding to make sure that all students received a laptop, to ensure that students could attend. Despite all the pressures of the pandemic and the declining Native college enrollment seen on a national level, CCCC saw a 400% increase in summer enrollment and a 260% jump in graduation since the beginning of the laptop distribution program.The college has leveraged this success to find funding for expanded guidance, transfer, and career guidance services for current and former CCCC students to find success in further education or career pursuits.This grant allows the college to keep providing laptops to cohorts of students, continuing the success seen in previous programs and amplifying the expanded student services being developed through other grant programming. This approach not only strengthens individual students, but aims to create more college-educated Native students who contribute to improving tribal economic development, cultural preservation, and community success.
Animal Health Component
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Research Effort Categories
Basic
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Applied
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Developmental
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Goals / Objectives
This project aims to continue the momentum provided discovered during the COVID-required move to online classes and the laptops students were provided to remove barriers to entry at that time. By continuing to support the technology required to attend online classes and connect with online resources, the Colleges hopes to maintain or improve the gains seen in enrollment, retention, and graduation. Combined with enhanced student support services being planned and executed under the Cultivating Native Student Success grant program, this program would also help CCCC students continue on to further their education at other institutions of higher education.Improvement in retention rates:Maintain and develop strategies to improve retention ratesIncrease in graduation rates:Maintain graduation numbers commensurate with enrollment numbers.Increase in student enrollment numbers:Maintain or increase enrollment to target levels: Fall (330), Spring (300), and Summer (200).Increase in the number of graduates completing terminal degreesIncrease IPEDS transfer rates for full-time students by 1% per yearEstablish accruate tracking processes and institutional baseline numbers for part-time students transferring post-completion in year 1 of the grant. Create appropriate data-based goals to work towards them thereafter.Establish accurate tracking processes and institutional baseline numbers for graduates completing terminal degrees in year 1 of the grant.Create appropriate data-based goals to work towards them thereafter.Enhancement of student support servicesDevelop and maintain a career/transfer post-completion database.Establish complete alumni list and contact information.Use Alumni network and events to broaden opportunities for CCCC students and alums.
Project Methods
Data Collection and AnalysisEnrollment Tracking:Disaggregate institutional enrollment data by subgroups to improve understanding of enrollment trends.Compare enrollment trends with other Tribal Colleges and Universities (TCUs) and 2-year institutions using data from the National Student Clearinghouse, Postsecondary Data Partnership (PDP) Portal, and AIHEC American Indian Measures of Success (AIMS) to improve understanding of CCCC trends in comparison to similar organizations and student bodies.Retention Monitoring:Continue disaggregating institutional retention data by subgroups, extending to additional subgroups.Utilize the PDP Portal dashboards to inform retention efforts.Analyze comparison data from AIMS AKIS and National Student Clearinghouse to guide retention strategies.Graduation Rates Analysis:Track the number of CCCC graduates by subgroup using the Empower Enrollment Management System.Compare graduation rates with other TCUs and 2-year institutions using AIMS, PDP Portal, and Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS).Career and Transfer Tracking:Develop and maintain a career/transfer post-completion database.Track the number of students using career and transfer services, students transferring to 4-year institutions, and graduates obtaining gainful employment.Alumni Relations:Create and maintain an alumni tracking database using Empower's new alumni tracking module or equivalent.Monitor alumni participation in events and engagement on dedicated social media channels.Key Performance Indicators (KPIs):EnrollmentCCCC student enrollment numbers with disaggregationCCCC Enrollment Management SoftwareComparison of enrollment trends with other TCUs and 2-year institutionsNational Student ClearinghousePostsecondary Data Partnership PortalIntegrated Postsecondary Education Data SystemsAIHEC American Indian Measures of SuccessRetentionTrack CCCC institutional student retention rates with disaggregation.CCCC Enrollment Management SoftwarePostsecondary Data Partnership PortalGraduationMeasure the number of CCCC graduates by subgroup.CCCC Enrollment Management SoftwarePostsecondary Data Partnership PortalCareer and Transfer:Track the number of students using career servicesCAT Specialist data reportsTrack the number of students transferring to 4-year institutionsTracking processes being developed.Track the number of students obtaining gainful employment.CAT Specialist data reportsAlumni tracking reportsAlumni Networking:Number of alumni contacts in databaseNumber of alumni events per year, with number of participants and designation (student/alumni/staff).Success Metrics:Maintain or increase current enrollment numbers (Fall: 330, Spring: 300, Summer: 200).Sustain the 3-year increased trend in CCCC student enrollment, retention, and graduation rates.Increase rates of students transferring to and completing terminal degrees at 4-year institutions.