The Completion Agenda

The Completion Agenda focuses on a commitment to student (quality) degree/certificate completion. At this year's League for Innovations Conference, Terry O'Banion discussed a working set of Six Principles of the Completion Agenda. These six principles are:

1. Every student will make a significant connection with another person at the college as soon as possible.
2. Key intake programs including orientation, assessment, advisement and placement will be integrated and mandatory.
3. Every student will be placed in a "Program of Study" from day one; undecided students will be placed in a mandatory "Program of Study" designed to help them decide.
4. Every student will be carefully monitored throughout the first term to ensure successful progress; the college will make interventions immediately to keep students on track.
5. All decisions regarding policies, programs, practices, processes, and personnel will be based on evidence to the extent it is possible to do so
6. Professional Development for all college stakeholders will focus on student success and completion as the highest priority.

Do you agree with these Six Principles? Which would you revise? What would you add? Share your thoughts in the comments section below.


Additional Resources on the Completion Agenda:

• CollegeBoard
• American Association of Community Colleges
• Change and the Completion Agenda, by Terry O'Banion (written for The League for Innovation)