LCCC Revamps offerings to Pathways Framework

Laramie County Community College (LCCC) has been working toward “Guided Pathways” initiative since 2017.

To insure the success of their student, LCCC has been concentrating on this redesign. The Guided Pathways is a research-based framework that has allowed the examination of internal practices and structures and their impact on students’ ability to complete credential aligned with their career and/or educational goals. Thus far their work has resulted in a streamlined application and entry process, a redefined General Education program, a new case-management Advising model, and a reorganization of our academic offerings into seven distinct areas of interest, or Pathways.

“This reorganization serves the first pillar of Guided Pathways, which is to “Clarify the Path.” This essential practice challenged the College to design clearly mapped programs that are aligned with further education and careers. Such programs allow the institution to fulfill its promise to students that a quality credential can be earned in a reasonable amount of time, and that the credential would lead to opportunities not otherwise accessible to them. As a natural part of this work, the College has examined all current programs at LCCC.  This examination has resulted in LCCC’s decision to deactivate (close) several programs and to place several others on hiatus (suspend) starting in the Fall 2020 semester.” shared in a recent release from LCCC President, Dr. Joe Schaffer.

Hiatus essentially means that the College will be temporarily placing the program in a suspended state, where students are not able to enroll in the program.  Yet the program is not closed or deactivated.  This is done to allow for time to further examine the demand and need for the program, and to allow for program changes or redesign if it is deemed still viable. The following credentials have been placed on Hiatus (suspension):

Deactivation means the College will be permanently closing the program. Students will no longer be able to enroll in the program and LCCC will not award these credentials any longer. The following programs have been deactivated (closed):

Further explained in the release, “Considerable analysis, discourse, and effort has gone into making these decisions. These decisions are grounded in what LCCC believes is best for students and promoting student success. In general, the specific rationale for the recommended changes in program status included the following:

• Historically low program enrollments/majors;
• Low persistence and/or completion rates for students;
• Credential does not lead to opportunities to secure living-wage career placement;
• Lack of alignment with four-year partners that are realistic pathways for students; and/or
• Lack of differentiation from other programs offered by LCCC (e.g., few courses differ between programs).

Three important notes.  First, LCCC will offer a “teach out” plan for these programs. This means that active students currently enrolled in these credential programs will have the opportunity to finish their programs. In addition, the College is notifying non-active students who had chosen these programs when they were enrolled and allow them to come back to LCCC and finish if they re-enroll for Spring Semester 2020.

Second, it is important to state that LCCC will continue to provide a pathway for students who have an interest in the areas formerly served by these programs. These options are embedded in the newly established Pathways structure which allows for focused exploration of areas of interest and the development of individualized academic plans to serve the career and/or transfer goals of our students.  In other words, if students have interest in these areas, we still ‘Have a Path for That!’

Third, and most important, is what academic programs we are offering to our students and community.  At the end of this email is the list of the active programs that are available and will continue to be offered by LCCC.”