Volume 8, Issue 2

Spring 2017

Inside IR
INSIDE THIS ISSUE: An IR Director’s Retrospective
An IR Director’s Retrospective 1 As I approach retirement and look back research project that showed the ways
at my years of experience in IR, I have in which MCC’s child care center helps
Math Course Level Completion 2
come to an irrefutable fact: as Director of our students has been cited by the
Preliminary Analyses of Starfish Data 3 IR I’ve been able to do what I have done Association of Community College Trus-
because of the incredible talents of three tees, the Institute for Women’s Policy
Completion Rates of Black Males 4
other researchers whom many at MCC Research, and the Washington Post.
may not know.
Andrew Welsh, Specialist, has spent
Elina Belyablya, Assistant Director, start- eight years in the IR Office and is re-
ed as a technical assistant back in the IR sponsible for preparing the common da-
Office in the early 2000s. Elina is respon- ta set that is used for admissions pub-
sible for the official reporting of data to lications, conducting dual enrollment
SUNY, the Federal Department of Edu- research, maintaining IR’s enrollment
Elina Belyablya’s research on the three cation, the New York State Education and fall-to-fall/fall-to-spring databases,
academic risk levels was described in Department, and the various bench- and completing ad hoc requests. He
the Fall 2012 issue of Inside IR. marking projects that we are involved in created the research that identified first-
(Voluntary Framework of Accountability, generation status and race as socio-
the National Community College Bench- economic risk factors regarding stu-
Mary Ann M. DeMario’s research on dents’ graduation or transfer to a four-
marking Project, and Student Achieve-
the ways in which MCC’s child care
ment Measure, to name a few). She also year college.
center helps our students was described
in the Spring 2013 issue of Inside IR. completes many ad hoc requests, and
It has been a privilege to work with
was the author of the research report
these very smart individuals who have
that identified the three academic risk
Andrew Welsh’s research on the brought many insights and solutions to
levels that are used in MCC’s Report
socioeconomic risk factors that predict Card and other analyses.
very complex research problems.
students’ graduation or transfer to a
four-year college was described in the Folks may think that IR is just data. It
Mary Ann Matta DeMario, Specialist, has
Spring 2012 and Fall 2016 issues of isn’t. We do provide (a lot of) data, but
spent 10+ years in the IR Office and is
Inside IR. one of our most underutilized skills is
currently working part-time. She produ-
analysis, particularly regarding action
ces the “What Happened to the Class of
research.
…?” report each year, is responsible for
All issues of Inside IR are available reporting CTEA data to the New York My advice: Involve IR at the front-end of
on our homepage State Education Department, and assists
www.monroecc.edu/depts/research/ by projects, not at the back-end when
the Strategic Resource Development and projects are over. The best way to un-
clicking on the “Newsletters” link on
the left hand side. Grant Management office with research derstand a project is to begin with a
for grant proposals and follow-ups. She sound research design.
also performs ad hoc requests, conducts
surveys using Qualtrics, and serves as
editor-in-chief of this newsletter. Her
 Page 2 Inside IR

Math Course Level Completion

MCC has four math course levels: fifth started in a college level math
course, one-fifth started in a non-credit
1. College Level – Credit-bearing MTH/preparatory level course, and
courses that count toward a deg- another one-third did not attempt any
ree or certificate (e.g., MTH175) math course in their first semester.
2. Preparatory – Courses required
for the college algebra/science se- Table 1 shows the first level math course
quence that count as elective cred- students attempted in their first semester
its (e.g., MTH099/104, MTH104, at MCC as well as the highest level math
One-third of entering fall students started MTH135) course they completed (i.e., earned a C
in a non-credit TRS course. Twelve 3. Non-Credit MTH – Non-credit or better in) within two-and-a-half years.
percent started in a non-credit MTH courses that are required prereq-
course. uisites for Preparatory math or As illustrated, 80% of the students who
statistics courses (e.g., MTH098, started in college level math in their first
MTH096) semester were able to complete a credit-
4. Non-Credit TRS – Non-credit bearing math course within two-and-a-
courses that are required for entry half years. Almost a half of the students
into Non-Credit MTH courses (e.g., (49%) who started in a preparatory level
TRS092, TRS094) course were able to complete a Level 8
or higher math course.
Recently, the IR Office analyzed data on
students who started at MCC in fall 2012 Though not shown in the table, there was
and fall 2013, and their math course a statistically significant difference in
progress. We found that one-third start- math course progress based on the initial
ed in a non-credit TRS math course, one- math course attempted.

