Jenn Burleson,
Mt. San Jacinto College
Associate Professor/ Counselor
Student Athlete Support Program Coordinator
N4A Region V Concurrent Workshop
Monday, October 27, 2014 1:00-2:00pm
Objectives for Today’s Workshop
- To explore a comprehensive community college student
athlete support program developed with NO BUDGET
- To determine the benefits for creating a comprehensive
support program for student athletes
- To discuss possible funding sources currently in your
district to maximize academic support for student athletes
- To share best practice ideas to increase student athlete
success at your colleges
Why is this important for
Two Year College Transfers?
NCAA ACADEMIC REFORM
DIVISION I
 Have a 2.500 GPA in all transferable hours.
 All students are limited to two physical education
credit hours from the two-year college to meet credit
and GPA requirements.
 Exception for PE majors but there will still be some sort
of limit for PE activity units
What are the benefits?
 Increase retention rates of 2 year college student athletes
 Increase persistence rates of 2 year college student
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athletes
Increase graduation rates for 2 year college transfer
student athletes
Increase student athlete success rates
Student athletes are properly learning basic skills they
were lacking prior to college enrollment
Student athletes are able to stick with their intended
major of choice
Creating a culture of future college educated adult
student athlete advocates
Mt. San Jacinto College (MSJC)
Student Athlete Population
 2013-2014 Academic Year
 11 sports
 860 unduplicated head count inquiring about
intercollegiate athletics
 2880 duplicated headcount student athletes received
athletic counseling services
 227 student athletes (actually played)
 197 students assessed at MSJC using the ACCUPLACER
ASSESSMENT
 Out of the 197 that assessed, 189 placed into basic skills
classes (Math, English and/or Reading)
 96% of student athletes at MSJC assess into basic skills/
remedial classes
In the beginning…
 1 Part-time (21 hrs per week) athletic counselor
 Educational Plans Only
 No program in place
 No academic support for student athletes
 No true vision for student athlete success on the
academic side of the house
 NO BUDGET!!!
Creating a Vision
Link to the colleges mission , strategic plan, and educational master plan
Student Athlete Support Program Vision
The vision of the Student Athlete Support Program is to provide the necessary
support to assist all student athletes in reaching their full potential academically
and personally. This proactive program motivates and assists student-athletes to
make successful transitions to college life, achievement and maintaining a
satisfactory level of academic performance. The Student Athlete Support
Program focuses on fostering the total development of student-athletes.
Student Athlete Support Services Chart
http://www.msjc.edu/Athletics/StudentAthleteSupport/Pages/default.aspx
COMPONENT 1: ATHLETIC COUNSELING
 Academic Counseling- mandatory educational planning for
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eligibility
Career Counseling- Meeting requirements for transfer (40-6080), any career counseling (GUID/ COUN classes)
Personal Counseling- NCAA/ NAIA issues and concerns,
eligibility center
Crisis intervention- homelessness, Drugs/ Alcohol, 5150’s
Outreach- high school, preparation of changing NCAA/ NAIA
requirements
College Governance- Student Athlete Advisory Committees
Research- Any data collection the district uses
Training and Professional Development- 3C4A/N4A
Conferences, Athletic Counseling Interns
Assessment/ Course Placement
 Students do not need a high school diploma, GED or
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Proficiency Exam completed in order to attend a
community college or junior college
The only requirement is that a student must be 18 years
old and they can attend a community college
Many prospective NCAA student athletes are extremely
under prepared as they enter a community college and
need extensive remediation
Some colleges have as many as 38 units of basic skills/
remedial classes needed before college level if a student
places at the lowest level of Math, English, and Reading.
77% of all community college students come in needing
some form of remediation or basic skills preparation
English Placement
English Sequence
ENGL 061
ENGL 062
Basic Grammar and
Usage
Basic Writing Skills
ENGL 101
ENGL 098
English Fundamentals
(4 units)
(4 units)
(4 units)
Freshman
Composition
(NEED FOR
NCAA)
(4 units)
ENGL 092
Accelerated
English
Fundamentals
(5 units)
ENGL 103
Critical Thinking
(NEED FOR NCAA)
(4 units)
Math Placement
MATH 055
Pre-Algebra
(3 units)
MATH 090
MATH 096
Elementary
Algebra
Intermediate
Algebra
(4 units)
(5 units)*
*Minimum level
needed for AA/AS.
