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Background
Guilford Technical Community College (GTCC), located inJamestown, NC, has five campuses and over 8,000 students. It has a history of improvement and innovation. In 1994, the college identified the skills most valued by local employers – adaptability, communication, information processing, problem-solving, responsibility and teamwork – and added cooperative, performance-based learning in every course. In 1998, GTCC adopted a “graduate guarantee” that permits students to repeat courses for free if their employers find their preparation lacking, or if credit courses in which they earned a C or better fail to transfer.
Many GTCC students are first-generation college students who lack college preparation and familiarity with college procedures. Only half of the students who start in developmental classes persist. Success rates are particularly low for Black and Hispanic students. Graduation rates are low too.
Achieving the Dream Goals
GTCC will focus on areas with the greatest opportunity for improvement. Changes will initially benefit the lowest-performing students and will eventually have an impact on all students. The college intends to
- Retain more developmental education students and others from fall-to-fall;
- Move more developmental education students into college-level courses;
- Increase success rates in gateway courses;
- Improve graduation rates.
To improve the success of at-risk students and overall student performance, GTCC will become learning-centered with various learning options and learning outcomes established throughout the college. Learning communities will focus on students’ needs in developmental and gateway courses. Revamped advising, orientation and mentoring will enhance students’ first-year experiences. New policies will facilitate the college’s use of learning college concepts and development of a culture of evidence.
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