NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 1 of 65 Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC) Student Support Services (SSS) Project Narrative PROJECT NEED Two-year, public, open-enrollment colleges have historically been very welcoming places where students from many backgrounds can begin their post-secondary education. The community- based nature of these institutions, together with local faculty, small class sizes and strong support systems have often provided the assistance students need to be successful in a college environment. However, as the cost of providing quality higher education has risen dramatically and both federal and state financial support have declined in relation to these costs, many community colleges have been forced to make hard choices about the programs, staff and services they provide. For isolated rural colleges, the past decade has been particularly challenging as they have attempted to balance increasing costs with declining funds at the federal and state levels. All of this has occurred in an environment where students with multiple academic and personal needs are increasingly entering these institutions. The problem to be addressed by this Student Support Services (SSS) project proposal is the lack of an individualized, intrusive advising system to support SSS-eligible students attending a rural, two-year college in northwestern Minnesota, and the need for targeted academic support, career exploration and enrichment opportunities in order to improve the retention, graduation and transfer rates for these students. Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC, Northland College) is a rural, community- based, open-enrollment, two-year college located in the northern-most region of northwestern Minnesota. The surrounding region, which borders North Dakota and Canada, is comprised of
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NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 1 of 65
Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC) Student Support Services (SSS)
Project Narrative
PROJECT NEED Two-year, public, open-enrollment colleges have historically been very welcoming places where
students from many backgrounds can begin their post-secondary education. The community-
based nature of these institutions, together with local faculty, small class sizes and strong support
systems have often provided the assistance students need to be successful in a college
environment.
However, as the cost of providing quality higher education has risen dramatically and both
federal and state financial support have declined in relation to these costs, many community
colleges have been forced to make hard choices about the programs, staff and services they
provide. For isolated rural colleges, the past decade has been particularly challenging as they
have attempted to balance increasing costs with declining funds at the federal and state levels.
All of this has occurred in an environment where students with multiple academic and personal
needs are increasingly entering these institutions.
The problem to be addressed by this Student Support Services (SSS) project proposal is
the lack of an individualized, intrusive advising system to support SSS-eligible students
attending a rural, two-year college in northwestern Minnesota, and the need for targeted
academic support, career exploration and enrichment opportunities in order to improve
the retention, graduation and transfer rates for these students.
Northland Community and Technical College (NCTC, Northland College) is a rural, community-
based, open-enrollment, two-year college located in the northern-most region of northwestern
Minnesota. The surrounding region, which borders North Dakota and Canada, is comprised of
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 2 of 65
sparsely populated, agriculturally-based counties. Total current enrollment at the College is
4083 students, which includes degree-seeking students as well as students seeking diplomas,
certificates and other business-related training. [Source: http://www.northlandcollege.edu]
Northland College began as three distinct institutions, evolving into its present form through a
series of mergers, with the most recent merger occurring in 2003. The College is a member of
the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MnSCU) system, which includes 25 two-year
colleges and 7 four-year state universities. The current campus configuration includes campuses
at Thief River Falls (TRF) and East Grand Forks (EGF), along with satellite offices in Roseau
and Mahnomen, which offer nursing programs and serve business and industry training needs in
the region. The proposed Northland Community and Technical College Student Support
Services Project (NCTC SSS Project) will be coordinated between the TRF and EGF campuses,
which are 50 miles apart, and will serve eligible students on both campuses. Together these two
campuses offer over 30 associate degrees (AS, AA, AAS), with highly respected programs and
instructors in the areas of liberal arts, health sciences, technology and trade occupations.
Articulation and transfer agreements are in place with all the Minnesota State Universities, the
University of Minnesota and the University of North Dakota, as well as many other four-year
The influx of immigrant students has provided an opportunity for Northland College to expand
the diversity of the College. These students, many of whom are refugees or those seeking
asylum from war-torn countries like Sudan and Somalia, bring a rich diversity to the College,
along with substantial academic, financial and other needs. The influx of new immigrants at two-
year institutions in Minnesota is not unexpected, as Minnesota receives the largest portion of
refugees per capita in the United States. [Source: U. S. Department of Health and Human
Services (2006). Office of refugee resettlement report to congress, FY06, retrieved July 19, 2008,
from http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/orr/data/ORR_2006_report.pdf] While the number of
these SSS-eligible, non-citizen students is relatively small, they are most often students with high
financial and academic needs.
Although the region remains predominantly White by ethnic classification, Northland College is
becoming a more diverse institution, particularly as new immigrants and Native Americans have
joined the student body. For the groups of students - African American, Hispanic/Latino, and
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 5 of 65
Native American - that make up the largest portion of Northland College’s underrepresented
population, the poverty rates for these groups in the region’s general population show a
much higher rate than that for the region as a whole, as indicated below.
2000 CENSUS: REGION 1 – NORTHWEST MINNESOTA Income Profile for General Population / Selected Groups
Percent with income in 1999 below the poverty level: African American 25% Native American 34% Hispanic/Latino American 40% NW Minnesota Region 12%
Source: 2000 Census: Region 1 Income Profiles, MnGeo: Minnesota Geospatial Information Office, downloaded from http://www.mngeo.state.mn.us/ on 11/10/2009.
When the low-income data for Northland College students is considered, it shows an even higher
level of financial need, and one that has been increasing in recent years. There has been an
increase in the number of students who apply for financial aid as well as an increase in those
who are awarded aid from 2004 to 2007. Currently, the College serves well over 3,000 Pell
grant-eligible students or Pell grant recipients each year, which means about 80-90% of
Northland College students received some level of financial assistance, as indicated below.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS AT NORTHLAND COLLEGE Percentage of New, Incoming NCTC Students
Who Received Financial Aid Fiscal Year Percent of Total Student Enrollment
2004 83% 2005 85% 2006 85% 2007 90%
Source: MnSCU Accountability Dashboard, retrieved from http://www.mnscu.edu/board/accountability/index.html on 11/29/2009
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 6 of 65
This rate is significantly higher than the MnSCU system-wide rate of 72% of students who
received financial aid or a national rate of 71% for similar colleges and over the same period.
[Source: MnSCU Accountability Dashboard, retrieved from
http://www.mnscu.edu/board/accountability/index.html on 11/29/2009]
Although these numbers include all students at the College, the data indicates that well over 2000
degree-seeking students were eligible and received financial assistance in each of the past three
academic years.
A closer look at data for new incoming students for the past few years indicates that, of the
students who received some level of financial assistance, between 35% and 40% of these
students had the highest financial need and met the SSS low-income guidelines, as indicated
below.
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS AT NORTHLAND COLLEGE Students Who Had the Highest Financial Need *
Academic Year Number of New Students w/High Need (% of All Students Receiving Financial Aid)
* Highest need is defined as having “0” EFC Source: Northland College Financial Aid Office, 2009
These high-need students received the maximum amount of assistance, indicating a “0” EFC
(expected family contribution) on their financial aid applications. This level of financial need is
particularly noteworthy, given the comparatively low cost of attending a community college in
Minnesota: At $147.40 per credit, tuition at Northland College is roughly 40% of the cost to
attend a public university in the State. [Source: Minnesota State Colleges and Universities
FY2009 Undergraduate Tuition and Fees, retrieved from www.mnscu.edu on 11-10-2009]
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 7 of 65
So, while a large majority of students at Northland College are eligible for some financial
assistance, there is also a significant group who have a very high financial need. These are the
students who will be targeted for participation in the NCTC SSS Project.
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS
Students who are first generation college students make up a substantial portion of all students at
Northland College, although the numbers do fluctuate with the economic situation in the
surrounding region. In recent years (2004-2007) the percentage of students who were first
generation ranged from 50-62% for all students, as indicated below.
Source: Northland College Registrar’s Office, 2009.
This compares to 20-24% for all community colleges in the MnSCU system during the same
time period. [Source: MnSCU Accountability Dashboard, data retrieved from
http://accountability.mnscu.edu on 11/29/2009]
When compared to the most recent national figures for community colleges, Northland College
regularly has nearly 25% more first generation students (by percentage) than the national
average of 39% in 2008. [Source: National Association of Community Colleges, retrieved from
http://www.aacc.nche.edu on 11/29/2009]
Years that show a declining first generation student population – as in 2007 – may be more
related to the economic conditions in the region than to a true decline in eligible students in the
population, as evidenced by the low rate of postsecondary training in the general population,
FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENTS AT NORTHLAND COLLEGE First Generation Students As Percentage of Total Students Academic Year Percent of Total Student Population
2004 62% 2005 54% 2006 55% 2007 50%
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 8 of 65
referenced above. Even the lower rates of first generation students in the most recent year listed
above indicate that in FY2007 there were over 2000 first generation students attending
Northland College. In addition, since first generation status is currently a self-identified, self-
reported category for students at the College, it is likely under-reported for incoming and
currently enrolled students.
When combined data for students who come from the underrepresented groups mentioned
previously and who are SSS-eligible, nearly 50% of students at Northland College are
eligible for Project services in recent years, as indicated below.
NORTHLAND COLLEGE STUDENT ENROLLMENT Students Who Are Underrepresented*
Academic Year Student Group Students (% of total enrollment) 2009 Underrepresented 2677 (48%)
Not Underrepresented 1004 (18%) Unknown / Unreported 1920 (34%)
* Underrepresented is defined as the multiple categories of first generation, low-income (based on Pell Grant eligibility and/or students of color. Source: Northland College Registrar’s Office, 2009.
