Project Compass:Four Approaches to

Retaining Underserved Students

Presenter:

Glenn Gabbard Director, Project Compass

New England Resource Center for Higher Education (NERCHE)University of Massachusetts Boston

Guiding QuestionsWhat is Project Compass?Who is involved?What’s the problem that the initiative

responds to?What are the core assumptions?How does the project work?Where is the action on campus?What are the outcomes across the

campuses --- so far?Future considerations/anticipations?

Project Compass. What is it?Multi-year, multi-institutional regional

initiative increase underserved student success in public four-year institutions of higher education.

Designed to focus on: ◦Public four-year colleges and universities

in New England◦ Institutions serving increasing numbers

of students of color, students who are first in family to attend college, students from low-income backgrounds.

Project Compass: Who is Involved?Funder: The Nellie Mae Education Foundation

Intermediary: The New England Resource Center for

Higher Education (NERCHE)

Funded Institutions:Bridgewater State University, Bridgewater

MAEastern Connecticut State University,

Willimantic CTLyndon State College, Lyndonville VTUniversity of Maine Presque Isle, Presque

Isle ME

What’s the problem?•Persistent achievement gaps for low-income students, students of color, students who are first generation college goers

• Externally funded models seldom promote large-scale change.

•Large scale change relies on collaboration.

•Institutions are strapped for resources necessary for large scale change

What are the core assumptions?1. Underserved students are assets to

institutional change.

2. Culture of evidence and inquiry is important.

3. Ongoing collaboration across—and outside—the campus.

4. Scaling up from “islands of excellence.”

5. Field-based research is important.

6. Learning from peer institutions is critical.

How does the project work?1. Resources:

Five years of funding – planning year plus four implementation years

2. Structures and strategies:

Community of practice

Logic model

Learning community meetings (2 per year)

Technical assistance from consultant or “coach” from NERCHE

Self-assessment reports (2-3 per year)

External evaluation process

Where is the action on campus?

◦Deepening Knowledge of Target Populations – Student Involvement

◦Fiscal Context for Student Success◦Faculty Work◦Program Opportunities: Learning

Communities, Specialized Centers◦Strategic Use of Data◦New Models for Advising◦Moving Beyond the Campus: Civic

Engagement◦Developmental Curriculum

Bridgewater State University…Focusing on increasing success of students of

color, low-income students, first generation college students through…

◦Modified support to high risk gateway/gatekeeper courses

◦Documenting co-curricular engagement through Portfolios of Excellence

◦Enhancing advising capacity◦Refining and expanding data collection◦Faculty development, including supports

for culturally responsive pedagogy

Eastern Connecticut State University…Focusing on increasing success of students of

color, low-income students, first generation college students through…

◦Establishing locally generated data systems for predictive models

◦Creating Student Success center focusing on advising

◦Building specialized academic support centers in Math and Writing

◦Faculty support for advising and curricular change

University of Maine at Presque Isle…Focusing on increasing success of students of color,

low-income students, first generation college students through…

◦Creating Native American Student Success center with wrap-around supports

◦Strengthening engaged partnerships with Native American communities

◦Refocusing the curriculum through learning communities

◦Supporting faculty commitment to diversity through mini-grants

Lyndon State College… Focusing on increasing success of low-income/first

generation college students through…

◦Creating Center for Rural Students focusing on community engaged research to practice

◦Building P-16 partnerships for regional economic development

◦Refocusing the curriculum through first year learning communities

◦Enhancing advising through Advising Resource Center

◦Supporting cultural change through intensive faculty development initiatives

What are the outcomes across the campuses – so far?New processes and forms of

leadership and working across boundaries

Strengthening and expanding concepts of data

New forms of student supportFaculty developmentInstitutional citizenship

Future Considerations/Anticipations

1. How to build and sustain cross-campus ownership of retention of all students?

2. How to forge Birth through Adult systems and structures so that reciprocal change can occur across systems of learning?

3. System-level changes in policy that remove barriers for institutions to support underserved students.