To date, we have conducted the following focus group series, which are listed in alphabetic order:
Allan Hancock Guided Pathways Student Focus Groups
Timeline: 2018-2019
Status: In Progress
Project Summary: A series of focus groups designed to learn more about students’ academic pathway experiences at Allan Hancock College (AHC). Particular attention will be paid to students from groups identified by the college. The findings from the focus groups will help inform AHC’s Guided Pathways planning efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Ireri Valenzuela, Senior Researcher and Associate Director, Leading from the Middle
Cabrillo College Student Equity Convening and Focus Groups
Timeline: 2015
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of seven focus groups were conducted with the following student populations: Latino/a students, African-American students, Native American students, current and former foster youth, veterans, and students in need of accessibility/disability services. The information gathered from these focus groups in conjunction with the colleges institutional data will provide college faculty, administrators, and staff with a better understanding of the student experience. Together the qualitative and quantitative data will be used to inform the college’s student equity efforts. Please go here to view this project.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director
Cuesta Student Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017-2018
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of focus groups were conducted at Cuesta College that were designed to learn more about students’ experience at the different stages of the Completion by Design (CBD) Loss/Momentum Framework, with particular attention being paid to students from groups that may be experiencing disproportionate impact at the college, and looking to inform the college’s move toward Guided Pathways. As a result of investigating how students move through their educational journey at the college, faculty, staff, and administrators will gain insights into the experiences of Cuesta students from the targeted populations to support its equity and Guided Pathways planning efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director
Cuyamaca College Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Twelve focus groups were conducted with diverse populations of students, faculty, and staff across the college. The information gathered will help increase the college’s understanding of the experiences and perceptions of Cuyamaca’s students, faculty, and staff regarding matters related to equity. Additionally, the data will also aid the college in identifying areas of improvement that will in turn support efforts to close equity gaps among Cuyamaca’s students, faculty, and staff.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director
Folsom Lake Focus Groups
Timeline: 2020-2021
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Student focus groups to help the college better understand the experiences of student groups who experience disproportionate impact across various outcomes at Folsom Lake College and the implications the findings may have on the college's equity efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Brad Trimble, Director of Learning and Development
Grossmont College Student Focus Groups – Campus Climate
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of ten 90-minute focus groups to assess the campus climate at Grossmont College will be conducted with students to better understand how they experience and engage with faculty and staff and with the college as a whole. The information gathered from students will provide insights to faculty, staff, and administrators about how students experience Grossmont and draw parallels and distinctions between students’ experiences with those of faculty, staff, and administrators found in the earlier campus climate study completed by the college in spring 2017.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Ireri Valenzuela, Senior Researcher and Associate Director, Leading from the Middle
Hartnell College Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Five 90-minute focus groups were conducted with students identified by the college as continuing students (persisters) and students who had stopped/dropped out (non‐persisters). The information gathered from students aims to provide administration, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of the student experience. The college plans to use the data to identify implications for enrollment management planning (types of courses offered and when and how to offer them) to better meet the needs of students. Additionally, the college will use the information to inform strategies to improve retention.
RP Group Lead/Contact: research@rpgroup.org
Lake Tahoe Equity and Guided Pathways Focus Groups
Timeline: 2018
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of 10 focus groups at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) were designed to learn more about students’ academic pathway experiences with particular attention being paid to students from groups that may be experiencing disproportionate impact at the college. The findings from the focus groups will help inform LTCC’s guided pathways and student equity planning efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Alyssa Nguyen, Director of Research and Evaluation
LA Valley College (LAVC) Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2016-2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of 18 focus groups were conducted with students, faculty, and staff on the topic of equity. The information gathered from different groups identified in the college’s equity plan aims to increase the college’s understanding of the experiences and perceptions of LAVC students, faculty, and staff regarding matters related to equity. Additionally, the data will assist the college in identifying areas of improvement that will in turn support efforts to close equity gaps among LAVC’s students.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director
Monterey Peninsula College Student Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Twelve 90-minute focus groups were conducted with students from the following student populations: African Americans, veterans, students in need of accessibility/disability services, Asians/Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, foster youth, LGBTQIA+, online students, and English Language Learners. The information gathered from students provided administration, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of the student experience, which will help inform the college’s efforts to create a more equitable educational experience that facilitates the success of all students.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Ireri Valenzuela, Senior Researcher and Associate Director, Leading from the Middle
Mt. San Jacinto College Student Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2016-2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of eight 90-minute focus groups were conducted with African-American students, current and former foster youth, 20–24-year olds, and first-time college goers (all identified by the college as disproportionately impacted). The information gathered from students aims to provide administration, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of the student experience, which will in turn help inform the college’s efforts to create a more equitable educational experience that facilitates the success of all students.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Ireri Valenzuela, Senior Researcher and Associate Director, Leading from the Middle
Ohlone College Equity and Completion by Design Research
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Eleven 90-minute focus groups were conducted to learn more about the experiences of the following student populations; females in the sciences, students of color (e.g., African American, Hispanic, Pacific Islander), basic skills, and the general student population who are at the beginning stages of the Completion by Design Loss/Momentum Framework (Connection, Entry, and Progress). A focus group with key faculty engaged in various equity and basic skills efforts was also conducted. The information gathered from the focus groups will provide the college with a better understanding of students’ experiences and challenges, which in turn will help the college identify areas for improvement in order to more effectively serve students during these stages of the Completion by Design Loss/Momentum Framework.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Marc Beam, Senior Researcher
Reedley College Student Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2016-2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: Four 60-minute focus groups were conducted with students identified by the college as having disproportionately-impacted outcomes. The four target populations included: mixed-race/ethnicity, male, first-generation, and students on academic probation. The data from these focus groups will provide college administrators, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of 1) the challenges students in these target populations face in their academic pathways, and 2) what students identify as things the college can do to help them succeed. The information gathered from these focus groups will be used to support Reedley’s equity planning efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Alyssa Nguyen, Associate Director of Research and Evaluation
Riverside College Student Equity Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: As part of its efforts to increase student equity among minority male students enrolled at Riverside City College, a series of eight 90-minute focus groups were conducted with male students from the following groups: African Americans, Pacific Islanders, Native Americans, Latinos, and mixed race/ethnicity. The information gathered aims to provide administration, faculty, and staff with a better understanding of the experiences of these student populations and help inform the college’s efforts to improve its integrated student support services in order to create a more equitable educational experience that facilitates the success of all students.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Ireri Valenzuela, Senior Researcher and Associate Director, Leading from the Middle
Yuba College Equity/Completion by Design (CBD) Focus Groups
Timeline: 2017
Status: Complete
Project Summary: A series of 13 focus groups at Yuba College were conducted and designed to learn more about students’ experience at the different stages of the Completion by Design (CBD) Loss/Momentum Framework, with particular attention being paid to students from groups identified as experiencing disproportionate impact at the college. The information gathered will provide Yuba College staff, administrators, and faculty with insights into the experiences of Yuba students from the targeted populations to support its equity planning efforts.
RP Group Lead/Contact: Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director