COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES UWCommunity College Advising Conference

COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES UW/Community College Advising Conference May 19, 2019 | Settle Transfer Student Success: “It’s Personal” Debra Bragg, Director Community College Research Initiatives (CCRI) University of Washington

Debra’s College (Transfer) Student Identity Good not Great Student; 20% Female; 20% First-Generation Career; 10% White; 15% First-Generation College; 15% Rural; 15% Christian; 5% COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

My Take-Aways • Deep sense of uncertainty – “am I smart enough? ” • Reasons for transfer were personal – never reported • Fear of being perceived as stupid or failure if I sought help – “imposter syndrome” • But eventually, sense of pride and confidence in fitting in and succeeding – “warming up” COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

My career pathway… • Middle school teacher • Student of adult learning and educational policy • Community college professor & researcher • Lifelong learner and advocate for equity and social justice in education COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Why Study Transfer? • Many students transfer, especially underserved student populations • Transfer students face challenges navigating the system • “We” can do better! COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Six-Year Transfer Rates from 2 -Year to 4 -Year Institutions 50% 40% 32% 30% 23% 20% 10% 0% 16% Latinx African American 6% Native American White Asian/Pacific Islander U. S. Department of Education (2011) COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Washington’s Transfer & Baccalaureate Completion Rates 60% 50% 44% 40% 30% 26% 20% 10% 0% Rate of Transfer to 4 -Year Bachelor's Completion Rate Among Transfers Community College Research Center (2019) COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Washington’s Transfer and Baccalaureate Completion by Race/Ethnicity 60% 53% 45% 40% 36% 34% 36% Latinx Native American Pacific Islander 28% 30% 44% 20% 10% 0% White African American Asian Community College Research Center (2019) COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

“Racial Transfer Gap” Crisp & Nuñez (2014) COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

What Now “We have to ask ourselves the difficult question of why. We have to inquire if the efforts to increase student completion rates and success measures are truly working if only certain types of students succeed. . . COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

These issues are complex, multi-faceted and very personal. Equity issues plague our colleges in different ways, but their DNA is similar. These gaps… share a fundamental part of keeping some students from achieving their educational goals. ” Walter G. Bumphus, President, American Association of Community Colleges April 17, 2019 COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Why Study Transfer Partnerships? Hypothesis: Collaboration – professional and personal relationships -- within and among institutions may be essential to improving transfer student success – especially to closing the racial transfer gap COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Four Major Findings on Transfer Partnerships 1. Transfer partnerships are dynamic, contextual and intentional from start and continue 2. Multiple strategies are used to create and support transfer partnerships Yeh & Wetzstein, CCRI-UW, 2019 COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Four Major Findings (cont. ) 3. Strong influence of culture on policy and practice to promote (or prevent) transfer partnerships 4. Collaborative transfer relationships vary along a continuum of levels COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES Yeh & Wetzstein, CCRI-UW, 2019 CCRI. UW. EDU

Transfer Partnership Cooperation Coordination Collaboration Alliance • Cooperative information sharing • Shared students • Coordinated or aligned tasks • Compatible transfer goals • Collaborative strategies • Shared purpose around transfer goals • Integrated programs or structures • Seamless transfer experience Yeh & Wetzstein (2019) (adapted from Bailey & Koney, 2000) COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

What Can We Do? One-toone Partner Student Program College COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

What Can We Do? Make It Personal COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU

Questions? CCRI Website: CCRI. UW. EDU CCRI Twitter: @CCRI_UW Transfer Partnership Data Notes: www. washington. edu/ccri/research/transfer/ Contact: Debra Bragg ddbragg@uw. edu 217 -377 -3100 COMMUNITY COLLEGE RESEARCH INITIATIVES CCRI. UW. EDU