Almost a half of the students (49%) who

started in a preparatory level course were
able to complete a Level 8 or higher math
course.
Inside IR Page 3

Inside IR
Preliminary Analyses of Starfish Data Page 3

Starfish, MCC’s retention software, was retention. There are other retention ini-
implemented in fall 2015. In its first two tiatives that may independently affect
Student Achievement Measure (“SAM”)
semesters, it was used for first time, outcomes as well (such as Pathways).
matriculated Transitional Studies and
ESOL majors, EOP students, athletes, Second, the dynamics of an enterprise
and online students. In fall 2016, it was such as Starfish change when it is ex-
expanded college-wide. panded college-wide. For example, stu-
dent outcomes may evolve as faculty
In general, the retention and persistence members and students become more
rates for the students in the pilot groups accustomed to the software.
have not significantly changed since the
implementation of Starfish, as shown in Third, it is important to consider the
Table 2. long-term historical variations in persis- There is natural variation in
tence and retention rates. (See sidebar.) persistence and retention rates
Table 3 shows the fall-to-spring persis- Starfish’s impact on MCC students will over time. The data doesn’t
tence of the broader first time, matricu- be more clearly revealed as time goes show an impact on persistence
and retention yet, but may do so
lated MCC student population from fall on. In other words, the data doesn’t
over time.
2016. This is the first such analyses show an increase in persistence and re-
conducted since Starfish was expanded tention right now, but it may over time. The following graph shows the
college-wide. The results indicate that 10-year trends in fall-to-fall
there is no statistically significant differ- Currently, the IR Office is analyzing data retention of online students.
ence pre- and post-Starfish. on student retention and performance
within courses. In other words, since
In fall 2017, we will analyze the data on Starfish was implemented…
the fall-to-fall retention rate of the larger
student population.  has the number of course with-
drawals decreased?
There are a few caveats to keep in mind  have course C or better rates in-
when reviewing the preliminary analyses. creased?

First, Starfish’s most direct impact might

We will publish the results in a future
be more readily seen in course out-
issue of Inside IR.
comes rather than general persistence or
 Page 4 Inside IR

Completion Rates of Black Males

Recently, the IR Office analyzed data is passing (i.e., earning a C or better) in
on first time, full-time, degree-seeking all of one’s first semester courses. In
students who entered MCC in fall 2008, fact, nearly three-quarters of the Black
fall 2009, fall 2010, fall 2011, and fall males who graduated within three years
2012. The purpose was to see which had passed all of their courses in their
variables influence three-year comple- first semester while less than one-third
tion rates for Black males. of those who didn’t graduate within three
Of the 118 Black males in the
study who graduated from MCC years had done so.
Figure 1 shows the completion rates of
within three years, 73% passed
all of their first semester courses. three groups of students: Black males, Other predictors of completion among
White males, and all other students. Black males were:
Of the 1,469 Black males who The completion rate of Black males is
didn’t graduate within three lower than both of the other groups, a  Being age 30 or older
years, 29% completed all of their difference that is statistically significant.  Not receiving Pell grants
first semester courses.  Being placed at math level 5 or
Deeper analyses reveal several predic- higher
tors of Black males’ successful three-  Starting in an AAS program.
year completion. The biggest predictor

For more information about the Institutional Research (IR) Office, you can visit our pages
on the MCC website or contact an IR staff member:

Angel E. Andreu, Director, 292-3031, [email protected]

Elina Belyablya, Assistant Director, 292-3033, [email protected]
Allison Wanek, Secretary, 292-3035, [email protected]
Andrew Welsh, Specialist, 292-3034, [email protected]
Mary Ann Matta DeMario, Specialist, 292-3032, [email protected]

Previous issues of Inside IR are available on our homepage:

http://www.monroecc.edu/depts/research/