Introducing Equity Achievement as a Strategy for Strengthening Student Success

1. RP Group Strengthening Student Success Conference * Session #37 * October 3, 2012 Introducing Equity Achievement as a Strategy for Strengthening Student Success Los Angeles Harbor College Kristi Vollmer Blackburn, Ph.D. Dean of Institutional Effectiveness Lisa Mednick Takami, M.B.A Curriculum Specialist, Equity Team Co-Chair

2. Objectives: Improving Our Practice • Understanding the role cultural competence plays in the classroom • 4 components: • Awareness cultural worldview • Attitude toward differences in cultures • Knowledge of other cultures worldviews/practices • Develop cross cultural skills • Analyzing/Evaluating program effectiveness regarding cultural competence

3. Achieving the Dream • Joined AtD Summer 2011 (9 colleges in District) • Lumina Foundation, AtD is a social justice movement to increase equity in success by minority students • 5 Goals of AtD: • StudentsSuccessfully complete the courses they take • Students Advance from remedial to credit-bearing courses • StudentsEnroll in and successfully complete gatekeeper courses • Students Enroll from one semester to the next • Students Earn degrees and/or certificates • Commit to find out “why” there are gaps in attainment • Examine “how” to eliminate barriers in order to achieve equity

4. The Four Components of Increasing Student Success (Gonzalez, 2009) Component One Component Two Component Three Component Four “What’s Wrong?” (Outcome Measures) “Why?” (Underlying Factors) Intervention(s) Evaluation & Modification Use Longitudinal, Disaggregated, Cohort data to assess Student Success Outcomes (e.g., Persistence, Course Completion rates, Degree comp. rates) to determine: 1) Which student groups are less successful than others (Equity Gaps in Student Success). 2) Which high enrollment courses have the lowest success rates. • Collect, analyze, and use second set of LOCAL data to identify the underlying factors (barriers or challenges) impeding student success: • Focus Groups • Surveys • Literature Reviews • Learning Outcome • Assessment Use data from Component Two to revise or design new interventions to effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success. Review and consider changes to existing college policies that impact the underlying factors impeding student success. Collect, analyze, and use evaluation data to answer: 1) To what extent did the interventions (or policy changes) effectively address the underlying factors impeding student success? 2) To what extent did the interventions increase student success? Make modifications based on evaluation results. Many Colleges: (a) Skip (b) Loosely rely on national literature (Engagement) (c) Lack a local understanding based on qualitative data Reference: Gonzalez, K. P. (2009). Using data to increase student success: A focus on diagnosis. Achieving the Dream Inc. www.achievingthedream.org

5. DATA TOOLBOX: In the Beginning • 2011 Fact Book (hot off the presses!) • Leakage Point Analysis Hand out (from Lumina) • IPEDS Factsheets for 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 • LAHC readiness submission to Lumina for the grant • Alignment of College/District Strategic Plan (presented to the Board June, 2011) • Powerpoint of Aligning AtD with Accreditation activities • Drop Survey results from Spring 2011 • Financial Aid data • Learning Assistance Center data—work in progress • Powerpoint from Dr. Richards—Who are our Students? • Article—7 Myths of Student Retention • LAHC Highest Enrollment Courses X demographic • LAHC Highest failure courses X demographic • Financial Aid guidelines provided and discussed • Matriculation Committee Report/ Assessment Data • Summary of Orientation data from E. Colocho • Exit Point Analysis (aka “Leakage Points” or “momentum points”) • Course availability based on placement data (Report) • Articles: A Period of Adjustment? Race-adjusted Rates for a State Accountability; Trickle‐Across Theory: Student Flow Into and Away from the California Community Colleges • Multiple files on Qualitative data collection technique (Focus Groups) • ARCC data report from LATTC which has all colleges in District comparison

6. Our Data team’s Process of Inquiry and Dialogue • What are our “pain points”? • Retention, Completion, Success • What additional data would be useful to know? • What “research questions” should drive our data campaign? • What data do we have versus what do we need? • What approach do we want to take?

8. Additional Data collected/analyzed Pipeline Study (momentum points/exit points) • Results of cohort analysis (2004, 6 yr grad in 2010): lowest persistence • African American Males • African American Females • Hispanic Males • White Males • Results of cohort analysis (2005, 6 yr grad in 2011): lowest persistence • African American Males • African American Females • Hispanic Males • White Males Course Completion in first year • 32% (390) took an English course : • 6% were African American • 17% Asian • 21% White • 49% Hispanic. • 19% (225) took a Math course • 5% were African American, • 15% Asian • 20% White • 53% Hispanic • 2% of first time freshman took a Personal Development course

9. Focus Groups • Qualitative methodology-- more in depth understanding of a group’s experiences • Serves as a new source of inquiry for further quantitative analysis (triangulation) • Focus Group Facilitators/Note-takers • Used Matching group characteristics between interviewers and participants for in-group communication (age/gender/race/ethnicity ) • 2.5 hours/training including conducting Pilot Groups (2) • Pilot Groups were convenience participants. Self identified as AGS students, ASO student, 2- 4.0 students. None on probation or other sanction • Focus Groups: all were students on probation. Recruited by Retention Counselor. Received workshop credit for participating • 2 Latino male groups: Jassiel Dominguez, Daniel Ruiz, Joaquin Arias, Andres • 2 African American groups (one male, one female): Ralph Davis, Angela Sanders, LaShelle Daisy, Tungie

