DOCUMENT RESUME ED 401 957 AUTHOR TITLE Success ... · DOCUMENT RESUME ED 401 957 JC 960 695 AUTHOR More, Vishwas D.; Petrossian, Alice S. TITLE The New Basic Agenda: Policy Directions

DOCUMENT RESUME

ED 401 957 JC 960 695

AUTHOR More, Vishwas D.; Petrossian, Alice S.TITLE The New Basic Agenda: Policy Directions for Student

Success.INSTITUTION California Community Colleges, Sacramento. Office of

the Chancellor.PUB DATE Aug 96NOTE 28p.; For the original 1991 Basic Agenda, see ED 332

768.

PUB TYPE Reports Descriptive (141)

EDRS PRICE MF01/PCO2 Plus Postage.DESCRIPTORS College Administration; *Community Colleges;

Educational Change; *Educational Policy; *EducationalQuality; Educational Technology; School BusinessRelationship; Sociocultural Patterns; StudentFinancial Aid; Student Needs; Two Year Colleges

IDENTIFIERS *California Community Colleges

ABSTRACTIn response to the rapidly changing environment of

the state of California, the Board of Governors of the CaliforniaCommunity Colleges (CCCs) developed the Basic Agenda in 1991 toconvey the vision of the state's community colleges and provide broaddirection at the systemwide and local levels. This report providesthe New Basic Agenda, reflecting recent trends and identifying majorchallenges to successful student learning and policy directives toaddress these challenges. Following prefatory materials, the reportaddress the following challenges and policy directions for the CCCs:(1) delivering high quality education in a manner that achievesstudent success; (2) meeting the expanding educational needs of thestate population; (3) adapting to the changing educational needs ofCalifornians so as to be relevant and timely; and (4) enhancing andimproving the organization of the human and physical infrastructureof the CCCs. For each challenge, specific policy directions arepresented, including the implementation of degree and certificatereviews; methods for measuring student educational objectives andperformance; enrollment management; methods for determining thelearning needs of an increasingly multicultural population; expandedtechnology in the classrooms; and initiatives to strengthen thetransfer function. (TGI)

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Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made *

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TheNewBasicAgenda

Board of GovernorsCalifornia Community Colleges

0er-20

PolicyDirections forStudent Success

U.S. DEPARTMENT Of EDUCATION'Office of Educational Research and Improvement

EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES INFORMATIONCENTER (ERIC)

received from the person or organizationhis document has' been reproduced as

originating rtO Minor changes have been made to improve

reproduction quality.

a Points at view or opiniOnS stated in this docu-ment do not necessarily represent officialOERI position or policy.

"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THISMATERIAL HAS BEEN GRANTED BY

J. Smith

TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCESINFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)."

BEST COPY AVAILABLE

The

New

Basic

Agenda

Preface

Dramatic changes are occurring in the workplace and inthe basic social fabric and demography of California.Consequently, the skills and knowledge individuals need

to lead productive and satisfying lives are changing in significantways. As the primary provider of postsecondary education in thestate, community colleges need to adapt to this rapidly changingenvironment so their services are relevant, timely, and effective.To do this, there must be a long-range vision, an agenda, and animplementation plan.

This New Basic Agenda of the Board of Governors of the California Community Colleges is intended toconvey that vision, providing broad direction at both the systemwide level and for the 106 local communitycolleges. Successful student learning, so essential to California's development, is our basic theme and the Agendaidentifies several major challenges and a series of policy directions to address these challenges. Some of thedirections are existing policy, while others are new and will require further study and consultation before specificpolicies are recommended.

Development of this Agenda illustrates the merit of our new consultation process, in which the stakeholders inthe community college system: board members, faculty, staff, students, citizens, and taxpayers all have input intopolicy development. Specific work on the Agenda began with an analysis or scan of California's emerging envi-ronment. The Board then studied these trends in depth to identify their implications for community college educa-tion. Following that, findings of this study were reviewed through the consultation process to secure input fromthose who ultimately will undertake the practices that are needed to implement the Agenda.

The Board of Governors would like to acknowledge several of the many contributors to this project. JoeDolphin, former Board President, and Shirley Ralston, former Board member, initiated the work. Judy Walters,Vice Chancellor of Policy Analysis and Development, devised and directed the process; Chuck McIntyre, Directorof Research, performed the environmental scan, background analysis and writing; and David Viar, ExecutiveDirector of the Community College League of California, led the consultation task force that helped determine theAgenda's format and much of its substance.

The Board hopes this New Basic Agenda will be the genesis of a new beginning. As part of its responsibilityfor systemwide leadership and coordination, the Board will revisit the Agenda annually to ensure that its contentsare timely and relevant.

Vishwas D. More, PresidentBoard of GovernorsCalifornia Community Colleges

3

Alice S. Petrossian, Vice PresidentBoard of GovernorsCalifornia Community Colleges

