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News and Updates

News and Updates

Announcement of the STEM Transfer Partnership community of practice in WA State

We are excited to announce the 10 partnerships that will be participating in the STEM Transfer Partnership project and community of practice here in Washington state. Each pair of institutions, one from a 2-year and the other from a 4-year, will develop ways to improve outcomes for low-income STEM students! Because of the many varied degree requirements, transfer in a STEM program is a challenging path to bachelor’s degree completion. However, these degrees can lead to family-wage jobs, and Washington state has a significant need for more graduates in these fields. Prior work has shown the importance of strong partnerships between 2- and 4-year institutions in facilitating students’ successful transfer and degree completion. These partnerships endeavor to impact STEM transfer students throughout Washington state and partnerships represent regions across the state, both rural and urban, small and large institutions, and in a variety of STEM majors and programs. 

The following partnerships will be participating in the STP project:

  • Highline College and University of Washington-Tacoma
  • Big Bend Community College and Eastern Washington University 
  • Big Bend Community College and Central Washington University
  • Columbia Basin College and Washington State University-Tri-Cities
  • Green River College and University of Washington-Seattle
  • Cascadia College and University of Washington-Bothell
  • Everett Community College and University of Washington-Bothell
  • Pierce College and University of Washington-Tacoma
  • Clark College and Washington State University-Vancouver
  • Centralia College and The Evergreen State College

Degree pathways or programs represented in this community of practice include engineering, chemistry, geological sciences, biology, clean energy, and environmental science.

In creating this community of practice around transfer, we hope to learn from each other, share knowledge and expertise within and across partnerships, and demonstrate how cross-college collaboration can positively impact low-income STEM transfer students’ outcomes. This community and their collective work will also share knowledge about effective practices and contribute to a state-wide culture of collaboration.

CCRI receives nearly $1.2 million grant for work to increase equity in STEM 

The University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives announced that it received a $1,173,375.00 grant from Ascendium Education Group to work towards equity in STEM education for low-income learners across Washington state. 

Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) conducts research ​​in order to facilitate the advancement of equity in higher education. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees. Ascendium’s work is particularly focused on supporting learners from rural and low-income backgrounds, making them a fitting partner for CCRI. 

CCRI, a program of UW Undergraduate Academic Affairs, is an influential contributor in community college and transfer partnership research identifying strategies that help students transfer to four-year institutions and complete their bachelor’s degrees. This project will create a state-wide consortium of partnerships between two- and four-year institutions. These partners will specifically focus on creating programs that will help low-income STEM students transfer and earn their bachelor’s degree. This grant will enable them to animate their findings by building partnerships between two- and four-year institutions throughout Washington state, ultimately increasing the retention and graduation of STEM transfer students. 

STEM transfer students face a variety of challenges

Students transferring from two-year institutions experience challenges when pursuing STEM degrees. Science, technology, engineering and math degrees often require multiple, year-long series of courses that must be completed in order. Minimum grades must be met to advance in these course sequences, with rigorous academic requirements and little room for electives. Missing the first quarter of a series can put a student an entire year behind. On top of this, transfer students often end up earning more credits than they need to complete their degree. The Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) tracks this information, finding that the average engineering transfer student with a Direct Transfer Agreement in Washington graduates with 76 credits beyond the 180 minimum requirement for a bachelor’s degree. Yet, students lose access to the Washington College Grants once they accumulate 225 credits. The combination of loss of funding and time constraints can lead to students dropping out.

“The data show that transfer students face a variety of challenges when moving between institutions,” explains Janice DeCosmo, associate dean of Undergraduate Academic Affairs and the UW’s representative to the state’s Joint Transfer Council committee. “This grant will allow CCRI to build on its work with academic partners and support institutions statewide to effectively address transfer challenges. This work has the potential to narrow the gap in retention and graduation rates for transfer students, especially those from low-income communities pursuing STEM degrees. It will also directly benefit students and families, ultimately improving educational outcomes for communities across Washington state.”

Creating paths to STEM degrees and STEM jobs

STEM jobs provide family wage jobs and offer students paths to upward mobility. The National Science Board report on Science and Engineering Indicators from 2018 found that after the 2008 recession, the unemployment rate among STEM fields was 41% lower than the national average. Today, first-generation families, rural communities and students of color have been disproportionately impacted by the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. According to a 2019 transfer report from WSAC the STEM job forecast estimates that between 2020-2025, 7,000 positions will be left unfilled due to a shortage of STEM-degree holders. CCRI’s work aims to bridge this gap by supporting transfer students graduating with degrees in these fields. 

