Strategic Vision for Equity 2021-2025

Issues & Goals: Entry

This phase represents the period from student enrollment to completion of their first college-level course. The objective here is to help students choose and enter a program of study as early as possible. Many students seeking degrees drop out after only one or two terms as evidenced by our most recent data. Similar to access data referenced above in the Connection phase, our course retention data also indicates African American, Latinx, Native American and Pacific Islander students are less likely than their peers to remain in their class(es)[1]. Between 11% to 14% of these students withdraw from our courses, representing nearly 4,000 enrollments our college loses each year. In fall 2019, among students whose educational goal is a degree or transfer, 66% were still enrolled at our college in winter 2020.[2]

Foothill, therefore, needs to understand how our students get from their initial enrollment at our college to the point of passing their first college-level courses in their chosen program of study. What are their experiences? What are some policies or processes we have put into practice that created hurdles in their educational journey? These reflection points helps us better understand our students’ lived experiences as well as sheds light on why students stop out and leave our campus altogether.

In identifying challenges that affect enrollment and retention at Foothill, financing college, as well as possessing a living wage to meet basic needs like stable housing and food sources were included.

 

The following issues surfaced in campus conversations around Entry.

 

Issue 4. Lack of coordinated infrastructure for basic needs services at the college (psychological services, food pantry, transportation, homeless referrals) can make it prohibitive for students of color to access services

Issue 5. Lack of a sense of belonging, safety, and space allocation for students of color.

 

[1] Foothill IRP. 2017-18 to 2019-20 end-of-term credit enrollments. Retention reflect grades A, B, C, D, F, FW, I, P, NP and RD. Enrollments reflect all letter grades, including EW, MW and W. Percentage point gap with margin of error was used to determine disproportionate impact. Three-year enrollment counts and course retention rates: African American = 15,444 (86%); Latinx = 82,062 (89%); Native American = 1,504 (88%); Pacific Islander = 3,707 (87%); All Students = 320,305 (91%).

[2] CCCCO Student Success Metrics Data Dashboard. Fall to winter retention reflect degree/transfer students who enrolled in a credit course in 2018-19 and did not earn a degree nor transfer to a four-year institution. https://www.calpassplus.org/LaunchBoard/Student-Success-Metrics.aspx.