As with preceding numbers for first generation college students, the unknown / unrecorded
number indicates the possibility of an even larger unidentified population of SSS-eligible
students at Northland College.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 9 of 65
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES
Enrollment of students with disabilities at Northland College has tended to follow the general
rise and fall of student enrollment during recent years, with approximately 5% of students
having a documented disability each year during the period 2007-2009. Although the
number of students with reported disabilities is relatively small, the needs these students have are
high, with an average of 50% of students with disabilities being low-income, based on Pell-
grant eligibility over the past five years, as indicated below.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT NORTHLAND COLLEGE Low-income Status for Students with Disabilities
Enrollment Year Percent Low-income* of All Students w/Disabilities
2005 52% 2006 55% 2007 45% 2008 51% 2009 46%
*Low-income is based on Pell grant eligibility Source: Northland College Learning Center records, 2009
A snapshot of data for students with disabilities enrolled at Northland College during 2006-2007
shows a more complete picture of this student population: as a group, students with disabilities
at Northland College have multiple needs and barriers to college success, as indicated below.
STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES AT NORTHLAND COLLEGE Students with Disabilities and Other Needs
Enrolled during FY2006 Student Need Number (% of total)
Total number of students with disabilities 71 Students with disabilities AND low-income 39 (55%) Students with disabilities AND first generation 28 (39%) Students with disabilities AND academic need* 32 (45%) * Academic need defined as low GPA NOTE: 2006 data is the most recent data available through MnSCU system Source: Northland College Learning Center records, 2009
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 10 of 65
The data listed in this section indicate a significant portion of students currently enrolled at
Northland College not only meet the SSS eligibility requirements of first generation college
students, low-income students or students with disabilities, but also may have needs in more than
one of these eligibility categories. The fact that the College currently uses Pell Grant eligibility
to identify low-income status (which applies a higher threshold than taxable income), and that
first generation status is likely underreported, also indicates there may be an even higher level of
need among Northland College students. The purpose of the NCTC SSS Project will be to
identify and select those students in this eligible population who have the highest needs to
participate in the Project.
Academic and Other Problems Faced by Eligible Students
A significant number of students who are first generation, low-income, and/or students with
disabilities come to Northland College with a variety of economic, academic and social needs
that can become barriers to their college success if they cannot access resources and develop
skills to overcome these obstacles. Among the primary barriers faced by eligible students at
Northland College are the following:
A high financial need, including a considerable need for improved financial literacy skills;
A high academic need, as evidenced by the high need for developmental / remedial course
work;
A low rate of retention / persistence, which is reflected in a variety of obstacles that eligible
students face, including a lack of career focus, a lack of knowledge about the college
environment, and social isolation on campus and in the community.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 11 of 65
HIGH FINANCIAL NEED
Although the cost of attending a public, two-year college is relatively low compared to other
postsecondary education options, eligible students who are low-income and/or first
generation often struggle with the responsibility of paying for college and supporting
themselves while attending. Sometimes this is because they are unaware of how to seek out
and receive additional forms of financial assistance, beyond the federal and state programs. This
can be a time-intensive process, particularly for those who are first generation or low-income
students and who have little experience with college processes. In the current configuration of
student support personnel at the College and the priorities they must meet, there is never enough
time to guide every student through an individualized search for additional financial assistance.
The College provides comprehensive information and effective electronic tools to assist students
in their financial aid search, but the Student / Advisor ratio for the College is nearly 500/1. Most
of these tools are intended to be self-directed resources which, in reality, may not be accessible
to eligible students simply because of their lack of experience, knowledge and/or skills in using
computers and computer-based resources. Disadvantaged students often need a much more
guided and personalized approach to researching and applying for additional assistance, and this
is what the NCTC SSS Project is designed to provide.
Sometimes, for students with a high financial need, it may not necessarily be because they
receive insufficient financial assistance, but because many eligible students have not
developed an effective relationship with money, along with the skills needed to budget, save
and plan for upcoming expenses. The majority of students who attend Northland College
receive some financial assistance and most do receive sufficient financial assistance. However,
low-income and first generation college students may not have had the life experiences or family
assistance to learn how to effectively plan for spending, pay their bills and save for unexpected
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 12 of 65
expenses. Starting with the first orientation session, the NCTC SSS Project will incorporate
financial literacy training and resources into the services that all participating students receive.
HIGH ACADEMIC NEED
As an open-enrollment institution, Northland College attracts students who may not have
college-level skills in reading, writing and math. As a result, many students begin their college
education with a need for remedial or developmental college courses, before they are ready to
enroll in college-level coursework.
All new, incoming students at Northland College are required to take a series of assessment tests,
called ACCUPLACER, which identifies any academic developmental needs and makes course
placement recommendations based on those needs. A high percentage of all students at
Northland College are required to complete one or more of these developmental courses before
taking college-level courses in math, English or other subjects. The table below shows both the
high need for academic remediation among incoming students and the rising percentage of
students with academic developmental needs. In 2009, 68% of incoming students were
required to take one or more remedial courses, and of those students, 65% needed two or
more remedial courses, as indicated below.
NORTHLAND COLLEGE REMEDIAL COURSE PLACEMENT Students Required to Complete One or More Developmental Courses
Academic Year
Students w/one or more developmental course
requirements (% of total tested)
Students w/two or more developmental course requirements (% of all
*Success Rate is a combined rate of retained, transferred and graduated. Data shown is for the fourth fall term for entering cohorts. ** Low-income is based on Pell grant eligibility Source: MnSCU Accountability Dashboard, data retrieved from http://accountability.mnscu.edu on 11/29/2009, and the NCTC Office of the Registrar.
First generation and low-income students at Northland College have a success rate up to 15
percentage points lower than all students at the College. This rate is also below all MnSCU
community college students and below the national rate of 55.4% for community college
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 17 of 65
students in the most recent year reported (2003-2004) [Source: The Condition of Education,
National Center for Education Statistics, retrieved from http://nces.ed.gov/programs/coe on
11/19/2009]
Another factor in the low persistence of eligible students at Northland College is a high rate of
these students who do not meet the academic good standing requirements of the College. In
2009, underrepresented students were more than twice as likely as all Northland College students
to not meet the Academic Progress guidelines: 42% as compared to 19%. [Source: Northland
Student Affairs Office]
Currently, retention and transfer data for students with disabilities at Northland College is not
regularly collected or reported separately at either the college or State level, so no reliable data is
available to compare these students’ retention to the larger population of students at Northland
College and within the State. However, the MnSCU system is in the process of developing
report formats that will allow individual colleges, like Northland College, to gather and analyze
this very specific TRIO data for populations of students. As a result, Northland College will be
able to easily track and compare SSS eligible and participating students, and collect the data
needed to track Project outcomes and share information within the College and with the larger
TRIO community.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES
The student data above indicates a substantial need for services among first generation and low-
income students, and students with disabilities at Northland College. To address these needs, the
NCTC SSS Project proposes to develop and implement an Intrusive Advising Program,
with an emphasis on individualized academic and personal support, career planning and social
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 18 of 65
integration. Over the five-year project period, this program will assist a minimum of 140 SSS-
eligible students to complete an associate’s degree and/or transfer to a four-year institution.
The overall goal of the NCTC SSS Project is to improve retention, graduation and
transfer to 4-year colleges for eligible students by implementing an individualized,
intrusive and pro-active advising and academic support system, with an emphasis on
academic support, comprehensive career planning, and social integration opportunities.
The following performance, process and outcome objectives are designed to accomplish this
overall Project goal, to address the purposes of the Student Support Services Program and to
facilitate the success of eligible students at Northland College.
ELIGIBLE STUDENTS SERVED:
OBJECTIVE 1: The NCTC SSS Project will identify, enroll and assist a minimum of 140
eligible students with high academic need during the project period.
In order to provide the intrusive services described in this proposal and to successfully build
this new program, the Project will identify and enroll 140 eligible students during the first
year of the project period, and will maintain the minimum target of 140 participating students
in each year of the project period. This targeted group of students will be selected from those
SSS-eligible students who have the highest academic and personal needs. High academic
need will be defined as students who need two (2) or more remedial courses upon enrolling
in the College. Eligible students with high academic need who are undecided about their
college major or career plans will also be targeted for participation in the Project.
The project will serve a minimum of two-thirds of these students (93 students) who are both
low-income and first generation college students, and a minimum of 15 students (11%) with
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 19 of 65
disabilities. One-third of the students with disabilities served will also be low-income.
This objective is ambitious: The students selected for participation in the NCTC SSS
Project will be those students with the highest academic and personal needs, and with
multiple barriers to success at the College.
This objective is attainable: In recent years, an average of 40% or more of students at
Northland College have met the low-income requirements for the Project and an average of
50% or more have been first generation college students. In addition, over 50% of new,
incoming students meet the Project standard for high academic need. Although students with
disabilities make up only 5% of the student population at the College, 50% of those are low-
income and have other barriers to college success, so the Project will be able to identify and
select those students with the highest need from the eligible population to participate in the
Project.
STUDENT PERSISTENCE:
OBJECTIVE 2: Fifty-five percent (55%) of all participants served by the NCTC SSS Project
will persist from one academic year to the beginning of the next academic year or will
graduate and/or transfer from a 2-year to a 4-year institution during the academic year.
Since low retention / persistence is one of the primary obstacles faced by eligible students at
Northland College, Project resources will be focused on providing assistance to participating
students through an Intrusive Advising Program (IAProgram). Each participating student
will have an assigned advisor, who will work intensively and pro-actively to make sure that
student is connected to the services and resources needed to be successful. SSS Advisors
will closely monitor each student’s academic progress and will meet with students regularly
to help them plan and achieve their academic and personal goals. Specific strategies and
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 20 of 65
targeted resources will be identified for each student – in collaboration with that student –
and SSS Advisors will provide guided access and assistance to ensure students remain in
school.
