Program & Schedule 

Breakfast on your own

  9:00 – 11:00Welcome and Student Panel

11:05 – 11:30Coffee Break

11:30 – 12:30Breakout Session 1

12:30 – 1:30Lunch

  1:40 – 3:00Breakout Session 2

  3:00 – 3:25Coffee and Snack Break

  3:30 – 4:50Breakout Session 3

  5:00 – 6:00Reception

  5:20 – 5:40Sponsor Spotlight Session: The Puente Project

  7:30 – 9:30Family Game & Puzzle Night

 Wednesday, October 9 | 9:00 am–11:05 am

Join us for the opening session on Wednesday as we hear from students in our own California community colleges. Students will share the challenges and successes they have experienced as students. They will encourage us with their stories of triumph and challenge us to continue the fight for racial justice, equity, and educational opportunity for all. Most importantly, our panelists will provide insight into ways we can join with students to begin a new journey that includes students as partners to close opportunity gaps for everyone.

 Wednesday, October 9 | 11:30 am–12:30 pm

Pushing for Student Success: Student Utilization of Office Hours and Outside Engagement
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Garden 1

The use of office hours by students has been the subject of some, but limited, study. There is evidence that student attendance at office hours and other forms of faculty-student interaction contribute to their success in courses, but there is only limited work on the intrinsic and external factors that influence those interactions. In spring 2023, a collaboration between the Office of Institutional Research and faculty at Porterville College resulted in this exploratory study on the factors that contribute to faculty-student interaction, how that interaction contributes to student success, and advice faculty have for their peers for encouraging such interaction. We will discuss the findings of our study and then lead the group in a conversation about faculty engagement and student success.

Presenters: Michael Carley and Melissa Long, Porterville College

The Evolution, Growth, and Maximization of the First-Year Experience Program at Moorpark College: Setting the Standard for Student Success
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Garden 2

This session will offer those working in fully developed, newer, or developing First-Year Experience/Student Success programs with the foundations of development and sustainability of our changing student populations. Our team will share practical examples of how we have expanded this work across the Moorpark College campus and how we collaborate with various student services areas, faculty, and of course the reason why we do this work: our students!

Presenters: Nazareth Bautista, Philip Koscak, Claudia Sitlington, and Alicia Valdez Moorpark College

Transfer Reform: Common Course Numbering Implementation
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Garden 3

In the last few years, legislated transfer reform efforts, including AB 928 (Berman, 2021) and AB 1111 (Berman, 2021), have created opportunities to rethink transfer from a student-centered lens while also creating new challenges as implementation processes are re-imagined and additional impacts are considered. Join us for updates about common course numbering implementation and a lively conversation about expected benefits to students and potential impacts on college practices and processes.

Presenter: Cheryl Aschenbach, Lassen College 

Empowering Communities: Creating Inclusive College Centers for Student Well-Being
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Garden 4

Join us as we explore the pivotal role of inclusive spaces in fostering student success, with a focus on the BIPOC and Basic Needs Centers at Foothill College. Catalina Rodriguez, Dean of Student Affairs and Activities, and First Floor Group Principal, Roy Robles, will share insights into the development and impact of these centers, along with plans for the upcoming Wellness and Pride centers. Through interactive discussions, participants will learn how to implement best practices that prioritize equity, race consciousness, and student well-being.

Presenters: Roy Robles, First Floor Group; Catalina Rodriguez, Foothill College

Classroom Policies, Practices, and Microaggressions as Mediators of Math Success
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Harbor

The majority of Black and Latine students who attend college in California begin at a community college. Yet stark equity gaps exist in persistence and completion, and research has shown math to be a significant barrier. Leveraging data from two critical studies, we provide evidence for ways to support students from historically marginalized groups, with a focus on the impacts of microaggressions and the critical role faculty play in math success and changes that can be made at the system, college, and classroom levels.

Presenters: Mina Dadgar, Education Equity Solutions; Oleg Bespalov and Rena Weiss, Moorpark College; Darla Cooper, The RP Group

Faculty Impact on Black Student Success Study
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Pacific

Over four years ago, Norco College began an exploration of the factors related to Black student success. With the support of an advisory team comprised of faculty, classified professionals, and administrators, results of the analysis were given context and direction for next steps. As this project continued to unfold, faculty with high Black student success rates were brought into a faculty inquiry group, which resulted in the Faculty Impact Survey (FIS). Come join this session to find out the process and results of this important research and how you can involve your college in this project.

Presenters: Charise Allingham, Greg Aycock, Caitlin Busso, and Dominique Voyer, Norco College

Leveraging Canvas and Tableau to Close Equity Gaps in Course SLOs
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Salon 1

This session explores how to leverage Canvas and Tableau with the goal of supporting faculty in implementing equity-driven changes through the analysis of equity gaps revealed in SLO data. We begin by focusing on the creation of Canvas shells to prepare for data collection, data storage and management done internally in the college’s local database, and our Tableau dashboard design that includes equity filters that display the Canvas data in an easy-to-understand visualization. Lastly, we will focus on the college’s Course SLO Analysis and Action Guide. This guide was developed working with the faculty SLO Coordinator to guide faculty through an equity-focused analysis of Course SLO data using the Tableau dashboard to inform their implementation of equity-driven actions that work toward closing equity gaps.

