Page 1
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
When a new provost and a Complete College America cofounder decided to “think big” and started asking the right questions with the Houston higher ed community, Houston GPS was the result. In March of 2014, a meeting was held at the University of Houston to explore possibilities tied to CCA’s Guided Pathways to Success strategies. By July of that year, Complete College America and seven Houston area university presidents and chancellors committed to continuing that work by signing on to Houston GPS. Ten years later, their vision continues to grow and evolve.
Navigate:
10
14
The Commitment
Building Momentum
Legislative Environment
Idea to Action
Strategies Implemented
Colleges and Universities
Years
Timeline
Institutional Logistics
The Impact
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 2
Participating institutions agreed to operationalize and implement the following strategies:
The Commitment
The original Memo of Understanding creating Houston GPS described it as “an integrated system of cohesive strategies that must be implemented collectively in order to accomplish the full benefits of the effort, namely significant improvement in college completion rates and substantial narrowing of attainment gaps.” The MOU called for all participating institutions to give “maximum effort” to these goals. Beyond ease of transfer, the end game was to build the structures needed to support a culture based on the expectation of timely completion for Houston students.
Meta-Majors
Aligned Mathematics
Remediation
Default Degree Plans
Intrusive Advising Enabled by Technology
Articulation
Career and Academic Advising Consolidation
Structured Schedules
Tracking Student Progression
Read the Memorandum of Understanding - University of Houston
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 3
Building Momentum: The Early Years of Houston GPS
The first three years of Houston GPS were building years, where institutions worked closely with Complete College America and with each other to build a solid foundation. Gaining the commitment of the initial seven chancellors and presidents was an important first step, with campus leadership deeply involved in the planning and development process. Participating institutions took a hard look at where they stood, individually and as a region, in terms of college completion. Utilizing CCA support to help obtain a grant from the Houston Endowment to fund their efforts, over the space of a year they engaged in a deep dive into the identified strategies, building institutional and focus-area based task forces and participating in intensive professional development institutes. Each planning work group included institutional teams consisting of a team lead, project planning coordinator, and key faculty and staff. In May of 2016, Houston GPS took another groundbreaking step by developing a Houston-specific team to become the 40th member of the CCA Alliance.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 4
Idea to Action
By the end of 2016, Houston GPS had gone from idea to action. Outcome measures were identified, the first coordinated degree map template was developed, and they began to share their learnings with the academic community. Houston GPS was officially launched. Frequent meetings, institutes, and convenings kept the momentum going during the years immediately following the inception of Houston GPS. Complete College America hosted events such as the Math Pathways Institute and tech meetings aligned with the CCA Technology Seal of Approval. In 2015, CCA convened a GPS leader meeting with Houston GPS leaders as well as institutions implementing Guided Pathways in Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, Georgia, and Tennessee. Events frequently focused on a particular strategy or topic to continue building upon the work and integrating evidence-based strategies. Today, Houston GPS continues to hold convenings every few years, coordinators meet monthly, and a Houston GPS Governing Council meets quarterly to receive updates on Houston GPS operations and discuss big ideas and next steps for the initiative.
“It was a really fascinating time. We learned a lot from national experts and from colleagues across participating institutions. It was eye opening taking a close look at our data and exciting to shape the implementation of strategies tailored to our unique student population. It was also a luxury to have the time to plan with the support of the Houston Endowment grant. Taking the time to put together comprehensive implementation plans greatly contributed to the success of Houston GPS over the last 10 years. That time really set us up for success.”- Teri Longacre, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Houston
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 5
Legislative Environment
When it launched in 2014, Houston GPS supported completion goal of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) 60X30TX Higher Education Strategic Plan. The collaborative effort, which was officially a member of the CCA Alliance, aligned with 60X30TX in its effort to have at least 550,000 students by 2030 complete a certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree from an institution of higher education in Texas. Houston GPS also aligns with the THECB’s latest 2022-2030 strategic plan, Building a Talent Strong Texas, growing the state’s educational attainment goal to 60% of Texas ages 25-64 have a postsecondary credential of value by 2030.