The New Basic AgendaPolicy Directions for Student Success

Adopted March 1996 and Printed August 1996

Board of Governors

Robert A. Alleborn, Newport Beach

Yvonne Bodle, Ventura

Ryan Carrigan, San Bernardino

Philip E. del Campo, San Diego

Joe Dolphin, San Diego

Paul Kim, Los Angeles

Thomas F. Kranz, Los Angeles

Vishwas D. More, Orinda

Alice S. Petrossian, Glendale

John W. Rice, Palo Alto

Roger M. Schrimp, Oakdale

Rosemary E. Thaker, San Francisco

Larry Toy, Orinda

Julia Li Wu, Los Angeles

Officers of the Board

Vishwas D. More, President

Alice S. Petrossian, Vice President

Joe Dolphin, Past President

Philip E. del Campo, California Postsecondary

Education Commission Representative

John W. Rice, California Postsecondary

Education Commission Alternate

Governor of California

Pete Wilson 4

Office of the Chancellor

Thomas J. Nussbaum, Acting Chancellor

Ernest R. Leach, Deputy Chancellor

James Albanese

Vice Chancellor for Fiscal Policy

Ralph Black

Acting General Counsel

Rita Cepeda

Vice Chancellor for

Curriculum and Instructional Resources

Gus Guichard

Vice Chancellor for Governmental Relations

Vice Chancellor for

Economic Development and Vocational Education

Vice Chancellor for Management Information Services

Vice Chancellor for College Relations

Jose Peralez

Vice Chancellor for Equity and Diversity

Thelma Scott-Skillman

Vice Chancellor for

Student Services and Special Programs

Judy E. Walters

Vice Chancellor for Policy Analysis and Development

For information about the Board of Governors,

call or write

Linda Lucero-Maes, Assistant to the Board

Chancellor's Office

California Community Colleges

1107 Ninth StreetSacramento, California 95814-3607

(916) 445-6206

The California Community Colleges

are equal opportunity institutions.

5 BESICOPY AMIABLE

Contents

Challenges and Policy Directions 1

Challenge 3

California Community Colleges must

deliver high quality education in a

manner that achieves student success

Challenge 9

California's future depends on its

community colleges meeting the

expanding educational needs of

its population

Challenge

California Community College

education must adapt to the changing

3

educational needs of Californians so

as to be relevant and timely

Challenge 19

The human and physical infrastructure

of California Community Colleges

must be enhanced, better organized,

and better utilized

6

The

New

Basic

Agenda

Policy Directions for Student Success

Challengesand

Policy Directions

The Board intends that this Basic Agenda serve as a guidefor policymaking during the last half of the 1990sto theturn of the century. However, as part of its ongoing responsi-

bility for long-range planning, the Board plans to revisit this Agendaas often as necessary to ensure that its contents are relevant and

important. This planning responsibility involves the Board taking timely positions on issues that involve riskand that have future consequences for the system of community colleges in California.

Implementing this Agenda involves a substantial commitment to student learning and student success.This commitment requires the cooperation of many stakeholderstaxpayers, legislators, trustees, faculty,staff, and students. Supportive public policy is necessary, but not entirely sufficient for student success. Ofeven greater importance are the positive incentives that motivate faculty and the requisite rewards for responsible

students that make up an effective learning environment. The Board's vision of improved student success willbe achieved only through the diligent efforts of a comprehensive partnership of all those involved in community

college education.

Implications of the changes taking place in California that are most important for community colleges aredescribed as challenges below. These four challenges are varied and difficult. In each case, the discussionidentifies the major policy directions that the Board thinks are important in meeting that challenge. Some ofthese directions are reaffirmations of existing policy. Other directions or problems are presented as issuessince there is agreement on their importance, but not necessarily on the best policy or practice for their effectiveresolution. It is expected that the problems underlying these issues will be further reviewed and refined, andtheir policy resolution will go forward in the Consultation Process.

The directions of this New Basic Agenda form the building blocks or context from which specific policiesmay be developed, analyzed, and endorsed through the usual consultation and decision making processes.Moreover, the Board hopes that these challenges and directions may serve as a compendium of useful referencesfor local trustees, faculty, staff and students as they go about their work of making policy for and operatingtheir college(s).

7

ChallengeCalifornia Community Colleges

must deliver high quality education in amanner that achieves student success

Future community college students will need increasingattention paid to their diverse learning styles if they are to besuccessful. As a result, the community colleges need tocontinue their emphasis on the elements of effective studentlearning, such as a caring and supportive learningenvironment, recognition of prior academic preparation,teaching methods consistent with varied learning styles,realistic expectations of students, and adequate teachingresources. This emphasis has served the colleges well overtheir history. Student-centered initiatives are at the heart ofthe community college efforts.

The Board of Governors has a very specific role withregard to student successit is charged with the leadershipand coordination of the community colleges. This isaccomplished through technical assistance and advocacy andshould ensure accountability for results to California taxpayersand their representatives. This, in turn, means more planningand more emphasis on the outcomes of student learning andvarious college activities, such as out-of-class counseling.

At present, numerous Education Code and Board ofGovernors' regulations constrain the ability of district andcollege faculty and staff to plan and allocate their resourcesin ways that most effectively improve student learning.

In The New Basic Agenda, a variety of initiatives areproposed that should enhance the ability of colleges to respondto student and community needs more quickly and moreeffectively. In addition, it appears that colleges will need tobe properly accountable for achievement of educationalobjectives to the Legislature, Board of Governors, localboards, students, and public. In all cases, new policies andpractices should be evaluated in light of their impact on studentlearning.

gxistingPcelip,

The Board of Governorswill lead and coordinatethe community college

system through planningand policymaking andby providing technical

assistance, positiveincentives, and

accountability in supportof student success.

-&xisitsiV-9,4q

Districts and collegesshould be supported in

their efforts to(a) respond effectively to

student needs;(b) understand,

articulate, and serve theircommunities' interests;

and (c) formulate a clearvision for the effective

delivery of theireducational services.

8

Existing; Policy,;

The Board of Governorswill continue to engagein collaborative activitiesand joint meetings with

K-12, California StateUniversity, University ofCalifornia, job training

agencies, and withbusiness and industry in

California and nationally.

As California's need for an educated and trained laborforce, and for social stability intensify in the face ofincreasingly scarce public resources, it becomes moreimportant that the many agencies involved in the state'seducation and training coordinate their activities and workjointly, where such measures can improve effectiveness.