This objective is ambitious: The IAProgram is a new model for the College and represents a
shift in how advisors interact with students, faculty and other College services. The Project
will be at the forefront of implementing this model and informing the College community
about the effectiveness of intrusive advising for disadvantaged students. In addition, this
persistence objective approaches that for all students at the College.
This objective is attainable: The Student / Advisor ratio for the Project will be seven times
lower than that for other students in the College (70/1 as compared 492/1). This level of
attention for each student, combined with the other dedicated Project staff time, resources
and integration activities, will significantly improve the environment of support for these
students.
STUDENT ACADEMIC STANDING:
OBJECTIVE 3: Sixty percent (60%) of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS
Project will meet the performance level required to stay in good academic standing at
Northland College.
SSS Advisors will work closely with students, their instructors and Learning Services on
each campus to make sure students receive the academic support they need to make academic
progress and stay in good academic standing at the College. The College Early Alert system
will be used pro-actively (rather than the current voluntary system) to identify barriers and
problems before students are in danger of not meeting the academic standards. SSS
Academic Support Specialists will provide academic support, including supplemental
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 21 of 65
instruction, along with referral to other Learning Services for any special needs or for
disability services.
This objective is ambitious: Eligible students are more than twice as likely to not meet the
College’s Academic Progress policy than for all students at the College. Due to a lack of
knowledge about College resources, they may be less likely to access Learning Services,
appeals and other procedures to recover their academic good standing and remain in school.
This objective is attainable: The intrusive advising process includes early alerts and close
monitoring, along with preventative assistance and intervention to help students before they
get into academic difficulties. Project staff will guide participating students to the targeted
resources they need and will advocate for students within the College.
GRADUATION AND TRANSFER:
OBJECTIVE 4: Thirty percent (30%) of new participants served each year will graduate with
an associate’s degree or certificate within four (4) years.
AND
OBJECTIVE 5: Forty-five percent (45%) of new participants served each year will transfer
with an associate’s degree or certificate within four (4) years.
As indicated above, the combined graduation and transfer rate for eligible students at the
College are between six (6) and fifteen (15) percentage points below those for all Northland
College students and for MnSCU community college students as a whole. A complex set of
factors is involved in describing why students fail to graduate or transfer, but the NCTC SSS
Project will implement services and activities that have been shown to have a positive effect
on the success rate of students. As part of the IAProgram, students will be referred to
specific resources targeted to their needs, including a Career Success course, transfer college
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 22 of 65
visits, guided access to online tools and resources, in addition to the academic advising and
support that will be the cornerstone of the Project.
This objective is ambitious: The graduation and transfer objectives of the Project exceed the
current rates for eligible students and approach the rates for non-eligible students at all
MnSCU institutions.
This objective is attainable: The Project will provide a set of resources and services,
customized to each student’s needs, in an intensive advising and support environment. By
personalizing the services for each participant, the aim will be to diminish existing barriers
and improve graduation and transfer for participating students.
ACADEMIC ADVISING AND CAREER GUIDANCE:
OBJECTIVE 6: One hundred percent (100%) of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC
SSS Project will receive Intrusive Advising services.
The IAProgram is at the core of the services and resources the Project will provide to
students. This model, which is described in more detail in the Plan of Operation, is a
comprehensive advising model that emphasizes direct, pro-active and preventative contact
with students to ensure they are making academic progress and have the skills and resources
necessary to be successful in college.
This objective is ambitious: Participating students will receive a level of services that
represents a new model for the College. Project staff will provide comprehensive and
individualized advising and support to each Project participant, in a way that other students at
the College do not have available.
This objective is attainable: The advising ratio within the Project will be 70/1, which is
seven times lower than the ratio for all students at the College. In addition to the SSS
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 23 of 65
Advisors, the Project Director and SSS Academic Support Specialists will also provide
direction and academic support to participants, all of which will facilitate and strengthen the
support for participating students.
OBJECTIVE 7: Thirty percent (30%) of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS
Project will successfully complete the SSS Career Success class each year.
The NCTC SSS Project will sponsor a college-level, one-credit, Career Success course for
participating students that will focus on the skills and resources needed to be successful in
college, within the context of career exploration and planning. This course will be taught on
both the TRF and EGF campuses by the two SSS Advisors, and will be offered exclusively and
at no charge to participating students. In addition to career exploration and career planning
content, the course will incorporate the resources available in the GPS LifePlan (described in the
next section), and will include information on budgeting and other financial literacy skills.
Although the College currently has a student success course, it is not offered regularly due to low
enrollment, and not at all on the EGF campus, so the SSS Career Success course will fill a gap
for these eligible students who have the highest need.
This objective is ambitious: The existing student success course at the College is not
offered regularly or at all, so the Project-sponsored Career Success course will be an effort to
encourage enrollment and to track student outcomes associated with successful completion of
the class.
This objective is attainable: The Career Success course will be offered as a college-level
course at no cost to participating students and enrollments will come through the assessment
and advising processes designed for eligible students.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 24 of 65
FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE:
OBJECTIVE 8: One hundred percent (100%) of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC
SSS Project will receive sufficient financial assistance, along with guidance and planning to
improve financial literacy skills.
Most of the students at Northland College receive some level of financial assistance,
however the SSS Advisors will work individually with students on two complementary
approaches. The first will be to assist participating students in applying for financial aid,
while helping them to connect to College and other resources that will maximize their
financial assistance and reduce their loan burdens. The second will be to work with students
to improve their financial literacy and ability to plan and meet their expenses within the
financial resources they have available. Project staff will work closely with the College
Financial Aid office to ensure that students have researched and accessed all their
opportunities for assistance and will track student aid applications and awards over time.
This objective is ambitious: The students who will participate in the Project will be those
with the highest needs, including the need for financial assistance and effective money
management skills.
This objective is attainable: The intensive advising model described in this proposal will
provide the staff time and resources needed to assist each participating student with financial
aid and financial planning for college.
SOCIAL INTEGRATION AND CULTURAL OPPORTUNITIES:
OBJECTIVE 9: Forty percent (40%) of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS
Project will participate in Project-sponsored activities designed to enhance cultural
awareness and social integration.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 25 of 65
Participating students’ connection with the College and with other students will be enhanced
by a variety of cultural and social activities sponsored by the Project. A total of ten (10)
activities or events will be sponsored each year for participating students. These activities
will be designed with involvement of participating students and will include such things as
on-campus speakers, cultural events and trips, social events and community service activities,
among others. Together these activities will be deliberately planned to draw participating
students into the life of the College.
This objective is ambitious: The College sponsors student life activities for all students;
however, participation is very low – 21% as measured by a recent survey – which is typical
for community colleges. [Source: Building Futures Together, Self-Study for the Higher
Learning Commission of the North Central Association, NCTC, 2007-2009] So, Project-
sponsored activities will be an attempt to closely match activities with students’ interests,
while providing opportunities for exploration and learning new skills.
This objective is attainable: Project activities will be planned with input from participating
students and students will be encouraged to attend in connection with their involvement in
other Project activities, such as advising and the SSS Career Success class.
PLAN OF OPERATION Plan to Inform the Institutional Community
Planning for the proposed NCTC SSS Project has been underway since early 2009 with a team
of College professionals from both campuses (TRF and EGF) working to identify the most
critical student needs, define Project goals and inform the college community about the grant
opportunity and TRIO / Student Support Services program requirements. The project planning
team includes professional and administrative staff from both campuses:
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 26 of 65
Dean of Student Development (TRF Campus)
Dean of Student Services (EGF Campus)
College Registrar (TRF Campus)
Director of Learning Center Services (TRF Campus)
Student Success Coordinators (TRF and EGF Campuses)
Counselors (TRF and EGF Campuses)
Planning has also included significant input and authorization from the Financial Aid Office
and the College President’s Office, as the Project has taken shape. In addition, information has
been shared in consultation with other existing TRIO Projects in the State.
Once the Project is implemented, NCTC SSS Project staff will hold key roles in the Student
Affairs division, both in policy-influencing roles and as student advocates. By providing
support and services to the most at-risk students at the College, SSS staff will be in a
position to provide valuable information about the needs of eligible students and to inform
the development of effective policy and procedure for all students. Project staff will work
closely with the Dean of Student Development on the TRF campus, the Dean of Student Services
on the EGF campus and the other members of the Student Affairs group to advocate for eligible
students. They will also act as a resource team to provide information for a variety of College
committees, including the Developmental Education, Academic Improvement, Behavioral
Intervention, Retention and Diversity committees, among others. In addition, part of their work
will include providing information about Project activities at employee in-service training
sessions and faculty meetings, so the wider college community gains an understanding of the
issues affecting eligible students.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 27 of 65
INFORMATION DISSEMINATION TO ELIGIBLE STUDENTS Northland College has a broad plan for marketing its program offerings, recruiting student
prospects and informing schools and other community organizations about the College.
Although no Project funds will be used to recruit students, the NCTC SSS Project will be
able to take full advantage of these existing marketing options to inform prospective students
about the Project, with targeted outreach to Native American communities and other
community organizations that serve underrepresented populations. In addition to
established relationships with media outlets, college fairs and regional secondary schools, the
College has recently begun to develop a comprehensive social media presence on web sites like
Facebook, Twitter, Flickr and YouTube in an attempt to attract a diverse student body and foster
a more level playing field of access and information about the College. Another focus of the
College’s marketing plan is to develop an effective internal communications network, so
faculty and Student Affairs staff can receive early notice about prospective students and can be
aware of their needs.
Currently-enrolled students at the College will also learn about the Project through flyers, notices
and brochures posted on campus, as well as through activities sponsored by the Project and other
student organizations, such as the Multicultural/All Nations and Veterans clubs, and the Student
Senate.