Presenters: Andrew Fuenmayor and Hayden Nguyen, Long Beach City College

Planning Principles: It’s Not Just for the Shelf Anymore
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Salon 2

Are you tired of your college plans sitting on the shelf serving as bookends? No need to worry, as this session will outline foundational aspects of planning for college professionals as they navigate how to lead and support dynamic planning efforts at their colleges and districts. Seasoned leaders may find this session helpful in engaging with colleagues at the outset of a new planning effort to promote common understanding and collective focus on key principles for effective planning. Newer college professionals, often called upon to step into the planning realm for the first time, may find this session helpful to demystify planning. In addition, this session will enumerate knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) identified as useful in leading and supporting planning, with an emphasis on the bridge from research to planning.

Presenters: Tessa Brown and Pam Mery, City College of San Francisco; Nessa Julian and Daniel Miramontez, San Diego Miramar College

Supporting Student Success Together: Understanding the What, Why, and How of Partnerships Between Community-Based Organizations and Postsecondary Institutions
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Salon 7 & 8

While postsecondary institutions can provide a critical pathway to socioeconomic mobility, inequalities persist in college enrollment and completion, and basic needs insecurity disproportionately affects historically underrepresented students. Postsecondary institutions have increasingly been partnering with community-based organizations to enhance holistic student supports. However, limited research remains on the capacities, conditions, and strategies necessary to form successful partnerships. This session will draw on interviews with community-based organizations, higher education institutions, and college students to offer a framework for creating effective partnerships. Across each framework component, we provide practical strategies for initiating partnerships and examples for implementation to support sustainable partnerships and positive impacts for institutions and students. In addition, we provide an opportunity for participants to learn about organizations partnering with higher education institutions in their region.

Presenters: Keith Mataya, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Orange County and the Inland Empire; Stephanie Podein Karnes, Norco College; Emi Fujita-Conrads and Mary Padden, Education Northwest; Sheila Thornton, OneFuture Coachella Valley

 Wednesday, October 9 | 1:40–3:00 pm

Embracing Student Identity: Cultivating Cultural Robustness and Positive Practices Through Career Development
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Garden 1

Join us for an empowering workshop exploring the vital intersection of student growth and equity in career development. Discover practical strategies to personalize student results and enrich their personal and professional journeys using the Mount San Jacinto College (MSJC) Career Coach assessment. Learn how MSJC’s Explore workshops bridge high school to community college transitions with tailored approaches for diverse student needs. Leave equipped with theory, tools, and resources to champion equity in your educational setting.

Presenters: Meghan Basgall, Citlali Gonzales, Guadalupe Gonzalez, and Jenny Hughes, Mt. San Jacinto College

 - Cultivating Holistic Wellness With Mt. SAC’s Mountie Money Management Center & Basic Needs Resources Program
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Garden 2

In this session, staff from Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) will highlight strategies the Mt. SAC Basics Needs Resources Program and the Mt. SAC Money Management Center have implemented to provide supports to students as they navigate through their college experience. Participants will leave this session with practical basic needs and financial wellness strategies that can be implemented at their colleges to improve student retention and success.

Presenters: Lisa Amos, Richard Chavez, and Rigo Estrada, Mt. San Antonio College

 - Transfer on Uneven Ground: Mapping University Education Deserts in California
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Garden 3

Research has shown a positive association between the college options near a student and the likelihood of enrollment. This session will share findings from a study that delves deeper, mapping university education deserts (UEDs) and analyzing their impact on transfer rates, particularly for Latine and low-income students. We refine the UED definition for California's unique geography and explore how proximity to universities affects transfer outcomes. Importantly, representatives from colleges in UEDs will share their experiences and the challenges that affect their students’ transfer journeys. We will also discuss implications for practitioners in rural communities and provide practical examples of how institutions can inform local and statewide efforts and policies to improve transfer with this information.

Presenters: Jaclyn Randall, Palo Verde College; Joshua Simon, Student Senate for California Community Colleges; Darla Cooper and Daisy Segovia, The RP Group

Show Me the Gay-ta! Elucidating LGBTQIA+ Data Practices to Elevate and Support Student Success
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Garden 4

The RP Group, in partnership with the Foundation for California Community Colleges, conducted a survey of the CCC system to better understand LGBTQIA+ data collection and usage practices. The findings indicate that many colleges lack clear guidance and that institutional buy-in can be transformational. This presentation will dive into the results, providing attendees with promising practices and next steps to take back to their colleges to ensure that when we say “student-ready” we are including LGBTQIA+ students of color.

