Pillars of Transformation
CCA champions 4 Pillars of Transformation—Purpose, Structure, Momentum, Support—each with a set of corresponding strategies that must be at the center of all student-centered higher education systems.
Aligning the college experience to each student’s goals for the future.
First-Year Experience
Develop structures to connect students with resources that foster their academic and career goals.
Develop structures to connect students with resources that foster their academic and career goals.
Career Exploration
Make information on careers readily available to all students, empowering them to make informed decisions about programs of study that meets their skills, aptitudes, and aspirations.
Make information on careers readily available to all students, empowering them to make informed decisions about programs of study that meets their skills, aptitudes, and aspirations.
Academic & Career Alignment
Create a clear connection between learning taking place in the classroom and the competencies associated with careers.
Create a clear connection between learning taking place in the classroom and the competencies associated with careers.
Adult Learner Engagement
Proactively communicate the value of a higher education degree to address the unique needs and goals of adults.
Proactively communicate the value of a higher education degree to address the unique needs and goals of adults.
Building course road maps that make the path to a degree or valued workplace credential clear.
Identify the appropriate gateway math course that is aligned with the skills students need for their chosen program of study.
Identify the appropriate gateway math course that is aligned with the skills students need for their chosen program of study.
Meta Majors
Provide students with opportunities to explore related programs of study that allow them to make more informed and deliberate decisions about their majors, while making progress towards their degrees.
Provide students with opportunities to explore related programs of study that allow them to make more informed and deliberate decisions about their majors, while making progress towards their degrees.
Academic Maps & Milestones
Delineate the path to graduation and highlight significant milestones that contribute to student success in a clear and comprehensive format.
Delineate the path to graduation and highlight significant milestones that contribute to student success in a clear and comprehensive format.
Smart Schedules
Design schedules that contribute to degree progression and meet the needs of all students.
Design schedules that contribute to degree progression and meet the needs of all students.
Stackable Certificates & Credentials
Stackable Certificates & Credentials
Create competency-driven structures that encourage lifelong learning and attainment of degrees of value.
Create competency-driven structures that encourage lifelong learning and attainment of degrees of value.
Designing multiple avenues for students to get started, earn credits faster, and stay on track to graduate.
Credit for Competency
Recognize the prior learning, skills, and knowledge that students possess and establish mechanisms to award appropriate credits.
Recognize the prior learning, skills, and knowledge that students possess and establish mechanisms to award appropriate credits.
Multiple Measures
Consider a variety of placement options that include high school grade point average to provide more ways for students to take a college-level class in their first semester.
Consider a variety of placement options that include high school grade point average to provide more ways for students to take a college-level class in their first semester.
Design structures and pedagogical approaches for students needing or requesting additional support to succeed in college-level foundational math and English courses that allow students to complete requirements in a single academic term.
Design structures and pedagogical approaches for students needing or requesting additional support to succeed in college-level foundational math and English courses that allow students to complete requirements in a single academic term.
Dual Enrollment
Provide high school students opportunities to take college classes while they are still in high school so they can get an early start on college.
Provide high school students opportunities to take college classes while they are still in high school so they can get an early start on college.
Invest in coordinated communications efforts and structural solutions to match student credit loads with the credits needed for on-time graduation for both part-time and full-time students.
Invest in coordinated communications efforts and structural solutions to match student credit loads with the credits needed for on-time graduation for both part-time and full-time students.
Addressing student needs and removing barriers to academic success.
Active Academic Support
Provide students with programs and services to help them develop the academic skills needed to be successful.
Provide students with programs and services to help them develop the academic skills needed to be successful.
Proactive Advising
Require advisors to take a preemptive approach that anticipates and helps eliminate concerns, roadblocks, and barriers affecting student success. Through strategic and consistent outreach, ensure advisors are a resource for students, working with them to create a holistic plan for a timely graduation.
Require advisors to take a preemptive approach that anticipates and helps eliminate concerns, roadblocks, and barriers affecting student success. Through strategic and consistent outreach, ensure advisors are a resource for students, working with them to create a holistic plan for a timely graduation.
360° Coaching
Provide students with a designated coach to contact whenever issues arise in and outside of the classroom. Train coaches to work with students to find answers, identify appropriate resources, and advocate or intervene on their behalf.
Provide students with a designated coach to contact whenever issues arise in and outside of the classroom. Train coaches to work with students to find answers, identify appropriate resources, and advocate or intervene on their behalf.
Student Basic Needs Support
Ensure that students have access to food, housing, childcare, physical and mental health services, financial assistance, and transportation.
Ensure that students have access to food, housing, childcare, physical and mental health services, financial assistance, and transportation.
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