degree seekers cohort period, 29 students have graduated. The 31 students that have completed their degrees represent only 5% persistence rate for the 2011 cohort.

There is tremendous opportunity in achieving a graduation rate more consistent with our peer institutions, if careful attention is given to student success over the next three years of this cohort group. There are 81 students currently enrolled out of the 2011 cohort, who are within 40 credit hours of completing their associate's degree. The bachelor's component of the cohort has 240 students who are within 60 credit hours of earning their degrees. Key to this finding is that there are 100 of these students poised to graduate by the end of summer school 2016 with at least 100 credit hours to take. Therefore, it is imperative that staff is closely monitoring, advising, consulting, and encouraging these students to persist to graduation. In doing so, we would be reaching for a graduation rate of approximately 37%. It is important to note that Academic Affairs is committed to driving all targeted students to the graduation goal.

I he 2012 conort consist of 519 first-time full-time students at the associate's and bachelor's levels with a cohort completion date after summer school 2017. Two years short of the associate's seekers cohort completion deadline, nine students have graduated. Just two years into the bachelor's cohort period, only three students have graduated. The 12 students that have completed their degrees represent only a 2% persistence rate for the 2012 cohort.

Academic Affairs recognizes opportunity in achieving an acceptable graduation rate in 2016. A systematic monitoring process is being planned for a more orderly approach to cohort tracking and monitoring by the academic resource services programs. The plan will be developed this summer and ready for implementation at the beginning of the fall 2015 academic semester. We are currently assessing and redirecting the scope of work, expectations and levels of accountability for our Academic Support Services areas. The front-line responsibility for working the strategy to improve graduation rates outlined in this report will serve as catalysts for the development of a comprehensive persistence and graduation plan for the University. All academic support programs will be involved in the effort to design this plan from the areas of ACE, CAPS, Student Support Services, Testing, Career Placement, Blackboard, LiveText, and Accelerated Learning. The details of this plan and implementation schedule will be spelled out by July 1, 2015.

Staffing for Academic Affairs has been proposed and will be determined through the budgeting process as we plan for the 2015-16 academic year. As we continue to work through the 2014-15 academic year, mission critical positions have been approved for posting by the President. A reduction in workforce is anticipated to bring the University's staffing level in line with current demand.

As the University considers the implementation of the accelerated model in the delivery of instructions for students, the plan will call for the elimination of all developmental education coursework. This means a reduction of as many as eleven non-tenure track

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