Another THECB initiative, Texas Direct, supported work around improved transfer pathways between two- and four-year institutions by creating the Texas Core Curriculum and Field of Study Curricula. Students who complete these curricular requirements automatically qualify to receive the Texas Direct Transfer associate’s degree and transfer their credits as a block to the applicable bachelor’s degree program. These structures were incorporated into the mapping the Houston GPS meta-major degree maps that facilitate transfer throughout the region.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 6
The Implementation Timeline: 2014
Summer/Fall
June
Seven Chancellors and Presidents sign the MOU, creating Houston GPS.
Inaugural meeting is held at the University of Houston.
Houston GPS institutions attend a Complete College America Math Pathways Institute.
March
July
September
CCA and participating institutions seek philanthropic support.
Representatives from Houston GPS institutions attend the Complete College America GPS Institute.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 7
The Implementation Timeline: 2015
A Houston GPS Fall Planning Academy is held, where cross-institutional task forces are created for each focus area.
A meeting with leaders from consortium institutions is held to discuss project updates, progress, and next steps.
March-June
September - January 2016
July
August
A grant is received from the Houston Endowment.
Institutional Teams from each consortium institution are formed.
June
July-August
September
March
Campus Project Coordinators are appointed.
Institutional teams and cross-institutional task forces meet monthly.
A review of privately-funded persistence/graduation studies focused on the Houston area is conducted.
Representatives from consortium institutions attend Complete College America’s GPS Leader meeting in Atlanta.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 8
The Implementation Timeline: 2016 (January - May)
A Math Pathways report is released that summarizes the changes made to core curriculum requirements and degree program requirements at participating universities
Task Force groups complete and submit Task Force Planning Templates.
The Technology Task Force holds a cross-institutional vendor demonstration meeting.
A Proactive Advising and Informed Choice Symposium is held.
February
April
May
March
April
January
May
February
CCA hosts a spring academy
Institutional Teams complete and submit Institutional Planning Templates outlining institutional plans for implementing Task Force action items.
A Corequisite Remediation Policy Institute is held.
Houston GPS became the 40th member of Complete College America’s Alliance of States.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 9
The Implementation Timeline: 2016 (June - November)
Houston GPS team shares various facets of their work so far by hosting multiple presentations at Complete College America’s Annual Convening.
Outcome measures were identified for GPS strategies and institutions set five-year targets for each metric.
October
Implementation Progress Tracking Templates are developed.
June
September
Houston GPS Chief Academic Officers meet.
July
September
November
June
Houston GPS team attends Complete College America’s 15 to Finish Policy Institute.
Houston GPS participates in Complete College America’s Purpose First Learning and Demonstration Network.
A Houston GPS Degree Maps Coordinating Committee meeting is held for Business degree maps.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 10
Institutional Logistics
The intentionality with which Houston GPS was built created a strong foundation, but much of the logistical work that makes this initiative so successful happens at the institutional level. Alvin Community College in Alvin, TX, serves as a case study of high quality implementation of student success structures facilitated by Houston GPS’ infrastructure. Learn more about the logistics of the implementation
Collective Curricular Mapping
Lessons from Alvin
Advising
Student Supports
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 11
Institutional Logistics: Advising
Academic advising is a collaborative process at Alvin Community College, starting with dual credit and admissions counseling, transitioning to Pathways Advisors who bring the goals of Houston GPS from admission to graduation.
Dual Enrollment Advising
Alvin Dual Enrollment Counselors are physically located on high school campuses in the Houston area. All dual enrollment students are on general studies degree programs to start, but career exploration and planning is still integrated into the advising experience. High school students are encouraged and empowered to make intentional choices about their dual credit coursework based on their career interests. Alvin has intentionally supported high schools in developing options to place students in applicable math courses like statistics and quantitative reasoning when their career interests don’t align with the traditional recommendations of algebra and pre-calculus for college-interested students.
Examining the data for each high school that Alvin Community College partners with has led to additional targeting of resources to set students up for successful career or transfer after graduation. Alvin used matriculation data to determine the top fields that students express interest in and the top three institutions that students plan to attend after high school. Using this information, Alvin is developing customized degree plans based on the overall “personality” of the high school that further direct students to credits that will count, while still maintaining general options for exploring students and students with interests outside of the most popular at their school.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 12
Institutional Logistics: Advising
Alvin Tip
Admissions Advising
During campus visits, prospective Alvin students have the opportunity to identify a meta-major of interest, which is used to engage the student in activities relevant to their academic and career interests.