Achievement of student success requires cooperativeefforts by many institutions. For instance, the issue ofremedial or precollegiate instruction by postsecondaryinstitutions requires the joint efforts of community collegesalong with K-12in order to improve its work with studentsand thereby reduce the amount ofprecollegiate work requiredlaterand with both UC and CSU in order to determine theproper amount, conduct, and location of precollegiateinstruction. Similarly, essential improvements in the transferof community college students to four-year institutions requireclose collaboration of the community colleges, UC, CSU, andprivate colleges.

Recommendations have been put forth for more effectivecoordination and delivery of work force preparation inCalifornia. As many as 14 state-level agencies and over twodozen major public programs are involved in this work,together with innumerable private agencies and firms.Another significant factor in the future of California workforce preparation is the emerging change in federal policiesabout vocational education. The possible shift to block grantswith far more authority for resource allocation by stateagencies (like the Governor's Office), may requirefundamental changes in the way California CommunityColleges manage the delivery of vocational education.

It is unlikely that the community colleges can fully carryout their responsibility as California's single largest trainerfor jobsrequired in the shift from an industry-based toknowledge-based economyunless the colleges coordinatetheir work with the many other agencies providing suchservices. In support of this, the Board will help the collegesin efforts to effectively partner, train, and aid in disseminationof technology for the statewide development of California'seconomy.

4 The New Basic AgendaPolicy Directions for Student Success

California Community Colleges offer associate degreesand certificates in more than 270 different subject categories.This may be the most diverse group of programs offered byany institution of postsecondary education. However, whileextensive, it is not clear that this academic menu is effectivelyserving the needs of all students. When asked about theireducational objectives, community colleges recently reportedthrough the Chancellor's Office Management InformationSystem, that students indicated the following:

29% want to transfer with an associate degree13% transfer without an associate degree10% obtain job skills with a degree4% obtain job skills with a certificate

19% obtain or upgrade job skills without aformal award

10% obtain or upgrade basic skills15% are undecided

Overall, more than half of all students who say they havean educational objective do not want a degree. Nearly half ofthe colleges' credit enrollment in any given term is takingjust 1 or 2 courses. And, one of every six students, whenasked about objectives, simply indicates he or she isundecided. Two of every 5 students say they want to transfer,but, one-third of those who say this do not intend to take anassociate degree. Moreover, two-thirds of those studentspursuing vocational objectives do not want a degree.

Associate degrees and certificates are thoughtfullydeveloped and evaluated, and are a valid measure of theknowledge and skills that degree-oriented students acquire atcommunity college. These degrees may not be a validmeasure, however, of the work of those students who are notdegree-oriented. It appears that community college measuresof student successin both degree and non-degree effortsare in need of review. The completion of transferrequirements, for instance, might well qualify a student foran AA degree, though it doesn't necessarily do so now. Inaddition, the specific job skills earned by a student in anassociate degree program might be stipulated as part of thatdegree as a means of certifying to business and industry thespecific capabilities of that student.

Degrees and certificatesconferred by collegesshould be reviewed to

ensure that theycontinue to have valueto students, businesses,

and four-year institutions.

1 0 The New Basic Agenda 5Policy Directions for Student Success

There should beexamination of strategiesthat enable the colleges

to more effectivelyidentify student

educational objectives,and to measure and toformally acknowledge

the achievement ofthese objectives

by students.

Issue

Measures of student per-formancein acquiringskills and knowledgeshould be analyzed toensure that they are

objective and that theycan be and are used to

improve student learning.

As suggested above, many students are undecided abouttheir future, and have enrolled to determine their educationalobjectives. For them, a measure of success is their identifi-cation of specific objectives. Moreover, community collegeseducate many students who have other-than-degree objectives,and who achieve those objectives, but for whom there is littleor no recognition of their achievement. Thus, their addedskills and knowledge, which may be quite valuable and/or"marketable," are not well documented. And, without suchdocumentation, the college has no way of measuring the outputor "educational value-added" to these many individuals.

A number of ways to solve this problem could beexamined. For instance, since most students seek objectivesthat are not described by an "instructional program" in thecollege catalog, "programs" could be designed around theseindividual student objectives. And, once these individualprograms or objectives are achieved, students would receiveformal "recognition" which has currency and meaning forbusiness and industry and others outside the college.

Student objectives often are influenced by their circum-stances. Even as more young students enroll, the generalprofile of community college enrollment continues its gradualshift toward: more working students, and more students whoare independent, often having dependents of their own,increasingly as single parents. Thus, students increasinglyneed courses at varying times and locations that best suit theirpersonal schedules if they are to successfully complete theircommunity college education. These students also need avariety of non-classroom services, including transportationand child care, at greater levels than before, to achieve success.Thus, certain nontraditional objectives should be measuredand taken into account.

The difficulty in obtaining and analyzing outcome mea-sures will continue to render their use controversial. Neverthe-less, work needs to go forward in determining how best touse them in a formative way to help faculty and studentsimprove student learning, and how best to use them in asummative way to evaluate and advertise the results ofcommunity college education.

Students enter community colleges with many differencesin objectives, skills, and prior educational experiences.Accurate assessment for all students on entry can identify

6 The New Basic AgendaPolicy Directions for Student Success 11

individual student educational needs and clarify learningobjectives. After assessment, counseling and enrollment arecompleted, student performance can be observed, formativeevaluation conducted (where changes in objectives and activ-ities may be made midway through a "program"), and whena student's objectives are achieved, be they one course or anassociate degree, he or she could be formally recognized bothfor completing the academic work and for the skills andknowledge acquired. This would provide students with anexplicit certification of their achievement and enable collegesto measure what they have done with and for students.

