The document discusses the mission of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP) aimed at increasing college access and success for underserved populations. It highlights alarming statistics showing low enrollment and graduation rates among low-income students, while outlining national goals for increasing higher education attainment. The presentation calls for innovative strategies to improve student retention and completion rates, emphasizing the importance of financial assistance and academic support.

1. Empowerment Without
Boundaries
Michelle Asha Cooper, PhD
President
mcooper@ihep.org
AAC&U Student Success Conference
March 2012
PRESENTED BY
The Institute for Higher Education Policy

2. About IHEP
Our Vision
•The Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP)
envisions a world where all people—particularly
populations who have been underserved—have
the opportunity to reach their full potential by
participating and succeeding in higher education.
Our Mission
•IHEP is committed to improving college access
and success in higher education for all students—
with a special focus on underserved populations—
by providing timely research to inform public
policy decisions.
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3. Pop Quiz
Access
• What percentage of all Americans enroll in
college?
• What percentage of low-income students enroll
in college?
Success
• What percentage of all Americans graduate
from college within 6 years?
• What percentage of low-income students
graduate from college within 6 years?
Affordability
• How much is the average student loan debt?3

4. The College Completion Agenda
Obama Administration’s Education Goal:
• The President's Bold Goal: Have the highest
proportion of college graduates in the world by
2020.
The Lumina Foundation for Education:
• Increase the percent of Americans with a two or
four year degree from 37.9% to 60% by 2025
The College Board:
• At least 55 percent of the U.S. population holds
a college degree or certificate by 2025
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5. Low-income children are less
likely to enroll in college,
less likely to graduate
5

6. Drivers of the
College Completion Agenda
• Global Imperative
• Globalized knowledge economy
• 21st Century consciousness
• Economic Imperative
• Current labor market signals
• Future workforce readiness
• Equity Imperative
• Fastest-population growth occurring among racial/
ethnic minorities
• Growing need to reengage and retrain growing
number of adult learners
• Stratification along socioeconomic status 6

7. Building Blocks for College Success
• Academics
• Academic and Social
Support Services
• FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
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8. Trends in College Affordability
• College costs have grown nearly 40 percent in
the past 5 years
• 60 percent of all college graduates leave
college with debt
• The average graduate leaves college with about
$23,800 in debt
• Between 2001 and 2010, 2 million academically
qualified students will not got to college
because they cannot afford it
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9. Financial Need Contributes
to Failure to Complete
Too much
Too little sleep
work
Work/Loan
Burden
Stress oo little
studying
Housing and oor grades
food insecurity
art-time
enrollment
ailure to
complete 9
Source: CLASP, 2011

10. Discussion
What innovative ideas or strategies have the
most potential to contribute to student retention
and completion at your institution? How do you
measure and document the effectiveness of
these strategies?
If you had the opportunity to highlight your
strategies to a person of influence what would you
say?
What needs to occur for you to feel empowered to
continue this dialogue when you return to work
on Monday morning?
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