The cornerstone of CCRI’s work involves equipping two-year and four-year institutions with the skills, knowledge and support to build partnerships between their institutions. These partnerships aim to remove structural barriers that prevent low-income students from graduating with STEM degrees and create change that will enable students to persist to graduation. For example, institutions and departments can align their course requirements so that students will earn fewer extra credits. They can coordinate financial aid efforts so that fewer students will drop out due to lack of funding. 

A large part of this work is connecting rural community colleges to four-year colleges around the state. Community colleges in rural settings face particular challenges: higher numbers of first-generation and low-income students; a lack of four-year institutions nearby to partner with; and fewer resources to support their students. Ascendium’s work is particularly focused on supporting learners from rural and low-income backgrounds.

“As Ascendium thinks about how we can support effective strategies to increase equitable credential completion and socioeconomic mobility, the disparities that persist for learners from low-income backgrounds as they pursue degrees in STEM fields are troublesome,” says Carolynn Lee, senior program officer at Ascendium. “That’s why we’re excited to partner with Community College Research Initiatives to more deeply understand how institutions can develop sustainable, scalable partnerships to streamline complex STEM transfer pathways so that low-income students who start at community colleges aren’t shut out of these high-earning potential degrees and careers.”

Over the next three years, CCRI will partner with 10 pairs of two-year and four-year institutions. Their work together will involve identifying barriers for graduation and then identifying steps to support transfer students in their undergraduate journey. Teams from participating schools will also attend monthly coaching meetings with CCRI to support the pairs’ efforts in increasing educational equity in STEM. The STEM Transfer Partnership application period is from September 30 – December 30, 2021. CCRI encourages institutions to reach out to apply and will be hosting information webinars during October and November. Contact ccri@uw.edu to participate. 

“We thank Ascendium for the generous support of the STEM Transfer Partnership project. By lowering barriers to STEM transfer, we will increase access for low-income students to living-wage careers that can survive future economic stressors. Our communities and employers will also benefit from a workforce with diverse lived experiences that provide an array of perspectives to help innovate solutions,” says Lia Wetzstein, director of CCRI and principal investigator on the grant. “By creating a community of practice around strengthening transfer partnerships we hope to improve outcomes for participating institutions, and spread best practices and a culture of collaboration to many other institutions.”

About the University of Washington’s Community College Research Initiatives

The CCRI team conducts research and development to generate actionable knowledge to advance equity in the field of higher education. CCRI — a program of Undergraduate Academic Affairs — focuses on studying the experiences of underserved student groups that use community colleges as their entry point to higher education and the role that institutions play in equitable student educational and employment outcomes. Their goal is to leverage this research to effect change in postsecondary education at all levels. To learn more about CCRI, visit https://www.washington.edu/ccri/.

About Ascendium Education Group

Ascendium Education Group is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization committed to helping people reach the education and career goals that matter to them. Ascendium invests in initiatives designed to increase the number of students from low-income backgrounds who complete postsecondary degrees, certificates and workforce training programs, with an emphasis on first-generation students, incarcerated adults, rural community members, students of color and veterans. Ascendium’s work identifies, validates and expands best practices to promote large-scale change at the institutional, system and state levels, with the intention of elevating opportunity for all. For more information, visit https://www.ascendiumphilanthropy.org.

For more information or to get involved, contact Lia Wetzstein, ccri@uw.edu. 

Research Scientist Opening

CCRI has a new Research Scientist opening. We’re looking for an education researcher with an interest in community colleges, STEM transfer, a passion for equity, and who works well within a team. This position is half-time with benefits. If you have experience as a researcher in higher education we would love to hear from you. We invite you to apply through UW Hires, search for requisition number 196917. https://g.co/kgs/9siu1J #STEMeducation #stemequity #equity #researcher

CCRI has a Research Scientist position open

Our team is looking for an education researcher with an interest in community colleges, a passion for equity, and who works well within a team. This position is part-time and temporary. We have ongoing research, new grants starting and on the horizon. If you have experience in research methods and manipulating data using MS Excel we would love to hear from you. View at UWHires, requisition #193196. https://bit.ly/3rdXM2l

Enhancing Undergraduate Research at Community Colleges in the Puget Sound

Last year, CCRI had the privilege of working with 3 local community colleges as a facilitator and evaluator on a Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to Baccalaureate (B2B) planning grant. This planning grant with North Seattle College, Green River College and Pierce College led to the successful attainment of a 3-year Puget Sound Alliance LSAMP B2B grant, to increase the enrollment, completion and transfer of underrepresented minority students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). 