The Plan to Identify, Select, and Retain Project Participants
Through the College’s marketing and information channels described above, eligible students
may learn about the NCTC SSS Project before their enrollment in the College. Admissions staff
will have information about the Project and will communicate with Project staff to make sure
prospective eligible students’ questions are answered and their needs met prior to enrollment.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 28 of 65
Once accepted for enrollment at the College, all new, incoming students and some transfer
students are required to take a series of assessment tests, called ACCUPLACER. The
assessment, which includes math and reading components, is not used to make admission
decisions, but rather is used to ensure that students will develop the academic skills necessary
to be successful with their college-level curriculum. The test results determine which courses
are appropriate for new students and whether developmental/remedial classes are needed. Based
on these recommendations, students may be enrolled in one or more of the following courses:
Critical Reading Skills; Fundamentals of English; Math Foundations; or developmental Algebra
courses (for some math-intensive majors). ACCUPLACER presents the tests in a computer-
adaptive mode and special testing accommodations are available for students with disabilities.
At the time of testing, students are also surveyed about a variety of issues and questions
regarding SSS eligibility and support needs will be added to this initial survey, so eligible
students will be effectively identified directly after their enrollment at the College.
The ACCUPLACER assessment results, along with SSS eligibility and needs information from
the survey, will be used to identify a pool of eligible students who have high academic need. For
the NCTC SSS Project, high academic need will be defined as those students who are placed
in two or more developmental courses as a result of the ACCUPLACER assessment. From
this pool, those eligible students who have the highest academic and/or personal and career
exploration needs will be selected for participation in the Project.
Although all new incoming students at the College have optional access to an Online Orientation
session, those students who are selected for the Project will also attend a mandatory SSS
orientation session where they will learn about the services and resources offered by the Project.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 29 of 65
The SSS orientation session will include the following:
Students will first meet their assigned SSS Advisor and begin a more extensive
assessment of their individual needs, using a nationally-normed survey tool, the College
Student Inventory (CSI) ™;
Information on financial aid opportunities and financial literacy will be presented in a
budget workshop, along with an introduction to the skills and information needed for
students to be effective money managers during their college experience;
Faculty members who teach the developmental courses will be available at each
orientation session, so students can meet and get to know their instructors before the start
of classes. These instructors are among the most student success-oriented faculty at the
College and will be able to provide SSS students with a welcoming and challenging
introduction to college work.
The Intrusive Advising Program at the core of the Project, is based on a strong Student / Advisor
relationship, so the SSS orientation session will be more than an information giving / information
gathering event; it will be the foundation on which students’ connection to the College will be
built and the starting point of their college experience.
The Plan for Assessing Participant Need and Monitoring Academic Progress
In addition to the ACCUPLACER assessment and SSS Orientation session described above, SSS
Advisors will employ the Intrusive Advising Program model to work individually and
intensively with participating students starting early in the first semester, identifying barriers and
planning specific strategies and resources for students to use, along with a personalized
assessment of needs with each student.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 30 of 65
INTRUSIVE ADVISING
The cornerstone of the NCTC SSS Project will be a coordinated, technology-supported
Intrusive Advising Program (IAProgram) for participating SSS students. As a model,
Intrusive Advising emphasizes intentional, preventative contact with students, combined with
early academic alerts, close monitoring of student progress and individualized academic, career
and personal planning.
Although Intrusive Advising is a new model for Northland College, there is substantial evidence
that suggests it can be a significant retention tool, particularly for at-risk students, who often may
not know how to handle unexpected situations that come up in the college environment.
Research has suggested that one of the key factors in student persistence and academic
success is regular, productive contact with a significant person at the college, particularly
when that person both understands the challenges these students face and also has access to
resources and information that can be targeted to meet individual student needs. [Sources:
Intrusive Advising, Jennifer Varney, Hesser College, retrieved from www.mam.msstate.edu on
11/10/2009. Advising At-Risk Students in College and University Settings, Dana Heisserer, et.
al., College Student Journal, March 2002, Vol. 36, Issue 1, retrieved from
http://search.ebscohost.com/ on 11/10/2009]
This is exactly what the NCTC SSS Project IAProgram will be designed to do.
Among the most critical needs for SSS-eligible students at Northland College is the low
retention/persistence rate compared to non-SSS-eligible students. Evidence shows this low
retention rate is often directly related to a lack of career focus and lack of connection to the
college community. Further, a multi-year study sponsored by ACT encourages two-year
colleges to: “Take an integrated approach in retention efforts that incorporates both academic
and nonacademic factors into the design and development of programs to create a socially inclusive
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 31 of 65
and supportive academic environment that addresses the social, emotional, and academic needs of
students.” [Source: What Works In Student Retention? – Two-Year Public Colleges, ACT, Inc.,
2004, retrieved from http://www.act.org on 11/23/2009]
The NCTC SSS Project IAProgram is designed to be this kind of integrated system. SSS
Advisors will assess and address these and other student needs from the time students first enter
the College and enroll in the Project until they graduate or transfer. It will be both the entry
point and the on-going foundation for all the services and resources available for SSS-
participating students, including both SSS-sponsored services and those targeted services
available at the College and in the community. The NCTC SSS advising program will act as a
personalized clearinghouse for eligible students, firmly anchored in a strong Student /
Advisor relationship. It will include regular, intentional contact with each participating student
during his/her enrollment at the College. Students will have guided access to a comprehensive
set of services and resources, including technology-supported resources and curriculum, along
with personal assistance in navigating all the requirements of college life.
Key components of the Intrusive Advising Program (IAProgram) include:
Early assessment of academic and personal needs. In addition to the ACCUPLACER
recommendations and new student survey, SSS Advisors will use the Noel Levitz
College Student Inventory (CSI) ™ to further identify – with each student - the kinds of
resources and services that will be most effective.
Online College Orientation in conjunction with a mandatory, formal orientation to the
SSS Program (described above).
An assigned SSS Advisor for each participating student, who will provide intensive,
personalized academic advising and support. SSS Advisors will use a variety of College
and MnSCU tools with students (described below) to monitor academic progress, plan
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 32 of 65
for degree completion and transfer, and connect students to the resources they need to
succeed.
Financial aid assistance plus training in and resources for financial literacy. Project staff
will complete a financial aid verification on all participating students and will use the
resources of the College’s Financial Aid Office to ensure participating students have
access to all the financial aid opportunities available to them.
Targeted referral to NCTC SSS Project services, College services and other resources,
such as:
Personal counseling, utilizing the institutional Counselors at the College;
Academic tutoring and supplemental instruction, utilizing SSS Academic Support
Specialists and other Learning Services resources;
Financial Aid assistance in coordination with the College’s Financial Aid Office;
SSS Career Success course, which also incorporates training in financial literacy
skills, personal planning and leadership skills;
Transfer assistance, including Project-sponsored transfer visits to four-year
institutions and the u.select web-based tool;
Project-sponsored social integration and cultural activities to foster relationships
with other students, as well as social integration with the College and within the
surrounding community.
The Plan to Provide Services that Address Project Objectives
The NCTC SSS Project will provide an array of intensive services to participating students
within the IAProgram described above, all designed to promote student persistence, graduation
and transfer to four-year institutions.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 33 of 65
TECHNOLOGY-SUPPORTED TOOLS TO ENHANCE INTRUSIVE ADVISING
In an effort to improve the quality of advising information that participating students will receive
in the IAProgram, the NCTC SSS Project will employ a variety of online and web-based tools
for participating students and their SSS Advisors to use. Together, these electronic tools -
Online Orientation, GPS LifePlan, DARS and u.select (all described in the sections below) –
provide personalized, targeted information for students and have several important benefits,
particularly for eligible students:
They provide current, comprehensive and just-in-time information that both students and
their SSS Advisors can use to assist eligible students with academic and personal
planning;
Because the information is available in an interactive, electronic format, it allows
students to “revisit” the information discussed during an individual advising session,
track their own progress and prepare questions for the next meeting with their advisors;
The comprehensive nature of the information actually reduces routine preparation time
for SSS Advisors and allows more time to be spent directly interacting with students,
addressing their questions and needs.
ORIENTATION AND NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Beginning when eligible students first complete the ACCUPLACER assessment, the Project will
coordinate and provide a series of orientation and assessment activities designed to give Project
participants a strong start in their college experience. Once eligible students with high academic
need are selected for participation in the Project, they will attend a formal, mandatory SSS
Orientation session. In addition to the components already described for this session, the Project
will also employ an online orientation module developed by the College.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 34 of 65
The NCTC Online Orientation offers participants the chance to learn about the services at
NCTC in a web-based format. The Orientation provides answers to common new student
questions, guidance, and works as a reference point for access to information at any time.
Students may visit the online orientation as often as needed. The Online Orientation is an
optional, recommended feature for all students at Northland College, but will be incorporated
into the mandatory SSS Orientation session, so all participating students will receive this
orientation to the College, in addition to the SSS Program orientation described in detail above.
Once participants have been assigned to their advisors, SSS Advisors will meet with each
participating student to begin a more detailed assessment of that student’s needs. SSS Advisors
will use the Noel Levitz College Student Inventory (CSI) ™, an online assessment and
reporting tool, to assist in this process. The CSI™ is a 20-minute, motivational assessment –
completed either during the SSS Orientation or at the first individual advising session - that asks
students to respond to key items related to their academic motivation and receptivity to
assistance. From the inventory results, Project staff will have access to reports that detail areas
of strength and challenge, including specific recommendations for connecting participating
students with programs and services that will foster their success. [Source:
https://www.noellevitz.com] It is critical that students start out with the right resources and
support if they are to succeed; the CSI™ inventory and reporting features will assist SSS
Advisors to quickly target what individual students may need, so participants and their advisors
can use this information to better plan success strategies for each student.
