Student Services Area Reps Meeting
November 18, 2014 * 10-11 AM * RHN 258
Minutes
Attendees: T. Anderson, D. Belair, J. Christian, R. Cobian, V. Cornelius, A. Ely, D. Garza, K. Goff, S. Goldberg, R. Heiselman, V. Henderson, C. Hernandez, T. Hodge, K. Janssen, J.
Lake, D. Luff, K. McDaniel, I. Rodriguez, A. Sanders, S. Guzman, G. Tracey, D. Wydick
Topic
1. Introduction of new Interim Student
Services Dean
Discussion
Outcome
• Aiden Ely recently retired from
Folsom Lake College, Dean of
Student Development and Enrollment
Management will be with our college
through the end of February 2015.
 Discuss at next meeting.
The group discussed the Los Rios application form and the
department/program information listed that could be checked for more
information. The following comments/suggestions were noted:
Consider change in terminology from dismissed to a disruption of
financial aid assistance.
• Look at the communication piece and work on it over the next two
years.
• Look at coordinating communication to the student so we don’t
overload student or duplicate efforts.
• Can we do a study of students who respond to email and those who
respond to packets sent to them to see how effective each mode of
communication works best?
• We also want to be culturally competent in our methods of
communication as well. Latino/a parents typically will be very
involved with their child’s education and communication sent to the
parents will work.
• Older students may respond better to letters than emails. G-mail
seems to be ignored by the younger students.
• May send a letter with links on it to the various areas they are
interested in.
• Eventually there will be a way to find out how the student would like
to receive information, but not available now.
• Would like Student Services to consider how we can be more
proactive in contacting students.
• EOPS has found that the peer to peer approach in communicating
has worked for them.
• In the past, when Matriculation was first implemented, thousands of
•
2. Classified participation in participatory
governance
3. Info on the APP - discussion
Kim Goff will send more information
to the group regarding the
application and supplemental form
for their review.
Topic
Discussion
letters went out to students; however, using the phone bank and
hiring of student workers was most successful.
• Admissions does use a phone bank to contact students also. Texting
students typically doesn’t work if they don’t recognize a phone
number.
• Focus on what works: what are the students doing correctly? That we
want them to do, rather than reward them for wrong behavior. Try
the carrot approach.
• We also need to reach out to those that are not in good standing,
that are at risk, for they are the ones that will drop out if we don’t
make the effort to reach them.
• We need to look at a more long-term strategy. How do we reach
23,000 students and not just first year students.
• This is a cultural shift for the institution as we have not had the
mandate that we have now nor have students.
• What do we want our first year experience to look like?
4. Feedback for the new DO Student
Services webpage (attached)
Area reps were asked to give their feedback on the district’s student
services webpage:
• Who is the target audience? If it is students then, delete beginning
paragraphs and just insert links to the various departments within
Students Services at the various colleges.
• The titles of the various units and services in the third paragraph
need to be easy to read and formatted differently.
• Key contacts – rethink this information; as the district office will be
contacted as Vice Chancellor at DO is listed first.
• Recommend that Umoja and the Cultural Awareness Center also be
listed.
• Recommend that district web page is student-user friendly.
The district will implement the PeopleSoft Financial Program in 2016-17;
currently it is using Powerfaids. One of the components that the colleges
across the district are discussing is Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
process and feedback from this group will be helpful. Following
comments/suggestions were noted:
• Colleges have agreed during discussions to dismiss students based on
Satisfactory Academic Progress at 67% progress percentage, 2.0
GPA, and 150% of a certificate program. Colleges are still discussing
the best option for dismissing students for maximum timeframe.
There are three options being discussed: dismiss students at 72+
units attempted, dismissed students at 90+ units attempted, dismiss
students at 150% of the degree program. In each option the student
5.
SAP Appeal Process Feedback
Outcome

Please send any suggestions to
Rukiya Bates and Christine
Hernandez.
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Topic
6.
Other/Area Rep Announcements
Regina Wilkins, Recorder
11/18/2014
Discussion
will be eligible to submit a SAP appeal and must meet with a
counselor once dismissed.
• Currently there is no consensus regarding meeting with those
students who didn’t submit an appeal for maximum timeframe.
(There are approximately 900 students at SCC who did not submit an
appeal for maximum timeframe (72+ units).
• Would it be beneficial or not for students to meet with counselors at
72 units and then dismiss their eligibility for financial aid at 90 units
or have a notice sent at 72+ and they are dismissed at 90+ units and
meet with a counselor at once dismissed.
• Of concern is language used and it states “dismiss.” The number of
students who don’t take any action is huge.
• A proactive step, at 72 units, is to have them meet with a counselor
and review their educational plan.
• Parallel track for students that are doing well, in good standing, and
for those that are not making progress.
• Is there value in students submitting an iSEP?
• Review terminology for SAP, don’t make it the same as for
Admissions; don’t make it punitive; evaluate deadlines so student can
complete paperwork; have dedicated dates/timelines.
• Receiving financial aid is still a problem for students that do complete
all their paperwork and have yet to receive their financial and not
forthcoming until Thanksgiving.
• Send letter to students regarding deadlines in advance.
 DSPS Northern California Regional meeting is scheduled on Thursday,
Nov 20th.
 Sandra Guzman, counselor, did outreach to 120 people and entire
outreach was done in Spanish in a local church.
 Accreditation updates for the college will happen mid-December and
area reps should look out for these.
 High School Counselor Conference will be held on the first Friday in
December (5th). It is expected that 150 counselors will be in
attendance and not only counselors from Sac Unified but various
areas of the county.
 The Customer Service program will offer some daytime classes;
certificates can be earned in one semester.
Outcome
Next meeting December 16, 2014
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