PREPARED BY:

Laurie Scolari, Associate Dean of Outreach and Recruitment, CCSF,

administrative oversight of Gateway Program

James Macale, Gateway to College Director, CCSF

Beth Cataldo, Liaison to the Chancellor, CCSF

Topics to be covered

• Who are the Gateway students?• What is the ethnic breakdown of Gateway

students?• What neighborhoods do the Gateway students

come from?• Program Progress• Program Challenges: Faculty Perspective• Survey/Evaluation Results: Student Perspective• Suggested Solutions

Who are the Gateway students?

Total number of students enrolled: • Fall 2009 Cohort

– 52 students started in Fall 2009– 27 students moved to the Ocean campus– As of 3/12/10 ~~23 students are continuing in the Spring 2010

semester– Retention Rate: 51% as of 3/12/10

• Spring 2010 Cohort– 41 students have started in Spring 2010 at the Southeast

Campus– As of 3/12/10 ~~33 students are continuing in the Spring 2010

semester– Retention Rate: 80% as of 3/12/10

What is the ethnic breakdown of the Gateway students?

What neighborhoods do the Gateway students come from?

Program Progress1. Staffing Structure

– Hired full time Gateway to College Director

– Secured an administrator to oversee the program

– Hired part time office manager

– Hired full time Counselor

2. Continued partnership with the City of San Francisco providing referral services to students

3. Focus groups provided every other Friday to provide support for students

4. Started recruiting efforts for Fall 2010 term to secure all spots for two cohorts

5. Secured food vendor at the SE campus

Program Challenges:Faculty Perspective

• Physical classroom space is inadequate

• Currently, there is a lack of full access to computer labs and printing

• Lack of full service tutoring services at the SE campus

• Lack of campus atmosphere

Survey/Evaluation Results: Student Perspective

What are your overall comments about this program?  

– All of the students mentioned how important college credit was as a lure for them to enroll in this program

 – 90 percent of the students said that they wanted to get a BA – 80 percent of the students imagined themselves studying for a certain major or career

pathway (for example, social worker, parole officer, writer, engineer, psychologist, child development worker)

 – Students said they appreciated the second chance they were given from this program – Students commented that they appreciated the intimate nature of the program in the

current setting – Students appreciated the individualized attention that the instructors provided – Students expressed that they didn't want to get lost in a big institutionalized setting – Students had a positive impression of the program and the people involved in it  

Survey/Evaluation Results: Student Perspective

What Challenges have you faced in this program and how would you improve it?

– Students struggle with the academic demands of college and understanding class material

– Students would like more interesting and relevant reading and writing topics

– More tutoring support in the lab with tutors who understand our assignments

– Better access to computers to do homework

– More flexibility from instructors about what they demand

– Lack of family support

– Transportation problems

– Better quality of lunch

– Personal issues such as housing, childcare and employment

– Finding motivation to come to class

– Financial issues

Suggested Solutions• Secure classroom space to accommodate 20-

25 students comfortably

• Secure full computer lab access

• Secure adequate and regular tutoring services for students

• Secure full time, permanent counselor

• Increase activities for students at the SE campus to create a feeling of college culture

• Secure access to other services such as financial aid and DSPS (Disabled Students Programs and Services)

• Offer professional development for instructors involved to help with teaching, managing and retention of high-risk students

Questions or Comments?