ACADEMIC ADVISING AND SUPPORT
The Student / Advisor relationship is the foundation of the academic advising, monitoring and
support the Project will provide to participating students. SSS Advisors will monitor student
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 35 of 65
academic progress, track degree completion and make referrals to appropriate support as they
work closely with each student.
Northland College has defined an Early Alert Process where faculty can forward alerts to
advisors on individual students who are not attending class, not completing assigned work, or not
making adequate academic progress. This process is currently a voluntary one at the College;
however, SSS Advisors will make sure the process is used in a very intentional and preventative
manner by contacting faculty regularly about participating students. These pro-active contacts
will give advisors an early notice, so any needed academic support can be arranged.
The Project will employ two, part-time SSS Academic Support Specialists to provide academic
tutoring, supplemental instruction and coordination with all the other Learning Services provided
at the College. One SSS Academic Support Specialist will be available on each of the campuses
(TRF and EGF) for 10 hours each week, for a total of 20 hours per week, to work exclusively
with Project participants. In addition to providing specific academic support for individual
participants, SSS Academic Support Specialists will coordinate with Learning Services staff and
faculty to ensure that participating students receive the additional support they might need,
including classroom accommodations and adaptive equipment for participating students with
disabilities.
SSS Advisors will also work closely with participants to monitor their progress toward degree
completion and transfer, and will teach students how to track their own progress and research
transfer opportunities. To plan and track progress, both SSS Advisors and participants will make
use of Project-sponsored activities, as well as technology-supported tools and other resources
available through the MnSCU system.
The Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS), developed by the University of Miami, Ohio, is
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 36 of 65
a computer-based tool currently available for all students at Northland College and will be one of
the advising tools used in the IAProgram. DARS is designed to help students identify and
understand their current academic requirements for degree or program completion and track their
progress towards their educational goals. It is a complete record of each student’s academic
issues, from initial course placement testing (ACCUPLACER) to articulation and transfer
scenarios. The system identifies all the requirements needed to complete a student’s program of
study, indicating which Northland College courses and any transfer courses have already been
completed and how these courses fulfill program requirements, along with specifying what still
needs to be accomplished. [Source: http://www.dars.muohio.edu/AboutDARS.html]
Although the system is currently used to allow Northland students to self-monitor and even self-
advise, DARS will be used by SSS Advisors and their students in a much more intentional
manner to track progress and identify issues or barriers before they threaten a student’s
academic good standing at the College.
Because the DARS system provides such complete academic information and tracking, it will
allow SSS Advisors much more time to work directly with students on the academic issues that
are most critical for each student. In addition, because the DARS information is readily
available in an electronic format that both student and advisor can access, the system facilitates a
much more personalized and collaborative approach to working with participating students.
The MnSCU system has designated a core of 40 credits of liberal arts courses in ten (10) goal
areas - called the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum (MnTC) – that will transfer among all the
MnSCU colleges and universities. [Source: http://www.mntransfer.org] By completing this set of
courses, students are able to satisfy the core of lower division liberal arts courses for most four-
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 37 of 65
year degrees. The MnTC facilitates transfer between Minnesota colleges, even when students
must transfer before completing an AA or AS degree, for academic or personal reasons.
The Project will also support participating students’ transfer planning by offering five (5)
transfer visits to four-year universities each year, so students can actually tour the campus,
talk with students and faculty, and learn about academic and non-academic programs at the
college. These visits will typically be to four-year institutions within 100-150 miles of the
College, such as the University of Minnesota-Crookston, Bemidji State University, Minnesota
State University-Moorhead, University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University.
Participants and their SSS Advisors will also be able to use online searches and virtual campus
visits to assist with transfer planning. u.select is a multi-state, web-based transfer information
system that provides fast, accurate course and credit transfer information to students and their
advisors. The u.select system helps students make plans for transfer and even explore “what if”
scenarios as they investigate a variety of transfer institutions. Students can obtain information
about four-year colleges, including course descriptions and equivalencies, along with student
services information, while maintaining a personal electronic "degree audit" with courses and
grades they have earned.
As with the DARS system, this tool will not be used as simply a “self-advising” tool, but rather
u.select will be used by SSS Advisors and participating students – in conjunction with
Project-sponsored transfer visits and other resources - to collaboratively and proactively
plan for transfer opportunities. [Source: http://www.northlandcollege.edu/services/advisors]
So, within the IAProgram, early academic alerts systems, close monitoring of academic progress
and degree completion, and personalized academic support, along with transfer planning and
activities will all contribute to an environment of success and support for participating students.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 38 of 65
FINANCIAL AID ASSISTANCE
Beginning during the SSS Orientation session, Project staff will focus on assisting students with
financial aid and in learning the skills needed for financial literacy. All participating students
will have their financial aid applications verified, in coordination with the College’s Financial
Aid Office, so participants and Project staff can make sure they have applied for and received all
the assistance available to them. SSS Advisors will work individually with participants, using
online scholarship searches and the FinancePlan unit in the GPS LifePlan resources (described in
the next section), to help them research options for assistance and learn the budgeting and
planning skills needed to effectively manage their financial resources, pay for college and
support themselves while they attend.
CAREER EXPLORATION AND DECISION-MAKING
Because student persistence is closely correlated to students having clear academic and career
goals, the Project will sponsor a college-level, one-credit Career Success course for participants
who are undecided about their career and academic plans. Recent studies indicate a positive
correlation between students’ persistence and their participation in a student success-type
course. Beyond the value of the course curriculum, the study showed that, during a semester-
long experience, students develop relationships with each other and with key college personnel,
while developing “information networks” with these people; and it is these networks that seem to
be an important mechanism for increasing integration and persistence. The course acts as a
catalyst for these important relationships and helps students better integrate into the academic
and social life in the college. [Source: Making Sure They Don’t Check Out: Encouraging student
persistence through information and support, Melinda Mechur Karp, Community College
Research Center, May 2008, Retrieved from http://ccrc.tc.columbia.edu on 11/14/2009 and
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 39 of 65
Student Success Courses in the Community College: An Exploratory Study of Student
Perspectives, Laura O’Gara, et.al., Community College Review, vol. 36(3), 2008]
The SSS Career Success course will assist students with personal, financial and academic
decision-making in the context of career exploration and planning. The course will incorporate
content from a variety of sources, including the GPS LifePlan online resource that SSS Advisors
will also draw upon during individual advising sessions.
The GPS LifePlan is a comprehensive online tool for students and their advisors to use
collaboratively to plan and track progress toward academic, career, financial and personal goals.
The GPS LifePlan is an individualized and highly interactive program, so each student’s
experience will be unique and tailored to his or her specific needs, as identified by SSS Advisors
in consultation with participating students. The NCTC SSS Project will pilot this innovative
system of resources and instruction at Northland College for participating students.
The five component units of the program include:
GPS Component / Unit GPS Component Content and Resources
CareerPlan Assessment and exploration of career interests and skills, including exploration of wage information, budgeting strategies, targeted goal setting and job search skills.
EducationPlan Goal setting for college transfer and educational success, including strategies for first generation college students, study skills and time management.
FinancePlan Strategies for budgeting, financing education costs, debt management and saving for the future.
LeadershipPlan
Assessment of leadership styles and resources for learning about leadership opportunities, ethical leadership, social responsibility and the global community.
PersonalPlan Strategies for making personal transitions, staying healthy and building safe and healthy relationships.
Source: GPS LifePlan – Getting Started, retrieved from http://www.gpslifeplan.org/mnonline/, Minnesota Online / MnSCU on 11/12/2009.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 40 of 65
Participating students will use the GPS LifePlan online tool in consultation with their SSS
Advisors and in the SSS Career Success course, but will also have on-going, any-time access to
the tool while they are enrolled at the College. In particular, the FinancePlan unit will be used in
the course and during advising to assist participating students in learning and practicing financial
literacy skills.
SOCIAL INTEGRATION ACTIVITIES
Building on the welcoming and supportive climate established in the orientation activities, the
IAProgram model and the Career Success course, the Project will also develop and offer a
variety of social and cultural activities for Project participants. The goal for these activities will
be to both expand participants’ cultural and intellectual horizons, and to foster a sense of
ownership and belonging in the college community.
Each year, ten (10) social integration activities will be offered, with events scheduled on both the
TRF and EGF campuses. To the extent possible, participating students will be involved in
planning, implementing and leading these activities, so they will be high-interest events for
participants. Listed below are a few examples of these social integration activities:
Cultural immersion trips to museums, theatre or dance performances, film festivals, art
galleries and Native American pow wows;
Special topic workshops on subjects like entrepreneurship, stress management,
organizational skills and money management;
Community service activities like Earth Day cleanup, voter registration drive and Día del
Niños Community Service day;
Social events, such as Valentines Sweetheart Ball, skiing trips and movie nights.
The academic and personal support resources described above will be selected and designed by
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 41 of 65
the NCTC SSS Project, with input from participating students, to meet the most critical needs of
eligible and participating students, and to foster their college success.