10. Advice about attending college Focus Group Results • Sources of advice • Latino Males • Sisters, brothers, cousins, aunt, uncle, grandfather, parents and family, Counselor, high school teacher • African American Males • Counselors at high school– “the ones that actually care”, parents, sports, Boys and Girls Club • African American Females • High school teachers, parents, “Counselors at the college once I got here and was struggling”

11. What do you do when your Academic Skills don’t match current demands? Focus Group Results • Latino Males • “Find help. Teacher/family member” 1 occurrence • “Don’t have time to seek out help” 4 occurrences • “Take a personal day to clear my mind and focus” 2 occurrences • “Get an extra resource book, use YouTube” 1 occurrence • African American Males • Study groups, Read, Library, Study and don’t go out too much, “Ask the teacher. Talk to the teacher and get to know them. Establish some kind of relationship” • African American Females • Ask a counselor or a teacher (both participants), go to the lab • Pilot groups • SPS program; see the Professor, go to office hours, ask peers

12. Equity Focus Group Results • Subtle issues of tension between Latino Males and African American males. Groups gave examples which reflected discomfort. • Overall though, students indicated… • “everyone goes to class for the same reason” • “never seen a fight here” • “People are here only for class. Get in and get out.” • Gender issues identified by Latino Male groups • “one of my [male] professors is more helpful and friendly to the young, pretty female students. It’s happened 3 times. Just because I am not a cute girl, you still need to help me” • “I had a female teacher who wouldn’t answer this girl’s questions. She would give [the questions] to me to ask for her” • Finances • No feelings of “have’s” versus “have not’s” • “affects being able to afford things” • “At times cannot purchase books [so] can’t do homework” • “Financial aid helps pay for school, insurance, gas, a lot, but it is tight”

13. What would an Urban Center offer? Focus Group results: • It would help students connect. Would want to see concerts for a small fee. • “The big space up in Seahawk is a ‘waste of space’ because it isn’t used” • “A better selection of activities and things to do at Seahawk would make me want to stay and spend time on campus” • “Seahawk is a big place and yet people don’t use it” • “Nothing is open in the evenings, except the library, which is when I am here” • “Computers would be beneficial” • Space like at “CSU-DH where they have couches, chairs, tables, electronics” • “A place to have a beer after class would be a draw for people to stick around” (group laughed)

14. Work plan for the Equity Committee Goal: building cultural competence into learning

15. 5 year plan developed at D.R.E.A.M. conference • Year 1 (2011-12): Data Collection/baseline • Year 2 (2012-13): Address the Culture of Poverty • “Finish Line” AtD board game • Discussed having common reading: Pathway out of Poverty • Workshops: cultural identification and pride • Evaluation • Year 3 (2013-14): Multicultural College and Community Success Center • Professional development (teachers/staff) & Student development • Topics: Generational diversity; gender diversity; sexual orientation diversity • Associates Degree in Multicultural Studies? • Student Support Programs • Community involvement and outreach • Evaluation • Years 4 & 5 (2014-2016) Continued Professional development/Student Development • Evaluation

16. Faculty & Staff Developmentcompleted & in progress • “A Closed Mouth Doesn’t Get Fed” • Culture of Poverty Flex workshop 8/21/12 • Demographics of 3 cities in our service area: • low rate of college degree attainment • high number single-parent households • approx. 40% students at or below poverty level • “The Finish Line”: ATD simulation game • players “walk a mile” in shoes of CC students facing obstacles to college grad (e.g. transportation, family, finances, health, etc.) • 10 faculty members played at Flex workshops • Faculty, observers, facilitators debriefed on lessons learned (e.g. greater awareness) • Diverse faculty generated ideas for classroom use (e.g. students play then write own version of game)

17. Upcoming Faculty & Staff Development • “Creating an Inclusive Learning Environment”” • College Hour workshop 10/24/12 • Audience composition: faculty, staff, students? • Strategies for building faculty-student and student-student rapport • Role of students’ cultural as strength to build on curricularly • Extending learning beyond the classroom • Black History month-- MLK Day of Service (Feb. 2013) • Samoan Chief and choirs on campus (March 2013) • LGBT topic (April, 2013) • Cinco de Mayo (May 2013)

18. Faculty & Staff Development Evaluation • Very positive evaluations of “Finish Line” • “Opens opportunity to learn, understand each other better” • Student clubs will play during Oct. meetings • similar measurement to follow up. • Follow-up & measurement tool development currently underway

19. Applications submitted for Grants • NEH (National Endowment for the Humanities): Bridging Cultures • MLK Service Day: Mini grant • Kellogg Foundation: Racial Equity

20. Multicultural College & Community Success Center • Sample Activities: • Speaker series • Workshops • Cultural & culinary events • Oral history project • Resource library for students & faculty • UMOJA program • Sample short-term outcomes: Increase cultural pride, enhancement, student engagement.

21. Curriculum Development • Bridging Cultures Conference • Partner with CSUDH • Visiting scholars • Evaluation of current Humanities courses for inclusion of diversity content • Creation of cultural survey course

22. Improving our Practice • Suggestions for interventions • Suggestions for evaluation/measurement • Feedback on Urban Center • How would you staff in ZERO budget environment? • How to create a “program” in ZERO budget environment?