RCC tweaks developmental system to help students transition post-pandemic

HAMLET — Richmond Community College is getting ready for the fall semester with the knowledge that the Class of 2021 may be coming to their classrooms ill-prepared due to the effects of the pandemic on their learning.

To combat this, RCC is restructuring their developmental classes for incoming students and has created their own developmental system.

Since the Fall of 2019, incoming students with an unweighted high school GPA above 2.8 could go straight into a college-level gateway math or English course. A GPA between 2.2 and 2.8 meant that students could still take the first gateway college class, but it required a corequisite. A GPA below 2.2 indicated that a student needed to take a developmental class that taught basic skills in the area of math or English.

RCC determined from their own data that the corequisite course was only helping students in the subject of English, but not Math. Math students benefitted more from the three levels of academic entrance, but the corequisite course did not help as much.

RCC was previously locked into this system by the state of North Carolina, but with their new developmental system, they’re able to better assist their students.

“What’s driving this is the data that we’ve observed over the last two years and the observations, concerns and conversations with high school students and graduates that have been dealing with the pandemic,” said RCC President Dr. Dale McInnis. “We have a wider range of options to help them be successful and transition into college-level work.”

McInnis acknowledged that many high school students are capable of college-level work after graduation, but not everybody is adequately prepared. He said they were waiting for this type of guidance from the state, but the pandemic has accelerated their need for this new developmental system.

“We know the last year-and-a-half has been a challenge,” McInnis said. “Transitioning back into in-person classes and a fully open campus this fall, which I fully expect us to have, will have enough stress. We want to make sure that students are eased into a successful strategy and have all of the support systems they need.”

Students coming in with a GPA below 2.2 will still take a skills enhancement class, according to Vice President for Instruction Kevin Parsons.

“Students are coming to us less prepared,” Parsons said.

Instead of the state-mandated remediation course, they will be using a math course that will teach basic knowledge to better prepare for the gateway class. The English department is adopting a seven-year-old developmental reading course.

“We’re prepared for students of all levels, preparation, ability to help level the playing field so no one gets left behind,” McInnis said. “We want to make sure that nobody falls though the cracks and everybody has success in the least amount of time and the highest quality of results.”

He said that the college will be evaluating this transition, which was faculty-driven, this year based on feedback from students.

Matching college credits and skills

RCC is also adjusting some of their courses to better fit the needs of employers and the skills and credentials that students are learning.

The board approved motion to allow students to retroactively get college credit for a course for eight pre-selected courses, even if they aren’t actively seeking a degree from that class.

McInnis said their goal it to not cram students into a degree course, because not every students wants or needs to be in a degree course. Their goal is to match credentials that RCC is delivering, with what employers are requiring across industries.

“We’re trying to do a better job of custom-fitting the student for the right course that serves their individual needs,” McInnis said.

He said while some careers require two-year degrees, there’s equal value placed on non-credit credentials from employers.

Executive Vice President Brent Barbee said it helps the college become more efficient and will allow teachers to instruct students who wish to continue their education, as well as students who are just in a class for the credential.

Barbee cited the demand for their welding lab, where they didn’t have time to offer multiple classes to degree-seeking students and students who just wanted the skills from the class. Now, they will be able to accommodate both.

Spring-time fun

SGA Parliamentarian Kaitlynn Williams said that RCC students will be participating in the Richmond County Clean-up Event on April 24. SGA will be hosting a Spring Fling event on the Hamlet campus on May 13 and on the Scotland campus on May 18.