Grand Rapids Community College President Charles Lepper welcomed faculty and staff back to campus on Aug. 22 just days ahead of the fall semester. Looking toward the future, Lepper said the college aims to focus on student retention and support.
Over the last five years, GRCC has seen a slow and steady rise in fall-to-fall retention rates, with 52.7% of students returning in the fall of 2023. Over the course of three years, degree-seeking, full-time students have seen a completion rate of 17.4%.
Overall admissions are expected to increase due to recent legislation, such as the CC Guarantee passed earlier this summer by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. The CC Guarantee provides state-aid to the graduating class of 2023 and 2024. Those in-district will have their tuition and mandatory fees covered, and those outside the district will receive a benefit equal to the cost of attendance for those in-district. Eligible students will also receive an additional $1,000 for expenses like books, childcare, rent and other basic needs.
However, in our current student population institutional performance gaps were identified among students identifying as Black or African American, Hispanic and Latino/Latina as well as students eligible to receive Pell Grants or those starting college for the first time.
“We have a tremendous opportunity ahead of us, and we are all part of this work,” said Lepper. “It is time to think about how we may create unintentional barriers for these students, or any student for that matter, as well as … opportunities for student connection at GRCC.”
Lepper plans to utilize “high impact practices” such as studying abroad, service learning, work-based learning and undergraduate research opportunities as a way to increase student retention and create a sense of belonging at GRCC. By 2028 the college aims to see fall-to-fall retention hit 55% in addition to seeing a 20% increase in the number of degree-seeking students.
Additionally, he spoke on the increasing amount of fraudulent applications the college has been receiving as people attempt to pocket financial aid.
“Our admissions team has had to manually process admissions applications and manually verify student’s identities to ensure our students obtain access to the services, resources, and courses they need to further their learning and complete their degree or certificate at GRCC,” said Lepper.
Meanwhile, the staff faces another unprecedented challenge going into the new semester, as a Blackboard malfunction interrupted class preparation for several professors. Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs Sheila Jones anticipates this won’t heavily affect the students’ experience, but says they may not be able to view each module at the beginning of the semester.
In other news, during Thursday’s gathering, Vice President of People, Culture and Equity Nygil Likely outlined his vision of the year ahead, keeping his focus on unity. Likely aims to build trust, understand the experiences of stakeholders and increase employee engagement and cultural competence, in addition to defining what equity means here on campus.
“It’s important to value people and show people that you care about them and so we want to reimagine that, and we want to lead that work this year,” said Likely.
The opening day tradition of awarding a standout staff member with the Staff Excellence in Education Award continued with the 2024 recipient, former Chief of Staff and current Human Resources Operations Manager, Misty McClure Anderson.
“This staff member takes a personal interest in helping students navigate college systems so they achieve the best possible outcome,” Lepper said before announcing the recipient. “They demonstrate this by listening compassionately and brainstorming with others to find innovative solutions… This individual is a true asset to the college because of all the ways they help GRCC function smoothly, effectively and efficiently for the good and well-being of all.”
Mathematics professor Nancy Forrest was awarded the 2024 Excellence in Education Faculty award. Additionally, an Adjunct Excellence Award was also given out, but the recipient could not be at the meeting so they will be surprised in front of their students during the semester
“They are welcoming to all new faculty and have served as a mentor to many,” Lepper said of Forrest. “This faculty member has created various activities for their department and has been involved in various conferences… They help new teachers by sharing their course materials in addition to providing mentorship.”
One message remained consistent during the speech, “as we embark on another academic year, I can say with great confidence, together we’ve got this,” said Lepper.