Besides recognizing individual student differences, themeasurement of student learning outcomes should focus onresults, not just on costs, and, as a consequence, should providea better assessment of community college effectiveness. Forinstance, while increased class sizes reduce costs, they arenot possible for inherently small courses like laboratories andshops. And, pedagogical improvements utilizing collaborativeand performance-oriented learning may indeed lower classsize and increase cost, but increase student learning substan-tially. Use of technologies such as television and computer-aided-instructionthat might increase productivity byincreasing average class sizemay be useful for students whoare prepared, self-directed and motivated, but not useful forstudents who need personal, small group attention and groupinteraction.

As colleges gain experience in measuring the skills andknowledge acquired by studentsan effort involving faculty,with support from educational researchersthis experiencemay be used to help develop reward systems which, in turn,provide incentives for college faculty and staff to engage inefforts that result in improved student performance.

One of the ways to encourage improvements in themanagement and delivery of community college education isthrough the use of positive incentives. Such incentives couldprovide added funding, for example, where collegesdemonstrate that they have improved their performance withstudents. Measures of performance should acknowledge thatstudents enter the community colleges with a wide variety ofskill and experience levels. And, the improvement or progressstudents make toward their objectivesacquisition of skills

Issue

Incentivesthroughsupplemental funding orother meansshould be

studied to see if theycan help improve thosecollege programs andservices that result in

superior studentlearning performance.

/2The New Basic Agenda 7


Issue

There should be a reviewof the Education Code,Title 5 regulations, andvarious guidelines so as

to clarify and make moreeffective the directions

contained therein,and to ensure that they

support improvedstudent learning.

and knowledgemay be as important as is the achievementof those objectives.

The usual difficulty with such incentives, of course, isto determine how to best measure performance and how tobest structure the incentive. Since community collegestudents are so diverse in their entering skills and priorlearning experiences, performance measures must in somefashion hold constant those entering differences in order tofairly assess a college's programs. Moreover, it isn't clearwhether the incentive will work best by investing in poorly-performing programs to encourage (and enable) them toimprove or by investing in the better-performing programsas a reward.

Among the many initiatives that may be undertaken toimprove student learning are efforts to clarify and make moreeffective the sections that direct local college planning,decision making, and delivery of education. And, this can beaccomplished, while strengthening the entire system ofcommunity colleges, if many decisions now controlled bythe Legislaturethrough statutory Education Code policy-makingare decentralized to the Board of Governors; and,additional decisions are further decentralized from the system-level to the local-level. Thus, management of the communitycollege system may be strengthened, while the current balanceof system- and local-control remains unchanged. This wouldrequire a significant review and revision to the EducationCode, further changes to the Board's Standing Orders andProcedures, and clarification of Board guidelines.

This work is not without difficulty, but basic to all of it isthe primacy of student learning. Some statutes and regulationsthat constrain local college flexibility exist to protect studentand faculty interests and prerogatives which often areextremely important to the teaching and learning process. Inother cases, provisions are designed to ensure that the interestsof Californians in community colleges are protected.


I

Despite substantial fluctuations in college enrollments,Chancellor's Office data show that California CommunityColleges now enroll 67 of every 1,000 California adultsahigher rate than for any other community college system inthe country. The Master Plan policy of "open access" tocommunity colleges by California residents; i.e., that everyhigh school graduate and/or those who could ". . . benefitfrom instruction . . ." may enroll, has been a major objectivefor more than thirty years.

Unfortunately, the current level of access is 15 percentbelow that of 1989 and one-fourth below levels recorded inthe late 1970s. As noted in the Chancellor's 1993 Report onFee Impact, this situation is the result primarily of feeincreases, course reductions (due to budget cuts), andcontinued impact of the funding cap since 1990. It is arguedthat current funding levels result in a degree of access thatviolates the Master Plan intent.

With slight possible variation, the state's emerging demo-graphy is clear. While white males have made up nearly halfof the labor force in the past, minorities and females will makeup fourteen of every fifteen new workers in the future. And,despite recent improvements in their enrollment, a number ofthe groups that make up the bulk of these new workers havebeen underrepresented in postsecondary education. Withoutimprovements in the accessibility of community colleges (andpostsecondary education generally) to all groups, andparticularly to those groups that will comprise most of thenew workers, California may be unable to educate enoughskilled labor to sustain a reasonable level of economic growthinto the next century.

Most of the direct cost of attending California communitycolleges (transportation, books and supplies, and child-care)has increased at the rate of inflation over the past two decades.The other element of student costsfees for enrollment andother specific purposeshas increased, and when increased

I

E.xistingiproliq

Open access to thecommunity colleges

should be maintainedthrough the admission ofany California residentwho possesses a highschool diploma or theequivalent, and the

admission of any personover 18 years of age who

is capable of profitingfrom instruction.

Eicisting?poliT

Students who areeligible to attend acommunity college

should not be impededbecause of fees. Futurechanges in fees should

be fair, moderate,and predictableso as to maximize

educational opportunityand student success.

14

As student financial aidbecomes increasinglyimportant, continued

support should beprovided to ensure

ease of application andadequate funding.

substantially (1984 and 1993), has had a substantial negativeimpact on college enrollments.

A broader examination of costs, including the job earningsthat students must forego while enrolled in classes along withthe costs of college instruction and support services (in theReport on Fee Impact) reveals that:

(1) overall, of every $10 needed to support the education ofa community college student,

students and their families contribute $7individual California taxpayers contribute $2corporate California taxpayers contribute $1

(2) because of the low cost of educating a California com-munity college student, California taxpayers contributeless per student than do taxpayers in other states.

The benefits of educating a student at a community collegecannot be accurately measured. However, there is little doubtthat all Californians benefit substantially by way of the state'seconomic and social development to which each communitycollege-educated individual adds.

Studies by the Chancellor's Office show that the policyof high fees-high financial aid, prevalent in communitycolleges in the eastern part of the United States, does notpromote access. California community colleges, with ahistoric pattern of low fees-low aid, are four times moreaccessible than are community colleges in other states.

