8 Student Equity Plan November 6, 2014
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY San Diego Mesa College is committed to becoming the leading college of equity and excellence. Our equity approach is in line with Peter M. Senge s learning organizations in that we will continually expand our capacity to create the results [we] truly desire, where new and expansive patterns of thinking are nurtured, where collective aspiration is set free, where people are continually learning to see the whole together (Senge, P. M. (1990) The Fifth Discipline. The art and practice of the learning organization, p.3). We have aligned our Educational Master, Student Success, Title V, and Student Equity plans to ensure that our movement to close achievement gaps in access and success for underrepresented student is intentional, institutional, transformational, and rooted in access to equitable outcomes for all of our students. Our work was inspired through attendance at both the Center for Urban Education s Student Equity Plan Institute and National Conference on Race and Ethnicity. Our work began with an understanding of equity minded thinking and a review of institutional data focusing on A. Access, B. Course, C. ESL and Basic Skills, D. Degree and Certificate, and E. Transfer. We disaggregated data by race, gender, former foster youth, students with disabilities, low income students, and veterans, then, identified evidence of disproportionate impact using a Proportionality Index Score (e.g. comparing the demographics of those accessing support/services or those who achieved a particular outcome to the demographics of the initial cohort.) We then converted the information into an Equity Dashboard using green to show proportionality indices above.90 (indicating that we were in good standing), yellow to show at least one proportionality index between.80 and.90 (indicating that we that we are not quite showing disproportionate impact, however, we should proceed with caution), and red to show at least one proportionality index below.80 (suggesting an opportunity for immediate review and action). The Student Equity Planning Team invited the entire campus community to engage in a practioner asresearcher approach by directly interacting with the data and applying equity minded thinking to begin unpacking their hunches about our most, articulating and challenging their assumptions, and identifying institutional barriers and promoters of success within our policies, practices, and procedures. We discussed additional data needs (including hearing directly from students) and dialogued about what would be needed to move the needle forward, who should be involved, and how we would know if we were successful. We did this through presentations, workshops, trainings, webinars, and the opportunity for every member of our community to review the data and provide feedback to help inform our equity work. The dialogue was rich, the questions were stimulating, and the desire to engage the issues was evident. Mesa College is committed to access and success for all of our students. The following chart highlights student equity indicators (as defined by the State),, along with goals and objectives. In partnership with the Center for Urban Education, the Minority Male Community College Collaborative, the Student Success and Equity Planning Committee and members of the Mesa College Community, we will spend the 2014 15 year understanding our impact, utilizing our strengths and building a culture of equity minded thinking in order to identify the most effective high impact practices that will result in equity for all at Mesa College. San Diego Mesa College Student Equity Plan 5
Indicator Overarching Direction Student Equity Plan: Goals, Disproportionately Impacted Groups and Objectives Disproportionately Impacted Group(s) All Goal To become the leading college of equity and excellence Access None identified* To be intentional about engaging, informing and maintaining the demographic diversity represented in our service area Course ESL and Basic Skills Degree and Certificate Transfer None identified* Basic Skills Math African American, Pacific Islander, DSPS Basic Skills ESL Latino, White, 25 49,50+, non economically disadvantaged Basic Skills English None identified* African American, Filipino African American, 25 49, 50+, DSPS To increase course completion for all students To increase student progression rates in ESL and Basic Skills Math, with an emphasis on To increase the percentage of degree and certificate rates for all students, with an emphasis on Increase the transfer readiness and number of students who transfer to UC, CSU and independent colleges and universities, with an emphasis on Objectives Lay the foundation for Mesa College to become the leading college of equity and excellence (i.e. Establish equity partnerships with the Center for Urban Education and Minority Male Community College Collaborative. Identify barriers, outcome benchmarks and plan of action. Create staffing infrastructure to support equity efforts). Develop and promote programs that address student success, awareness, and preparedness and create clear pathways to success for our diverse student community populations Explore