2016 Combined

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For the second straight C year, East Central Com.mu-~ nity College has graduated its 5 largest class of students in : the institution's 88-year his tory. ECCC awarded degrees or certificates to 597 students after the 2015-16 academic year in May 2016, the largest one-year total since the col lege was founded in 1928. It was a 5.1 percent increase over the previous academic year, which at the time was the largest graduating class in East Central history. "We continue to see ex tremely positive results from initiatives implemented as part of the college's 2020 Vi sion strategic plan," said ECGC President Billy Stew art. "In just two years, East Central Community College bas helped almost 1,200 stu dents complete their degrees or certificates prepared to

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continue their education at Members of East Central Community Coll e's 1 .. .- fow--ye.ar colleges and univer- mas.

eg - 5 est graduating class in history prepare to receive their dlplo

degrees and certificates in May 2015, which topped the previous record class of 505 students in 2006-07. The tben record 2014-15 class was a 62 percent increase over the 2013-14 academic year in the number of students earning the two-year pre-baccalaure ate Associate of Arts or Asso ciate of Science degree, and an overall 36 percent one year increase in students completing all programs, in cludingp~barealaurea.te de grees, technical degrees, and tecbnicaJ/career certificates. Adopted in February 2013, ECCC's 2020 VISion strategic

hours needed for a two-yeru associate degree from 62 to 60 to align with the 120 hours needed for a baccalaw·eate degree. Increasing the number of hours needed for a full-lime course load from 12 to 15 hours so that students suc cessfully completing a full load of 15 holll'S over four se mesters have an opportunity to graduate in two years.

tlonal commitments--Stu dent Success, Teaching and Leaming, Community Part nerships, Resource Planning and Development, and Com munication-which serve as core functions for the college to shape its vision and fulfill its mission. Among the initia tives implemented to improve student success, particularly in the area of program com pletion, were: Waiving the $40 graduation fee as an incentive for more students to apply for gradua tion and officially complete programs of study. Reducing the number of

sities, enter the workforce to programs was converted to begin meaningful careers, or allow exit points for students return to their current work- at 30 hours, 45 hours, wid 60 places better prepared to per- how·s. While the college's As form their jobs." sociate of Applied Science The record graduating and career programs are 60 class included a 33 percent hour programs, beginning in increaseinstudentsreceiving fall 2014 students were al technicaJ or career certifi- lowed exit points at 30-45-60 cates over the previous year, hours if for some reason they a direct result of a reformat- needed to exit their program. ting in fall 2014 of exit points "At 30 or 45 hoUJ's, a stu for students in these pro- dent receives certification grams. that, in most cases, 'vill begin The number of hours improving their work career needed for completion in the and life until they can come Associate of Applied Science back and finish the full pro technical degree and the tech- gram at a later date," noted nical and career certificate Stewart.. East Central awarded 568

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Reducing late registration from five class days to two days so that students who register late only miss one day of classes at the begin ningof each semester. plan in.eludes five institu-.---------------------