The Plan for Project Management and Coordination ORGANIZATIONAL PLACEMENT OF THE PROJECT
The NCTC SSS Project will operate as a branch under the Student Affairs division of the
College. The Project Director will be located on the TRF campus and will report directly to the
Dean of Student Development. Other Project staff will report to the Project Director, as
indicated in the organizational chart on page 42. Although the SSS Project Director will be
supervised on a daily-basis by the Dean of Student Development on the TRF campus, the Project
will have combined direction from the Dean of Student Development and the Dean of Student
Services, who is located on the EGF campus. The two Student Affairs Deans have a close and
collaborative working relationship and are in daily contact about a variety of issues that effect
students. Because the Project will be coordinated between two campuses, daily activities -
including questions and local procedures on the EGF campus - may be handled by the Dean of
Student Services there. In addition, SSS Academic Support Specialists will receive some
supervision and coordination from the Director of Learning Services, who directs the tutoring
and supplemental instruction services on both campuses. However, the Project Director and the
two supervising Deans will oversee all Project work.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 42 of 65
NOTE: The organizational chart has been modified to show only the reporting and supervisory relationships for the Project within the Student Affairs; it does not represent other, collaborative or referral relationships that will support Project activities within Student Affairs and among all the divisions in the College.
NCTC College President
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
Dean of Student Development (TRF campus)
Dean of Student Services
(EGF campus)
NCTC SSS Project Director
(TRF campus)
SSS Academic Support
Specialist (TRF campus)
SSS Advisor/Success
Coordinator (TRF campus)
SSS Advisor/Success
Coordinator (EGF campus)
SSS Academic Support
Specialist (EGF campus)
Director of Learning Services
(TRF campus)
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 43 of 65
NCTC SSS Project staff will have the authority, supervisory support and collaborative
relationships within the College organizational structure to effectively administer the Project and
provide support services to Project participants.
TIME COMMITMENT OF KEY PROJECT STAFF
All professional staff employed by the NCTC SSS Project will have 100% of their time
dedicated to working with the Project and with participating students. This includes the full-time
Project Director and the two (2), full-time SSS Advisors / Student Success Coordinators. One
SSS Advisor will be located on each of the two campuses (TRF and EGF) and will work directly
with participating students. The Project Director will coordinate Project work between the two
campuses, under the support of the Dean of Student Development on the TRF campus and the
Dean of Student Services on the EGF campus. A portion of the Project Director’s time (10%)
will be allocated to the formative evaluation of the Project, including data management and
reporting. Although the SSS Academic Support Specialists will be part-time (10 hours / week on
each campus), this allocated time will be clearly dedicated to working with participating
students. As with all SSS Project staff, each SSS Academic Support Specialist will be
responsible to track time, tasks and outcomes for each of the participating students they assist.
FINANCIAL AND RECORDS MANAGEMENT
Project staff will work closely with other staff in the Student Affairs division and the Office of
the Registrar to coordinate services for eligible students and maintain accurate enrollment and
other records for the Project. In addition, the Project will utilize the College’s Administrative
and Business Services, as well as assistance from the Information Technology division to ensure
that data collection and financial records are complete and accurate and that grant requirements
and deadlines are met. The Project will use a database recordkeeping system called
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 44 of 65
StudentAccess-SSS™, developed by Heiberg Consulting and designed specifically for TRIO
programs to record Project data. [See: http://www.studentaccess.com/products/SSS.aspx] This
comprehensive tool will allow Project staff to devote more staff time to direct student contact
and provide a rich set of data for reports and Project evaluation. The cost of this software,
including implementation costs, will be supported by Northland College.
StudentAccess-SSS™ will enable the Project to:
Record student advising and tutoring contacts;
Tally participation in Project-sponsored classes, events and activities;
Record and organize student requests, comments, and feedback;
Monitor academic plans and performance;
Generate Annual Performance Reports (APR) and identify missing data elements;
Produce customized reports for the Project and the College;
Generate emails and letters to Project participants regarding college policies, important
dates, deadlines, events, etc.
The Project Director and SSS Advisors will also have access to the DARS degree audit system
(described above) and the MnSCU Integrated State Record System (ISRS) to assist with record–
keeping and management of student information. ISRS is a comprehensive institutional database
that includes complete academic and financial aid information on all MnSCU students. This
system will also provide data that can be used for comparative analysis of Project outcomes.
In addition, Northland College has policies in place that effectively govern student data privacy
and records retention, so Project records will be both secure and confidential.
COORDINATION WITH OTHER PROGRAMS FOR DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS The intent of the NCTC SSS Project is to make effective use of all the resources available at the
College to assist participating students. To that end, Project staff will coordinate closely with the
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 45 of 65
Learning Services Centers and other initiatives serving disadvantaged students on each campus
to ensure that participating students receive the disability and other academic support services
they need to succeed. SSS Academic Support Specialists will work with the Learning Services
staff to refer participating students for specific content tutoring, disability accommodations,
adaptive equipment or Limited English Language Proficiency services, as needed. In addition,
SSS Advisors will coordinate with College Counselors and refer participating students who may
need personal counseling or more individualized career counseling. The College also has Adult
Basic Education (ABE) programs located on both the TRF and EGF campuses and these services
will be available to participating students for targeted academic skill improvement.
INSTITUTIONAL COMMITMENT
College Resources
Northland College has a strong commitment to support the NCTC SSS Project and the needs of
eligible, participating students. Project staff positions are placed within the professional and
administrative bargaining units at the College and will have the support of these professional
organizations. Project staff will be housed within the Student Affairs division and the Learning
Centers on both the TRF and EGF campuses. The College will furnish Project staff with
computers with Internet access, printer access and other communication tools, such as video
conferencing, which will enhance the coordination between the TRF and EGF campuses. The
College will also supply the office furniture and supplies needed to accomplish Project
objectives.
Northland College will support the licensing and implementation of the StudentAccess-
SSS™ database software for the Project to use as its primary record-keeping system, in
order to ensure that Project records will support the necessary annual performance reports
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 46 of 65
required by the US Department of Education, as well as customized reports for the college
community.
In addition, a wide range of College and MnSCU resources and services will be available to the
Project and participating students at no additional cost to the Project. These include the GPS
LifePlan collaborative planning tool that participating students and their SSS Advisors are able
to use. The College has agreed to waive tuition for the Project-sponsored Career Success, so
participating students can take the course at no cost. Institutional Counselors will be available
for targeted referral of participating students who need personal counseling. During advising
sessions and in the SSS Career Success course, students who need career exploration will also
have access to the Kuder Interest Inventory. Institutional Counselors will also be available to
these students for interpretation of the Inventory and for individualized career counseling. The
cost of these inventories and their interpretation will be covered by the College.
Together, these College resources will enable the Project to focus on providing the intensive
support services for eligible and participating students described in this proposal.
Supporting Policies
Northland College has several policies and procedures in place to ensure all students have
opportunities to improve their academic performance and remain in school, if they fail to meet
the academic progress standards at the College. These include an Academic Progress policy
and an Early Alert system, along with probation and appeals procedures.
The College uses both qualitative and quantitative measures to assess students' academic
progress.
Qualitative Measures: Students must attain a minimum cumulative grade point average
of 1.75 for the first 16 credits attempted at the institution and a minimum cumulative
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 47 of 65
grade point average of 2.00 for 17 or more credits. Grades A, B, C, D, and F are used in
calculating the cumulative grade point average.
Quantitative Measures: Students must successfully complete at least 67 % of
cumulative attempted credits. Success is defined as grades A, B, C, D, or P (Passing).
If a student has failed to meet the required grade point average or completion percentage, he or
she can maintain financial aid eligibility and enroll in courses for the following semester under
probationary status for one semester. Students are informed of their probationary status and are
encouraged to meet with advisors, counselors, and Learning Services staff to complete an
academic improvement plan by the beginning of the semester.
Project staff will utilize the existing Early Alert Process in a pro-active manner to identify those
participating students who are having academic difficulties, as described in the Plan of
Operations section of this proposal.
Students also have access to academic and non-academic appeals processes through which
students can request such things as course substitutions, grade appeals, late withdrawals, and
tuition refunds, among others. Project staff will assist participating students in using these
procedures and will act as advocates for them during the process.
In addition, Northland College has a variety of other policies and procedures to support eligible
students at the College, including policies covering non-discrimination, students with disabilities,
violence free campus and others. [See: http://www.northlandcollege.edu/about/policies]
Financial Assistance for Eligible Students
Reducing the loan burden for students is a College-wide goal, because loans continue to be a
significant part of most students’ financial aid package at Northland College. Special efforts
will be made to make sure the loan burden for participating SSS students is as low as possible,
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 48 of 65
while ensuring each student has sufficient financial aid. Often, students are unaware of the
additional financial assistance opportunities available to them, so SSS Advisors will work
closely with participating students and the College’s Financial Aid Office to assist students in
searching and applying for additional financial aid. This type of individualized search can be
very time consuming, however the IAProgram is structured to facilitate exactly this kind of
intensive work with participating students, so they will have a guided, informed way to access
these resources.
The Project will also work with the Financial Aid Office to complete financial aid verification
on 100% of participating students, in order to make sure they collect documents related to
financial aid and to double-check they are getting the maximum federal financial aid to which
they are entitled.
The College has a Foundation that supports a wide variety of scholarships for new and currently
enrolled students. The mission of the Northland Community and Technical College Foundation
(Northland Foundation) is to support the college by providing opportunities for contributors to
invest in and enhance the educational experience of students at the College. During the 2008-
2009 academic year, the Northland Foundation awarded over $134,000 in scholarships to
nearly 270 students. Scholarships funded through the Foundation range in value from $50 to
$4000, depending on contributions or annual growth in the individual funds. These scholarships
fall into several categories:
Endowed Scholarships (28 scholarships available)
Trust Fund Scholarships (20 scholarships available)
Annual Fund Scholarships (28 scholarships available – funds vary with annual
In addition, SSS Advisors will spend time with each student, exploring other scholarship and aid
opportunities outside the College, such as the Two Feathers Endowment Scholarship for Native
American students, using online search tools and other resources. Other scholarships, in
addition to the Foundation scholarships listed above totaled $299,873 for students in 2008-
2009, including $210,825 in private scholarships and $89,048 in tribal scholarships.
