Addressing the Needs of a

Diverse Student Population Through a First Year Experience

ProgramApril 30 – May 1, 2009

Sacramento, CA

Basic Skills Regional Meeting

Frances A. GusmanVice President, Student Services

francesg@cos.edu

Basic Skills Regional Meeting

College of the Sequoias Profile• Single campus district with two centers• Enrollment 13,000• 47% (math) and 31% (English)test into

developmental levels• Low income (over 70% receive BOGG fee waiver)• Hispanic students now comprise largest ethnic

group of student body (51%)• 14 feeder high schools plus adult schools,

continuation schools, court schools and charter schools.

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• Increasingly Diverse• Many Foreign Born, Non-

English Speaking• More Living in

Poverty/Unemployment• Fewer HS grads & BA

holders

The Community We Serve

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8.4

9.6

4.7

17.1

18.6

8.7

0 5 10 15 20

U.S.

CA

Tulare

The percent of adults in Tulare County with a Bachelor’s Degree lag far behind adults in the rest of the state and nation.

1990 2006

Percent of adults > 25 with a Bachelor’s Degree

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9.8

9.7

18.5

0 5 10 15 20

U.S.

CA

Tulare Family poverty rates are twice as high in Tulare County than in the rest of the state and nation.

Percent of families living below the federal poverty level, 2006

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Tulare county is experiencing dramatic demographic shifts

The number of

Latino residents increased 25% in the

last six years

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COS is witnessing a sharp increase in the proportion of Latino students and a drop in White students

Percent of student population by race/ethnicity

1997-1998

2007-2008

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Challenges for COS• ACCESS: low participation rate• PERSISTENCE: high numbers

of:– Applicants who do not enroll– Enrollees who drop– Students who do not continue

beyond 1 semester

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Evolution• Success Program – early 90’s• LISTO I………..1999 – 2004• LISTO II……….2004- 2007• FYE …………......2007 to present

First Year ExperienceLearning Communities

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FYE – Fall 2007- Fall 2009

• Focus shifted to developmental English and

Math• Offered to any incoming freshmen and re-entry students who have less than 30 units

• Expanding to 12 communities by Fall 2009

First Year ExperienceLearning Communities

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FYE – PIC (Preparatory/Intermediate/Collegiate) Model 12 communities

Prep level Remedial EnglishPre-AlgebraFirst Year Seminar

13 units

Intermediate level Intermediate EnglishAlgebra IFirst Year Seminar

13 units

Collegiate level Transfer EnglishTransfer Music First Year Seminar Other class per counseling

10- 14 units

Students advance to next levels in spring

First Year ExperienceLearning Communities

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FYE Academic ChallengesFYE Academic Challenges

• Faculty buy-in

• Scheduling classes

• Administrative input

• Collaboration with Academic and Student Services

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FYE Learning CouncilFYE Learning Council• Designed to improve collaboration with Academic Services / Student Services and solve implementation issues• V.P. Academic Services, V.P. Student Services, academic deans, student services deans, FYE counselor, division chairs• Scheduling issues• Outreach• Recruitment of faculty

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ELI and FYEELI and FYE• English and Math basic skills learning communities

• ESL learning community – Fall 2010

• Career Technical Education learning communities

• Nursing – Fall 2008• Ornamental horticulture – Fall 2009

• Learning Resource Specialist for FYE (funded by BSI)

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Future PlanFuture Plan

SemesterSemester

Number ofNumber ofLearningLearning

CommunitiesCommunities

Number Number of of

StudentsStudents

Sections Sections of of

FYE SeminarFYE Seminar

Number Number ofof

StudentsStudents

Fall 2007Fall 2007 66 130130 ---- 00

Spring Spring 20082008

99 225225 11 2222

Fall 2008Fall 2008 1111 275275 66 255255

Spring Spring 20092009

1212 300300 6*6* 400400

Fall 2009Fall 2009 1212 300300 10**10** ??

* Implementation of large lecture section** All COUN 110 courses part of a Learning Community

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Initial Success and Retention DataFall Semester 2007

Initial Success and Retention DataFall Semester 2007

Group “C” or BetterRe-enrolled Spring 2008

Math 360 26% 74%

English 360 52% 73%

Cohort 1 51% 84%

Cohort 2 64% 88%

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Student Success and Retention DataStudent Success and Retention Data

Spring 2008, Fall 2008

Semester Number /Group “C” or Better

Re-enrolled next semester

Spring 08 8 Learning Communities 46% 57%

Fall 08 11 Learning Communities 53% 80%

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What We KnowWhat We Know• The majority of new students entering COS require basic skills support• Students are failing developmental courses at abysmal rates and many that get to college level transfer courses do not complete the courses to transfer or graduate with a degree• These same students are the ones who rarely, if ever, utilize the services and resources available to them• Students need and require more “touches” by individuals on campus. These students are uninformed and do not know how to even begin to access information and/or support services• Intrusive assistance is required if these students are to be successful

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What We Can DoWhat We Can DoA team like approach of staff to work with our FYE students would ensure the students meet and get to know staff who are assigned to them and subsequently access services and resources. Like EOPS, students would be required, as outlined in their contract, to meet each person on their team at least once a semester. The team members could then collaborate with other team members to assist the student. Potential Triage/Team Intervention could be composed of the following staff:

• Outreach staff - we have not tapped into the rich informational resource this staff possesses• Counselor - in place• Financial Aid staff • Disability Resource Center - when indicated• Student Activities Staff – possibly Associated Student Body Student/Officer• Faculty training – BSI – First Annual Summer Institute for Teaching and Learning at Asilomar Conference Center

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Future PlansFuture Plans• Continue to link FYE with our Basic Skills Initiative

• Further refine data collection / evaluation of FYE

• Increase retention efforts :

• Faculty has been asked not to drop students without contacting the FYE Office

• Implemented Early Alert System Spring ‘09 (Banner) Progress Reports

requested be entered the third week of the semester

• Continue our expansion plans to serve more students

• Continue to implement additional service components such as:

• Student Book Loan Program

• Summer Bridge Program – Peer Mentors

• Continue to implement multiple sections of the FYE Seminar course

• Achieving The Dream Initiative

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