| Winter 2012, No. 57 |
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ContentsEnvironmental Scanning Begins Compass 2015 Strategic Planning Process Carroll Faculty and Staff Participate in Summit on Completion Dr. Pappalardo Named Chair of Carroll Scouting Advisory Committee Carroll Graduate Selected for Maryland Youth Advisory Council College Launches Commemorative Brick Campaign Carroll County and Maryland Popluation Statistics Planning Advisory Council Documents Available on the Web
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| Carroll Faculty and Staff Participate in Summit on Completion | ||
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Over 400 faculty, administrators, and staff from Maryland's 16 community colleges convened at the Catonsville campus of the Community College of Baltimore County on December 9, 2011 to share best practices for helping students complete associate degrees, occupational certificates, and other credentials of value. The Second Annual Maryland Association of Community Colleges Summit on Completion attracted national attention from the Community College Times and other higher education periodicals. Nearly half of all undergraduate students in Maryland are now enrolled in community colleges, and the colleges are committed to their success. "Community colleges open the doors to opportunities in higher education and in the workforce for countless students," said Carroll Community College President Dr. Faye Pappalardo. "The college completion agenda is high on the radar of national, state and local officials. Community colleges are undertaking an array of programs and initiatives to advance more students towards completion of associate degrees, certificate programs and workforce certifications." Many of these best practices were presented in morning and afternoon workshops, including a session facilitated by Carroll vice president for continuing education and training Karen Merkle on how continuing education officers across the state are addressing completion in non-credit programs. Jean Marriott, an analyst in the college's institutional research office and current president of the Maryland Community College Research Group, led a presentation on how faculty and researchers collaborate in assessing and improving developmental education programs. Magdeleine Vandal, chair of transitional studies and academic services and Dr. Susan Biro, director of distance learning programs, presented a session on Carroll's online tutorial community. The closing address of the Completion Summit was presented by Dr. Craig Clagett, vice president for planning, marketing and assessment. Dr. Clagett's presentation, "The Maryland Model of Community College Student Degree Progress: Completion Rates in Context," examined the merits of several methods of calculating community college completion rates. National, state, and institutional initiatives to increase the number of Americans with college degrees have raised the visibility of college graduation rates. Dr. Clagett argued that current national metrics for measuring community college student degree progress are seriously flawed and underestimate the true level of accomplishment. The Maryland Model, in place since 2006, provides a more accurate profile through a behavioral definition of degree-seeking, inclusion of part-time students, reporting of a combined graduation-transfer rate, and analysis by college readiness. Dr. Clagett noted that completion rates are similar at two-year and four-year institutions when admissions policies, the proportion of students able to consistently attend full-time, and the life circumstances of student populations are considered. Recent research suggests the strongest predictor of community college graduation may be the amount of financial aid received.
An aerial photo of the Carroll campus from summer 2011 showing the new K building. The entrance to the college's conference center, housed in the K building, is on the right. |
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