Simon gets crash course at CLC

Lt. Gov. Sheila Simon got a crash course Monday in what College of Lake County is doing to help improve students' retention and completion rates.

Her stop at CLC to meet with administrators, faculty and students was part of Simon's yearlong tour of all 48 community colleges in the state. CLC was her 23rd visit, and followed stops at Oakton Community College and McHenry County College on Monday.

“I'm trying to address some of the best ideas and challenges that need to be made on a legislative statewide basis,” Simon said. “By looking at community colleges across the state and visiting each one, the very act of being here is significant.”

CLC administrators focused on what they called “momentum points,” or the variety of significant moments in a student's college career that contribute to their overall success.

Advising, tutoring and support services, online faculty discussion opportunities, student organizations dedicated to character development and community involvement, and an analysis of courses fundamental to students have all been deemed important and effective milestones.

“Our goal is to let students know that we know they're here and that we're here to support them,” said Darl Drummond, CLC's vice president of student development.

College administrators said they have already seen the benefits of these initiatives — in student persistence rates fall-to-fall increasing from 46 percent in 2008 to 49.6 percent in 2011 and in the number of students passing courses growing from 69.1 percent in 2007 to 76.5 percent in 2010.

The college has also begun work on an online data warehouse system that would provide faculty and administrators instant access to all this information.

“Once administrators are trained on how to use it, they can learn how many students are successful and see any changes,” Data Research Manager Arlene Santos-George told Simon.

Simon also spoke with several students and learned many chose CLC out of financial concerns, and find the problem concerning community colleges to be one based on a cultural belief.

“Most people assume that those who attend community colleges dropped out of regular college or have certain issues,” one student said.

Many of the students who met with Simon initially weren't involved on campus, but eventually became powerful and contributing members of their community, officials said.

“Our responsibility is to let people know what goes on in community colleges and what they're all about,” Simon explained.