Along with a policy of moderate fees, the Board alsocautions that fee revenues should add to not substitute forother revenues. And, the Board should have authority to setfee levels within broad parameters set by the Governor andLegislature.

Student financial aid is becoming more important becauseof the socioeconomic status of California community collegestudents. Their incomes are below those of UC and CSUstudents, and below the incomes of Californians generallyand the gap continues to grow. Community college studentstypically carry fewer classes and work more in the face of acost or fee increase. Nearly four of every five students work.


Historically, while three of every five students wouldqualify for aid, only one in five applied for aid. Applicationsare now increasing, and the use of waivers, rather thanfinancial aid grants, substantially improves the delivery ofaid. In addition, existing grant programslike the CalGrantshould be increased, especially in view of possible futuredecreases in federal student financial aid. Besides adequatefunding for financial aid, it is imperative that aid be deliveredin an effective and equitable waywhich is possible onlythrough application processes that do not pose an undueburden to students.

In order to meet the student demand and maximize theircontribution to the economic and social development of Cali-fornia, community colleges will have to become more effec-tive in both the delivery of educational services and the man-agement of that delivery. But, improved effectiveness mustconsider both costs (input) and product or student performance(output).

Recent studies by the Chancellor's Office show that Cali-fornia community colleges deliver educational services at two-thirds the cost of community colleges in other states becauseCalifornia faculty teach, on average, 3 hours more per weekand have as many as 10 more students per class than do fac-ulty in colleges elsewhere. Larger classes are due in part toCalifornia's larger colleges: California community collegesaverage 13,000 students per college compared to less than5,000 per college nationwide. And, California's overheadcosts (for administration and plant maintenance) also are lowerthan in community colleges in other states.

Economic recovery and likely funding increases will en-able the community colleges to improve their offerings sub-stantially over the next decade. But, it appears that demandwill still exceed college capability. One way of meeting thisexcess demand is to expand the use of various instructionalmethods such as television, computer-aided instruction, andother technologically-mediated and off-site learning experi-enceswhere such methods demonstrate improved studentaccess and learning, along with more efficient use of collegeresources. As noted by the Board's Committee on Choosingthe Future, implementation of such methods will require sub-stantial developmental work, supported by the appropriate

Existingyfolis

The Board will continueto encourage the use ofalternative delivery andother methods that help

colleges expand theirability to instruct andserve more students.

16The New Basic Agenda 11


Issue

As districts continue tomanage enrollments,

they should review theirpractices in light of suchobjectives as improving

the access, diversity,retention, and

persistence of students.

capital investment, and with special attention to the qualityof teaching, and the character and need of specific commu-nity college students.

Other ways of expanding access include joint-use andother improvements in the utilization of existing staff andfacilities, as well as targeting certain individuals, such as thosewith low incomes, who have not continued their education tothe postsecondary level, so as to remove or minimize the bar-riers that have prevented their enrollment in the past. Lowstudent fees and effective financial aid are key to this effort.Another useful initiative is the "one-stop career center" whereindividuals have electronic access to information about alltraining programs available in California and where a numberof different agencies are on site to advise potential students.

As noted above, open access is one of the Californiacommunity colleges' highest priorities. However, since 1990,colleges have had to manage or ration enrollments. Becauseof early registration processes, first priority is afforded tocontinuing students; and then, because of statute, to studentsin certain programs. After this, students enter the queue forclasses, some of which have long waiting lists, mostly in afirst-come, first-serve fashion. In the latter case, underrep-resented students, for a number of reasons, tend to be at adisadvantage and often withdraw.

Predictions of high continued demand for postsecondaryeducation and modest public revenues to support thateducation suggest that districts and colleges will have tocontinue managing their enrollments; not all those eligible toattend will be able to do so. Districts are encouraged to reviewthe results of their enrollment management practices,including: course admission procedures and special outreachefforts; counseling practices such as comprehensive academicand career information; dissemination of student financial aid;and programs that are designed to even opportunities andeliminate disadvantages faced by students who considerenrolling in community colleges. Also of importance in thisreview are course scheduling practices, course add and dropdates, grading practices (including the use of Ws), probationand dismissal policies, and other academic policies.


ChallengeCalifornia Community College education

must adapt to the changing educational needs ofCalifornians so as to be relevant and timely

As set forth in the California Education Code, thecommunity college "primary" priority is in degree andcertificate programs in (1) lower-division arts and sciencesand (2) vocational and occupational fields. Deemed as"essential and important" are remedial (precollegiate and/orbasic skills) instruction, English as a Second Language (ESL),support services which help students succeed, and adulteducation (if it is in the "state's interest"). Communityservices also are "authorized, if compatible" with the above.In addition, the Economic and Business Development Codeauthorizes community colleges to engage in economicdevelopment and business training and assistance.

Community college education has been relevant and ef-fective within this structure. But, California's culture,economy, and public needs are changing so rapidly that itseems appropriate to continually review the community col-lege mission for its relevance and emphasis as such changestake place and as new policies are proposed.

Thirteen percent of community college instruction takesplace in ESL and in the precollegiate curriculum at present.Estimates put the need at more than two times that amount.These programs should be augmented, but withoutendangering the emphasis and resources put to the still mostimportant functions of transfer and vocational education.Indeed, for many students, ESL and precollegiate instructionare the building blocks on which transfer and vocationalprograms can be successfully based. And, the demand forESL and precollegiate instruction should be met more cost-effectivelythat is, by providing greater access without com-promising the complex and substantial needs of these students.

