EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The College of the Redwoods Student Equity Plan Update for 2015-2018 identifies actions to improve district success outcomes, particularly for students who have been historically underrepresented and underserved. The Student Equity Plan has been created based on the planning actions in the Strategic and Education Master Plans and the 2012-2017 Student Equity Plan. Equity planning at College of the Redwoods reflects the college’s mission of putting student success first and its core values, which include a diverse, nurturing, honest, and open environment as well as the economic and intellectual development of the various communities we serve. Board Policy and Administrative Procedure 5300 underscore the college’s commitment to diversity planning and student success. Attachment A. BP/AP 5300 Student Equity
Equity Groups and Indicators
The goals/outcomes and actions/activities in this Student Equity Plan address disparities and/or disproportionate impact in student success across disaggregated student equity groups including gender, age, ethnicity, disability status, financial need, and foster youth status with specific actions to address disproportionate impact whenever observed in the data. Student success is defined using the Board of Governors “success indicators,” that capture rates of access, course completion, ESL and Basic Skills completion, Degree and Certificate completion, and transfers.
Goals and Activities
Access. The goals for access to ensure that the distribution of students by equity subgroups enrolled in the college reflects the percentage distribution of those groups in Redwoo ds Community College District, The access goal for the Student Equity plan 2014-17 is to increase enrollment of underrepresented students, specifically Hispanic students throughout the district, but especially in the district’s education centers and instructional sites, by creating welcoming campus atmospheres where all students in the community feel supported, included, and valued by the College and each other. This access goal was motivated by the finding that a smaller proportion of Hispanic students are served at the Del Norte Campus than live in the County. Specific activities to meet this goal include promoting and supporting cultural awareness events and activities. Enhanced professional development is a major activity so that staff and faculty can obtain and share up-to date information regarding effective best-practices for serving underrepresented students. Other activities include creating multicultural centers at other district sites, offering course sections district wide that attract a diverse student population, , furthering college outreach materials in Spanish, and implementing a non-credit pathway at College of the Redwoods Del Norte including support for ESL placement and articulation for ESL credit courses. The second major goal related to access it to better serve Veteran students. The college will provide enhanced outreach for veterans, support a Veteran mentor program, and offer non- credit certificates to transition Veterans to credit courses.
Course Completion. The goals for course completion are a) to increase the rate of successful course completion (finishing the course with a grade of ‘C’ or higher) for African American students, increase the percentage of first-time, full time students who successfully complete a course to return one semester later and take at least one more class, and c) increase the
percentage of degree –seeking students who attend for three consecutive semesters. The course completion goal was motivated by the finding that over the past three years, the rate of persistence of African Americans has been disproportionately low compared to other groups.
Specific actions include providing diversity awareness in-service training on classroom dynamics
and building a multicultural curriculum to increase the retention and persistence of underrepresented students and enhancing a professional development program that provides appropriate support for all employees, including making available multicultural and diversity resources for faculty and staff.
ESL and Basic Skill Completion. The college’s goal is to increase the number of students who complete a college level course after finishing the ESL or Basic Skills sequence, particularly student of African American, Native American, and Hispanic ethnicity, students over 50 year of age, and Foster Youth status students as the rates of ESL/BSI persistence for these equity subgroups were lower compared over the last three years with reference groups. Actions planned to meet these goals include implementing Early Alert intervention with at-risk and probationary students, continued implementation of non credit ESL and basic skills course pathways, ensuring accurate current Math, English and ESL placement, assessment, and service referral information integrated with Student Success and Support Program Plan (SSSP), promoting outreach to ESL students in all classes, and implementing strategies to improve Basic Skills progression for the specific subgroups as indicated above.
Degree and Certificate Completion. The goal for degree and certificate completion is to increase the percentage of students with declared education goals to complete their attempted degree or certificate programs and/or who transfer to a four institution, specifically for students of African American and Hispanic American heritage and for students having a multiethnic identity. The degree and certificate completion goal was motivated by the finding that over the past three
years, the rates of certificate and degree completion are relatively low for all groups (18% to
43%), with rates for the above mentioned equity subgroups just above or below the 80%
threshold for disproportionate impact. To meet this goal, the college will develop a communication management system to notify students of educational planning services, implement student education planning modules, and provide outreach and intervention strategies for students at risk for academic probation and dismissal as required in the SSSP.
Transfers. CR will implement initiatives that continue to address the disparity in rates of college transfer. The transfer goal was motivated by the finding that rate of transfer of female students and students with disabilities have been disproportionally low compared to reference groups. Action toward this end will be the implementation of a student education planning module for students and creating clearer transfer degree pathways.
Persistence CR will focus on helping students, specifically African American student persist in their first three semesters of college by implementing an early alert system where faculty can make counseling and student services aware of students in need of immediate help early in the semester.
Resources Student Equity resources will be distributed throughout all areas contributing to increasing equity outcomes at College of the Redwoods. Program specific needs required to
accomplish the “Goals and Objectives” detailed in the outcomes have equity funds aligned for current year. Equity funds required to accomplish future years are projections only and will be updated annually based on review of need, innovation in accomplishing outcomes and institutional annual planning priorities.
Student Equity Funding and Other Resources
Resources from all areas and divisions for Redwoods Community College District contribute to
the CRSEP. As discussed in the “Budget” section of the plan, equity resources received as part of
this plan, therefore, will be distributed throughout all areas contributing to increasing equity outcomes at College of the Redwoods. Program specific needs required to accomplish the “Goals and Objectives” detailed within the CRSEP were first identified. Next, financial resources required to accomplish the “Goals and Objectives” were projected.
Contact Person/Student Equity Coordinator Angelina Hill, Director of Institutional Effectiveness
707-476-4364