REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the Basic Skills Committee
February 1, 2013
FM 107
11:30 a.m – 12:23 p.m
AGENDA
BSC Mission Statement
Our mission is to improve the retention, persistence, and success of basic skills students
BSC Scope/Function
To recommend and support educational programs, student support services, and matriculation policies
that enhance retention, persistence, and academic success of basic skills students.
1. To promote the use of effective practices in developmental education for administrative, student
services, and instructional programs.
2. To provide professional development regarding effective practices in developmental education.
3. To work with Institutional Research in tracking basic skills students from entry to completion.
4. To assess and evaluate the programs designed to improve student success.
5. To allocate and oversee expenditures of BSI categorical funds.
1.
Meeting called to order. Members present: Erin Wall, Vinnie Peloso, Sheila Hall, Rachel
Anderson, Angelina Hall, Jeff Cummings, Crislyn Parker-notes
2.
Approved notes from January 18, 2013
3.
Action Items: N/A
4.
Discussion Items
4.1 Review of Study Results on Basic Skills Students:
 Dr. Hill presented a brief summary of findings. She will email the document to the
committee. Basically, the report looks at the success of students in three areas: 1.
taking both math and English basic skills courses together; 2. math first; and 3.
English first. In order to have a large enough sample, Dr. Hill went back to 2006 and
looked at first year and new students first term.
 The report showed, overall, students who took both at once had better success. Dr. Hill
cautioned this correlation is not conclusive. Conclusions are based on skill sets,
leaving out the human variable. Placement by advisors is focused around individual
students; it is recommended advisors look at both student skill sets and whether a
student has the time and/or ability to attempt both courses together. Advisors often
recommended students shouldn’t take both; this report shows it can be done and
students can be successful. Financial aid can also be a factor.
 Student contact history is available through SARS and successful students had a high
number of contacts with advisors and EOPs. Contact hours are worth pursuing.
 Recommended “packages” are being worked on now as part of the first year
experience.
 Dr. Hill will look at the other courses taken by students successful in taking the
English and math basic skills course together.
4.2 February 8: Facilitated dialogue about the basic skills assessment program (3-5pm):
 Flex session discussions about dialog from program level through and beyond GE,
led to expanding discussions to talk about Math, English and ESL. Student Success
will begin discussions and an invite all english and math faculty, and include

Vinnie. Basic skills committee members are encouraged to attend. Location to be
determined. Discussions are targeting 300-level basic skills courses.
Meeting will be re-titled: Facilitated Basic Skills Assessment Dialog.
4.3 Review of 2012-13 Annual Planning Initiatives, Basic Skills
 February 8 has been scheduled as a pre-meeting for the SEP task force
 II.A.4 will be the outcome of II.A. 1, 2, 3. The Math department has ideas for fall
curriculum and is working on flushing out others. The committee would like to
see some data on the math jam
5. Reports
 Erin, Angelina and Crislyn will work on reconfiguring the Basic Skills website.
 No requests for basic skills funding has been received. Vinnie is in the process of
completing one.
 We still haven’t seen the feedback regarding the basic skills flex session presenter
from 3CSN. Vinnie said the evaluations went to the flex committee. Erin said
she’d contact them about getting the feedback from the session. Hopefully we’ll
be able to review this at the next meeting.
6. Adjourned at 12:26pm