Work should focus on aligning ESL and basic skills withtransfer and vocational education to provide for an articulatedsystem of degrees and certificates that sets clear milestonesfor academic accomplishments, progress toward transfer tofour-year universities and colleges, and advancement onprofessional career ladders. Work in this area also shouldacknowledge the needfor ESL and basic skillsby manyindividuals in order to simply survive as productive citizens.

gl-Tigto,gi?9*,y)

The existing compre-hensive mission andpriorities of the com-

munity colleges providean effective frameworkfor change and should

be maintained:

Transfer andvocational education

Remedial instruction, ESL,support services which help

students succeed, andnoncredit adult education

Economic developmentand business training

and assistance

Community service

18

Issue

District and collegecurriculum should be

predicated, to a greaterdegree, on the rapidly

changing learning stylesof students and thelearning needs of aknowledge-basedand increasingly

multicultural society.

Community colleges have made substantial recentprogress in training individuals for small businesses,partnering with business and industry to conduct trainingactivities, disseminating occupational training informationthrough such vehicles as ED>Netand generally supportingthe state's economic development. The Board's Commissionon Innovation and the Board's Committee on Choosing theFuture agree that expansion of these activities requires anoverall investment plan or strategy, consideration of variouspoliciesabout contract education, student fees, etc.andongoing support, from private as well as public organizations.

The changing nature of students and their needs meansthat certain support services, particularly learning resourcecenters, and counseling and advisingthat undergird theability of colleges to serve the individual needs of studentsmost efficientlyare given adequate recognition as importantfunctions. College mission statements are usually framed interms of the end product; i.e., transfer or job placement. It isimportant that there also be adequate recognition of thegrowing role of learning resources and counseling, thatessentially are the means, along with classroom instruction,for accomplishing the colleges' ends.

The continuing shift from an industrial-based to aknowledge-based society appears certain. What is notaltogether clear, however, is the set of specific skills andknowledge that will best prepare community college studentsfor the emerging work place in a rapidly changing culture.

At one level, "learning to learn" will be of major impor-tance, including critical thinking, problem-solving, and com-munications skills. Students must learn how to acquire,manage, and analyze large quantities of information. Theexpansion of information and knowledge is proceeding at sucha pace that the ability to quickly review and discard irrelevantinformation through the use of appropriate technologies, forinstance, becomes a valued skill. At the same time, the basicreading, writing, speaking, listening, and computational skillswill continue to be at the core of both transfer and occupationalinstruction, and students must master the levels of such skillsthat are consistent with their objectives.


At another level, colleges must design their vocationalcurricula to match expected shifts in the industrial makeup ofCalifornia as well as in the specific skills needed for jobs inthose industries. The effort to balance instructionappropriately between specific and general skills may shifttoward the general as technological change accelerates andas the colleges find it increasingly difficult to acquire andmaintain specific up-to-date equipment on which to teach.Another consequence of these conditions is that moreinstruction should and, presumably, will take place at thelearner's worksite or, when the personal computer or otherdevice is involved, at the learner's residence.

And, at still anotherpossibly the most importantlevel,colleges must continue the elements of their curricula andservices that promote social mobility, civility, and rationaldiscourse in the rapidly changing multicultural environmentof California. The values and attitudes acquired by studentsin this part of the college educational mission are of majorconsequence to all Californians. Moreover, the ability ofCalifornians to interact with citizens of other states andcountries, particularly those along the Pacific Rim, willbecome increasingly important.

As the characteristics and experiences of entering studentschange, their learning styles change, and, therefore, collegeinstructional approaches must change. As students come froma greater variety of cultures and backgrounds, it is likely thattheir learning styles will vary more widely than they did inthe past. For example, some cultures emphasize competitivelearning, while others emphasize cooperative learning.Teachers are held in higher esteem in some cultures than inothers. The challenge of varied learning styles becomes allthe more complex because the knowledge and skills studentsneed from the community college also are becoming more,rather than less, complex.

Added to this need for more diverse individualizedinstructional approaches are a number of general changes inthinking about pedagogy. For example, there is increasingevidence in the literature on teaching and learning that manystudents learn more when they work in an "active learning"(laboratory as opposed to lecture) or in a performance-orientedsetting, and when they work collaboratively, rather thancompetitively. In this mode, faculty facilitate learning bystudents, rather than solely lecture to students.



Issue

Ways to initiate andsupport the needed

expansion of teachingwith and about newtechnologies must beidentified, including

funding for the purchaseof state-of-the-art

instructional equipmentand for professional

development.

Paradoxically, the new community college student is likelyto be at once both less and more prepared for postsecondarywork. On the one hand, there is evidence that studentsgenerally are less prepared for traditional academic work nowthan were students in the past. Studies show that more thanhalf of the students coming to community colleges are in needof some precollegiate training. And, as the colleges enrollmore foreign immigrants who are limited or non-Englishspeakers, teaching and learning become more difficult. Onthe other hand, most new students are more technologically-oriented than their counterparts were in the past. These newstudents generally will be versed in some informationtechnologies, having developed learning styles that are heavilydependent on the graphic, rapid, and numerous "bytes" ofinformation obtained from watching television, playing videogames, and, in an increasing number of cases, from using apersonal computer.

It is apparent that a student's educational experience at acommunity college will be increasingly valuable if he or shelearns to effectively use the current information technologies.This can be accomplished by faculty teaching a wide varietyof subject disciplines using such information technologies,as well as through teaching in just the specifically-identifiedcourses such as computer science and the like.

The expansion of instructional technology likely willinclude, at first, telecourses (housed in local, regional, andstatewide libraries) and interactive computer courseware; later,it may include more sophisticated interactive systems of voice,video, and data transmission. To date, there is little evidencethat such techniques can seriously reduce costs. In fact, mostexperience in postsecondary education suggests that suchtechnology can enhance quality and access, but is ambiguousabout costs. Thus, it will be necessary to fund suchinnovations from new, rather than reallocated funds. And, asinstructional technology is developed and implemented,particular attention should be paid to the varying learningstyles of individual community college students.