Presenters: Nio Lavermon, Cerritos College; Hawk McFadzen, Compton College; Jaime Sykes, San Diego Community College District

 - I Get By With A Little Help From My Friends: How Course-Embedded Peer Tutoring Helped Moorpark College Increase Success Rates in Math and English in the Era of AB 1705
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Harbor

The Course Embedded Tutoring (CET) and Writing Coach programs at the Moorpark College Tutoring and Learning Center were recently re-designed in response to AB 1705 to include several targeted interventions. For both programs, this included tutor participation in a two-way texting program pilot, and additionally, the CET program included a tutor-led study skills presentation during class time and a revamped, pedagogy and community-building-focused training. All of these interventions improved the accessibility of the bridge between the college’s peer-tutoring services and students (e.g., a 760% increase in total attendance of voluntary math review sessions and a +10.5 pp success increase in math classes with CET vs. those without). In this session, participants will learn about the changes we made, the powerful cross-functional teams of faculty/classified/student collaboration required, and most importantly, CETs and Coaches will share their insights and experiences from working with students!

Presenters: Elizabeth Birmingham, Elizabeth Gillis, Isabel Mendoza Aldana, Cynthia Reed, Crystal Salas, and Tracy Tennehouse, Moorpark College

 - Reframing Academic Probation to Make Your College More Student-Centered
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Pacific

Academic probation has negative effects on students and disproportionate effects on historically minoritized groups. In this session, presenters will share what they have learned about the impact of academic probation on returning adult learners and the work they have conducted revising academic probation at Shasta College. Through generative conversations, panelists and session attendees will delve into the steps taken to study academic probation and identify actions that colleges can take to reframe the policy and process. Attendees will be encouraged to examine their own policy, create a flowchart, apply student personas, and identify points for intervention and outreach. Attendees will leave with actionable takeaways to reframe academic probation and make their institution more inclusive and supportive for all students.

Presenters: Laura Bernhard, California Competes; Jennifer Liberty, N/A; Kate Mahar, Shasta College

Charting Our Course With IDEAS: Introspective Audit for Teaching, Learning, and Planning
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Salon 1

This session will provide an overview of structures, processes, and challenges of creating and leading a project for faculty to learn how to conduct an antiracist review and audit. This instructional self-audit covers three key areas: classroom dynamics, curriculum design, and assessment, and includes examples of activities and assignments. There will also be an examination of measuring impact on students from equity populations and suggestions for scaling the project for classified and administrators.

Presenters: Savio Chan, Kate Frei, and Christina Yanuaria, City College of San Francisco

Instigating Change: Supporting Community Colleges in Advancing Racial Equity
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Salon 2

This session provides an interactive opportunity to learn and apply our Advancing Racial Equity model developed through our Research Practice Partnership project. We will provide a tool for community college leaders to advance racial equity goals, given the condition or capacity of their institutions to advocate for and implement change. In small groups, participants will identify potential areas of growth and strategies to improve conditions at their campus. Participants will also receive an inquiry guide informed by recent college case studies to learn more about the conditions and constraints at their campus to better facilitate conversations and advance racial equity.

Presenters: Leslie Valmonte, Foundation for California Community Colleges; Maria Espino and Eric Felix, San Diego State University

Delivering Equitable Counseling
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Salon 7 & 8

With systemic barriers to success and completion persisting, Career Ladders Project set out to learn ways counselors are pivoting to provide more equitable counseling experiences for students and what barriers they are finding as they work to implement equitable counseling practices. This workshop will engage participants in these findings and facilitate discussions around equitable counseling policies and practices. Leaders will explore how to support this work in their roles as student services administrators.

Presenters: Byron Reaves, Sherry Shojaei, and Michelle Simotas, Career Ladders Project; Chelena Fisher and Eliza Hoyos Vences, Cerritos College; Tommy Reed, Chabot College

 Wednesday, October 9 | 3:30–4:50 pm

From Equity-Minded Outreach & Recruitment to a One-Stop Shop: A Model of Connecting Students to College and Beyond
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Garden 1

In alignment with Guided Pathways and coupled with an equity framework known as the Four R’s (recruitment, retention, release, and representation), the Outreach and Recruitment Plan and the Delta Connect Center (DCC) were established in the midst of the pandemic. As a single point of connection, the DCC hosts: Outreach, Admissions & Records, Financial Aid, Counseling, IT Tech Support, and Transfer and Career Pathways staff. The Outreach and Recruitment Plan and DCC both play a role in institutional planning and align with the district’s strategic goals. Utilizing a student-centered lens, DCC services are designed for both in-person and virtual support, including weekly extended hours until 7 pm. Services are designed to ensure the removal of barriers for students. Data will highlight the volume of students served, applications and enrollment data since the center opened, the benefits of the DCC, and how data informs our service model. A video of the center, including student testimonials, will be included in the presentation.

Presenters: Chris Frymire, Melanie Lim, Arooj Rizvi, and Siolotoi Ti, San Joaquin Delta College

The Adolescent Brain: Leveraging Adolescent Neuroscience for Effective Dual Enrollment
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Garden 2

This interactive workshop is designed to equip educators, administrators, classified professionals, and stakeholders with the knowledge and skills necessary to enhance high school dual enrollment programs through the lens of adolescent neuroscience. Participants will explore the developmental characteristics of the adolescent brain and how these can inform strategies for outreach, instruction, retention, and support in dual enrollment settings. Additionally, the workshop aims to advocate for the inclusion and value of high school faculty in teaching dual enrollment courses.