Additional level of
math needed for
transfer.
College Level
Math/Transferable
Level (NEED FOR
NCAA)
MATH 090A
MATH 096A
(3 units)
(3 units)
&
&
MATH 090B
MATH 096B
(3 units)
(3 units)
Mt. San Jacinto
College
Education Plan
Example
Component 2: Athletic Forum
 An event that brings all student athletes together to welcome incoming
student athletes for the first time or welcome returning student
athletes back to school in the fall semester
 College administrators, athletic faculty and other staff members speak
as well (Enrollment Services Staff, Financial Aid, SGA, etc.)
 Previous topics:
 Academic Success
 Sexual Assault/ Harassment Prevention
 Drug and Alcohol Awareness
 Academic Dishonesty
 Social Media Branding
Component 3:
Athletic Instructional Support
 Student Athlete Scholars Program serve student athletes in basic skills courses in
developing the attributes and academic competence to succeed in their coursework and
make positive gains towards transfer.
 This program focuses on providing intensive support of the domains vital to student
success, including develop key competencies for academic performance, such as study
skills, time management, and goal setting and motivation, as well as effective support to
keep school and life in balance.
 Support is delivered through multiple avenues of interconnected support, while the
primary tool used in assisting student athletes will be individual and group tutoring.
 20 hrs per week Program Coordinator
 New Room 1452- 17 computers
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8/19/13- 5/30/2014 student contacts through Scholars Program
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1006 duplicated student contacts
8/18/14- 10/6/14 student contacts though Scholars Program
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884 duplicated student contacts
Component 4: Summer Bridge
 Introduces students to the culture of higher education in the
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California community college system and higher education.
Focuses on orientation to college life and an in-depth exploration
of higher education resources
Concepts of student rights and responsibilities, college policies
and procedures, professor and college expectations of the
students, as well as graduation and transfer requirements as a
student and/or a student athlete will be focused on
Explanation of NCAA and NAIA rules along with the CCCAA
rules are introduced
Explores factors in educational decision making, major selection
and development of an effective educational plan in order to
meet goals and transfer requirements as a student athlete
- Over 3 sections of
GUID 151L: SU14
- 68 new incoming
Freshman participated
- 49/64 participated in a
Writing prep session
- 76.5% were able to move
Up one level of English
Component 5: Support Courses
 Community Learning for Athletic Scholars Success (CLASS)
 MSJC learning communities will provide students with the pathways
necessary to successfully transition from non-transfer courses to transfer
courses through an integrative approach.
 The mission of Community Learning for Athletic Scholars Success
(CLASS) is to help student athletes successfully complete their college
English requirements within two years while completing additional general
education requirements by developing a sense of community, by
encouraging academic collaboration, and by helping them to develop skills
that promote lifelong learning.
 Stand Alone Guidance Classes Targeted for
Student Athletes:
 GUID 100 College Success
 GUID 116 Career Life Planning
 GUID 105 Transitions for Intercollegiate Student Athletes
- 2013-2014 CLASS Success Rates
- FA 13- ENGL 092 86% passed
with a C or better (District avg. 76%)
-SP 14- ENGL 101 80% passed
with a C or better (District avg. 68.6%)
- Survey results revealed
qualitative positive results for
the CLASS LCOM
COMPONENT 6: OUTREACH
 College Bound Student Athlete Night
How to obtain funding for support?
 If you want something…go and get it
 Ask for support from multiple sources
 DO research
 Provide statistics and data
 Contact the Grants Officer or Staff member in your district
 Join committees that are tied to funding (BSI/ Student
Equity)
 Create a Program Review
 Write a Resource Allocation Proposal (RAP)- may be called
something different in your district
How to obtain funding for support?
 Collaborate with faculty on campus
 Collaborate with Learning Centers or Library on
campus
 Professional Associations
 3C4A- Shared Resources

http://www.3c4a.org/index.html
 List Serve in your region
 Join a committee within N4A
 Network/ Marketing
Breakout Group Discussion
 Get in groups of 2-4
 Take 1 to 2 minutes to briefly answer each question on
the handout provided
 Designate a spokesperson for your group
 Report out to the group
Education and knowledge is Forever!!!
- Over the last 3 years MSJC student
athletes have been awarded
approximately 1.2 million dollars in
scholarship money to pursue a
bachelors degree at a 4 year college as
an intercollegiate student athlete!
Questions?