Goals and Outcomes of Student Achievement

The mission of Hillsborough Community College (HCC) is to transform lives by providing open access to an exceptional teaching and learning environment.  The college has three strategic goals, the first of which is to advance achievement of learning outcomes and educational goals for all students. 

It is with student success in mind that HCC identifies six institutional targets of student achievement.  Central to all six is attainment of HCC credentials as portals to successful university transfer, career pathways, and life enrichment.  Student achievement goals are targets of success to which we aspire in a quest for continuous improvement.  We honor students in demonstrable pursuit of higher levels of college completion and their success beyond our doors.

HCC is accredited by The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).  Compliance with The Principles of Accreditation requires institutions to identify, evaluate, and publish goals and outcomes for student achievement appropriate to the institution’s mission, the nature of the students it serves, and the kinds of programs offered.  It also requires that the institution use multiple measures to document student success. 

Requirements for publication are further specified in the Policy on Institutional Obligations for Public Disclosure.

Definition: Retention is defined as the percentage of an entering fall cohort of credit students first enrolled at HCC that re-enrolls the following fall.  The cohort includes all new students to HCC including transfers and first-time in college students.  Retention is requisite to credential completion.

Goal: Increase the fall to fall retention rate of college credit students to 55%.

Most Recent Outcome: 45%

Definition: The completion rate of the National Student Clearing House (NSC) measures an entering fall cohort of full and part-time credit students that graduate from college within six years at HCC or transfer to another institution to complete. SACSCOC provides a choice of four graduation rates in which one must be selected for accountability. The NSC rate is most appropriate to the students HCC serves in which two-thirds are part-time. Consequently they take longer to complete a degree.  In addition, as a transfer institution, most of our students leave to attend other colleges to complete their credentials.

Goal: Increase the college completion rate to 47%.

Most Recent Outcome: 45%

Definition: Transfer is defined as the percentage of an entering fall cohort of credit students that complete an HCC associate degree within three years and transfer to a senior institution in pursuit of their baccalaureate degree. Research shows that transferring with an associate degree is the greatest predictor of baccalaureate degree attainment. This is an important indicator of success for HCC as a transfer institution. 

Goal: Increase the percentage of transfers holding the HCC associate degree to 25%.

Most Recent Outcome: 18%

Definition: A Florida State Accountability Measure compares the grade point average of HCC Associate in Art (AA) completers that transfer at the end of the junior year at a Florida public university to all Florida College System (FCS) AA transfers. This is an indicator of academic preparedness for success at the university in pursuit of a baccalaureate degree.

Goal: Equal of exceed the grade point average of all FCS associate in arts transfers in the junior year at a public university in Florida.

Most Recent Outcome: The junior level GPA of HCC degree transfers is 3.14 compared to 3.15 for all FCS transfers possessing the AA degree.

Definition: The percentage of students sitting for a licensure or certification exam that pass on the first attempt. Licensure exam pass rates are a direct indicator of job skill mastery. First-time pass rates are a good indicator of student learning due to instructional delivery of the college. Completion of HCC credentials prepare students to sit for allied health and public service careers.

Goal: Achieve or exceed an 85% first-time pass rate for any individual licensure or certification exam.

Most Recent Outcome: 15 of 20 exam pass rates equal or exceed 85% on the first attempt.

Definition: A State Accountability Measure uses the FETPIP tracking system to determine employment of students one year after college completion. FETPIP also includes those serving in the military or those continuing their education.

Goal: Exceed 90% of all workforce graduates that are employed or continuing their education within one year of completion.

Most Recent Outcome: Most recent outcome is 93%.