VC Pathways

Guided Pathways is an integrated, highly structured, approach to student success that:

• Provides all students with a set of clear course that promotes better enrollment decisions and prepares students for future success
• Integrates support services in ways that make it easier for students to get the help they need during every step of their community college experience.

• Clarifying the Paths:  Programs that are fully mapped out and aligned with further education and career advancement while also providing structured or guided exploration for undecided students.
• Helping students choose and enter a path:  Proactive academic and career advising from the start through completion and/or transfer, with milestones at each stage.
• Helping students stay on the path:  Early alert systems aligned with interventions and resources to help students stay on the pathway, persist, and progress.
• Ensuring students are learning:  Instructional support and co-curricular activities aligned with classroom learning and career interests.

Spring 2017

• VC Guided Pathways Core Committee seated
• Began study of Texas Success Center’s Pathways Project through literature review
  • Resigning America’s Community College
  • “Guided Pathways: Demystified”
  • “Implementing Guided Pathways: Tips and Tools”
  • “The Movement toward Pathways”

• Pathways Core Committee attended introductory meeting with Dr. Cynthia Ferrell at TACC offices to learn more of the TSC Pathways Project
  

• Coordinated campus-wide discussion of literacy review materials and collected campus input
• Overwhelming decision made to commit and pursue implementation of Guided Pathways framework
• Committee of 28 attended Texas Success Center’s Guided Pathways Institute #3
• Pathways Committee designed and approved VC Navigator’s Wheel to Guided Pathways
• VC researches software platforms to implement Pathways elements – Purchases Education Advisory Board (EAB): Navigate software
• VC joins 13 other institutions of higher education in Gulf Coast region to build HoustonGPS collaboration
• Continued literature review of pathways implementation and best practices
  • “Guided Pathways Demystified 2: A Newer Set of Questions About Operationalizing Guided Pathways Reforms”
• VC successfully applies for late entry into Texas Success Center Pathways Project – decides to be a part of Cadre 2

Spring 2018

• VC requests Dr. Jo Carol Fabianke as Texas Success Center Implementation Coach
• Group of 14 attended Texas Success Center’s Guided Pathways Institute #4

Fall 2018

• Continued literature review of pathways implementation and best practices
  • “Elevating Student Affairs Practice in Community College Redesign” 
  • “Show Me the Way: The Power of Advising in Community Colleges”
• Group of 14 attended Texas Success Center’s Guided Pathways Institute #5

Spring 2019

Groups of 12 attended Texas Success Center’s Guided Pathways Institute #6

Fall 2019

• VC successfully applies for Round 2 of participation within Texas Success Center Pathways Project in continuation of Cadre 2
• Pathways Committee of 7 attended Texas Success Center’s Guided Pathways Institute #1
• Victoria College asked to serve on the advisory committee in the creation of an online learning platform designed to provide Pathways support to all institutions in Pathways Project

Spring 2020

• Campus visit by Dr. Fabianke
• Texas Success Center Guided Pathways Institute #2 postponed

• Texas Success Center – What is the “Texas Pathways” Model?
• Pathways – Demystified
• Pathways – Demystified II
• CCRC – Redesigning Community College for Student Success
• CCRC – Get with the Program … and Finish It
• Aspen Institute - The Transfer Playbook
• Aspen Institute – The Workforce Playbook
• Implementing Guided Pathways: Tips and Tools
• The Movement Towards Pathways
• VC Navigators

• Ms. Cindy Buchholz
• Mr. Bobby Cubriel
• Dr. David Hinds 
• Mr. Jeff Hubbard 
• Mr. Darin Kazmir
• Dr. Edrel Stoneham
• Mr. Matt Wiley

• Established VC’s Meta-Majors in effort to facilitate better high school endorsement mapping and transfer planning
• Created MOUs with local ISD’s for dual credit to include clear mapping
• Established a VC/UHV Joint Advisor Council leading to Transfer Maps to all Bachelor’s degree awarded at UHV
• Established transfer guides to top transfer schools leading towards common transfer majors
• Implemented both STEM and Non-STEM Mathways paths
• Implemented mandatory advising at key checkpoints – after completion of 15, 30 & 45 credit hours
• Implemented new career inventory/assessment – Focus 2
• Established Wrap-Around Services; Food pantry, clothing closet, transportation, housing, utilities and healthcare assistance
• Employed Academic Coaching and its principles and implemented academic early alerts
• Launched CARE Team interventions through employee submitted behavioral alerts
• Expanded tutoring services to provide weekend and online supports
• Implemented ’12 Best Practices in the Classroom’

• Review of student onboarding process and coordinate “One Front Door” student experience
• Continue to research how best to assist underserved populations in effort to close the equity gap
• Implement equity in every aspect of VC practices
• Improve communication of external survey results to all campus community
• Enhance collaboration between K-12 partners and Victoria College
• Provide peer-to-peer professional development for faculty in ’12 Best Practices in the Classroom’
• Implement faculty-involved student requested drop process
• Explore alternative course offerings – 4, 5, 8 week; evening & weekend opportunities
• Redesign Advising services to a decentralized case-management model
  • Implement Holistic Advising practices focusing on the whole student
• Improve career & employment advising and support services
• Review current Financial Aid practices and processes