Admissions counselors are an important part of the implementation of Houston GPS initiatives at Alvin Community College. For all new students, regardless of previous college credit, admissions counselors engage in early conversations about career and transfer options, the role of Houston GPS in supporting transfer goals, and orientation to life as a college student. Admissions counselors provide the first glimpse into Alvin’s Pathways culture, consistently connecting the student experience to the end goal starting with recruitment.
Pathways Advising
Once a student is onboarded at Alvin Community College, they begin working with a Pathways advisor. Alvin advisors transitioned from a generalist model to Pathways advisors through a partnership with the Texas Success Center supporting Guided Pathways. Pathways Advisors are now specialists in one or more meta-majors and serve as the connection between the student and the institution. Pathways advisors provide logistical assistance, connect students with faculty mentors, and guide students through successfully navigating career and transfer options. Pathways advisors at Alvin use the approach that every credit should count, working with students to understand their options as early as possible and focus in on classes that apply toward their long term goal. They also help students identify when completion of an associate’s degree prior to transfer isn’t the best option for a student’s goal and facilitate conversations about when and how to transfer for maximized return on investment for the student. Learn more about Alvin Community College Career Pathways: Career Pathways | Alvin Community College
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 13
Institutional Logistics: Collective Curricular Mapping
Alvin Community College’s central focus on preserving students’ time and money by making every credit count was well served by joining Houston GPS. Collaborative curricular mapping sits at the heart of the work, building transfer pathways that work in addition to meaningful career credentials. Alvin currently has about 20 articulation agreements for over 120 different programs. Their involvement in Houston GPS has also made transfer feel more accessible to students, facilitating application fee waivers, guaranteed admissions agreements, and regular campus visits from transfer institutions, which make them more accessible to students who do not have close ties to the Houston metro area. According to Dean of College Access and Partnerships Dr. Jessica Ranero-Ramirez, “Houston GPS and these initiatives make Houston come a little closer for our students.”
Houston GPS has provided a safety net for advisors. Faculty members and Pathways advisors are included in quarterly meetings with other Houston GPS institutions to align transfer maps. The meetings aren’t necessarily quick and easy; they’re often long and sometimes heated, but by the end all of the participating institutions have aligned their curriculum and advisors can say with certainty how a student should navigate their transfer path between Alvin and their chosen four-year Houston GPS institution. Alvin has also streamlined their curricular offerings, focusing on the ones that align with desirable career and transfer options. Alvin still offers a large menu of options, but all of those options have now been vetted to ensure that students’ goals are reflected in the programs that Alvin puts its’ resources into offering.
Learn more about Alvin Community College Transfer Pathways: University Transfer Pathways | Alvin Community College
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 14
Institutional Logistics: Student Supports
Alvin Tip
The culture at Alvin Community College is the key to bridging the work of Houston GPS and the students who stand to benefit from it. Pathways is a ubiquitous part of being an Alvin student; Pathways advisors visit the PSYC 1300 first year seminar course, and in-class advising and registration options continue to expand. Advisors join career services, counseling, and accessibility professionals in having a frequent presence at campus events. Alvin also worked with the Trellis Foundation to develop a basic needs profile that extends to all students, from dual credit to Alvin’s growing continuing education population. With robust student services and connections to community resources, Alvin backs up their transfer and career agendas with a strong completion agenda. Pathways advisors have become the essential connection. Multiple modes of communication, integrated supports, and mandatory advising all build a help-seeking culture where students from all backgrounds are encouraged and supported in reaching their academic goals.
When your advisor is your “person,” access means everything. Locating dual credit advisors in the high schools means that advisors are available when students are to provide guidance and resources, and can even send a hall pass for a student. All Alvin students, including dual credit students and their parents, can access their advisors through chat and virtual meetings in addition to traditional meeting formats.
