Aligning for Success

The Solution:

Better efficiencies would be built on the foundation of a new scheduling culture, one specifically focused on students that would boost retention. The Strategic Enrollment Retention plan, led by the Vice President of Enrollment Management, welcomed new players to the scheduling table with a focus on current data, strong partnerships, and a mindset of continuous improvement.

The process includes three deans, five associate deans, 30 department heads, program coordinators, and a unionized scheduling staff who were tasked with using data to improve scheduling success through the development of a tactical plan during the 2022-2023 academic year.

Registrar Diane Jacobs worked with Ad Astra to build sample plans for student-centric schedules and to close the design loop to improve programs/pathways. Additionally, research insights allowed the institution to determine the number of sections offered and response to demand.

The modified process ensured pathways were accurate and in alignment with a goal of annual planning in the immediate future. In turn, a process of continuous improvement highlights where scheduling adjustments can be made and how to deal with developmental courses that aren’t on the pathways.

“Annual scheduling is a big part of the tactical plan,” said Diane Jacobs, Registrar, Community College of Allegheny County. “We want to show reliable data to faculty and staff, and we need to find ways to engage faculty and departments in evaluating this and show where there are blocks in the paths.”

The tactical plan includes student input on the scheduling process. Students receive a 2-minute survey after they register. Associate deans also receive a feedback form to ensure schedules are in alignment.

Immediate outcomes include an increase in retention rate and in the number of credit hours with a goal of boosting overall enrollment in the short term. Seeking continuous improvement, CCAC plans to use data insights to predict Spring 2024 demand, analyze modality preferences, and share the results with those involved in the schedule-building process.