Because undergraduate research has been associated with improved student outcomes and reduction in racial disparities, the grant focuses on enhancing or providing more Course-based Undergraduate Research Experiences (CURE) opportunities for STEM students at all 3 colleges. It also leverages institutional strengths to provide students opportunities to be peer tutors, lab assistants, and high school outreach leaders. In addition, the project will create a Community of Practice around undergraduate research so faculty can share what they learn and enhance each other’s work. 

To coordinate this effort, North Seattle College, which serves as the lead institution, was able to hire a Manager, Catherine Thomas, M.S. to gather data, provide support across all three institutions, and conduct outreach with local K-12 and 4-year institutions and industry. Catherine brings a depth of STEM experience having worked in the aerospace industry and STEM education field. She is also an active member of professional organizations including the National Society of Black Engineers, the Society of Women Engineers, and the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science. CCRI has the pleasure of being the evaluator on this grant and we look forward to working with this great team on the next phase of their project.

Using research and collaboration to improve STEM education

How can STEM teachers support students’ disciplinary engagement in project based learning? Earlier this year, co-authors Susan Nolan, Lia Wetzstein and Alexandra Goodell published the article Designing Material Tools to Mediate Disciplinary Engagement in Environmental Science in the journal Cognition and Instruction. This article describes how teachers and researchers collaborated to address problems of balancing disciplinary authenticity with the realities of teaching in poverty-impacted high schools.

A project-based environmental science curriculum can help students learn to use environmental science skills and practices. How can teachers support authentic engagement in these projects? These researchers worked with teachers to develop tools and iteratively improve them to facilitate disciplinary engagement. Their research led to design principles for developing effective tools to support authentic science engagement.

The Version of Record of this manuscript is available in Cognition and Instruction, February 2020.

Read postprint article

 

New publication on community college baccalaureate student experience

We are excited to publish Data Note 10 in the New Baccalaureate series, titled Washington State Community College Baccalaureate Students: How Life Experiences Shape Baccalaureate Education, Employment and Economic Security and authored by Lia Wetzstein, Elizabeth Apple Meza and Debra Bragg. It presents results from qualitative interviews with community college baccalaureate (CCB) students in Washington state. We use in-depth, longitudinal interview data to describe three CCB students’ experiences prior to CCB-program enrollment and through their programs to graduation and employment. The three students we profile credit community colleges by giving them an option to complete a baccalaureate degree that was previously unavailable to them. They perceive that their CCB degrees contribute to improved employment and career opportunities that then lead to greater economic and personal stability. This reality is particularly relevant as many workers face long-term unemployment and financial insecurity during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Data Note 10

Racial equity professional development for higher education coaches

October SSCN Coaching Program Convening

Throughout this next year, CCRI will be facilitating a virtual professional development training series on racial equity. While these training sessions are specifically for the Student Success Center Network, we want to share about what we are developing. If you would like to learn more, please let us know!  (ccri@uw.edu)

Earlier this month it was our privilege to lead the first two sessions during the SSCN Coaching Convening – Coaching through Uncertainty and Finding Community. Our two sessions included Racial Equity Conversations on Campus and Equity and Coaching. At the end of the convening, the coaches were invited to share their impressions and takeaways. A prevailing theme was an appreciation of what they learned from the sessions and each other. The virtual environment actually generated more connection and a sense of community for some coaches. Starting and facilitating dialogues on racial equity can be uncomfortable. While feeling discomfort and pressing forward may seem counterintuitive, many agreed that feeling uncomfortable is necessary to learn and grow and to achieve the transformation we envision. Read on for descriptions of the sessions with relevant resources embedded throughout.

 

Session 1 | Racial Equity Conversations on Campus

Learning objective: Improve the ability of coaches to discuss and facilitate conversation around racial equity.

The session centered on a discussion about why and how higher education coaches have racial equity conversations on campuses with our special guest, Dr. Michael Baston, president of Rockland Community College. We discussed why we need to have racial equity conversations while acknowledging our current realities of a racial reckoning, a pandemic, and a looming economic crisis. This led to a conversation about what it means to be an equity-minded coach in this new context for higher education institutions. 