technological possibilities to bridge the digital divide amongst underserved student populations Remove potential barriers to access and success for Establish positions that support a comprehensive approach to access and student equity Promote completion through high impact educational practices (i.e. learning communities, scaled up First Year Experience and Orientation Programs) Assess protocols to assist all practitioners in conducting inquiry into equity gaps Implement strategic interventions for closing equity gaps Establish positions that support a comprehensive response to student equity in the area of basic skills math and ESL Advance a campus culture of degree completion, for all students (i.e. professional development workshops, completion campaigns) Establish positions that support a comprehensive response to student equity in the areas of degree and certificate completion Implement strategies to assist practitioner s methodologies for the development of student informed career and major goals Implement teaching and learning strategies and programs to advance awareness and clear pathways for transfer Establish positions that support a comprehensive approach to student equity *Although our Proportionality Index Score did not identify any as impacted, the College has chosen to identify goals and activities that will increase success rate for all students. San Diego Mesa College Student Equity Plan 6
2014 2017 Student Equity Planning Efforts Date Activity May 27 31 o NCORE Conference May 29 & 30 o CUE Conference July 9 o Equity for All Presentation: Administrators July 15 o CUE & NCORE Debrief July 17 o Mesa Leadership Team and CUE Meeting (partnership exploration) August 8 o CSSO s and Deans Regional Equity Meeting August 14 o Convocation Presentation August 15 o Equity for All Flex Activities (4) August 16 o BSI Retreat Presentation August 26 o Student Equity Opportunity: Minority Male Collaborative Meeting (partnership exploration) September 1 11 Equity for All Campus Presentations o Friday, Sept 5 th ESOL 1:00pm English o Friday, Sept 5 th 2:00pm o Thursday, Sept 11 th 10:00am Math o Thursday, Sept 11 th 11:00am Transfer September 1 18 o Campus wide Data Packets Distribution and Collection September 12, 2014 o Hosted Teaching Men of Color in the Community College Webinar September 18 20 o NCCHC Conference September 19 o Equity Presentation: New Faculty Institute September 19 October 17 o Draft Student Equity Plan September 24 o Equity Presentation: Chair of Chair Meeting October 3 o Equity Presentation: Basic Skills Committee o Equity Presentation: SDICCCA Faculty Workshop October 4 6 o HACU Conference October 9, 2014 o Board of Trustee Presentation It s All About Student Success October 17th Vetting: o Executive Team (Oct 13 th ) o Student Success and Equity Committee (Oct 17 th ) o Academic Senate (Oct 20 th ) with electronic copy to Classified and Associated Students o President s Cabinet (October 21) o District (October 22 nd ) October 21 o President s Cabinet Review/Approval November 6 o Board Approval January 1, 2015 o Submission to CCCCO January 2015 June 2015 o Establish outcome benchmarks o Identify and development of a plan of action to respond to issues in need of enhanced attention in the area of access. July 2015 June 2016 o Refine Student Equity Plan o Identify specific goals and activities based on new data o Annual update and reporting to shared governance committee, President s Cabinet, and Chancellor s Office July 2016 June 2017 o Refine Student Equity Plan o Identify specific goals and activities based on new data o Annual update and reporting to shared governance committee, President s Cabinet, and Chancellor s Office San Diego Mesa College Student Equity Plan 7
Timeline As a result of our initial efforts surrounding data analysis and dialogue, Mesa College has decided to focus our early efforts on engaging the entire campus community in dialogue regarding equity minded thinking and an analysis of equity gaps in an effort to develop a deeper understanding of the institutional barriers preventing students from succeeding. We will spend substantial time establishing, refining, and evaluating our equity outcomes using the following timeline: Year 1 Focus on inquiry, advocacy, and learning with our objective of laying the foundation for Mesa College to become the leading college of equity and excellence. While we embark upon our year of inquiry, advocacy, and learning, we will create an infrastructure for success through the establishment of positions and identification of obvious opportunities that are readily available for implementation and positive outcomes. We will explore partnerships with programs such as the Center for Urban Education and Minority Male Community College Collaborative to conduct research, design interventions, and facilitate student success for all, with an emphasis on our most populations. Year 2 Focus on implementing our research agenda and identifying specific activities based on new data. Year 3 Focus on implementation and evaluation of activities. The following plan provides detailed information regarding our research data, areas of disproportionate impact, goals, and activities San Diego Mesa College Student Equity Plan 8