Student-Ready College Indicators

Fall-to-Winter Retention

Indicator Rationale: First-term retention is a common student success indicator in higher education, helping institutions measure whether students are making early progress towards educational goals. While numerous supports contribute towards a student’s success, COCC’s upcoming Guided Pathways work supports the College’s Student-Ready goal and is intentionally designed to help students choose, enter and engage in activities to foster early success.

Indicator Definition: Degree-seeking students with no prior college experience, excluding credits from high school dual enrollment, who took their first credit course in fall term and reenrolled the subsequent winter term.

Target Rationale: Recognizing that first-term retention often fluctuates based on factors beyond an institution’s control, we chose to adopt ranges for Met, Almost Met, and Not Met. The College’s last strategic plan saw increases in first-term retention (76.1 to 78%) and therefore anticipate that 78% may be an anomaly. Further, the Oregon Student Success Dashboard shows our comparator institutions’ first-term retention as 74%. Therefore, COCC chose 74% as the low end of Met for 2023-24, year one, with incremental growth the following years.

It is important to note that Guided Pathways (GP) is one of the primary action projects that will influence this indicator. Students will begin experiencing Education Pathways, a primary outcome of GP work, fall 2026 with impacts on retention seen starting winter 2027.

Peer Institutions: Oregon community college comparison group determined by the Oregon Community College Student Success Dashboard: Lane Community College, Linn-Benton Community College and Umpqua Community College.

Fall-to-Fall Retention

Indicator Rationale: Like first-term retention, fall-to-fall retention is a common indicator in higher education to help institutions measure student persistence. Several 2023-27 Strategic Plan action projects will contribute towards an eventual increase in fall-to-fall retention rates, although many of those will not be realized until towards the end of the strategic plan given the implementation timelines. Moreover, both research and practice indicate that major retention initiatives typically take one to three years before an institution experiences positive gains.

Indicator Definition: Fall-to-fall retention as measured by the National Center for Educational Statistic IPEDS data system. Fall-to-fall retention is measured as students who were registered in one fall quarter and are registered in the fourth week of classes the following fall quarter or have completed their program.

Target Rationale: Recognizing that fall-to-fall (FTF) retention often fluctuates based on factors beyond an institution’s control, we chose to adopt ranges for Met, Almost Met, and Not Met. The College’s last strategic plan saw increases in FTF retention with 51% the high and subsequent baseline for the current Strategic Plan. Further, comparator institutions identified through IPEDS showed 53-55% FTF retention rates so annual targets have been set to meet this higher bar.

Peer Institutions: National community college comparison group identified using IPEDS data: Gavilan College [CA], Gulf Coast State College [FL], Hawkeye Community College [IA], Iowa Western Community College [IA] and Linn-Benton Community College [OR].

Graduation Rates

Indicator Rationale: Graduation rates are a common metric in higher education. The 2023 – 27 Strategic Plan action projects were selected as they have the ability to positively impact student success – and in particular, graduation rates. Examples of these projects include Guided Pathways, Strategic Scheduling, Online Programs and Madras Campus Expansion, among others, noting that implementation timelines for many of these may not impact graduation rates during this strategic plan, but should do so shortly thereafter.

Indicator Definition: Graduation rate as measured by the National Center for Educational Statistic s IPEDS data system. Graduation rate is measured as first-time students who were registered in one fall quarter and earn a completion within three years.

Target Rationale: COCC’s graduation rate fluctuates between 22-24% with 22% of the fall 2019 cohort graduating within three years. Oregon community colleges reflect this same trend while national comparator institutions identified through IPEDS showed a 30-35% three-year graduation rate. Annual targets have been set to gradually make gains. An important note is the balance of graduation and transfer rates with COCC having higher transfer rates than national comparator institutions.

Transfer Rates

Indicator Rationale: Student transfer rates to other institutions round out the most common student success metrics measured by community colleges. This indicator was chosen because like the others, it has potential to be impacted by many of the 2023-27 Strategic Plan action projects.

Indicator Definition: Transfer rate as measured by the National Center for Educational Statistics IPEDS data system. Transfer rate is measured as first-time students who were registered in one fall quarter and transfer to a two- or four-year institution before earning a completion within three years.

Target Rationale: COCC’s transfer rate fluctuates between 20-26% with 21% of the fall 2019 cohort transferring within three years. Historically, COCC students transfer at higher rates compared to other Oregon community colleges, with most COCC students transferring to Oregon State University. Oregon community college transfer rates range between 16-18% while national comparator institutions identified through IPEDS experience even lower transfer rates at 12-13%. An important note is the balance of graduation and transfer rates with COCC having lower graduation rates than national comparator institutions.

It is also important to note that Guided Pathways (GP) is one of the primary action projects that will influence this indicator. Students will begin experiencing Education Pathways, a primary outcome of GP work, fall 2026 with impacts on transfer rates seen three years post. The same is true for many of our Strategic Plan activities impacting transfer rates yet the College is still setting stretch goals for this indicator.