Presenters: Amal Amanda Issa and Leslie Valmonte, Foundation for California Community Colleges 

Affirming Academic Progress: Changing the Way We Approach Academic Probation
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Garden 3

In this session, we will present the foundational African American Transfer Tipping Point research that demonstrates how harmful our current academic probation system is to students. We will share examples from multiple California community colleges about how to begin making data-informed decisions about probation changes at the college level, the foundational work colleges can undertake to initiate changes to their systems, and examples of how some colleges are pursuing changing the way they approach academic probation.

Presenters: Mitra Sapienza, ASCCC/City College of San Francisco; Mark Edward Osea, ASCCC/Mendocino College; Mariá-José Zelédon Pérez, ASCCC/San Diego City College; Darla Cooper, The RP Group

Nurturing Solutions for Quiet Revolutions: Transforming Math Support for Men of Color
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Garden 4

Discover innovative and adaptable strategies rooted to support Men of Color (MoC) in their first-year Math courses. Learn to expand and maximize the reach of existing resources to propel more MoC toward success in their college journey. Depart with a personalized action plan to ignite the revolution in student support and service culture on your campus.

Presenters: Tanisha Burrus, and Lisa McKowan, Santa Ana College; Guadalupe Merino, Santa Ana College/Santiago Canyon College - Orange Education Center; Jackson Solheid, UCLA/Santa Ana College (former)

Advancing Public Sector Apprenticeship in California
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Harbor

In pursuit of a fairer economy and increased upward mobility, apprenticeship emerges as a crucial tool in workforce development, offering an earn-and-learn approach to upskill and meet employers’ needs. While traditional apprenticeships (i.e., public safety and construction) have a rich history, non-traditional ones in fields like HR, manufacturing, accounting, and IT are rare. Learn and explore how a pilot program delves into non-traditional apprenticeships. In partnership with the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards, NextGen, Institute for Local Government, Southern California Apprenticeship Network, Clover, Kandula, JourneyGPS, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and Rancho Santiago Community College District are collaborating with local governments to establish apprenticeships for high-demand roles to streamline processes and cater to unique workplace needs. Join us to create action steps and partner to build a robust statewide network of public sector.

Presenters: Paul Nelson De La Cerda, Clover; Erica Manuel, Institute for Local Government; Andrea De La Cerda, Kandula; Ken Spence, NextGen Policy; Marvin Martinez, Rancho Santiago Community College District/California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office; Jorge Marquez, Southern California Apprenticeship Network

Supporting Student Success Across the Institution: Bridging Silos and Building Student-Centered Collaboration
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Pacific

Reedley College has started to bridge the traditional student services and instruction silos by building processes and data resources that allow information sharing and more efficient collaboration while also focusing on equity-based, race-conscious professional development. Over the last three years, Reedley College has exceeded the goal of attaining pre-COVID enrollment levels and also had record numbers of students completing programs. This session will provide specific examples of how Reedley College is utilizing technology to transform collaboration and data sharing across the institution in order to scale equitable interventions, streamline reporting, and provide data to support student-centered planning.

Presenters: Natalie Culver-Dockins, Danielle Reents, and Samara Trimble, Reedley College

 - Breaking Barriers: Zero Textbook Cost Pathways as Catalysts for Equity and Race-Conscious Classrooms
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Salon 1

All colleges are exploring ways to effectively utilize funds to create zero textbook cost (ZTC) degree pathways. Cosumnes River College is close to its goal of becoming a fully ZTC campus and serves as a model for leveraging ZTC funds to enhance student access and affordability. This session will offer practical insights into successful implementation of an Open Educational Resources (OER) and ZTC incentive program. Participants will hear directly from key stakeholders: a student, instructional faculty, a student success coach, and the faculty OER/ZTC lead. Come learn about actionable strategies for implementing ZTC programs, fostering culturally relevant curriculum, and sustaining enrollment and student success. There will be built-in time for active participation and Q&A.

Presenters: Andi Adkins Pogue, Noah Gardner, Miranda Roccucci, and Choua Vue, Cosumnes River College

Creating Decolonial Futures in Education
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Salon 2

Through focused trainings and guided workshops, the Decolonizing the Academy Training and Community of Practice supports community college faculty to develop skills for engaging in conversations about racism and systemic whiteness. Learning about humanizing and decolonizing pedagogical frameworks, faculty reimagine their pedagogy and practice to be humanizing and culturally sustaining. This session will share how the academy was developed and how the facilitators worked closely with the community and each other to be responsive to the needs of participants, creating a community of allies and co-conspirators that both push each other to dismantle systemic oppression and support each other on the journey.

