EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Introduction
The Student Equity process is a new endeavor campus wide for Mendocino College; the Student
Equity Committee was only formed roughly a year ago. Moreover, Mendocino College has not
had a diversity committee of any sort in its history. Additionally, many positions and roles at
the college are only now being reinstated after recovering from the economic downturn from
several years ago; many of these were student support services roles such as transfer center
staff, counselors and coordinators for specific populations as well as leadership positions that
carry the big picture of campus functions. As a result of this, the Student Equity process, for the
next several years, will be focused on gathering data and conducting research (research), laying
the groundwork for equity consciousness with faculty and staff (professional development) and
supporting students (student services), given the data the college currently has. Once key
positions are in place and data and research has been gathered, the college can then really
focus on tailoring, more acutely, services for the identified disproportionately impacted student
populations.
In addition to the newness of Student Equity on Mendocino College’s one campus and two
centers, soon to be three centers, the college decided to change how the data was processed
from the previous year’s proportionality index to the new percentage point gap method
developed by the Center for Urban Education (CUE). The college decided to run the data
through the percentage point gap method since it is a more revealing way for information to
emerge as well as the fact that the college will be working with the Center for Urban Education
on the Equity Scorecard process. As suspected, the percentage point gap methodology has
revealed new and varied information for the college. Last year, there were three main student
groups that were disproportionately affected – Native American, African American and Former
or Current Foster Youth. These three student populations were consistent through each of the
indicators. However, by running the data through the percentage point gap method, there are
now multiple disproportionately impacted student populations in the different indicators:
Native American, African American, Foster Youth, Veterans, Students with Disabilities, Low
income, Pacific Islanders, Asian and Hispanic/Latino. Mendocino is a very small college; our
student population is roughly 6,000 students a year. Being such a small college, any slight
change in numbers can significantly change the statistics. As a result the college has had to
strike a balance between the data from last year and the “new” data that has emerged from
using the percentage point gap method. The college has tried to take into account the
intersectionality of identities our students’ experience. For instance, Foster Youth are not only
former or current Foster Youth (1.2% of our student population), they also experience a high
level of disabilities (90% of Foster youth identify as having a disability) as well as low income
(32% are low income). Another example of the intersectionality of identities for our students is
that Native American and African American students are also 10% of our low income students.
As the college considers the new information that has emerged as a result of the new data
methodology, in addition to Student Equity being new on campus, it is clear to us at Mendocino
College that there is a high need to continue to conduct more research and get a better
understanding of the issues behind the data.
Research
As part of the research component to the Student Equity Plan, Mendocino College will be
engaging in the Equity Scorecard process with the Center for Urban Education (CUE).
Additionally, the college will be conducting student interviews to collect more data on students’
perspectives regarding issues around the college experience as it relates to the five indicators
for Student Equity. Through working with CUE, Mendocino College will establish an
infrastructure of inquiry and interpretation on equity-minded issues as well as establish equityminded practices across campus that is known by all faculty and staff. Mendocino College will
begin with the collection and interpretation of data to inform changes in practice. Additionally,
the college will create tools to develop an evidence-based understanding of the unique ways in
which the campus works, consider how changes can be sustainable and implement
interventions that will help achieve improved outcomes for students. The work that CUE has
completed with other institutions of higher education has proven effective in researching and
laying the groundwork for ameliorating the disparities that exist between student populations.
Mendocino College recognizes that without laying this groundwork in understanding equity
issues, as well as an understanding of what equity is, we will not be able to make effective
change. It is important to increase awareness and prioritize student equity practices on campus
in both the classroom and student service areas to facilitate the transformation of practices on
campus. Additionally, the college sees Student Equity as both a top-down and bottom-up
process, with full support given by upper-level administrators and hands-on implementation
facilitated at the committee member level.
Professional Development
Along with teasing out the issues behind the data the college gets from our research with
regard to Student Equity and the five indicators, we also recognize that we need to be laying
the groundwork for understanding the historical precedent and current issues that our students
face. Mendocino College recognizes it is not simply the deficits we perceive the students to
have that creates an inequitable environment, but it is the actual student experience. As such,
it is important for staff and faculty to have a process and framework whereby the college
evaluates the environment that has been created for the students. Mendocino College will
provide one combined training and workshop per staff group (classified and faculty) per
semester on specific issues of student equity and how those issues affect student’s ability to
participate in the college experience. The training portion will focus on historical precedent
and roots of issues, grounding of information in our community and developing cultural
understanding. The workshop portion will focus on thinking into the concepts of Student
Equity and devising actionable items to implement moving forward.
In addition to on-campus trainings and workshops, professional development opportunities will
be provided for faculty and staff to attend pertinent conferences relevant to Student Equity,
such as the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity in American Education (NCORE).
Student Services
Although there is new data to analyze through the equity lens, the college feels it is still
important to provide direct services to students as the college lays the groundwork and
framework for larger, over-arching change for our district. The services provided based on last
year’s Student Equity Plan are a good foundation to build upon. Activities have been reviewed
to see which ones make sense to keep in Student Equity versus which ones make more sense
for Student Success Support Program or Basic Skills to push forward. Additionally, the college
looked at how funds from Student Equity could be used in conjunction with funding for other
categorical programs in an efficient manner – making sure that there are no repeating services
and that funds are dispersed in ways that fortify the larger goal of supporting students.
