COMMUNITY COLLEGE OF DENVER (Colo.) is a public, comprehensive, learning-centered, urban college that provides open access to a diverse population. CCD, with its main campus in downtown Denver and five branch campuses located throughout the city, has an unduplicated student headcount of 10,793 and a full-time equivalent enrollment of 4,027, annualized (2000-2001). The college reflects the center-city: two-thirds of its student body is low income; approximately 65 percent is first generation; nearly 10 percent has a disability; for more than 8 percent, English is the second language; students of color make up more than 58 percent of CCD's population; and the full- and part-time staffs reflect the faces of CCD students.

CCD's mission and pledge is to provide: transfer programs for the baccalaureate degree; occupational programs for job-entry skills or upgrading; general education courses; remedial instruction and GED preparation; continuing education and community services; and cooperative inter-institutional programs. With this mission also comes the burden of providing support services with decreasing resources -- support services that must be as diversified as the school’s student population, and that address retention of first-time students. Following are several of our numerous first-year student success programs, and evidence of their effectiveness. We look forward to sharing all of our first-year successes through your national publication.

CCD INTEGRATED ADVISING -- CCD has a three-tiered integrated advising model that is administered by the Integrated Advising Committee. This comprehensive model addresses student advising needs from the first point of contact through graduation and/or transfer. This model includes basic skills assessment, general core advising, referral to support services, and policies on declaration of major and program-major advising. All CCD students are assigned an adviser on admission. The adviser can be a member of the Educational Planning and Advising Center, a faculty or general faculty member, a special support services staff member or an academic center educational case manager. The college has a 70 percent persistence rate from fall to spring semester for first-time, full-time, degree-seeking freshmen. Overall, CCD’s year-to-year retention rate for this same population averages 45 percent.

FIRST GENERATION STUDENT SUCCESS PROGRAM -- The First Generation Student Success (FGSS) program provides a model environment for first-generation students that attends to their academic, social, technological, career and life goals. The program enrolls students in first-year experience classes, learning community initiatives, tutoring and peer mentor programs, service-learning opportunities and community service activities. CCD first-generation students also have access to computerized classrooms and drop-in labs for supplemental support and enrichment. Two, full-time FGSS educational case managers and other CCD faculty and staff work closely with students to help them adapt to college life so that they stay in college and receive their two-year degrees, transfer to a four-year school, and achieve their academic and career goals. The FGSS program has an annual retention rate of 80 percent.

TITLE V HSI ACCESS AND SUCCESS PROJECT -- The Title V HSI Access and Success Strengthening Institutions project is a five-year grant to strengthen the retention and success rates of degree-seeking, low-income, first-generation and minority students within CCD’s academic centers. Educational Case Management (ECM) teams in the centers provide academic retention support. Each ECM team -- comprised of an educational case manager, program chairs, faculty advisers and student ambassadors -- provides students with holistic advising. The teams help students refine educational and career plans, obtain internships and make college-transfer connections as they complete their academic programs. The ECM Teams work with learning community faculty to develop instructional strategies to increase the retention and success of students. Students participate in first-year-experience and pre-professional learning communities, and supplemental/enrichment activities to help ensure their success in health, math, science and information technology disciplines. These are cross-functional, college wide teams.

In Spring 2002, after only the second year of the project, 60 Title V first-generation students will graduate from the college with two-year degrees. Six new health, math, and science learning communities were created this year and are beginning to have a significant affect on the retention of students in high-attrition classes. Student successes are motivating more instructors to participate in the development and implementation of Title V learning communities. In addition, the college received a grant from the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AACU) Summer Institute on Campus Leadership for Sustainable Innovations to further develop student diversity initiatives by bringing together academic faculty, Student Life staff, and the new Title V Multicultural Resource Center staff to connect students to the college and the community.

PROJECT E.L.I.T.E. -- The FGSS and Title V educational case mangers’ designed this activity to provide a seamless transition for first-year, first-generation students to the college academic centers and into degreed programs. The six ECMs form a cross-functional team that encourages students to focus on a major; links students to the appropriate academic center; introduces students to the appropriate educational case manager; transitions students to centers and academic programs through the transfer of student files and other pertinent information; and, finally, evaluates student retention and success after transfer to a center.

NORTH LINCOLN CAMPUS OF LEARNERS -- The North Lincoln Campus of Learners is a joint-partnership between CCD and the Denver Housing Authority. The project provides access to education, training and related services to adults who reside in the North Lincoln Park Homes. The FGSS program works collaboratively with the North Lincoln Campus of Learners to transition residents into the college and help them attain their educational and career goals. FGSS case managers and student ambassadors monitor their retention and success. Forty-Two of the 48 North Lincoln students have been retained at the college -- an 88 percent retention rate after year one, with 23 students named to the Vice President’s and Dean’s Honors lists.

STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES -- Student Support Services (SSS) is a federally funded TRIO program providing academic support for first-generation and low-income students. Eligible students receive assistance from a peer mentor, a case manager and, if requested, a peer or professional tutor. Through intensive case management, SSS has experienced significant success in the following areas. The fall 2000 to fall 2001 rate of retention was 85 percent. Nearly 90 percent of this special population maintained a GPA of at least 2.0 (12 credits completed). Seventy-five percent of the students eligible to graduate graduated, and 77 percent of SSS graduates transferred to four-year institution. Academic progress of all participants is monitored each semester with progress reports from faculty. Program assessment and evaluation of performance toward achieving objectives takes place twice a year.

SUMMER BRIDGE PROGRAM -- Student Support Services coordinates the Summer Bridge program. Up to 40 students participate each summer for nine weeks through computer applications and first-year experience classes. Students are supported by SSS peer mentors and are enrolled in the SSS program for the subsequent fall semester.