Photo: Alvin Community College
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 15
Institutional Logistics: Lessons from Alvin
Alvin’s participation in Houston GPS was so successful for multiple reasons. CCA asked John Matula, Vice President of Student Success, Cindi Robinson, Coordinator of Pathways and Articulation, and Dr. Jessica Ranero-Ramirez, Dean of College Access and Partnerships, to share how they've seen Alvin leverage Houston GPS for student success.
- One of the greatest benefits of Houston GPS was that it created the space and time to take curricular alignment from ideal to reality. Making the time to participate in Houston GPS’ planning meetings was essential to their success. “It can feel tedious at times,” said Dr. Ranero-Ramirez, “but that’s what it takes.”
- Bringing multiple voices and perspectives to the table has allowed for improvement in curriculum. Both internal and external perspectives are necessary to streamline curricular offerings to better serve their community.
- Participating in a consortium like Houston GPS brings a competitive advantage. Because of the aligned curricula and clear pathways, Alvin can show direct lines to careers with livable wages and/or transfer to local 4-year institutions. In an area where many institutions are competing for the same student base, seeing those paths is crucial for students as they decide which institution is the right fit.
- Sharing the data is another major benefit of a consortium such as Houston GPS. Benchmarking, comparison, and individual institutional data sets shared through Houston GPS have been essential in gauging success and adapting in real time to the changing landscape.
- It doesn’t end with the consortium. Through Houston GPS, Alvin became involved with other initiatives, such as a Prior Learning Assessment (PLA) task group that wasn’t directly connected to Houston GPS, but emerged through the connections it created.
- In a state system without a central governing body over higher education, consortiums can play an important role to build alignment and mutual understanding. Houston GPS has “given us the guide,” according to Matula. In situations where a centralized system doesn’t make sense for the needs of the state, consortiums can bring the benefit of having a shared approach to transfer among partner institutions.
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10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 16
The Impact
According to many of the institutional participants, one of the greatest strengths of Houston GPS is data tracking. Over the past ten years, Houston GPS institutions have shown significant progress in student performance on multiple measures, representing its’ impact on the nearly 300,000 students served in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Houston GPS tracks the following outcomes for participating institutions:
Transfer 100% Graduation Rate
Transfer 150% Graduation Rate
FTIC 100% Graduation Rate
FTIC 150% Graduation Rate
FTIC 1-Year Retention Rate
Transfer 1-Year Retention Rate
Completion of 30 Hours in First Academic Year:
10
Math Gateway Course Completion
Credits to Degree
Years to Degree
View the Houston GPS Performance Page
See the latest success numbers
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The Six Taskforce Groups:
- Math Alignment to Majors
- Meta-Majors, Default Degree Maps with Critical
Path Courses
- Structured Schedules
- Corequisite Remediation
- Proactive Advising and Informed Choice
- Technology
Sample Task Force Planning Template
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Agenda for Inaugural Houston GPS Meeting
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Houston GPS & CCA - 10 Years
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Transcript
Page 1
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
When a new provost and a Complete College America cofounder decided to “think big” and started asking the right questions with the Houston higher ed community, Houston GPS was the result. In March of 2014, a meeting was held at the University of Houston to explore possibilities tied to CCA’s Guided Pathways to Success strategies. By July of that year, Complete College America and seven Houston area university presidents and chancellors committed to continuing that work by signing on to Houston GPS. Ten years later, their vision continues to grow and evolve.
Navigate:
10
14
The Commitment
Building Momentum
Legislative Environment
Idea to Action
Strategies Implemented
Colleges and Universities
Years
Timeline
Institutional Logistics
The Impact
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 2
Participating institutions agreed to operationalize and implement the following strategies:
The Commitment
The original Memo of Understanding creating Houston GPS described it as “an integrated system of cohesive strategies that must be implemented collectively in order to accomplish the full benefits of the effort, namely significant improvement in college completion rates and substantial narrowing of attainment gaps.” The MOU called for all participating institutions to give “maximum effort” to these goals. Beyond ease of transfer, the end game was to build the structures needed to support a culture based on the expectation of timely completion for Houston students.
