Completed Transfer-Level Math & English

West Valley College has a foundation of student services established to meet the diverse needs of its student population. Currently these services, which include financial aid, admissions, counseling, mental health, the Success Center and DESP, are more limited than previous years due to many retirements. The campus has also committed to fostering a “Caring Campus” environment through the Caring Campus initiative. The implementation lacks robust participation from Math and English departments and faculty, whose time and energy are currently occupied with developing and teaching courses, meeting institutional responsibilities, and managing day-to-day campus needs that otherwise would be managed by administrative specialists.

Math and English faculty lack focused training in pedagogical strategies to successfully instruct and support African American/Black and Latinx students.

Communication between faculty and counselors about the varied and developing course options lacks regularity and consistency. Support programs and co-requisite classes that are developed to support African American/Black and Latinx populations will need to be effectively conveyed across departments.

• A Math faculty member and English faculty member will guide their departments in developing subject-specific pedagogical and professional strategies that would facilitate a shift in equitable outcomes for African American/Black and Latinx students.
• Department-led pedagogy workshops for Math and English faculty will develop skills and strategies that align with the Caring Campus commitments. These retreats would generate department-specific approaches to support equity-minded pedagogy and address other challenges.

• Bridge programs will include English and Math workshops, instruction on completing financial aid forms, orienting incoming students to student resources, helping students purchase textbooks, and familiarizing students with our online learning management system (Canvas).

• Add Umoja and Puente-specific math courses to extend the impact of the cohort model beyond its current reach.
• To increase student-impact, we will create more than one cohort per program, with additional counselors and Math and English instructors, and a dedicated administrative assistant for Umoja and for Puente to support the functioning of the program with the recognition that it will take several years for the two cohorts to fill to capacity.
• Identifying Umoja and Puente faculty advocates within general Math and English sections who will commit to regular communication with the Umoja and Puente students and counselors. This could include discussing a student’s background with the counselor to determine areas of challenge (i.e., DESP, 2nd time taking Math 10 or English 1A), sending the students and counselors regular check-in emails, following up after each major exam, etc.

Identify Math and English faculty leads who will receive release time to:

• Research how other college Math and English departments successfully implement Caring Campus in classrooms
• Collaborate to develop Canvas assignments, Caring Campus ideas, and equity-minded pedagogy
• Conduct Math and English meetings with department faculty specifically to review and share Caring Campus ideas
• Lead department pedagogy retreats
• Create a list or calendar of recommended courses and trainings
• Request budget for stipends for faculty to attend training

• Develop scholarships targeting African American/Black and Latinx students who complete the bridge program
• Advertise Summer Bridge as acclimating African American /Black and Latinx students to college environment and reviewing foundational Math and English concepts
• Create Math and English summer workshops, led by faculty who will receive PG&D approval, release time, or a stipend, to:
  • Develop Math and English workshops or “Jams”
  • Work with the Curriculum Committee to approve new or revised summer courses

• Research success and implementation at other institutions with Puente and Umoja math courses and piloting multiple cohorts
• Secure budget for additional staffing to expand Puente and Umoja programs including Puente and Umoja counselors and English instructors (and possibly a math instructor) and administrative assistant.
• Conduct outreach to identify math and English faculty who will lead new Umoja and Puente cohorts
• Attend the training for Puente and Umoja faculty and staff
• Conduct outreach to high schools and internal outreach to math and English department faculty regarding Umoja’s and Puente’s missions
• Encourage faculty members from the math and English departments to serve as advocates for African American/Black and Latinx students not in the Puente and Umoja cohorts