Work Study opportunities are also available on campus to help students enhance their income
and lower dependence on student loans. Work Study allows students to gain valuable work
experience while helping to fund their education. Positions are available in campus security,
athletic programs, maintenance, library, faculty offices and other areas. Students can work up
to 15 hours per week at a starting wage of $9.50/hour, with an opportunity for a $.50/hour
raise after their first semester, based on supervisor’s recommendation. During the 2008-09
academic year, the College distributed $274,000 in state and federal Work Study funds to
Northland students. [Source: Building Futures Together, Self-Study for the Higher Learning
Commission of the North Central Association, NCTC, 2007-2009]
The College also supports an interest-free monthly payment plan that allows students to better
budget their financial resources to cover the on-going costs of attending college.
Coordination within the College
Northland College has an organizational structure based on a team philosophy, along with a
strong culture of collaboration among organizational divisions. During the development of this
project proposal, all divisions of the College have been involved and consulted in order to ensure
there is a clear understanding of the SSS program requirements – including student eligibility –
and a working commitment to the Project goals. The data and information gathered for this
proposal would not have been possible without the contributions from existing staff in these
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 50 of 65
divisions. During the project period:
The Admissions staff will work closely with the Project to make sure that incoming eligible
students have information about the Project;
The Financial Aid Office will work closely with Project staff and eligible students to make
sure students have the accurate and complete information they need to make sound financial
decisions, and are able to access all the financial assistance options available to them.
The Office of the Registrar and the state-wide MnSCU system will support and work with
the Project to record, collect and organize data about eligible students;
Beginning in FY2010, the College will also have an Institutional Researcher position, which
will help to support the data gathering and analysis needs of the Project.
With the resources, policies and collaborative working relationships described above, the NCTC
SSS Project will operate in a supported environment to provide services to eligible students at
Northland College.
QUALITY OF PERSONNEL The NCTC SSS Project is designed to provide a high level of direct services to participating
students, with staff members who have a strong background and experience in working
with disadvantaged students. Project staff will also have a significant role in the college
community to advocate for the needs of eligible students. Project staff positions are located
within the existing collective bargaining divisions at the College: the American Federation of
State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Minnesota Association of Professional
Employees (MAPE); and the Middle Management Association (MMA). Together, the Project
Director, SSS Advisors and SSS Academic Support Specialists will work closely as a team to
make sure participating students receive the assistance they need to succeed in college.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 51 of 65
Qualifications of the Project Director
The Project Director position will be a full-time (260 days / year) management position at the
College. The Project Director will supervise all Project staff, coordinate services for eligible
students on both the TRF and EGF campuses and ensure that all grant operations are in
compliance with SSS Program requirements. This position will report to the Dean of Student
Development on the TRF campus and will act as the chief liaison between the College and the
US Department of Education TRIO programs. The Project Director will also serve as a resource
person to the College community regarding the needs of disadvantaged students.
POSITION PURPOSE: The Project Director is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the Student Support Services program and providing the best possible services in an effort to increase retention, graduation, and transfer rates for participating students who are first generation college students and/or low-income students and/or students with disabilities. The Project Director will coordinate with the College administration, faculty and other staff to ensure the goals and objectives of the NCTC SSS Project are met. This position is also responsible for coordinating the on-going evaluation of the Project, submitting annual reports and sharing information about Project outcomes with the College and TRIO communities.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, social sciences, human services or related field.
Experience working with underserved and disadvantaged student populations.
Experience working with grant programs and guidelines.
A high level of knowledge about and experience with student retention and student success planning efforts.
Ability to manage program budgets, work in a team situation and lead staff to accomplish program objectives.
Strong interpersonal, organizational and management skills, as well as excellent oral and written communication skills.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master’s degree in education, counseling, social sciences, human services or related field.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 52 of 65
Three years’ teaching or administrative experience in a secondary and/or post-secondary institution.
Prior experience with federally-funded grant programs, budgets, student financial aid and the academic process.
Previous work experience with TRIO Programs.
Qualifications of Project Staff
SSS ADVISORS / STUDENT SUCCESS COORDINATORS
The two (2) SSS Advisors / Student Success Coordinator positions described in this proposal
will be retention specialists who will be in direct contact with participating SSS students,
their instructors and other College staff to ensure that students receive the support they need
to succeed. These professional Project staff members will provide intensive, pro-active
academic advising and retention assistance, and will act as a liaison to College resources for
participating students. The SSS Advisors will also teach the Project-sponsored Career
Success course for participating students. A full-time (260 days/year) SSS Student Success
Coordinator will be located on both the TRF and EGF campuses and will serve participating
SSS students exclusively.
POSITION PURPOSE: The SSS Advisor/Student Success Coordinator will serve as an intrusive retention advisor and liaison for NCTC SSS Project participants, including assistance in acquiring financial aid, registering for classes and completing academic program requirements. SSS Student Success Coordinators will coordinate with other Project and College staff and act as advocates for participating SSS students. They will work with the Early Alert Team to identify those SSS students who need academic support and will direct students to appropriate College and community resources such as tutoring, counseling, child care, housing and transportation.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree in education, counseling, social sciences, human services or related field.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 53 of 65
Knowledge of academic advising and retention practices. Knowledge about issues and barriers experienced by eligible
students, as well as about the financial and other resources available to them.
Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to plan and lead social integration and cultural
awareness activities. Able to work independently and in collaboration with other
College staff to identify student needs, solve problems, develop new program initiatives, gather feedback and serve as a resource person regarding the needs of eligible students.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Master’s degree in education, counseling, social work, human services or related field.
Knowledge of Minnesota Transfer curriculum. Previous work experience with TRIO Programs.
SSS ACADEMIC SUPPORT SPECIALISTS
The Project will provide individualized tutoring and supplemental instruction for Project
participants, based on assessment results and the plan participating students develop in
collaboration with their SSS Intrusive Advisor / Student Success Coordinator. An SSS
Academic Support Specialist will be located on both the TRF and EGF campuses. These two
(2) positions will provide 10 hours of tutoring per week on each campus, for a total of 20
hours per week. Scheduling of these hours will be arranged to accommodate participating
student needs.
POSITION PURPOSE: The SSS Academic Support Specialist will serve as a resource for participating students and to offer a variety of remedial academic support assistance to these students. Tutoring may be conducted one-on-one or in small group settings. SSS Academic Support Specialists provide instruction in learning strategies to enhance student learning, as well as in basic skills or content areas. They may provide communication improvement, study and work skill training, and alternative learning
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 54 of 65
adaptations or note taking. SSS Academic Support Specialists will coordinate with other Project Staff and College faculty to develop academic plans for participating students.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS:
Associate’s degree demonstrating strong background in liberal arts.
Ability to motivate students in their academic performance.
Excellent formal and informal written and verbal communications skills.
Excellent skills in understanding and teaching reading/English-related content and/or math and science content.
Good basic computer skills, including Microsoft Office programs and online learning.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS:
Bachelor’s degree demonstrating strong background in liberal arts.
Ability to assess student learning styles and develop strategies to assist student in overcoming academic barriers.
Together, the Project Director, the SSS Advisors and the SSS Academic Support Specialists will
have the skills and experience to work as a collaborative team, addressing the needs of eligible
students and making certain they receive the targeted services needed to succeed at the College.
Plan to Employ Personnel
It is critical to the success of the NCTC SSS Project’s Intrusive Advising Program for the SSS
Advisors and other Project staff members who work with eligible students to have the awareness
and understanding for the barriers faced by eligible students. Although the College's Affirmative
Action and Diversity Plans outline employee-centered goals, including maximizing employment
opportunities for protected class members and other underrepresented groups, a special effort
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 55 of 65
will be made to recruit and hire Project staff who have backgrounds similar to the eligible
students they will serve.
One form of outreach that will be emphasized is to build strong relationships with students,
communities, employers, and institutions who work with underrepresented groups, all of whom
may be able to recommend candidates or promote the College as a potential workplace.
In addition, the following actions will be taken when hiring any Project staff:
Expanding recruitment of persons with disabilities, first generation college graduates and
low-income applicants by advertising with and sending vacancy announcements to
organizations that work with underrepresented populations;
Providing orientation about Project goals for individuals serving on search committees;
Utilizing networking efforts of search committee members to enhance the recruitment of
qualified applicants who are from underrepresented groups;
Ensuring that underrepresented group members are part of the semi-finalist and finalist
pools.
Currently, nearly 30% of the existing Student Affairs staff identify themselves as first generation
college students and another 13% were low-income students in college, so Northland College
already has a record of employing professionals who have backgrounds similar to eligible
students.
SSS Staff Training
All Project staff will be hired with the goals of the Project in mind. In addition, they will
participate in a variety of formal and informal training relating to their roles within the Project
and as staff within the Student Affairs division of the College. Initially, Project staff will receive
training in the use of the StudentAccess-SSS™ database software for Project recordkeeping.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 56 of 65
Project staff will attend professional conferences, as appropriate, and effective use will be made
of virtual and online training opportunities. Existing staff in Student Affairs will act as informal
mentors and all Project staff will have opportunities to network with other SSS and TRIO
professionals in the State and around the nation.
BUDGET NARRATIVE The NCTC Project budget described below reflects the intensive, personalized contact that
participating students will receive from Project staff. The majority of the Project budget is
dedicated to the professional and academic support staff who will work directly with
participating students.
NOTE ON BENEFIT RATES: Fringe benefits for these positions are calculated according to
bargaining unit rates for employees within the following organizations: the American Federation
of State, County, and Municipal Employees (AFSCME); the Minnesota Association of
Professional Employees (MAPE); and the Middle Management Association (MMA). These
rates are set by state-wide contracts within the MnSCU system.
