Oakland Community College
Oakland Community College (in Southeast Michigan) is a multi-campus, complex institution that is data-rich. Due to its size, a challenge is utilizing data consistently and strategically across the college. As a participant in Achieving the Dream, the college is strengthening its culture of evidence and enhancing student success by:
- Developing Learning Communities for Academic Readiness college-wide, focusing on First-Time-In-Any-College (FTIAC) and High School Dropout students who place into developmental courses;
- Implementing a Student Attitude Survey to provide relevant data regarding students’ attitudes toward a number of items, particularly information leading to the development of learning communities and the enhancement of the efficacy of the mandatory student orientation;
- Accelerating qualified students through the Developmental English sequence with English Boost, an intensive ‘boot camp’ for English and ‘gateway’ courses focusing on reading and writing;
- Decreasing time for completion of Math Sequence using Math Boost, a self-paced computer program created to help students fill the gaps in their math skills and
- Increasing completion (C or better) of English developmental level 1 students via mandatory orientation for first level placement in developmental English.
The college strives to remain agile and sustainable as it responds to rapid changes in its community. After reviewing all departments for efficiencies and process alignment, the college plans to make Achieving the Dream a focal point for setting priorities and allocating resources.
Oakland Community College (OCC) is one of Michigan's largest community colleges and has the state’s third largest undergraduate enrollment. Each of the college's five campuses operates somewhat autonomously and student success has been the focus of campus- or department-specific programs. OCC offers more than 100 degree and 45 certificate programs, including Michigan’s largest English as a Second language, Nursing and Workforce Development programs.
As recently as 2005, the college's southeastern Michigan service area near Detroit was considered one of the wealthiest sections of the nation. However, a steep drop in manufacturing, particularly auto production, has led to significant job losses and declining socioeconomic conditions among residents. Since Fall 2008 when 21% of OCC's 25,000 students were students of color, significantly more displaced workers and more individuals from under-represented populations have enrolled. In Fall 2009, 22% of the college’s 30,000 students were students of color, and over half of all enrolled students received financial aid.
The Achieving the Dream Model
Achieving the Dream community colleges commit to our Student-Centered Model of Institutional Improvement. Based on four principles, the model frames the overall work of helping more students, particularly low- income students and students of color, stay in school and earn a college certificate or degree.
Each college approaches the work differently, but Achieving the Dream’s five-step process provides practical guidelines for keeping the focus where it belongs and building momentum over time. Throughout the process, Achieving the Dream coaches offer customized support and help each college’s core team implement data-informed programs and policies that build long-term, institution-wide commitment to student success.