Meta-Majors
Aligned Mathematics
Remediation
Default Degree Plans
Intrusive Advising Enabled by Technology
Articulation
Career and Academic Advising Consolidation
Structured Schedules
Tracking Student Progression
Read the Memorandum of Understanding - University of Houston
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 3
Building Momentum: The Early Years of Houston GPS
The first three years of Houston GPS were building years, where institutions worked closely with Complete College America and with each other to build a solid foundation. Gaining the commitment of the initial seven chancellors and presidents was an important first step, with campus leadership deeply involved in the planning and development process. Participating institutions took a hard look at where they stood, individually and as a region, in terms of college completion. Utilizing CCA support to help obtain a grant from the Houston Endowment to fund their efforts, over the space of a year they engaged in a deep dive into the identified strategies, building institutional and focus-area based task forces and participating in intensive professional development institutes. Each planning work group included institutional teams consisting of a team lead, project planning coordinator, and key faculty and staff. In May of 2016, Houston GPS took another groundbreaking step by developing a Houston-specific team to become the 40th member of the CCA Alliance.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 4
Idea to Action
By the end of 2016, Houston GPS had gone from idea to action. Outcome measures were identified, the first coordinated degree map template was developed, and they began to share their learnings with the academic community. Houston GPS was officially launched. Frequent meetings, institutes, and convenings kept the momentum going during the years immediately following the inception of Houston GPS. Complete College America hosted events such as the Math Pathways Institute and tech meetings aligned with the CCA Technology Seal of Approval. In 2015, CCA convened a GPS leader meeting with Houston GPS leaders as well as institutions implementing Guided Pathways in Arkansas, Indiana, Massachusetts, Georgia, and Tennessee. Events frequently focused on a particular strategy or topic to continue building upon the work and integrating evidence-based strategies. Today, Houston GPS continues to hold convenings every few years, coordinators meet monthly, and a Houston GPS Governing Council meets quarterly to receive updates on Houston GPS operations and discuss big ideas and next steps for the initiative.
“It was a really fascinating time. We learned a lot from national experts and from colleagues across participating institutions. It was eye opening taking a close look at our data and exciting to shape the implementation of strategies tailored to our unique student population. It was also a luxury to have the time to plan with the support of the Houston Endowment grant. Taking the time to put together comprehensive implementation plans greatly contributed to the success of Houston GPS over the last 10 years. That time really set us up for success.”- Teri Longacre, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, University of Houston
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 5
Legislative Environment
When it launched in 2014, Houston GPS supported completion goal of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board’s (THECB) 60X30TX Higher Education Strategic Plan. The collaborative effort, which was officially a member of the CCA Alliance, aligned with 60X30TX in its effort to have at least 550,000 students by 2030 complete a certificate, associate, bachelor’s, or master’s degree from an institution of higher education in Texas. Houston GPS also aligns with the THECB’s latest 2022-2030 strategic plan, Building a Talent Strong Texas, growing the state’s educational attainment goal to 60% of Texas ages 25-64 have a postsecondary credential of value by 2030. Another THECB initiative, Texas Direct, supported work around improved transfer pathways between two- and four-year institutions by creating the Texas Core Curriculum and Field of Study Curricula. Students who complete these curricular requirements automatically qualify to receive the Texas Direct Transfer associate’s degree and transfer their credits as a block to the applicable bachelor’s degree program. These structures were incorporated into the mapping the Houston GPS meta-major degree maps that facilitate transfer throughout the region.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 6
The Implementation Timeline: 2014
Summer/Fall
June
Seven Chancellors and Presidents sign the MOU, creating Houston GPS.
Inaugural meeting is held at the University of Houston.
Houston GPS institutions attend a Complete College America Math Pathways Institute.
March
July
September
CCA and participating institutions seek philanthropic support.
Representatives from Houston GPS institutions attend the Complete College America GPS Institute.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 7
The Implementation Timeline: 2015
A Houston GPS Fall Planning Academy is held, where cross-institutional task forces are created for each focus area.
A meeting with leaders from consortium institutions is held to discuss project updates, progress, and next steps.
March-June
September - January 2016
July
August
A grant is received from the Houston Endowment.
Institutional Teams from each consortium institution are formed.
June
July-August
September
March
Campus Project Coordinators are appointed.