Presenters: Michelle Simotas, Career Ladders Project/Decolonial Futures in Education; Lydia Alvarez and Chelena Fisher, Cerritos College/Decolonial Futures in Education

From Throughput to Completion and Transfer: Did AB 705 Have Any Long-Term Effects on Students?
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Salon 7 & 8

This presentation will focus on the statewide short-term and long-term student outcomes pre- and post-AB 705. Specifically, this study looks at completion of math and English courses (throughput) as well as certificate or degree attainment and transfers to four-year universities. A rigorous statistical approach of pre-post Bayesian multilevel models allows for the identification of the effects that can be attributed to the implementation of AB 705. We will discuss if AB 705 narrowed equity gaps and its implications for current practices. Participants will receive an overview of the history of AB 705, current research and developments on the topic by the Multiple Measures Assessment Project Team (MMAP), and next steps with promising practices and current challenges.

Presenters: Terrence Willett, Cabrillo College; Mallory Newell, De Anza College; Loris Fagioli and Kevin Hsu, Irvine Valley College

 Wednesday, October 9 | 5:20–5:40 pm | Garden 3

Professional Development For All

Since 2020, Puente has widened its reach by offering Puente’s reputable brand of equity-focused professional development to all community college faculty. Puente PD collaborates with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and with individual community colleges and secondary schools to create training opportunities tailored to address educational equity gaps and uplift culturally responsive pedagogies and curricula.

Puente professional development is research-based, participant-centered, and equity-driven. Our training approach models Puente's participatory classroom practice of examining theory, research, literature, and current events together through an equity lens. Puente Professional Development centers justice and wellness for all, including students, faculty, staff, administration, and the wider community. Puente professional development supports anti-racist, culturally affirming, and humanizing practices.

 Wednesday, October 9 | 7:30–9:30 pm | Presidential Suite, Room 1056, North Tower

After a full day of conference programming, wind down with a fun evening playing games and/or puzzling! An assortment of fun activities will be provided, but feel free to bring your favorite game or puzzle to share with others. The Presidential Suite is located in the north tower.

  7:30 – 8:30  Breakfast Buffet

  7:30 – 8:20  CCCCO Update

  8:00 – 8:20  Sponsor Spotlight Session: Breakfast with RSS Consulting

  8:30 – 10:15Morning Plenary and Keynote Address with Dr. Gina Garcia

10:15 – 10:40Coffee Break

10:40 – 12:00Breakout Session 4

12:00 – 1:00Lunch

  1:10 – 2:30Breakout Session 5

  2:30 – 2:55Coffee and Snack Break

  3:00 – 4:30Closing and Keynote Panel

 Thursday, October 10 |, 7:30–8:20 am | Grand Ballroom

Morning Views with DataVista

DataVista is the California Community Colleges’ new data visualization and reporting tool for measuring and understanding student success. Join the Chancellor's Office and the DataVista development team over breakfast to get an in-person introduction to the new data tool, see how we're improving the user experience, and learn about some of the new functionality.

Presenters: Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office; WestEd

 Thursday, October 10 | 8:00–8:20 am | Garden 3

Enhancing your DEI Engagement

RSSC supports colleges, companies, and organizations in their commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). Organizations are often committed to DEI but seek resources to enhance their equity and racial literacy. We understand this need and invite you to meet our team. We will share information about tailored resources, including Equity Leadership Academies that equip educators to recognize and address bias, engage in equity-minded facilities planning for inclusive spaces, and access RSSC-Learning—our Canvas-based platform offering DEI professional development.

 Thursday, October 10 | 8:30–10:15 am

Transforming Hispanic Serving Institutions

Dr. Gina Garcia’s keynote address will provide us with an organizational framework that advances equity, justice, and liberation for racialized organizations. She will challenge us to redefine what it means to serve our students and remind us to pay attention to those groups who remain minoritized. Specifically, she will highlight the difference between being Hispanic-serving and Hispanic-enrolling and ask us to tackle tough questions about accepting extra money but not changing how we serve students. Dr. Garcia will lay out the nine organizational dimensions of the framework that are highlighted in her book, “Transforming Hispanic-Serving Institutions for Equity and Justice.”

Whether your college has already achieved the Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI) designation and is actively enacting “servingness” through HSI grant activities and other culturally relevant approaches or your college is looking for unique approaches to organizing for equity and justice, Dr. Garcia will inspire you, challenge you, and provide practical examples of strategies that work. There will be time for Q&A at the end of her presentation.

 Thursday, October 10 | 10:40–12:00 pm

Cultures of Growth, Purpose, and Belonging: Classroom Learning Mindset Supports
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Garden 1

Mindsets are our beliefs about ourselves as learners and the learning environment. These beliefs shape how we interpret difficulty, make meaning, and participate in the community. Motivate Lab’s research shows mindsets are critical predictors of academic performance, persistence, and motivation. The Lab, a Curated Support and Technical Assistance partner with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, works to advance research on learning mindsets and translates that research into practice for educators, with a particular focus on increasing equity within educational systems. This session will explore current research on learning mindsets (i.e., growth mindset, purpose and relevance, sense of belonging) and how supporting students’ learning mindsets improves educational outcomes for all students—particularly students from historically marginalized and underserved populations. In collaboration with current California community college partners, we will also offer specific instructional strategies for faculty and staff to incorporate into their teaching and practice to support students’ learning mindsets.

