Eliminating Equity Gaps

In Fall 2018, the State Chancellor’s Office established the Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program – EDC 78222(a) – to support the California Community Colleges in advancing the systemwide goal to boost achievement for all students with an emphasis on eliminating achievement gaps for students from traditionally underrepresented groups.

The SEA Program combines the former Student Equity, Student Success and Support Program (SSSP), and Basic Skills programs into one program to:

  • Implement activities and practices pursuant to the California Community College Guided Pathways Grant Program.
  • Ensure students complete their educational goals and a defined course of study.
  • Provide quality curriculum, instruction, and support services to students who enter college deficient in English and mathematics to ensure these students complete a course of study in a timely manner.

After submission of the 2019-2022 Mission College Student Equity Plan, the college took the time to intentionally re-imagine how the new Student Equity and Achievement Program will be structured and operationalized to implement the plan’s activities.

Meetings occurred in Fall 2019 with college constituents along with the first SEA Program Summit to develop the new SEA Program Work Group infrastructure.

This new Work Group infrastructure is administered by the Director of Student Equity and Success and works closely with Deans to ensure coordination between Instructional and Student Services departments/divisions. The new infrastructure consists of three work groups:

  • Culture of Inquiry, Inclusion, and Equity.
  • Onboarding/Matriculation.
  • Equity Pedagogy and Instructional Supports. In Spring 2021, the SEA Program Council will be created representing the members of the three work groups.

SEA Program & True Community 

True Community aims to improve student equity and success in a interdisciplinary approach by working with key initiatives on campus. 

Equity Goal 1: Ensure that our campus equity framework and related competencies are integrated throughout student services, instructional, and hiring practices; 

Areas of Focus: 

  • Equity Development Sessions.
  • Communities of Practice.
  • Dash Boards.
  • Data Inquiry.
  • Cultural events.
  • Student Engagement and Continual Understanding of student sense of belonging.  
  • Equitizing the hiring process (faculty, administrators, classified professionals.)

Equity Goal 2: Strengthen our systematic evaluation and improvement of culturally responsive teaching, institutional practices, curriculum, activities, and guidance for all students with equitable focus on the most marginalized and historically underserved.

Areas of Focus:

  • Spaces to learn about high-impact equity pedagogy for all disciplines.
  • Equitizing curricular and pedagogical artifacts.
  • Coordination with Professional Development coordinators.
  • Wrap around services – Instructional (Tutoring.)
  • Distance Education.

Equity Goal 3: Ensuring a welcoming environment where all students are holistically supported, continually informed and connected.

Areas of Focus: 

  • Matriculation Process and Support.
  • SARS and Back End systems to support this process.
  • Evaluation of student experience through the Student Life Cycle.
  • Wrap around services – student services (Peer Mentors; Follow Up services; Early Alert; Dismissal and Probation.)
  • Basic Needs (Emergency fund program; Food Bank; Food pantry; connecting resources to students.