Saying community colleges are the bridge to individual economic opportunity and the engine that drives the economy, the state Senate's majority whip called for greater integration of California's educational system during a speech on campus last week.
Sen. Richard Alarcon (D-San Fern-ando) has recommended the formation of a new advisory committee to the Legislature that would draw representatives from all branches of education. The goals are to heighten collaboration among educators and to better align one level of education with the next.
The recommendation is included in the final draft of the report of the Senate Select Committee on College and University Admissions and Outreach, which the senator chairs. The report's release is expected next week.
On campus March 7, Alarcon addressed community college leaders and campus and UC representatives who met to discuss ways to improve the student transfer process from community colleges to the university.
Alarcon called community colleges a pathway to the "elite educational system" of the university. "The community college system is a special bridge of opportunity for people who otherwise wouldn't have a shot at the American dream," he said.
Alarcon also advocates establishing a statewide system that would track students as they leave community college. And he supports coordination of remedial services at the college level with university programs to ensure transfer students receive assistance they need.
At UC Davis, the Transfer Student Services Office assists students who have transferred from other institutions of higher education. Staff members coordinate transfer matters among existing student services units, and the office sponsors receptions and workshops for new transfers and publishes an annual guide to campus services.
For fall 2002, UC Davis anticipates enrolling 1,900 new transfer students, with at least 90 percent coming from California's community colleges.
Two admissions programs help college students negotiate the transition to UC Davis. Through the Transfer Opportunity Program, a UC Davis admissions officer is available to meet with students on the campuses of 17 participating community colleges once a week or once every two weeks.
Under the opportunity program, students may also be eligible to participate in a transfer agreement that provides a guarantee of admission on the condition they complete certain courses and maintain a specified grade point average. The Transfer Admissions Agreement program is available at 71 colleges and another 10 are under review for fall 2002.