We also shared what we learned from hosting a Twitter chat on racial equity to describe what people and institutions are doing to move equity work forward in their new contexts. During the chat, we heard a wide range of perspectives from coaches, administrators, faculty, students, staff, and other experts in our field. The rich dialogue gave us much to share. (Read more) 

Part of the role of an equity-minded coach is to “shed light” on inequities. President and coach Dr. Michael Baston guided us through ways in which coaches can facilitate these tough conversations and what they and campus leadership can do to promote racial equity. He shared elements of good coaching, led us through the institutional stages of learning (from denial in unconscious incompetence around racial equity to integration into conscious competence), and described how coaches can support colleges through these stages. We also learned about the concept of inclusive excellence and how colleges can develop a commitment to it. 

As we wrapped up, the coaches shared with us their overall impressions and questions they had at this point. We heard a desire to expand their use of appropriate terminology and to be authentic in their work. Additionally, coaches expressed a desire for online tools that help them do the work of advancing racial equity.

 

Session 2 | Equity and Coaching

Learning objectives: Understand the concept of equity-minded coaching. Understand why it is every coach’s role to look for, make visible, and discuss policies and practices that perpetuate racial inequity. 

In this next session, we shared the definition of equity-mindedness, a concept from the Center for Urban Education (CUE) that is foundational to our work, and explored what it means to be an equity-minded coach and support institutional change through this lens. We invited the coaches to pre-read our brief Coaching for More Equitable Student Outcomes and discussed the key concepts. We also introduced our equity tools and our equity-minded tool guide that describes what they are as well as their purpose and intended audience. These CCRI racial equity resources were created for coaches, colleges, and Student Success Center leadership to provide strategies that help to move equity work forward.

Providing opportunities for coaches to share their equity work in group discussions was an important part of this session. Coaches discussed how to overcome resistance to racial equity concerns, what a coach’s role is in shedding light on inequities, and how a coach can prepare for racial equity discussions. 

As we completed this second session, we asked the coaches about their takeaways and they shared a wide range of impressions. Coaches acknowledged how starting racial equity conversations with campus leadership- whether with a mid-level administrator or above- is often uncomfortable and that it’s important for all to lean into the awkwardness. They felt a coach can lead by setting the tone and even calling out the uncomfortable feelings. And acknowledging that is not only okay to struggle with this discomfort, but it should be expected because it is a healthy and necessary part of this dialogue. This work calls for a cultural change and this change takes time, patience, and persistence and a coach can help colleges understand this. Overall the group experienced inspiration and excitement from learning together. Looking ahead to the next session in the series, the focal area will be to learn equity-minded coaching techniques and practices.

 

Recommended resources from the sessions:

CCRI resources: Equity-minded tool guide for coaches, racial equity brief: Coaching for More Equitable Student Outcomes, Equity-minded coaching tools 

Center for Urban Education’s (CUE) racial equity tools

Shaun Harper video series on practical ways to advance equity and DEI at work: Race in the Workplace

NCII resources:  Advancing Equity through Guided Pathways Series, Institutional Self-Assessment for Equity 

Completion by Design Loss/ Momentum framework


Resources that coaches have found helpful for advancing their racial equity work:

35 Dumb Things Well-Intended People Say by Maura Cullen

100 ways to Indigenize and decolonize academic programs and courses by Dr. Shauneen Pete

A Different Mirror by Takaki

Caste – The Origin of Our Discomfort by Isabel Wilkerson

Ebony and Ivy: Race, Slavery, and the Troubled History of America’s Universities by Craig Steven Wilder

How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

The Privileged Poor by Dr Anthony Jack 

So You Want to Talk About Race by Ijeoma Oluo

Teaching to Transgress by Bell Hooks

White Guys on Campus by Nolan Cabrera  

Podcasts: Seeing White, Pod Save the People, Nice White Parents, 1619 project, NPR’s Code Switch

CCRI Panelist on Why Mobility Matters Now: The Intersection of Equity and Student Transitions

Earlier today, CCRI’s Acting Director, Dr. Lia Wetzstein joined other higher education researchers in a rich discussion on transfer and equity at the 2020 Michigan Student Success Summit. There is one more day to join in other discussions! Register, view presentation slides, and video recordings from this and all of the sessions on this event webpage.

These resources and publications are a collection of our work that engage with this topic. We hope you find them valuable and useful!

Transfer Partnerships: Lessons to Improve Student Success During and After COVID-19
Transfer Partnerships for Improved Equity and Outcomes (NDCC Issue 192)
Coaching for More Equitable Student Outcomes
Integrating Racial Equity Into Guided Pathways
Equity Tools  for Coaches

NDCC Twitter Chat Summary

So what happened?

On May 15, 2020, we facilitated a Twitter Chat on the importance of transfer partnerships working for transfer students navigating higher education during COVID-19.

