City College of San Francisco - California Competes

2000 RESPONSE
Major Recommendation #2: Student Development
Now that the College is committed to a multi-campus district, the team recommends that the
College develop and implement a plan to ensure that all campuses and centers are provided with
appropriate access to services and resources. Furthermore, the team recommends that the collegial
governance processes include participation by campus constituencies throughout the District.
Response (2005)
Since the last accreditation, the College has implemented an educational planning process designed to
ensure that appropriate access to services is available for all students at all locations. Within the newly
created Student Development Division, the educational planning process provided the opportunity for
the leadership of the unit to articulate its vision and mission, reflect on its program and service array, and
assess its accomplishments and challenges in light of the expectations of the schools and campuses of the
District as well as the recommendations of the WASC visiting team. As a result, six priorities were established
with strategies to facilitate their implementation and annualized implementation plans to focus on
specific objectives and activities. Units across the Division worked collaboratively to ensure the success of
this venture, known throughout the Division as Students First—Striving for Excellence.
In concert with the Education Plan, the College implemented a series of initiatives to ensure that appropriate
access to services is available for all students at all locations.
The College conducted a comprehensive assessment of the student services system, known as the System
Review, and identified key strategies to increase access and impact across the District. Following the
Review, the structure of the Division was reconsidered, resulting in the reorganization of the General
Counseling Department into four discrete departments designed to increase student access and departmental
responsiveness: New Student Counseling, Continuing Student Counseling, International Student
Counseling, and Transfer Student Counseling. These departments, in combination with the Career
Development and Planning Department and the Learning Assistance Department, currently form a
comprehensive Student Support Services unit.
This new model systematically aligns the organization and delivery of services with the needs of the
students as they develop from entry to exit, regardless of location, creating a student support services
network. As a result, specific interventions targeted to the developmental needs of cohorts of students
have been deployed, including those making a transition from noncredit to credit study, regardless of
campus location. Moreover, the Departments are geographically located in proximity to the students and
the additional services they need on all sites throughout the City. Subsequent assessments of the impact
of the reorganization reflect significant improvements in the accessibility and quality of service to students
as well as faculty and staff morale with efforts continuing to improve services on the campuses as the
structure is refined.
Additionally, acknowledging the significance of the matriculation process, most campuses now have
on-site admissions and enrollment services for credit and noncredit students. This development allows all
students to traverse the College’s matriculation process involving post-admission assessment, orientation,
and counseling. Moreover, as the growth of the student services system continues, Matriculation is
expanding assessment services to include career interests and success strategies, information which is
linked with student support programs and services through the intensified orientation, educational planning,
and counseling services of New Student Counseling, particularly for underprepared, at-risk students.
Disabled Students Programs and Services is expanding its services to students with disabilities at multiple
campus locations through the addition of an Accommodations Specialist, and financial aid services are
available at all campuses with eligible programs. Continuing credit students in jeopardy, likewise, are targeted
for specialized support through Continuing Student Counseling in an effort to sustain enrollment
to graduation and transfer or employment. Most campuses offer evening support services, with some also
providing services on Saturdays.
CITY COLLEGE OF SAN FRANCISCO
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