Institutional teams and cross-institutional task forces meet monthly.
A review of privately-funded persistence/graduation studies focused on the Houston area is conducted.
Representatives from consortium institutions attend Complete College America’s GPS Leader meeting in Atlanta.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 8
The Implementation Timeline: 2016 (January - May)
A Math Pathways report is released that summarizes the changes made to core curriculum requirements and degree program requirements at participating universities
Task Force groups complete and submit Task Force Planning Templates.
The Technology Task Force holds a cross-institutional vendor demonstration meeting.
A Proactive Advising and Informed Choice Symposium is held.
February
April
May
March
April
January
May
February
CCA hosts a spring academy
Institutional Teams complete and submit Institutional Planning Templates outlining institutional plans for implementing Task Force action items.
A Corequisite Remediation Policy Institute is held.
Houston GPS became the 40th member of Complete College America’s Alliance of States.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 9
The Implementation Timeline: 2016 (June - November)
Houston GPS team shares various facets of their work so far by hosting multiple presentations at Complete College America’s Annual Convening.
Outcome measures were identified for GPS strategies and institutions set five-year targets for each metric.
October
Implementation Progress Tracking Templates are developed.
June
September
Houston GPS Chief Academic Officers meet.
July
September
November
June
Houston GPS team attends Complete College America’s 15 to Finish Policy Institute.
Houston GPS participates in Complete College America’s Purpose First Learning and Demonstration Network.
A Houston GPS Degree Maps Coordinating Committee meeting is held for Business degree maps.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 10
Institutional Logistics
The intentionality with which Houston GPS was built created a strong foundation, but much of the logistical work that makes this initiative so successful happens at the institutional level. Alvin Community College in Alvin, TX, serves as a case study of high quality implementation of student success structures facilitated by Houston GPS’ infrastructure. Learn more about the logistics of the implementation
Collective Curricular Mapping
Lessons from Alvin
Advising
Student Supports
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 11
Institutional Logistics: Advising
Academic advising is a collaborative process at Alvin Community College, starting with dual credit and admissions counseling, transitioning to Pathways Advisors who bring the goals of Houston GPS from admission to graduation.
Dual Enrollment Advising
Alvin Dual Enrollment Counselors are physically located on high school campuses in the Houston area. All dual enrollment students are on general studies degree programs to start, but career exploration and planning is still integrated into the advising experience. High school students are encouraged and empowered to make intentional choices about their dual credit coursework based on their career interests. Alvin has intentionally supported high schools in developing options to place students in applicable math courses like statistics and quantitative reasoning when their career interests don’t align with the traditional recommendations of algebra and pre-calculus for college-interested students. Examining the data for each high school that Alvin Community College partners with has led to additional targeting of resources to set students up for successful career or transfer after graduation. Alvin used matriculation data to determine the top fields that students express interest in and the top three institutions that students plan to attend after high school. Using this information, Alvin is developing customized degree plans based on the overall “personality” of the high school that further direct students to credits that will count, while still maintaining general options for exploring students and students with interests outside of the most popular at their school.
Home
10 Years of Houston GPS and Complete College America
Page 12
Institutional Logistics: Advising
Alvin Tip
Admissions Advising
During campus visits, prospective Alvin students have the opportunity to identify a meta-major of interest, which is used to engage the student in activities relevant to their academic and career interests.
Admissions counselors are an important part of the implementation of Houston GPS initiatives at Alvin Community College. For all new students, regardless of previous college credit, admissions counselors engage in early conversations about career and transfer options, the role of Houston GPS in supporting transfer goals, and orientation to life as a college student. Admissions counselors provide the first glimpse into Alvin’s Pathways culture, consistently connecting the student experience to the end goal starting with recruitment.