In advance, we invited you to read our latest transfer brief that synthesizes themes from a larger body of research on transfer partnerships that focus on improving transfer student outcomes that are relevant to students during and in the aftermath of this pandemic.

Here’s the Transfer Brief we published and sent out prior to the chat.

We are excited to provide a short summary of the chat below and appreciate all the participants from around the country who contributed to this conversation. We are especially grateful to the many partners and colleagues who helped lead this chat as well as those who spent their time to prepare. 

Thank you! @nursejeanine, @MCCACSS, @KatieGiardello, @transfertweet, @crisp_gloria, @DrLia7, @NewAmericaEd, @CommunityCCRC, @DR_AEQueen, @pamelaeddy, @XueliWang1, @meikled_john, @kmwb2005, @LeslieD413, @jltaylo, @Makenna19137171, @E_Apple_Meza, @bembrarian, @joycehammer12, @jehollinger, @forakt23, @AustinLambdin, @SheAnnJones, and @mukhtar_layla. We apologize if we missed you in the list!

What did we talk about?

We prepared a number of questions for the chat that prompted great discussions! Here are some of the responses that stood out to us from participants.

Response from @transfertweet

Institutions must collaborate to facilitate both planned & unplanned transfer prompted by COVID-19. Students not previously considering transfer may find themselves completely confused by the process. 

Response from @makenna19137171

For some of the colleges that already have future quarters open, limited classes are available due to COVID. So transfer students who need to fill certain credits that go towards their intended major is becoming difficult or not attainable.

Response from @sheannjones

The continued need for clear, accessible information to students and collaboration between institutions regarding support services course/program information.

Response from @kmwb2005

Information gaps have been exacerbated… lack of access to network infrastructure has significantly impacted rural and low income geographic access to information and feedback loops.

Response from @makenna19137171

Transfer students who are on financial aid can’t do work-studies or jobs on campus at all lowering their already low income (although it’s common now), as well as having a “quota” to fill and not wanting their opportunity and aid to disappear/go to waste.

Response from @austinlambdin

The inequities in the transfer process would include the possibility of students who struggle with English experience a much more difficult time accessing the resources to transfer online. For those who speak Spanish or other languages, this could seem overwhelming.

Response from @joycehammer12

Our institution is assigning lists of students to call and check-in on to see how they are navigating the situation. The staff are making the calls are those who are teleworking and have been provided training and some faculty are reaching out as well.

Response from @sheannjones

William & Mary has set up a community college team to look at ways to improve and expand transfer #CCRIchat @pamelaleddy

Response from @MCCACSS:

For the last few years, nearly 1,000 faculty, staff, and admins from @MIColleges, @MASUmichigan and @MIColleges institutions have been collaborating on #mitransfer to improve transparency for students and optimize credit transfer across 

Response from @jltaylo

We (@uutah) are working w/ our @SaltLakeCC partners to strengthen articulation pathways between institutions. Bringing together faculty teams to look at curricular pathways & use data!

Response from @forakt23

We have, at least for the past 20 years, worked very closely with our biggest feeder CC. That work has not slowed down, but not being able to meet in person does hurt some of the work we are trying to do going forward.

Response from @sheannjones

We have three internal offices that support transfer. We collaborate regularly and with our external partners, @MCCACSS and local universities.  We’ve continued this work virtually to support existing agreements/programs and build new ones.

Response from @kmwb2005

Statewide transfer partnerships may need to consider dual admissions processes to mitigate the ongoing communication gap as curricular changes and selective admissions program requirements shift. #CCRIchat #transfer

Response from @joyehammer12

I think more partnerships involving research opportunities for transfer students will become paramount as students who start out as freshman at universities are engaging in research earlier and transfer students need the same experiences to be competitive.

Response from @forakt23

Colorado has pretty solid leadership for state-wide initiatives at this point, so we seem to be on a good trajectory for continual improvement for state-wide transfer.

Response from @E_Apple_Meza

The disaggregation of data has allowed colleges to really see inequities and equity goals have in turn become a driver in making change. However, in our research we don’t see enough sharing of data between partners to follow students on their transfer journeys.

Response from @XueliWang1

Fan of work of many of you here! Most useful for me is the kind of research that connects all facets of transfer that students both navigate and be affected by. So we see the whole picture and system at work, mindful of intended/unintended consequences.

Response from @makenna19137171

As a student, I did find your research comforting. As you mentioned coming together and supporting “‘our students’”. It meant a lot to know colleges actually care about us and how we’re feeling. It relieved some of the tension from COVID. So I found that helpful!

* If you’d like to read more, here is the whole discussion for each question!