Presenters: Aubrey Kuan Roderick, Cuesta College; Marcus Kolb, Motivate Lab; Chris Hulleman, Motivate Lab/University of Virginia

Empowering First-Gen Students: Transforming Social & Family Capital for Academic Success
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Garden 2

Join us for an engaging session exploring equity and race consciousness in higher education. This session will spotlight the Circle of Champions approach, a framework designed to foster inclusivity and activate diverse student capital into a supportive network. Through storytelling, interactive polling, small group discussions, case studies, role-playing exercises, and multimedia presentations, discover actionable strategies to effectively support first-gen students. Gain insights into bridging equity gaps and promoting diversity on your campus. Don’t miss this opportunity to enhance your understanding and empower first-gen students for success!

Presenters: Luis Chavez and Bryan Reece, FirstGenAmerica

Using Data to Inform, Guide, and Monitor Equitable and Race-Conscious Dual Enrollment Partnerships
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Garden 3

Learn how colleges and high schools involved in the Dual Enrollment for Equitable Completion (DE4EC) initiative are building race-conscious, equitable dual enrollment programs that disrupt the status quo—making historically underrepresented students the priority for these opportunities. Representatives from DE4EC learning partner RDP Consulting and The RP Group will highlight new evidence showing the impact these experiences have on high school and college outcomes for Black/African American, Latinx, and first-generation participants. DE4EC students and practitioners will further animate how dual enrollment helps participants develop a sense of academic self-efficacy and advances their preparation for college success. Leave with actionable ideas as to how to advance equitable dual enrollment based on lessons from DE4EC, as well as metrics and resources that can inform equity-minded goal setting, programming, and ongoing improvement.

Presenters: Kristen Fong and Rogeair Purnell, RDP Consulting; Darla Cooper, The RP Group

LA College Promise: Closing Equity Gaps and Guiding Students Toward Completion
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Garden 4

LA College Promise Program (LACP) is a comprehensive two-year program focused on completion and rooted in the student experience. LACP is providing the “guided” piece to Guided Pathways at a time when our minoritized students need more than a pathway of courses. Seven years later, the data shows that we have kept our promise to increase both access and success by closing equity gaps. The session will highlight how we innovated at scale and expanded the program to be responsive to student needs and institutional changes. This session will highlight the opportunities presented when colleges center the student journey and leverage their College Promise programs as onramps to Guided Pathways.

Presenter: Deborah Harrington and Joanna Zimring Towne, Los Angeles Community College District; Cynthia Lopez, Los Angeles Valley College

Allyship in Action: Enhancing Support for Black and Marginalized College Students
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Harbor

This session explores the practice of allyship, allyship in action, and how it can be a force multiplier in supporting marginalized voices on your campus. Using intersectional frameworks, participants will learn strategies for fostering inclusive environments and advocating for equitable policies and practices through self-introspection activities, interactive assessments, and small group discussions. Attendees will gain actionable insights into how they can participate in improving student success and campus cultures through collaboration, advocacy, and allyship.

Presenters: Byron Reaves, Career Ladders Project; Regina Mahiri, Santa Rosa Junior College

 - Ideas Into Action: Creating and Implementing Student-Centered Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility Change at the Department Level
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Pacific

In fall 2020, a team of English/ESL faculty at Pierce College started an effort to address equity gaps, success rates, and institutional racism in the English and ESL disciplines. To adopt formal changes and make IDEA recommendations to department faculty, the team gathered multiple student, faculty, and administrator perspectives, assessed the current state of student success, and reviewed practices regarding Learning Outcomes, Course Objectives and Descriptions, syllabi and prompts. This interactive session will detail the efforts of Pierce College’s Equity, Diversity, Inclusion Team to invoke institutional change and show how to involve students and other discipline faculty in the process.

Presenters: Christopher Corning, Ashley Granillo, Andrew Ortega, Brad Saenz, and Mike Urquidez, Los Angeles Pierce College

Student Parents: Empowering Parents to Accomplish Their Academic Goals by Offering Student Parent Trauma-Informed Services
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Salon 1

The presentation will highlight the five trauma-informed principles in developing whole student support for student parents. The presentation emphasizes program structures that foster a campus collective mindset, a sense of belonging to achieve holistic support for student parents. The presenters will highlight the importance of implementing cross-collaboration (EOPS/CARE, CalWORKs, Early Childhood Education Center, Mental Health and Wellness, Basic Needs) to maximize student parent resources and services. Participants will also engage in an empathy map activity with the presenters and other participants to highlight protective factors and risk factors impacting student parents’ academic success. The presenters will highlight the importance of student parent voices in developing student parent programming and optimal resource utilization.

