Greetings! Happy February. I hope your semester has gotten off to a great start. There are so many good things happening across the district. I hope you are feeling good about where we are headed. While this will be a year of many changes, you can rest assured that by staying focused on our mission and our strategic plans we will continue to move forward in a planned and positive way.
At the state level the news about next year's budget presents interesting challenges. Everything rides on the ability of the Governor's temporary tax increases to be approved by the voters on election day. If the tax package is approved, education will be spared another round of horrendous budget cuts. If the tax package fails, our district will be asked to cut almost $4 million mid-year! It will be important for all of us to read-up on the proposed temporary taxes and support education.
The poor fiscal climate reinforces my message that we must continue moving toward a culture of bringing in new resources to support our highest priority activities. Grants, partnerships, and fund-raising must be taken to the next level. I know those conversations are taking place on campus.
I appreciate all that you do for our students and I appreciate your continued support.
If you recall, it was only two years ago that we were educating more than 2,000 FTES beyond our state funding. Today, that number is less than 400. Our state funding is about 700 FTES lower than it was two years ago - 13,064 FTES and our target enrollment is 13,456. We are offering almost 1,000 sections less this year than two years ago.
This reduction in funding comes at a time when our community needs us the most. But what good is access without success? We must find the balance between adding students beyond our available funding and using resources to support those students to be successful.
As we plan for next year's budget, we will again reduce enrollments by 100 FTES. This will be a small hedge between the best case scenario (in which case we can restore reduced sections in the spring 2013 semester) and the worst case scenario (in which case we will have to reduce another 100 FTES in the spring 2013 semester).
Will enrollments go much lower? Not unless the state reduces our base funding by reducing our FTES. However, the fact that our actual enrollment is so close to our funded enrollment tells us that cutting sections to balance the budget is soon coming to an end.
Student Success
Our Board of Trustees, at a recent study session, heard from both college presidents and their faculty senate presidents, about student success. The report to the Board grew out of the faculty senates' concern that access was overshadowing success and that we needed a better balance between enrolling students and our ability to help those students succeed.
SBVC, with an investment largely of grant funds, has taken several steps to support student success by expanding library hours, expanding tutoring and other services on campus. The SBVC Faculty Senate has endorsed the State Chancellor's Student Success Task Force report which provides a blueprint for improving student success that will have a significant impact on how we provide services in the future. CHC has developed a five-year pilot project for 300 students called "The Left Lane Project" This project will track 300 students who will receive additional support interventions over the coming five years.
Any activities that we undertake will have to integrate with the state recommendations as well. This is currently under review.
"A Call to Action" Pilot Project
"A CALL TO ACTION"
We have announced our pilot project based on the discussions last semester on "A Call to Action", which signaled the district's commitment to improve student success among African-American students who trail other students. Our pilot project will provide after school tutoring to about 150 students of middle school and high school age at the Boys and Girls Club of San Bernardino.
The students will be tutored by successful SBVC student workers under the mentorship of faculty in the Math Department. Other enrichment activities will be offered including special sessions for parents and preparation for testing. Students' progress will be measured through a coordination with their teachers, and we will be able to determine if grades improve after our interventions.
If the data can demonstrate a successful program, we can write a grant in partnership of other community agencies and expand this program across the community.
If Penn State Happened Here, Would You Have a Duty to Report
I wanted to share with you information that we received from our legal counsel that is relevant to us all. The scandal at Penn State was devastating and destroyed the lives of many people.
"If this situation occurred in California, anyone who failed to report suspected child abuse may not only be out of a job; they would be prosecuted. The California Penal Code contains provisions detailing who are mandated reporters in the Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act. You may be surprised about the scope of those who are "mandated reporters." Here is a partial list: All faculty members, teachers, instructors at a district; Counselors, Medical staff; Campus safety and police; Child care center workers; Administrators and classified employees of a district if the scope of employment places them in contact with children on a regular and continuous basis such that evidence of child abuse or neglect would be readily apparent."
Our Board of Trustees, at a recent study session, heard from both college presidents and their faculty senate presidents, about student success. The report to the Board grew out of the faculty senates' concern that access was overshadowing success and that we needed a better balance between enrolling students and our ability to help those students succeed.