Student Voices Forum May 4, 2009College of the Sequoias

Founded in 1984, California Tomorrow is a non-profit

research, technical assistance, training and advocacy

organization specializing in the development of new models

and strategies to bring about inclusion and equity in

education.

Meeting Goals Administrators, staff, faculty and students hear and

understand data driven by student research.

Administrators, staff, faculty and students engage in a facilitated dialogue that allows them to raise questions about student data and what more they need to know.

Administrators, staff, faculty and students explore

next steps.

Please share your name and one aspiration you have in life

Pair and Share

Survey Demographic Profile• 68% Latino

• 40% of student respondents 19 and younger; 44% ages 20-24

• 54% female and 46% male

• 42% English is not native language

• 69% of students are first generation

• 73% have either transfer or AA/AS and transfer as an educational goal

• 83% attend COS full-time; students take an avg. of 12 units

• 53% of students work; 12% work two jobs; students work an avg. of 23 hours a week and at a median hourly wage of $8.

Source: Contra Costa Times

What are Students’

Experiences in Meeting

College Expenses?

Compared to a year ago, has your financial situation:

Impact of Financial Crisis on Students’ Lives

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Impact of Financial Crisis on Students’ College Experience

Percent of survey respondents

3 in 7students reported that they have struggled to pay for textbooks

Actions Students Take to Deal with Financial Challenges

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If you were unable to stay and complete your educational goals, what would be the most

likely reason why?

Nearly 6 in 10 students reported they would leave for financial reasons

How Do COS Students Prefer to

Communicate?

How Do COS Students Prefer to

Communicate?

Laptop 47Desktop 31Both 7Do not own 15

PERCENT OF COS STUDENTS WHO OWN A COMPUTER

Most students own a computer

More likely to be:• Male• Student of color• English is not a first language• Not working• Spend less time online

PROFILE OF A STUDENT WHO DOES NOT OWN A COMPUTER

Survey results reveal 1 in 7 students do not own a computer

Although most students own a computer, 1 in 5 students have either a

dial-up internet connection or no internet

connection at all

1-2 hours 93-5 hours 426-10 hours 25More than 10 hours 21Do not use internet much 4

Number of hours students spend on the internet

Prefer to use another email 71Do not use email much 17Didn’t know about it 12

PERCENT OF COS STUDENTS WHO DO NOT USE COS EMAIL ACCOUNT

Most Students DO NOT use their COS E-mail accounts

COS Students prefer to communicate through text messaging

MySpace 75Facebook 3Twitter 1Don’t use 22social networking

Survey results reveal 1 in 5 students do not use social networking

PERCENT OF COS STUDENTS WHO USE SOCIAL NETWORKING

I would like to attend COS social events where I can meet other students

Survey respondents express a desire to connect with other students

I would like to find out more about COS social organizations and clubs

I would like to participate in COS clubs and social organizations

40%

56%

58%

Do Students Have Enough Information?

I am sure which courses I need for my certificate, Associate’s degree or for transfer

I know which courses give credit for my certificate, Associate’s degree or for transfer

I have enough information about requirements for my certificate, Associate’s degree or for transfer

68%

83%

86%

COS Students Who Have Never Seen an Advisor or Only Seen an Advisor Once (32%):Demographics: 28% White; 67% Latino; 44% under age 20; 56% female; 50% English is not a first language; 78% FT Students;

-61% have not filled out a FAFSA

-78% have never been to financial aid; 89% learned about financial aid through friends or family or high school guidance counselors

-33% have never used skills labs; 22% used skills labs once

-56% never used computer lab or used it once

-93 % of students who indicate transfer as educational goal have never been to transfer assistance

World Café Assumptions

The knowledge and wisdom which we require is already present and can be made accessible.

When we connect with each other in creative ways, collective intelligence

emerges.

HONOR the contributions of others

CONNECT our ideas with those of others

LISTEN carefully for what emerges from the “center”

NOTICE deeper patterns and questions

World Café Agreements

CONTRIBUTE your thinking

SPEAK your mind and heart

LISTEN to understand and to learn

INQUIRE by asking open questions

World Café Agreements

LISTEN TOGETHER for insights, patterns and deeper questions

Play, doodle, draw – writing on the tablecloths is encouraged

HAVE FUN!

World Café Agreements

Round One1.What is one thing that stood out

to you?

2.What surprised or concerned you? Why?

Round Two

1.How does what you heard apply to your life or work?

2.What more would you want to know

Round Three1.How would you go about getting

additional data from students to find out more?

2.How might you use the information to improve the success of students at COS?

Wrap Up1. What is emerging here?

2. If there was a single voice in the room, what would it be saying?

3. What deeper questions are emerging as a result of these conversations?

4. Do we notice any patterns and what do these patterns point to? How do they inform us?

5. What do we do we now see and know as a result of these conversations?

6. What can we commit to doing as next steps?

Wrap Up (continued)