Courageous Conversations about

Equity at Century College

Ron Anderson, PresidentLinda Baughman-Terry, CounselorNickyia Cogshell, Chief Diversity Officer

Thursday, February 7, 2013

Listening to the voices of our students

Our Equity Journey

Local Context: A Decade of Change

Then and Now: 2002-2012

• Aging population• Increased populations of color

and households where English is not the first language

• Significantly increased poverty• Increased unemployment

Then and Now: 2002-2012• Significant enrollment growth (32%)• Significant growth in College

employees and budget• Cost of tuition has doubled

($178.56/credit)• The State of Minnesota continues to

divest in higher education, shifting the burden to students

Demographic Shifts

Racial Category Fall 2006 Fall 2010

American Indian/Alaskan 54.4% 38.5%

Black/African American   52.5% 45.0%

White 62.4% 64.4%

Asian/Pacific Islander 60.9% 73.0%

Hispanic 53.2% 64.7%

First Term of Enrollment: Successful Course Completion

Achievement Gaps

Fall 2009 to Fall 2010 Fall 2010 to Fall 2011

Students of Color 62.1% 60.7%

Pell Eligible 64.8% 62.8%

First Generation 64.9% 63.2%Combined

“Underrepresented” 66.1% 63.2%

ALL STUDENTS 67.7% 66.2%

Second Fall Persistence and Completion(cohort based)

Achievement Gaps

Fall 2007 to Spring 2010

Fall 2008 to Spring 2011

Students of Color 31.1% 33.0%

Pell Eligible 31.4% 35.2%

First Generation 37.0% 33.2%Combined

“Underrepresented” 34.2% 35.6%

ALL STUDENTS 39.9% 40.8%

Third Spring Completion Rate – Graduation or Transfer (cohort based)

Achievement Gaps

Planning Activities/Data• CCSSE survey results reviewed (Fall

2009)• Four work groups formed: – First Year Academies/Advising– Success in Gateway Courses– Developmental Education/Student Success

Courses– Employee Development Centered on

Student Success

• Course level success data reviewed(Fall 2010)

• Creation of Student Success Action plans for each program, department, discipline and unit (Fall 2010)

• Action plans implemented (spring 2011)

Planning Activities/Data

• Attended the Entering Student Engagement Institute (ESEI) Spring 2011

• SENSE survey results used for planning

Planning Activities/Data

Key 2010 SENSE Survey Results

• Kick off for ATD in Seattle (summer 2011)– Light bulb moment

– Commitment to equity by college leadership • Reframing opportunity

– Lead to formation of core team, data team, and advancement teams

Planning Activities/Data

Academic Interventions • Three years of optional academic

interventions:– Learning communities– Optional student success courses– Reading 0080 mentoring project (intrusive

advising)– Reading 0090 mentoring project (intrusive

advising)

Academic Interventions• Current Interventions for 2012-2013

– 70 of sections of learning communities–Mandatory New Student Seminar for students

who place into developmental reading (1,300 students)

– Intrusive advising is component of NSS

Data point: 67% of students in NSS in Fall 2012 were students of color

Student Support Interventions

• Tutors linked-to-classes (2011-2012)– 275 course sections covered

– 3,350 students served

Brother to Brother (B2B)

Cultural Change• Broadened involvement and shared

responsibility• Equality versus Equity• Listening to our students’ voices• Listening to our own voices• President’s Commitment to

Diversity and Inclusion

Establishing Safety

• Guiding Principles for Deeper Conversations about Equity, Inclusion, and Diversity

Raising Awareness

Century Race Card Conversations

Century Race Conversations

http://centuryraceconversation.project.mnscu.edu/index.asp

A Developmental Approach • Systemic and Developmentally

Appropriate• Data Driven • Multidimensional• Multidirectional • Integrated 

Deeper Conversations about Equity, Diversity, and

Inclusion Learning Goals• impact individual

development/cultural competence • foster community building through

engagement and meaning making • offer opportunities for critical

reflection and application

Deepening Our Work• Conducting a baseline assessment • Creating a systematic and

developmentally appropriate professional development opportunities

• Implementing cultural competence training for managers, supervisors, and administrators

• Revising Human Resource policies and practices

Global Lessons Learned

• Importance of establishing guiding principles

• Consistent and clear modeling by leadership

• Clear messaging about focus

Global Lessons Learned • Sensitivity to academic calendar• Response to controversial topics • Students want to talk about race

The “aha” moments never end…

Personal Reflections

• Linda• Nickyia • Ron

Learning fromone another

Listening to the voices of our faculty and staff