Greater sensitivity to new and diverse learning styles anduse of more technology in teaching are possible only if facultyare given adequate opportunity to learn about these issuesand opportunities and have access to the technology. The


1.

Board will continue its efforts to secure more funding ofcollege programs that encourage innovative anddevelopmental work on the part of faculty. In addition, amore flexible academic calendar could provide increasedopportunity to engage faculty in professional development.

Maintaining the quality of the transfer function, given theexpected continuing increase in student demand, requires thatthe college staff work to improve a series of processes thattaken together enable the student to succeed in lower divisionand make a smooth transition to upper division.

These improvements, such as refining the core curriculum,expanding articulation agreements and establishing moreconsistent transfer criteria, would be undertaken in anenvironment of rapidly increasing demand.

At the onset of this decade, the makeup of communitycollege enrollmentsthat had previously been increasinglyolder and more part-timebegan to be younger and studentsbegan to carry heavier loads. At the same time, UC and CSUincreased their fees dramatically, introducing a substantialdifferential between their student charges and those incommunity colleges. Facing budget deficits, both UC andCSU cut courses as well. The result was that many studentswho were eligible to attend these institutions and, in prioryears would have, began their lower division work instead ata community collegereinforcing the trend towardenrollment of younger students.

Community colleges have imposed their own fee increasesand course cutbacks during this decade. However, increasingnumbers of younger students continue to enroll and (whilecutting sections elsewhere in the curriculum) colleges havehad to increase the number of course sections in mathematics,English, humanities generally, and certain sciences; i.e., inthe core lower division transfer curriculum. And, still thesecourses are reported by most colleges to have waiting listseach term.

It is likely that current trends toward more transfer workwill continue, assuming that fee and financial aid policies aremaintained and assuming that the expected rapid increase innumbers of high school graduates and 18 to 24 year-olds doesmaterialize. Of concern in this scenario is the ability of UC

The transfer ofcommunity college

students needs to bestrengthened by

strategies such as refiningthe core lower divisioncurriculum, expanding

course articulationagreements, devisingmore common course

designations, andestablishing common

and consistent eligibilityand admissions criteria.



Issue

Community collegesshould continue their

efforts to better educatestudents about other

cultures, societies, andeconomies, and to assistbusiness and industry in

becoming more competitivein the global economy.

and CSU to handle a potential increase in community collegetransfer students in the latter half of this decade.

Rapid development in global telecommunications impactsthe way business is conducted and the manner in which socialand political events are conceived and interpreted. The"community" in which Californians interact encompasses theentire world, not just the local geographic entity in whichthey live. Community colleges must ensure that their studentshave an understanding of world cultures and of the variationsand interrelationships that exist between different cultures.Students also should be economically skilled to work andcompete in a global market.

During the past decade, foreign trade has become a largercomponent of the nation's gross domestic product, andCalifornia has increased its share of U.S. trade. California'sprimary trading partners are expected to grow at a greaterrate economically during the next decade than is the rest ofthe world. These trends, together with improvements incommunications and transportation technology and continuedmigration, make it imperative that Californians understandthe cultures, politics, economics, and values of other countries.

Community colleges have a significant role in helpingpromote global understanding and knowledge through anumber of their programs and services, often organized underinternational education, or in related areas such as ethnicstudies and foreign language programs. Since the inceptionof international education in the 1970s, community collegeshave conducted it largely through study abroad and facultyex-change programs. Recently, however, many colleges havebegun to conduct programs in international staff developmentthrough contracts with colleges and universities in other coun-tries. And, colleges have introduced a global dimension intothe general education curriculum, and through internationalbusiness programs and international trade developmentcenters. But while there are a number of exemplary programs,and there has been progress in the diversity and numberoffered, opportunities are limited to too few colleges and manymore such programs and services are needed. While commun-ity college resources will continue to be scarce, Californiansshould recognize that a number of college programs andservices which have as their focus topics and individuals inother countries are of significant benefit to the state.


23

ChallengeThe human and physical infrastructure of

California Community Colleges must be enhanced,better organized, and better utilized

Much of the responsibility for leadership by the Board ofGovernors has to do with enhancing the substantial humanand physical resources that comprise the community collegesinfrastructure. One means of enhancing these resources is tointroduce greater flexibility for resource allocation andutilization at all levels of the community college system. Thisrequires examination of constraints contained in various codesand guidelines.

Besides the California Education Code and CaliforniaCode of Regulations revisions, improved resource manage-ment and accountability may be achieved through a restruc-turing of the Chancellor's Office. Several objectives couldbe sought in this restructuring: (a) making staff responsibleto the Board of Governors instead of state control agencies;(b) using expertise and resources that exist within the systemfor accomplishing systemwide work; (c) sharing staff withlocal colleges without compromising personnel benefits;(d) offering competitive staff compensation; and (e) havingmore flexibility to help colleges work and partner with theprivate sector.

Recent budget constraints have not only reduced commun-ity college enrollment, but also have prevented normal growthin the prices colleges pay for their human and physicalresources. This price growth, typically termed a cost-of-livingadjustment (COLA), has been severely curtailed during thisdecade.

The Board's role in college funding emphasizes obtainingan annual provision for the costs of inflation, enrollmentgrowth, new programs, and technological and otherinnovations. Some of the long-term components of such costs,such as benefits for increasing numbers of retirees, are notaltogether obvious. Recognition of all costs, however, isessential if the colleges are to operate more effectively overthe long-term.

Existing policy,

The Board will continueto seek ways to make

the Chancellor's Officemore effective.

