2018-19 Unit Plan
Inspiring Scholars

Mission Statement

The goal of Inspiring Scholars is to help current and former foster youth get into college, stay in college, and reach their academic goals- be that an associate's degree, certificate or transfer to another college or university.

Program Description

The Foster Youth Program at Butte College offers support for Butte College students who were in foster care at any point on or after their 13th birthday and who are currently under 25 years old. Activities include bringing about campus-wide awareness, staff training, supporting the priority registration process for FY, developing academic support programs focused on the needs of current or former FY, and maintaining a center designated specifically for FY. The Program also conducts outreach to foster youth in Butte and surrounding counties and collaborates with agencies interested in supporting college access and college success of foster youth.

Accountability for Previously Funded Items

Accountability Item 1

Program Coordinator's Salary and Benfits- Student Equity

Amount: 86330.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

Accountability Item 2

Federal Work Study Position

Amount: 7310.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

Accountability Item 3

Inspiring Scholars Secretary Position- Student Equity

Amount: 47902.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

Accountability Item 4

Part-time Academic Counselor Position- SSSP

Amount: 0.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

Accountability Item 5

Funding to Pay for Foster Youth to Secure On-Campus Employment- Studnet Equity

Amount: 32000.00
Used For Intended Purpose: Yes
Benefit

Student Learning/Administrative Unit Outcomes

The goal for the previous academic year was to increase othe program's understanding of student needs and increase student utilization of the program.

The following data was reported in regard to study area useage
Spring 2016
Number of unique users: 89
Number of computer lab users not on Burton List: 15
Number of documented sign-ins: 440

A survey of Fall 2017 found the following:

Computer Lab Sign-in Data

Total Sign-ins: 3493

Number of Unique Sign-Ins: 168 (not including conselor appointments and help via phone or email).

Appointments: 381

Reasons for signing in

Help from staff member (381), social (1275), homework (650), Print/computer (218), Snack (658)

Understanding Student's Needs: A student survey was conducted in Spring of 216 and found: majority of students using our services are taking classes on the main campus. Almost a quarter of respondents were parenting, and the support requested by students was 50% technical (book credit, tutoring, financial aid, etc.) and 50% social support (check-ins, moral support, etc.). One area, which includes community and technical help is workshops. In Fall of 2017 another survey was conducted. The vast majority of students responding stated they take their classes on the main campus. This survey was condcuted with students utilizing our current program space. This indicates our program needs to do targeted outreach to students on the Chico Center, as they were not represented in the survey. We found a similar composite of student needs in the survey- with approximately half of students reporting they utilized the program for techinical support and half reporting they came for social connection with peers.

Student Utilization: The above data shows a dramatic increase in utilation of services. Almost twice the number of students utilizied the program space from Spring of 2016 to Fall of 2017. There were also many more documented sign-ins recored. This coincided with the move to a more student-friendly program space and improvement in documenation of student contacts.

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (OSLED Departments)

Standards/Goals for Student Achievement (All Other Departments)

Strategic Direction

Program Review

Not applicable, no program review.

Department Goals

Future Development Strategies

Strategy 1 - Maintain a Mentoring Program

Maintian a mentoring program for foster youth

Initiatives

Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

Mentoring has proven to have positive impacts on student outcomes including, retention, completion, GPA, graduation, and transfer. Most foster youth lack positive role models in their lives. Having a mentor to model behaviors that lead to achievement of goals in education and/or employment helps increase the educational outcomes of our foster youth which leads to increased self-esteem, improved mental health and financial independence. The program also increases awarness of the unique needs of foster youth through the involvement of Butte College faculty.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No

Strategy 2 - Supplies for Students

Purchase supplies and books for students as needed.

Initiatives

Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success

Supporting Rationale

Occasionally, students are in need of supplies to get started. They often come to use without any resources and without even the basic supplies to start the semester (pens, highlighters, binders, paper, backpacks). Because they may not have had someone in their lives helping them prepare for college, or they missed the financial aid event at their high school due to a change of schools, their financial aid is not ready when school begins. For this reason, it would also be helpful to have funding for books. While we strive to get them connected to all resources available, they do not always have the required units to participate in the EOPS Program their first semester so would not have that resource for books.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No

Strategy 3 - Improve Program Utilization by Foster Youth

Continuing to Increase Student Participation in the Program

Initiatives

Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

Inspiring Scholars has seen increased student utilization of program resources, staff support, and program activities each semester. We would like to continue to see increased usage by students, as we believe this will lead to greater retention, persistence, and completion rates for foster youth attending Butte College.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: Yes
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No

Strategy 4 - Increase Student Employment on Campus

Increase Outreach and Secure Funding to Increase Student Employment on Campus

Initiatives

Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success

Supporting Rationale

Student Employment is correlated with better academic outcomes. At the same time, employment provides life skills, increased feelings of self-worth, and money for students who struggle financially. The program would like to increase the number of foster youth employed on campus through advocacy and by securing funding to allow departments to hire foster youth as student assistants.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No

Strategy 5 - Presence on Chico Center

Inspiring Scholars does not currently have a presence on the Chico Center and we would like to support students taking classes at this location.