Pathways Advising
Once a student is onboarded at Alvin Community College, they begin working with a Pathways advisor. Alvin advisors transitioned from a generalist model to Pathways advisors through a partnership with the Texas Success Center supporting Guided Pathways. Pathways Advisors are now specialists in one or more meta-majors and serve as the connection between the student and the institution. Pathways advisors provide logistical assistance, connect students with faculty mentors, and guide students through successfully navigating career and transfer options. Pathways advisors at Alvin use the approach that every credit should count, working with students to understand their options as early as possible and focus in on classes that apply toward their long term goal. They also help students identify when completion of an associate’s degree prior to transfer isn’t the best option for a student’s goal and facilitate conversations about when and how to transfer for maximized return on investment for the student. Learn more about Alvin Community College Career Pathways: Career Pathways | Alvin Community College
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Institutional Logistics: Collective Curricular Mapping
Alvin Community College’s central focus on preserving students’ time and money by making every credit count was well served by joining Houston GPS. Collaborative curricular mapping sits at the heart of the work, building transfer pathways that work in addition to meaningful career credentials. Alvin currently has about 20 articulation agreements for over 120 different programs. Their involvement in Houston GPS has also made transfer feel more accessible to students, facilitating application fee waivers, guaranteed admissions agreements, and regular campus visits from transfer institutions, which make them more accessible to students who do not have close ties to the Houston metro area. According to Dean of College Access and Partnerships Dr. Jessica Ranero-Ramirez, “Houston GPS and these initiatives make Houston come a little closer for our students.” Houston GPS has provided a safety net for advisors. Faculty members and Pathways advisors are included in quarterly meetings with other Houston GPS institutions to align transfer maps. The meetings aren’t necessarily quick and easy; they’re often long and sometimes heated, but by the end all of the participating institutions have aligned their curriculum and advisors can say with certainty how a student should navigate their transfer path between Alvin and their chosen four-year Houston GPS institution. Alvin has also streamlined their curricular offerings, focusing on the ones that align with desirable career and transfer options. Alvin still offers a large menu of options, but all of those options have now been vetted to ensure that students’ goals are reflected in the programs that Alvin puts its’ resources into offering.
Learn more about Alvin Community College Transfer Pathways: University Transfer Pathways | Alvin Community College
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Institutional Logistics: Student Supports
Alvin Tip
The culture at Alvin Community College is the key to bridging the work of Houston GPS and the students who stand to benefit from it. Pathways is a ubiquitous part of being an Alvin student; Pathways advisors visit the PSYC 1300 first year seminar course, and in-class advising and registration options continue to expand. Advisors join career services, counseling, and accessibility professionals in having a frequent presence at campus events. Alvin also worked with the Trellis Foundation to develop a basic needs profile that extends to all students, from dual credit to Alvin’s growing continuing education population. With robust student services and connections to community resources, Alvin backs up their transfer and career agendas with a strong completion agenda. Pathways advisors have become the essential connection. Multiple modes of communication, integrated supports, and mandatory advising all build a help-seeking culture where students from all backgrounds are encouraged and supported in reaching their academic goals.
When your advisor is your “person,” access means everything. Locating dual credit advisors in the high schools means that advisors are available when students are to provide guidance and resources, and can even send a hall pass for a student. All Alvin students, including dual credit students and their parents, can access their advisors through chat and virtual meetings in addition to traditional meeting formats.
Photo: Alvin Community College
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Institutional Logistics: Lessons from Alvin
Alvin’s participation in Houston GPS was so successful for multiple reasons. CCA asked John Matula, Vice President of Student Success, Cindi Robinson, Coordinator of Pathways and Articulation, and Dr. Jessica Ranero-Ramirez, Dean of College Access and Partnerships, to share how they've seen Alvin leverage Houston GPS for student success.
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The Impact
According to many of the institutional participants, one of the greatest strengths of Houston GPS is data tracking. Over the past ten years, Houston GPS institutions have shown significant progress in student performance on multiple measures, representing its’ impact on the nearly 300,000 students served in the Texas Gulf Coast region. Houston GPS tracks the following outcomes for participating institutions:
Transfer 100% Graduation Rate
Transfer 150% Graduation Rate
FTIC 100% Graduation Rate
FTIC 150% Graduation Rate
FTIC 1-Year Retention Rate
Transfer 1-Year Retention Rate
Completion of 30 Hours in First Academic Year:
10
Math Gateway Course Completion
Credits to Degree
Years to Degree
View the Houston GPS Performance Page
See the latest success numbers
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The Six Taskforce Groups:
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Agenda for Inaugural Houston GPS Meeting
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