E.xistingpolicy,

The Board of Governorswill play a continuing

leadership role inadvocating for

adequate funding frompublic and private

sources for the colleges.

24

Existing Policy

The community collegecapital outlay planning

and funding processshould be streamlined

and new funding sourcesmust be developed.

Also important over the long-term is an effort to fill theresource gaps during periods of economic recessionwhenpublic tax revenues decline and educational demandincreasesso that colleges may continue their work withoutsevere cutbacks like those that occurred during 1991 through1994. Alternative funding sources such as bonding and privateinvestment may need to be developed to fill the expectedrevenue gaps during future recessions.

While a somewhat lesser (cost) factor than humanresources in the delivery of community college education,physical facilities will become increasingly important in thefuture for two major reasons. First, despite several years ofthe highest capital outlay funding in the colleges' history,facility maintenance has been budgeted at inadequate levels,and, therefore, it will become increasingly expensive toremove deferred maintenance in the future. Consequently,substandard facilities may prevent remodeling and othermeasures which could support increases in operatingproductivity.

Second, while there appears to be some excess lecturespace at some colleges in the system, laboratory space is fullyutilized at most colleges. However, since substantialenrollment growth is projected over the next decade, it willbe necessary to expand facilities at many colleges. In orderto clarify these needs in light of current and future trends,staff has started to update the Board's Long-Range CapitalOutlay Plan.

All observers agree that college facilities can be plannedand occupied more effectively if a better process of capitaloutlay project planning, review, approval and funding can beestablished. The Board will continue its efforts to streamlinethe capital outlay process, including an effort to remove someof the redundant review activities performed by other state-level agencies.

There is currently no stable long-term source of capitaloutlay funding. In recent state-level elections, general obliga-tion bonds have been defeated, and revenue bonds must berepaid from future college operating budgets. While theSpring 1996 statewide bond issue was successful, alternativefunding should be developed, including: local bond funds (to


25

be raised by majority vote), resumption of a state-localmatching program, and greater use of private funding through

partnerships and other arrangements.

Recent court opinions have questioned the legality ofmany affirmative action programs sponsored by publicagencies. In addition, there is an initiative on the ballot inCalifornia that would constrain affirmative action programs,at least as they have been conducted in the past. Finally, theRegents of the University of California have instructed staffto develop procedures for student admissions and staff hiringthat in their conduct may disregard historically underrepresented minorities.

In response to these events, the Board of Governors hasreaffirmed its commitment to diversity in staff hiring and toopen access in student admissions. It has reviewed existingprograms to ensure that practices do not violate theconstitutional rights of any individuals. Based on this reviewand the work of a group of staff and officials from the districtsand colleges, the Board recommends an affirmative actionemployment program for community colleges that has thefollowing components:

1. nondiscrimination,2. equal employment opportunity,3. diversity, and4. corrective action (if any practices are unconstitutional)

Debate about this topic will continue, and will requiresubstantial attention by the Board.

Community college education is predominately labor-intensive or human resource-intensive. It is essential, there-fore, that proper attention is paid to the hiring, development,maintenance, compensation, and overall care of its humanresources. Of major importance is the professional develop-ment of staff

Expected trends suggest there will be an increasing needfor professional development that emphasizes (a) teachingmethods that are effective with students with diverse anddifferent learning styles and (b) use of technology in teaching.Budgetary constraints have limited the amount of such trainingavailable, and there is little doubt that more training would

Existing Policy

While affirmative actionprograms for staff andstudents help ensure

that the Collegesare relevant to the

changing needs anddiversity of Californians,the conduct of these

programs must notviolate the constitutional

rights of individuals.

Existing Policy

A review and possibleenhancement of

professionaldevelopment programs

in the colleges areneeded to address

changes in students andthe ways they learn.



Issue

District and collegedecisionma kingprocesses should

reflect, at a minimum,the spirit and intent of

AB 1725 (1988).

have a positive impact on student learning. The key will bein determining how to obtain needed funding and how to betteruse the academic calendar to offer professional developmentopportunities.

Also important to effective professional developmentprograms is knowledge of faculty demographics. The averageage of community college faculty is nearly fifty; about twicethe average age of the students they teach. Consequently,large numbers of community college faculty are likely to retireduring the next decade. This situation may ease cost-pressuressomewhat as younger, lower-salaried faculty are hired to fillbehind the higher-paid retirees. More-over, it also enablescolleges, in their curricular rebuilding, to staff those programsof high and increasing priority. And, finally, it providescolleges the opportunity to employ a faculty that is morediverse and recently-trained, and, therefore, more likely to besensitive and knowledgeable about the varied learning stylesof students.

Among its many features, AB 1725 contains specificdirections about the way in which colleges are to make deci-sions. Each of the 71 districts continues, under AB 1725, tobe governed by a locally-elected trustee board, but theseboards are to establish procedures to ensure that faculty, staff,and students have the opportunity to express their opinions(at the campus level), that these opinions are given reasonableconsideration, and that these groups have the right to partic-ipate effectively in district and college governance. The Boardof Governors is to assist in this process by establishingminimum standards for the procedures to be adopted by localboards. In addition, academic senates are to assume primaryresponsibility for making recommendations in the areas ofcurriculum and academic standards.

Many changes in college decisionmaking have taken placein the six years during which these new procedures have beenimplemented. And, changes are still taking place as collegescontinue to make the transition from older, sometimes exclu-sive, to newer, more inclusive, decisionmaking processes. Inkeeping with the intent of AB 1725 and of The New BasicAgenda, it is imperative that implementation of newdecisionmaking procedures take place in such a way as tosupport improvements in student learning and student success.


Chancellor's Office

California Community Colleges

1107 Ninth StreetSacramento, California 95814-3607

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