Strategic Vision for Equity 2021-2025
Issues & Goals: Connection
This first step in the framework refers to a student’s initial interest in college enrollment to completion of their application. A substantial number of students who have an interest in college, and even apply, do not make it through the intake process to enroll in classes. The goal in this phase is to encourage new students to apply in a timely manner, secure financial aid if necessary, begin to develop an educational plan and a career goal, and enroll in coursework appropriate to their level of readiness and goals. Understanding what happens to students in this phase can help us as a college improve outreach, onboarding, and placement.
Our college enrollment data suggests a pertinent and sustained disproportionate impact on African American, Latinx, Filipinx, Native American and Pacific Islander students during the “Connection” phase of their journey. Compared to their peers, these student applicants are less likely to enroll after applying to Foothill[1]. In our 2019 Student Equity Plan most recently submitted to the state, Latinx and African American students were prioritized as the groups most impacted by challenges with access. If Foothill College wants to position itself as a school of choice for these particular students, it will need to be more strategic in its marketing and recruitment efforts, particularly building partnerships in communities in which those students reside, demonstrating an understanding of the community’s needs, and connecting their educational goals to future jobs and career attainment.
Below are issues that surfaced in campus conversations around Connection, the time from a student’s interest in college enrollment through completion of application, along with potential goals for the college to consider.
- Issue 1: The onboarding process disproportionately impacts African American students
- Issue 2: There are large numbers of students of color who are not accessing, are ineligible for, or fall out of eligibility for available financial aid programming
- Issue 3: More recent focused outreach with a specific intent to increase access and enrollment of Latinx and African American students doesn’t readily connect back to a larger strategy to support and retain these populations