First Year, First Generation
Target Outcomes for 2022-25
| Timeframe | Measurement Output |
|---|---|
| Year 1 (2022-23) | Gather survey data about our WVC First-Year First Generation Latinx and African American Students (FYFG), to identify personal responsibilities that may be barriers to goal completion. |
| Year 2 (2023-24) | Increase the CEP completion rate Spring 24 from 28% to 33% for FYFG students. Year 3 (2024-25) Increase 3-year completion |
| Year 3 (2024-25) | Increase 3-year completion rate from 9.5% in 19-20 to 12%. |
What is the college’s current process/policy/practice/culture that impedes equitable outcomes for this population?
It is difficult to meet students’ needs without understanding what their needs truly are. We need to know more about our students:
- What were their interests prior to college?
- Work status: full or part-time and when do they work?
- Are they student parents, caretakers, or head of the household?
- How do they get to campus?
- Housing situations?
- When will they do their homework/studying?
We have limited data about Latinx and African American students’ experience inside the classroom. Do students relate to content, other students, and instructors? Do they feel welcome? Is there a focus on pedagogy leading to equitable outcomes?
We do not have the infrastructure to provide in-depth support for many of our first-generation students outside of special programs. Yet we recognize that these students need more explanation about the ins-and-outs of the college system—from financial aid applications and navigating course registration on the WVC Student Portal, to the difference between borrowing books through our TnT program compared to purchasing books through the bookstore.
Although WVC employees know the benefits of having a student connect to a counselor early and often, we have not been able to effectively communicate this value to all our students. As a result, some students start classes without having met with a counselor. Consequently, some students do not have educational plans, do not have a strong understanding of their Guided Self Placement results, and/or have not registered for classes that align with their academic or transfer goals.
We have limited transportation assistance for students traveling from different areas of San Jose. Bus routes to WVC can involve long travel time, multiple routes, and transfers. High gas prices have exacerbated the situation.
Students and families whose native language is not English cannot read information and resources posted on our college’s website in their native language.
Many students need to work, and many do not work on or near campus. Many students are not employed in jobs that relate to their major. There is not enough funding for all students eligible for Federal Work Study to have jobs/internships on campus.
What equity-minded process/policy/practice/culture would facilitate a shift to equitable outcomes for this population?
We know that 70% of our FYFG students are African American/Black or Latinx. We also need to identify barriers to higher education, and what they need to succeed.
Build community in classrooms and present topics that Latinx and African American students can relate to. Create engaging classrooms with the five Behavioral Commitments of Caring Campus. Identify which majors FYFG students are choosing and work with department instructors to identify additional support, activities, and mentoring for this group of students.
Develop summer bridge opportunities specifically for FYFG students to increase their readiness for college.
Work toward 100% completion of CEPs for FYFG students by their second semester.
Contact every FYFG student to confirm they have completed the GSP, and they are enrolled in the correct Math and English courses. Ask counselors to proactively contact students who have not completed a GSP.
Provide free bus passes or gas assistance to students in our target group of FYFG students for the semester or year, if funding allows. Explore a county-wide college bus pass program like LA County.
Invest in a translation platform for our college webpage to offer information to diverse student populations in their native languages.
Ensure FYFG students have individual access to Financial Aid and Admissions advisors. to troubleshoot problems with their FAFSA and CADAA applications. Proactively reach out to students with incomplete registration applications and rejected FAFSA and CADAA applications.
Create opportunities to match work study jobs and internships to allow students to work in fields that pertain to their program of study. This would allow for more flexibility in their schedules, getting needed experience in their field, while also earning income on campus.
Action Steps
Collect survey data to learn about outside variables that keep students from completing their goals. Inquire about employment, full or part time? Where do they work? Is this job related to their major? How far is their commute? Are they parents or caregivers?
Provide professional development for faculty and staff to raise cultural competence to create welcoming environments and a sense of community for our FYFG students. Encourage faculty to review WVC Faculty Completion and Success Dashboards and reflect on student performance to inform plans to address closing any gaps that may exist within certain demographics (for this plan’s purpose, our target group of students).
Use the assistance of high school embedded advisors to encourage joining summer bridge to get a head start. Stay connected to summer bridge students throughout the year(s) to make sure they are still on track with their CEPs and to address outside variables that hinder their chances of completion.
Proactively ensure FYFG students complete a Comprehensive Education Plan by their second semester.
Include questions in the WVC application to identify mode of transportation. Target and reach out to FYFG students who are below certain income criteria and offer bus passes or gas assistance.
Invest in a translation platform for the WVC website. Offering information and resources in different languages creates a welcoming first impression and aligns with our mission of inclusion.
Proactively identify Financial Aid and Admissions advisors to troubleshoot problems with their FAFSA, CADAA, and registration process.
Expand our work–study program to allow students to work on campus and gain relevant experience. For example, a student studying computer science can intern in the IS department, or a statistics student can intern during summer bridge to help collect data.
Support Needed
It is imperative that faculty and staff are culturally competent to create welcoming spaces, create communities of learning and engage first generation students. Provide professional development to learn how to pilot and build Communities of Practice and to create culturally competent spaces.
Expansion work-study opportunities so that students can work in their fields of study on campus.
Training about how to link financial aid to CEP completion. It is not currently done at WVC, but other colleges have implemented linkages and see higher CEP completion rates.
Encourage the CCC system to adopt a language translation platform that can be used at all colleges.