Presenters: Hannah Gamez, Ashley Martinez, and Lynnete Navarro Sullivan, Moreno Valley College

From Data to Dialogue: Fostering Inclusive Campus Communities Through Holistic Profiles
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Salon 7 & 8

Data-informed decisions are only as good as the research that guides them. Yet, much of the data we encounter focuses on specific topics, such as retention or campus climate, which then often directs initiatives centered on those specific metrics individually. San Bernardino Valley College has created an integrated data framework to discover who our students are as a whole by utilizing quantitative and qualitative analyses from multiple data sources. Holistic student profiles were created and shared to initiate a campuswide conversation of equity awareness. By involving our campus community of administrators, faculty members, classified professionals, students, and the community at large to generate strategies based on the presented data, we aim to have every voice heard as we work together to address the inequitable systems our students encounter.

Presenters: Keynasia Buffong, Amy Mills, Joanna Oxendine, and Vinnie Wu, San Bernardino Valley College

 Thursday, October 10 | 1:10–2:30 pm

 - Student-Faculty Pedagogical Partnerships: Centering Student Voices in Pedagogical Enhancement Efforts
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Garden 1

Participants in this session will learn about student-faculty pedagogical partnerships at Pasadena City College (PCC). The Pedagogical Advancement through Collaboration between Teachers and Students (PACTS) initiative was launched in spring 2024. The program matches each participating faculty member with two student partners and together these trios spend one semester focusing on enhancing that faculty member’s practice to better serve Black/African American and Latine students. PACTS is unique in that it centers student knowledge and perspectives in the work of pedagogical enhancement. Session facilitators will share the theoretical underpinnings and implementation logistics associated with student-faculty pedagogical partnerships. The session will include time for initial planning focused on implementing pedagogical partnerships at home institutions. PCC students will join program coordinators in facilitating this interactive session.

Presenters: Dawne McClure, Jason Robinson, and Desiree Zuniga, Pasadena City College

Data-Informed, Targeted Interventions That Facilitate Collaboration in Support of Transfer-Seeking Students
Strand: Collaborating Across Sectors and Segments: Race-Conscious Partnerships and Networks
Room: Garden 2

This session will illustrate how colleges can leverage existing initiatives, structures, and data to remove barriers and implement targeted interventions to support students, particularly historically marginalized students, to complete gateway transfer-level courses within one year. We will showcase practical examples drawn from Cañada College’s implementation of our Local Transfer Milestone Dashboard as part of our AB 1705 agenda and how we leveraged our existing Guided Pathways, Professional Development, Promise Scholars, and enrollment management structures to overcome institutional silos and provide more equitable support for students to realize their educational goals.

This session will focus on practical tips and scenarios for how to implement AB 1705. Attendees can expect to learn how to create and use a more nuanced data set based on each student’s educational goal and primary program of study. Participants will be encouraged to share their own experiences with integrating enrollment management and retention strategies with student support efforts.

Presenters: Ron Andrade, Mayra Arellano, Karen Engel, Salumeh Eslamieh, Chialin Hsieh, Ray Lapuz, Anniqua Rana, and Sumathi Shankar, Cañada College

Late Realizations and Lost Opportunities: The Journey to Transfer Success for African American/Black Students
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Garden 3

Increasing equitable baccalaureate attainment through transfer pathways is a key goal of Vision 2030. Leveraging data from a survey of over 7,000 African American/Black students navigating transfer in the California community college system, this presentation will share what students said was the moment they knew they would be successful in their goal of transfer and who at their college helped them most in their transfer journey. Many students reported that they did not find out they were on track to transfer until they were in their last term (or later), and that no one had helped them in their transfer journey. The session will facilitate a robust discussion between researchers, students, and counselors, who will offer practical advice for how colleges can improve student success.

Presenters: Gayathri Manikandan, Compton College; Eliott Coney, Los Angeles Valley College; Katie Brohawn and Darla Cooper, The RP Group; Crystal Gitongo, Umoja Alumna

Educating for Civic Equity, Inclusion, and Mobility Through “Civic Dialogues” and the Support of 3CSN
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Garden 4

California community colleges, comprising 116 campuses and 1.9 million students, welcome the most diverse population in higher education, yet most institutions ignore their civic mission, and in doing so, they unintentionally increase the gap in civic equity, civic inclusion, and civic mobility. Civic Dialogues, a virtual speakers’ series now in its fourth year—driven by faculty civic leaders from two California community college districts and the California Community Colleges’ Success Network (3CSN)—is providing a professional development venue to create systematic change to address this problem.

Presenters: Kimberly Rosenfeld, Cerritos College; Patty Robinson, College of the Canyons

Open for Antiracism (OFAR): Innovating With Open Education to Support Antiracism in the Classroom
Strand: Achieving Equity in the Classroom: Critical Changes That Champion Race-Consciousness and Improve Teaching and Learning
Room: Harbor

The Open for Antiracism (OFAR) program supports California community college faculty leveraging Open Education for antiracist teaching. Now in its fifth year, OFAR emerged as a response to institutions that decried racism but lacked support for transforming their teaching practices. The one-year online program begins with courses on Antiracist Pedagogy, Open Educational Resources, and Open Pedagogy. Participants develop an action plan to incorporate OER and open pedagogy as integral to antiracist teaching within their courses. Participants receive ongoing support through webinars, coaching, and OER support. During this session, hear from program leaders, researchers, and participants about successes and challenges, including results from four years of research on faculty perceptions and student outcomes. Attendees are invited to discuss how their institutions can engage antiracist pedagogy.

