Addendum with evidence (8.2 MB) - Accreditation - Bakersfield ...

1. Increase college and career readiness
2. Strengthen support for entering students
3. Incentivize successful student behaviors
4. Align course offerings to meet student needs
5. Improve the education of basic skills students
6. Revitalize and re-envision professional development programs
7. Enable efficient statewide leadership and increase coordination among colleges
8. Align resources with student success recommendations
Some of these recommendations require changes to State law and regulations. Others require
new resources. The rest can be accomplished in each community college district that has the will to
do so without either of these state-level changes. Two of the Task Force recommendations already
have been passed into law. They include creating a common assessment/placement system and
providing electronic transcripts. Assembly Bill 743, supporting the common assessment tests, has
received a one-time allocation of $500,000. Those public funds will be combined with Gates and
Hewlett Foundation grant funding to total $850,000 for start-up costs beginning in January 2012.
Assembly Bill 1056, supporting the introduction of electronic transcripts, has also received a onetime
allocation of $500,000 to help fund the cost of converting from paper to an electronic transcript
system. The ongoing maintenance expenses for an electronic transcript system are anticipated to be
covered by the savings generated by the use of the more efficient electronic system.
The Task Force recommendations come in the wake of a severe shortfall in resources for the
State’s public higher education institutions. Fiscal support to the community colleges has been
sharply curtailed in recent years. As noted above, the prospects for a quick recovery to the state’s
economy and ability to support higher education are not good. The Legislature has increased the
enrollment fee that students pay from $26 per unit to $36 per unit and they will likely increase it
again in the near future. Governing boards for the University of California and the California State
University systems have also responded to reduced State support by increasing their tuition fees.
Both university systems are reducing the number of students that are accepted and redirecting many
to the community colleges. The community college system is overwhelmed with enrollment. As a
result, class sections, which have been reduced in number, fill quickly causing students to take more
time to earn their degrees.
Although not a higher education policy, a shift in instructional strategy by the Kern Union
School District may have an effect on future enrollments at the College. In 2009, the Board adopted
a policy to develop a system of pathways and changed graduation requirements. Each student must
select college preparatory, career education of an approved individual pathway. The policy change
shifts the District from a culture of “college going for all students” to a culture of “lifelong learning.”
The goal is to better prepare high school graduates for entering the workplace or for beginning a
college education. This initiative may present the College with opportunities for “tech-prep”
agreements.
Key Demographic Considerations
Demographic attributes for the County and State are provided in the table below. It is
notable that, for Kern County, the projected percentage of increase in population between the year
2000 and 2015 (34%) is more than twice that of the State. The projected change in per capita income
between the year 2000 and 2015 is 7% below the State percentage.
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