Initiatives

Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

This goal ties in with the college's overall goal of providing suppot to all students in our service area. This was also found to be an area of growth for our program after reviewing our outcomes from the last unit plan.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: Yes

Strategy 6 - Operating Budget

Establish a sustainable source of funding for program operating expenses.

Initiatives

Modeling Sustainability
Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Supporting Student, Faculty and Staff Success
Using Data-Informed Processes for Continuous Improvement
Maximizing Resources to Support Student Learning
Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness

Supporting Rationale

With continuing changes to the State and College budgets, it is important to continue to seek secure and sustainable program funding to be able to continue to support this student population.

Supporting Rationale Alignment
Supports Previous Program Review Recommendations: No
Supports Changes from Student Learning Outcomes Assessment: No

Requested Non-Financial Resources

Current Financial Resources

Walter S. Johnson Foundation- Rollover of unused grant funds from grant which ended in December of 2016.

YESS-ILP Grant- 22,000 annually for activities supporting the educational, financial, daily living, and and employment education of current and former foster youth attending Butte College. Grant secured October of 2016.

Student Equity Funding- Program Coordinator and Secretary's Salary and Benefits

SSSP Funding-Academic Counsor's hours for program

Augmentation Requests

Original Priority	Program, Unit, Area	Resource Type	Account Number	Object Code	One Time Augment	Ongoing Augment
Description	Supporting Rationale		Potential Alternative Funding Sources		Prioritization Criteria
1	Inspiring Scholars	Personnel			$88,300.00	$88,300.00
Program Coordinator Full-Time	A full-time program coordinator is needed to meet student need.		Student Equity		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Empowering and institutionalizing the efforts of the Diversity Committee, Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, and Student Equity Committee.
2	Inspiring Scholars	Personnel	To Be Established	52120	$0.00	$55,863.00
Full-Time Program Secretary Position	Inspiring Scholars has grown tremendously since being established in October 2014. The program has seen many more students taking advantage of program offerings. Additionally, many community members are now seeking assistance in connecting current and former foster youth with Butte College. This increase in demand in student need is challenging and requires a full-time secretary.		Student Equity		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Empowering and institutionalizing the efforts of the Diversity Committee, Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, and Student Equity Committee.
3	Inspiring Scholars	Personnel	To Be Established	52110	$0.00	$57,375.00
Dedicated Academic Counselor for Foster Youth	Dedicated academic counseling will hopefully lead to increased retention, faster course completion and graduation rates, and a more meaningful college experience for foster youth at Butte College.		Student Support Services Program (SSSP)		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Empowering and institutionalizing the efforts of the Diversity Committee, Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, and Student Equity Committee. Meeting standards and working to achieve goals for course success, retention, degree achievement, certificate completion, transfer, and credentialing
4	Inspiring Scholars	Personnel	To Be Established	52368	$0.00	$10,830.00
Student Employment at Inspiring Scholars and on campus	Student Employment supports program outreach and retention, while benefiting those receiving student employment funds.		Student Equity		Meeting standards and working to achieve goals for course success, retention, degree achievement, certificate completion, transfer, and credentialing Meeting Standards and Goals for Student Achievement Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants)
5	Inspiring Scholars	Operating Expenses	To Be Established	54500	$0.00	$20,000.00
Supplies	Funding needed for basic operating expenses; printer paper, printer cartridges, postage, etc. Funding is also needed for program activities to increase retention, persistence, and completion of foster youth attending Butte College.		Student Equity		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Empowering and institutionalizing the efforts of the Diversity Committee, Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, and Student Equity Committee.
6	Inspiring Scholars		To Be Established	54500	$0.00	$2,000.00
School supplies & books for students	To support students whose financial aid is not yet available.		Student Equity		Maintaining ongoing operations at current levels (excludes grants) Empowering and institutionalizing the efforts of the Diversity Committee, Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee, and Student Equity Committee.