Redlands Joins "Degrees When Due" Completion Initiative

Redlands Community College has been selected to join Degrees When Due, a national initiative of the Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP), with the goal of assisting students with some college credit to complete their degrees.

As one of eight colleges and universities selected from Oklahoma, Redlands will participate in best practices in degree reclamation and will provide targeted support while re-engaging students who have paused or stopped out of their studies. Redlands’ participation in the initiative is facilitated through the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education. Oklahoma is one of 20 states participating in the nationwide initiative.

“Redlands is excited to be a part of this initiative dedicated to helping students finish their degrees,” said Jack Bryant, Redlands Community College president. “Students face so many challenges ranging from financial to personal, and we look forward to developing better methods and programs that give these students the support they need to achieve their education and career goals.” 

Degrees When Due will grant Redlands access to a variety of resources to assist with auditing students’ previously earned credits in order to determine the students’ most efficient pathway to graduation. The program will benefit the many Oklahomans identified as having some college credit but no degree.

“Our Degrees When Due institutional and state partners are building a strong pathway to degree attainment for all students, including by providing an on-ramp for those who have paused their studies or ‘stopped-out,’” said IHEP President Michelle Asha Cooper, Ph.D. “IHEP enthusiastically welcome the selected institutions and states to this effort. Through this initiative, they will increase student success, serve as a diverse set of student populations, and join us in addressing on of higher education’s most pressing challenges: degree completion.”

Redlands Chief Academic and Compliance Officer Rose Marie Moore added, “We have worked diligently to strengthen our retention efforts, and our enrollment numbers are indicating we are making good progress. However, we look forward to working with IHEP to enhance our efforts to support students who are returning after taking a break from their education.” 

Other Oklahoma institutions participating in the initiative include Connors State College, Murray State College, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College, Northeastern State University, Oklahoma City Community College, Oklahoma Panhandle State University and the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma.