University of Hawaii Community Colleges
The University of Hawai’i Community College System (UHCC) is committed to all students—but particularly Native Hawaiians—excelling in developmental education, persisting, and ultimately achieving the highest level of education they desire.
Math interventions have been the most successful, with UHCC developmental math success increasing by four percentage points for all students, and ten percentage points for Native Hawaiians, from the Fall 2006 Achieving the Dream cohort to the Fall 2009 cohort. The colleges’ developmental reading program also fostered significant achievement for Native Hawaiians, with their success increasing by 13 percentage points in the same range of time.
Overall fall-to-spring persistence also increased from 69% in Fall 2006 to 74% in Fall 2009. Awarding of degrees and certificates has surpassed the colleges’ goals; from 2,637 granted in FY 2006 to 3,034 in FY 2010, UHCC exceeded their goal by nearly 200 degrees and certificates.
The UHCC system comprises seven community colleges: Hawai’i, Honolulu, Kapiolani, Kauai, Leeward, Maui, and Windward. Collectively, they enrolled over 34,000 students in Fall 2010, with 68% identifying themselves as Asian/Pacific Islanders; this includes 27% Native Hawaiians.
As a dynamic system of higher education offering liberal arts, science and technical education, UHCC is committed to providing more access to disadvantaged and under-represented students, particularly Native Hawaiian students. The University of Hawai’i system provides the majority of education to residents of the area, and the local economy is dependent upon it to create jobs, research and skilled workers.
UHCC has three main areas of ongoing academic initiatives:
- Focus on Transfer which helps prepare students to move towards a bachelor’s degree or higher
- Focus on community college academic policies which Reviews/revises system-wide academic policies that support and increase student achievement and success and
- Focus on academic program initiatives which includes implementation of curriculum software; improvements for First Year Experience; and strategies for improvement for developmental and gatekeeper education.
Since joining Achieving the Dream, the colleges’ data collection and availability has improved. Additionally, retention rose for those who participated in First Year Experience activities, including new student orientations, academic advising, use of online advising, and learning communities.
UHCC is committed to closing the achievement gaps between Native Hawaiians and all students. When the colleges began the Achieving the Dream initiative in Fall 2006, there were 4,614 Native Hawaiians enrolled; this past Fall 2010, there were 9,374. UHCC’s developmental math and reading programs saw increased success for Native Hawaiians: 13 percentage points in reading and 10 percentage points in math from the Fall 2006 Achieving the Dream cohort to the Fall 2009 cohort. Overall results for developmental math and reading have increased as well.
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.