NCTC SSS PROJECT BUDGET NARRATIVE Expense Detail
Project Expenses
Year 1 PERSONNEL
SSS Project Director $46,876.00
The SSS Project Director is a full-time (260 days / year) management position. The Project Director will supervise all Project staff and will report to the Dean of Student Development in the Student Affairs division of the College. Ten percent (10%) of the position will be dedicated to records management, reporting, analysis and evaluation of Project outcomes.
Both SSS Advisors / Student Success Coordinators are full-time (260 days / year) professional positions. One SSS Advisor will be located on each of the two campuses served by the Project - TRF and EGF. The SSS Advisors will advise participating students, develop Project activities and teach the Career Success course to participants.
Project Academic Support Specialists 2 Academic Support Specialists @ $5,700 = $11,400 $11,400.00 10 hours / week on TRF Campus (during academic terms) 10 hours / week on EGF Campus (during academic terms)
The SSS Academic Support Specialists are part-time academic support positions. One SSS Academic Support Specialist will be located on each of the two campuses served by the Project - TRF and EGF. SSS Academic Support Specialists will provide academic support and supplemental instruction to participating students.
FRINGE BENEFITS
NOTE: Fringe benefits for these positions are calculated according to bargaining unit rates for employees within the MnSCU system. These rates are set by state-wide contracts.
Project Director Fringe @ 31% of $68,277 = $21,166 $21,166.00 As per MMA Contract
Intrusive Advisors Fringe @ 35% of $56,643 = $19, 825 2 Student Success Coordinators @ $19,825 = $39,650 $39,650.00 As per MAPE Contract
Academic Support Specialists Fringe @ 12.3% of $6,505 = $800 2 Academic Support Specialists @ $800 = $1,600 $1,600.00 As per AFSCME Contract
TRAVEL
Project Director Travel 1 national or state-level TRIO conference/meeting $1,000.00
850 miles round trip @ $0.55/mile = $468 or equivalent air fare
Hotel for 3 nights @ $136/night = $408 Per diem: $31 for 4 days = $124
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 58 of 65
NCTC SSS PROJECT BUDGET NARRATIVE Expense Detail
Project Expenses
Year 1 Project Staff Travel
1 state-level TRIO conference/meeting $1,000.00 585 miles round trip @ $0.55/mile = $322 Hotel for 2 nights for 2 staff @ $136/night = $554 Per diem: $31 for 2 days for 2 staff = $124
Student Transfer Visits 5 transfer visits each year @ $300/visit $1,500.00
350 miles round trip (avg.) @ $0.55/mile for 5 trips = $960 Materials / refreshments for 12 students (avg.) @ $9 for 5 visits = $540
SUPPLIES
Supplies for Career Success Class Flash drives and portfolios: 40 students @ $10 = $400 $400.00 College Student Survival Manual (or similar resource): 40 students @$5 = $200 $200.00
Supplies for Intrusive Advising Planners/Organizers for all students: 140 students @ $4.35 = $609 $609.00
Social Integration Activities 10 activities each year @ $460 = $4,600 $4,600.00
Includes supplies and set-up, refreshments, tickets to events and other non-personnel costs
CONTRACTUAL
Speakers for on-campus Social Integration events $1,200.00 Four (4) speakers @ $300 = $1,200
OTHER
Noel Levitz web-based College Student Survey™ for 140 students @ $7.65/student = $1,071 $1,071.00
TOTAL DIRECT COSTS $205,602.00 INDIRECT COSTS @ 7% $14,392.14 TOTAL COSTS $219,994.14
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 59 of 65
EVALUATION PLAN The comprehensive evaluation of the NCTC SSS Project will be driven by the Project objectives,
which are specific, measurable, ambitious and attainable. Both quantitative and qualitative data
will be gathered and used to track student progress, monitor Project effectiveness and gain
feedback from participants. This information will be used to inform the ongoing planning and
development of the Project during each year of the project period, as well as to prepare and
submit annual reports on the Project to the U.S. Department of Education.
The evaluation plan will be designed and conducted under the coordination of the Project
Director, with substantial involvement from participating students, Northland College faculty,
College administrators and other staff. Evaluation data will be collected and shared regularly
with NCTC SSS Project staff and the College administration in order to inform and facilitate
decision-making on behalf of eligible students at the College, and to improve Project operations
over the project period.
Approximately $7,000 (10%) of the project budget will be allocated to evaluation within the
Project Director position. The Project Director will employ a variety of Project, College and
MnSCU system resources, including assistance from the Financial Aid Office, Office of the
Registrar, Business and Administrative Services, to collect and analyze information about the
Project. Project records will be kept using the StudentAccess-SSS™ database software designed
for TRIO Student Support Services Programs, in order to ensure all Project records are current,
complete and accurate.
The Project will use an evaluation model that emphasizes on-going formative evaluation and
improvement of the services provided to eligible students, while collecting the data needed for
summative reports. This model is briefly described below:
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 60 of 65
Implement: The activities described in this proposal will be fully implemented over the
first year of the project period.
Measure: Baseline data will be collected for each new cohort of participating students to
be tracked during the project period. This cohort data will eventually include
enrollment, retention, academic progress, transfer and graduation data. In
addition, quantitative and qualitative data will be collected for each Project
activity and objective, to show participation levels, specific services provided
to students, student satisfaction feedback and Project outcomes. To the extent
possible, eligible and participating students will be coded into existing College
and MnSCU student evaluation and survey tools, so comparative data can be
collected over the project period. Participating students will also have multiple
opportunities to provide feedback about Project activities and their
participation.
Analyze: Retention, graduation, academic good standing and transfer data for Project
participants will be compared annually to College and MnSCU data, in order to
analyze the effectiveness of the Project. Satisfaction and participation data will
be analyzed regularly by Project staff and at the end of each term to evaluate
the success of Project activities.
Improve: Based on data collected and analyzed, modifications will be made to improve
the quality and effectiveness of Project services over the project period.
Participating students will be consulted for ideas regarding Project planning
and improvement.
NCTC SSS Project Narrative Page 61 of 65
Evaluation Components
Northland College has a strong commitment to institutional research, as evidenced by a newly-
created Institutional Research position for FY 2010. SSS-eligible and -participating students will
be identified and tracked as subsets of the data collected on all students, so comparisons can be
made about the effectiveness of Project services. This integration of SSS data collection with
institutional data will also serve to highlight the needs and successes of Project participants for
the larger College community. The evaluation data listed below will be collected, analyzed,
reported and employed in formative evaluation and planning for each of the Project objectives.
Summative, year-end data will also be tallied and analyzed for required annual reports and for
dissemination to the College and TRIO communities.
Project Objectives Data Sources Collection Timeline Key Personnel
survey to measure early student integration in college life
Degree Audit Reporting System (DARS) (College Resource - online)
Integrated State Records System (ISRS) (MnSCU Resource - online)
Persistence 2. 55% of all participants
served by the NCTC SSS Project will persist from one academic year to the beginning of the next academic year or will graduate and/or transfer from a 2-year to a 4-year institution during the academic year.
Project Records for each participating student, using StudentAccess-SSS™ software
Monitored weekly and monthly for each participating student, to ensure student persistence Data collected and analyzed for all participating students each term, to evaluate Project effectiveness
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
DARS – academic progress
Monitored monthly for each participating student
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Financial Aid Office Records
Monitored at mid-term and end of term
Project Director in collaboration with Financial Aid Office SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Early Alert System: communication with faculty, as needed
On-going - reviewed monthly and at end of term
College Faculty and SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Academic Good Standing 3. 60% of all enrolled
participants served by the NCTC SSS Project will meet the performance level required to stay in good academic standing at Northland College.
Project Objectives Data Sources Collection Timeline Key Personnel
Survey College survey to measure student outcomes and satisfaction
annually to all graduates
Graduate Follow-up Report College survey to measure student outcomes and satisfaction
Administered after academic year to all graduates
Academic Advising and Career Guidance
6. 100% of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS Project will receive Intrusive Advising services.
Project Records: records of advising sessions, including all referrals, services provided and individual student outcomes
On-going - monitored weekly for each participating student and reviewed monthly at SSS staff meetings
SSS Advisors and SSS Academic Support Specialists reporting to Project Director
Project Records – Career Success course referrals and enrollments
Each fall term when course is offered
Academic Advising and Career Guidance
7. 30% of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS Project will successfully complete the SSS Career Success class.
Project Records – Career Success course student evaluations (surveys and/or focus group data)
On-going and at the end of the course
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Financial Aid Office Records
On-going, as SSS advisors work with each participating student
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Financial Assistance 8. 100% of all enrolled
participants served by the NCTC SSS Project will receive sufficient financial assistance, along with guidance and planning to improve financial literacy
ISRS - comparative data for all MnSCU students
Each term, to collect data on all participating students
Project Objectives Data Sources Collection Timeline Key Personnel
Project Records: financial aid verification, referrals and financial literacy for each participant
On-going, as SSS advisors work with each participating student
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Project Records: participation in SSS Orientation session financial literacy component
Collected each term and/or when new students are enrolled and tested.
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
skills.
Project Records: participation in Career Success course financial literacy component
Each fall term when course is offered
SSS Advisors reporting to Project Director
Project Records: participation in Project sponsored social and cultural activities for each participant
On-going, as activities are offered
Social Integration and Cultural Opportunities
9. 40% of all enrolled participants served by the NCTC SSS Project will participate in Project-sponsored activities designed to enhance cultural awareness and social integration.
Project Records: student evaluations of Project activities (surveys and/or focus group data)