Presenters: Maritez Apigo, Contra Costa College; Jamie Thomas, Cypress College; Daniel Berumen, Fullerton College; Laura Dunn, Open Education Global; Alyssa Nguyen and Ireri Valenzuela, The RP Group

Caring Campus: Improving Students’ Sense of Belonging and Student Success by Practicing Caring Behavior
Strand: Creating Equitable Support Systems for Students and Employees with Love and Compassion
Room: Pacific

Data demonstrates that making students feel welcome and cared for has a direct and significant impact on student success. Cultivating a sense of connectedness through a prescribed set of behavioral commitments is a proven strategy being practiced at more than 120 colleges nationwide. Data also shows that college employees learn to care for each other through practicing the Caring Campus behaviors. Three college presidents will share their experiences implementing Caring Campus.

Presenters: Bola King-Rushing, Institute for Evidence-Based Change; John Hernandez, Irvine Valley College; Claudia Habib, Porterville College; Mark Sanchez, Southwestern College

Intention to Impact: Developing Real-World Instructional Practices to Fulfill Our Growing Commitment to IDEAA
Strand: Building Culturally Robust and Positive Practices That Humanize Our Students: Professional Learning and Leadership Development
Room: Salon 1

This session outlines an instructor-led academy model of professional development that builds commitment to the culture, research-based theories, and instructional best practices supporting inclusion, diversity, equity, antiracism, and accessibility (IDEAA). This approach incorporates theoretical background and guidance, collaborative workshopping, discussion, and resources to support changing culture and practices. Whether session participants are administrators or instructors, they will have the opportunity to see and discuss the academy model and draft a prioritized list of components that will be most beneficial to the students at their institution. This model is designed to be engaging and beneficial for all instructors, including those already practicing race consciousness in the classroom, as well as those resistant to discussions of race and equity.

Presenters: Maria Grando, Susie Kopecky, and Deborah Pirman, Allan Hancock College

Improving District Policy and Process via Practitioner Promising Practices for Equitable Dual Enrollment
Strand: Strategic and Integrated Planning to Create Caring, Equitable, and Race-Conscious Campus Communities
Room: Salon 2

The San Bernardino Community College District (SBCCD) is taking a multifaceted approach to improving equitable dual enrollment. From analyzing and updating local policy to leveraging the expertise of their local college personnel engaged in the day-to-day practices, SBCCD has developed a strategic approach to expanding equitable access starting with dual enrollment.

Presenters: Laurencia Walker, Career Ladders Project; Willie Blackmon, Crafton Hills College; Nohemy Ornelas and Brian Thompson, San Bernardino Community College District

 - Designing Strategic Student Interventions to Reach the Students Who Need the Most Support
Strand: Redressing Structural Inequities to Achieve More Equitable Institutions
Room: Salon 7 & 8

Madera Community College (MCC) is like many colleges where there never seems to be enough employees to reach and serve the students who need the most resources. The students who follow through to complete key success indicators are often not the students from our disproportionately impacted groups. With the few counselors, classified professionals, and instructors we have at MCC, we have designed strategic interventions by pathway groups focusing the most services on the students who have the most needs. We use student data grouped by pathways to monitor student groups, identify levels of interventions, and plan strategic touch points each semester and across the year. We will engage other colleges to identify how they can plan their strategic interventions to provide the most services to students with the most needs.

Presenters: Raquel Mendoza, Julie Preston-Smith, Nancy Ruiz, Madera Community College; Elizabeth Villalobos, Reedley College

 Thursday, October 10 | 3:00–4:30 pm

Join us as we close this year’s conference with a panel of esteemed leaders to share their insights, thoughts, and vision for a new landscape for teaching and learning in California’s community colleges. Dr. Regina Stanback-Stroud will start the session off with a short historical context on the diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) journey in the United States and discuss how today’s book bannings, open racial hostilities, and attacks on DEIA replicate the long history of racial terror in the US. The panel will then have a lively discussion to help frame our collective responsibility and work going forward to support students of color. As we stand at a crossroads of teaching and learning with students, we hope you will join us to learn insights on charting new paths that support students and serve diverse communities in successfully accessing education as a practice of freedom.

Panelists: Dr. Regina Stanback-Stroud, CEO, RSSC; Chair of Fawohodze Board of Directors and President of Base 11; Linda Collins, Founder and Executive Director, Career Ladders Project; Board President, California EDGE Coalition; Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director, The RP Group; Board President, Umoja Community Education Foundation; Herb English, Dean of Counseling and Specially Funded Programs, Riverside City College; Board President, A2MEND

  7:30 – 8:30  Breakfast Buffet

  8:30 – 12:00Post–Conference Workshops

 Friday, October 11 | 8:30 am–12:00 pm

Find details about each workshop SSC24 Post-Conference Workshops page.