Our First Title III. Our First Year

(click on this hyperlink to download a powerpoint of our presentation at the Noel-Levitz Title III symposium in Denver)
Noel-Levitz Title III powerpoint (Nov 2007)

To access documents referenced in our discussion, click here.

Carteret Community College in Morehead City, North Carolina was awarded its first Title III – Part A grant in October of 2006. Carteret (CCC) is a small, primarily rural college located in southeastern North Carolina. The number one draw to this county these days is tourism, as it has 90 miles of coastline on the Atlantic Ocean. It is not surprising then, that Carteret County has a very rich history of commercial fishing and boat building. And while CCC is in an idyllic condition, situated on the banks of the Intracoastal Waterway, and just minutes from Atlantic Beach, the college has struggled with retaining its students long enough for them to graduate or transfer to a four-year institution. It is for this reason that CCC applied to the Department of Education for funding that assists the college with three critical areas of need: Assessment, Advising, and Distance Learning.

As we approach the end of our first year of implementation of this project, it is valuable to revisit the year and reflect on the outcomes of the numerous activities that we initiated in order to improve overall retention. In short, most would agree that after just one year, we have accomplished much, and have good reason to celebrate. Implementation commenced quickly and efficiently, including: The hiring and placement of staff for grant administration, the establishment of an advising center, which we call the Career and Academic Planning Services (CAPS), the initiation of an intensive and rigorous outcomes assessment program across the college, and the rapid scaling up of a comprehensive professional development program in distance learning. Successes and challenges of each of these activities will be detailed and discussed below, particularly in relation to measurable outcomes, as specified in CCC’s original proposal.

In addition, it is important to review the proposed budget and year-one expenditures. Overall, the resources that were provided by Title III funds were invaluable. Without support from the Department of Education, there is no conceivable way that we would have purchased the technology that has boosted the quality of our distance learning program. Without these resources, there is no way that we could have afforded the quality and quantity of professional development that we have been able to provide to our faculty and staff, particularly in outcomes assessment and distance learning.

Finally, as we look back on this first year, it is important to review those areas where things did not go according to plan. While the challenges we have experienced have been minimal, and virtually inconsequential, it is nonetheless important to highlight them, and ask how those aspects of implementation can be improved as we move forward.