Whereas, Despite over a decade of policies by the state of California that have implemented strategies and employed metrics applicable to encouraging the success of full-time students, most students continue to attend part-time—over 65% of California community college students in fall 2022 were part-time students, i.e., students who attempted less than 12 units— [1] and, undoubtedly, many do so for a diversity of life choices, including, but not limited to, the following:
- To be able to spend more time with family
- To continue a successful career trajectory
- To earn household income beyond what a normal student budget provides
- To take the one class, or few classes, needed for career development or promotion
- To only seek remediation for skill development for academic or career goals
- To minimize the stress from the student workload while managing stresses from their own health or learning diversity;
Whereas, In light of the diversity of reasons why students attend part-time, part-time students deserve pathways that incorporate a comprehensive set of strategies to support their success as well as new metrics that are not time-bound and not limited simply to the standard completion metrics;
Whereas, The California community colleges do not currently have pathways for part-time students that define success based on the ability of students to meet both their academic goals and the diversity of life situations that require their part-time status; and
Whereas, The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has historically recognized a diversity of student needs, whether for full-time or part-time students; [2]
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges work with the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and the California Community Colleges Board of Governors to develop a policy of defining success for part-time students that consists of comprehensive strategies to support their success, includes new metrics for assessing the system support for part-time students, and is based on a holistic definition of student success that incorporates progress towards academic goals of a dynamic student body needing part-time educational opportunities; and
Resolved, That the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, working with system partners, urge the state legislature to adopt measures to support a policy of defining success for part-time students that consists of comprehensive strategies to support their success, includes new metrics for assessing the system support for part-time students, and is a based on a holistic definition of student success that incorporates progress towards academic goals of a dynamic student body needing part-time educational opportunities.
ACCLAMATION
1. California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. Management Information Systems Datamart. ”Full-time/Part-time (Unit Load) Status Summary Report.“ Retrieved March 27, 2023, from https://datamart.cccco.edu/Students/Unit_Load_Status.aspx.
2. Resolution F11 07.02 Community Access and Student Achievement in California Community Colleges: https://www.asccc.org/resolutions/community-access-and-student-achievement-california-community-colleges; Resolution F92 13.01 Student Services: https://www.asccc.org/resolutions/student-services; and Resolution F92 13.02 Financial Aid: https://www.asccc.org/resolutions/financial-aid.