Target Groups
Based on last year’s review of campus data, the Mendocino College Student Equity Committee
identified three student populations who emerged as experiencing the greatest
disproportionate impact. Those populations were: current and previous Foster Youth, African
American students, and Native American students. However, this year the college analyzed
campus data through the newer percentage point gap method and discovered that although
our previously identified disproportionately impacted groups appeared quite often, other
student groups appeared as well. After much review and discussion, the campus decided that
for this year, we will continue with the populations previously identified (with a few exceptions)
until the work with the Center for Urban Education has begun, at which point the information
can be better analyzed and interpreted. The Institutional Effectiveness Director will gather data
on overlap between the identified populations and low-income and individuals with disabilities
designations in order to investigate the intersectionality of identities of students. Mendocino
College recognizes that a student’s inclusion in one group does not preclude them from being in
another and this overlap is important to parse out. Both the Student Equity Committee and the
District as a whole recognize that services developed to serve the targeted populations will also
serve all Mendocino College students.
Goals
Indicator
Access
Course Completion
ESL and Basic Skills
Activity
A1. Distance
Education
A2. Summer Bridge
B1. Instructor Sign-off
B2. Starter kits
B3. Native American
resource Center
Worker
B4. Native American
Outreach Specialist
C1. Embedded
Counseling
C2. Childcare
Populations and Goals
Foster Youth – Identify
gap.
Students with Disabilities
(DSPS) –
Reduce the gap by 3%.
Unknown – Identify the
populations.
Foster Youth – reduce
gap by 10%.
Native American –
Reduce the gap by 3%
African American –
Reduce the gap by 3%
Timeline
2016
Native American –
Reduce the gap by 3%
African American –
2018
2018
2016
2020
2018
2020
2020
C3. ESL non-credit
investigation
Degree and
Certificate
Completion
Transfer
Other Campus
Activities
D1. Compile ESL noncredit course
completion data
D2. Research models
of specialized student
support programs
D3. Round Valley
Career and Technical
Education
E1. Embedded
Counseling in transfer
level courses
E2. Embedded
Tutoring in transfer
level courses
F1. Equity Scorecard
Process
F2. Research Student
Perspective
F3. Campus Trainings
and Workshops
F4. Professional
Development
Reduce the gap by 3%
Foster Youth – Identify
gap.
Native American –
Reduce the gap by 3%
Hispanic – Reduce the
gap by 3%
Foster Youth – Identify
the gap
2016
2018
2018
2016
Hispanic – Reduce the
2018
gap by 3%
DSPS – Reduce the gap by 2018
3%
Foster Youth – identify
2016
the gap
Activities
After last year’s experience with Student Equity, Mendocino College faculty, staff and
administrators recognize that a thoughtful, long-view approach to Student Equity is imperative.
There are three over-arching themes for the activities that the college will be working with
throughout the next several years. These three themes are research, professional development
and direct student support. Through the Equity Scorecard process with the CUE, the college
will be focusing on the data and setting up systems of inquiry that will carry over long after
CUE’s presence on campus ends. Additionally, the college will be setting up the infrastructure
for engaging and substantive professional development trainings and workshops for both staff
and faculty on campus as well as conferences. These activities are important as they will
provide the necessary structure to create lasting and helpful spaces for staff and faculty to
inquire into our own practices and how we may adjust in order to create a more equitable
environment. Lastly, but not least, Mendocino College will continue to provide direct services
to students with specific focus on the identified populations. The college will, through the
Student Equity Committee and processes put in place, be in a better position to evaluate the
effectiveness of these services and adjust as data comes in and interpretation occurs.
The Student Equity Committee has created multiple activities for each of the five student
success indicators. A summary of all activities divided by indictors follows.
A. Access:
A1. Improve Access to Distance Education/Live Streaming
A2. Develop Summer Bridge Programs
B. Course Completion:
B1. Create Instructor Grade Check Pilot Program
B2. Provide Student “Starter Kit”
B3. Native American Resource Center Worker
B4. Hire a Native American Outreach Specialist
C. Success in Basic Skills and ESL:
C1. Initiate Embedded Counseling Pilot Program
C2. Provide Evening and Off-Site Childcare Pilot Program
C3. Investigate ESL Noncredit Student Data Issues
D. Degree and Certificate Completion:
D1. Investigate ESL Noncredit Course Completion data
D2. Research Specialized Student Support Programs
D3. Initiate research and buying of supplies for Career and Technical Education class
development implementation in Round Valley
E. Transfer to Four-Year Colleges and Universities
E1. Provide Embedded Counselors in Transfer Level Courses
E2. Provide Embedded Tutoring in transfer-level courses
F. Other Campus Activities
F1. Equity Scorecard Process with CUE
F2. Research and Data Gathering
F3. Campus Trainings and Workshops for Faculty and Staff
F4. Professional Development
Student Equity Funding and Other Resources
Indicator
Activity
Access
A1. Distance Education
A2. Summer Bridge
Course Completion
B1. Grade-check
B2. Starter Kits
B3. Native American
resource Center
Worker
B4. Native American
Outreach Specialist
Budget Amount
1. None
2. $10,000
1. None
2. $15,000
3. $20,000
4. $10,062
ESL and Basic Skills
C1. Embedded
Counseling
C2. Childcare
C3. ESL non-credit
investigation
Degree and Certificate D1. Compile ESL nonCompletion
credit course
completion data
D2. Research models
of specialized student
support programs
D3. Initiate research
and buying of supplies
for Career and
Technical Education
class development
implementation in
Round Valley
Transfer
E1. Embedded
Counseling in transfer
level courses
E2. Embedded
Tutoring in transfer
level courses
Other Campus
F1. Equity Scorecard
Activities
Process
F2. Research Student
Perspective
F3. Campus Trainings
and Workshops
F4. Professional
Development
Contact Person/Student Equity Coordinator
Kate Veno, Student Equity Coordinator
707.468.3094
kveno@mendocino.edu
1. $20,000
2. $10,000
3. None
1. None
2.
3. $26,000
1. $20,000
2. $5,000
1. $100,000
2. $5,000
3. $25,000
4. $20,000