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Black Lives Matter Action Plan Overview
The following action plan was developed by leadership in the Student Services Division. In order to hold ourselves accountable towards actionable steps, we asserted to the community that an action plan would be posted on August 1, 2020. See our statement of commitment.
The following action plan is a preliminary, first-level attempt towards actionable steps to serve our Black students more adequately in student services areas including: Admissions & Records; Financial Aid; Psychological Services; Counseling; Disability Resource Center; Veterans Resource Center; EOPS/CARE/Foster Youth; Student Activities; and Student Affairs.
This plan will be iterative. We plan to post a revised plan every quarter. We will actively engage our students and personnel as we continue to refine and uncover and dismantle systemic barriers that disproportionately affect our Black students.
Data Analysis
The Student Services Division is working in collaboration with the Office of Institutional Research to provide data analysis of our African American/Black students within the context of Student Services.
Note the the data is limited in that it is quantitative at this stage. As part of the upcoming work outlined in our action plan, we plan to include student voices or qualitative data. Additional data sets are forthcoming as we continue to conduct analysis.
Download Data Analysis Slide Deck (Aug. 15, 2020)
BLM Action Plan by Departments
View action plan and progress updates by Student Services departments below.
Print Versions
Download PDF version for entire Student Services Division.
Student Services Division
Publicly post Black Lives Matter (BLM) written statement and action plan. Complete |
Hire an expert on racial trauma in the Black community to conduct a series of workshops, dialogue sessions, and a student conference intended to reach the following objectives:
Complete Consultant on contract from Aug 2020 to Jan 2021 |
In collaboration with Institutional Research office, conduct racial data analysis for each unit & publicly post findings. Complete |
Added: Share BLM plan an approach with the district to solicit feedback. Complete |
Conduct focus group for Black students with topic of: What barriers can we remove in student services? Complete |
Coordinate Professional Development forum for student services personnel: What does racial bias look like in student services? Scheduled for Jan. 2021 |
Updated: Ensure college equity plan aligns with Black Lives Matter Action Plan. Complete |
Consult with Associated Student leadership on BLM action plan efforts to obtain their feedback and consultation. Complete |
Added: Conduct monthly meeting focused on BLM effort. Ongoing/twice month |
Added: Coordinate symposium for Black students on the topics of service leadership & research development. Complete |
Added: Launch racial trauma training for counselors, college wide. Scheduled for Jan 2020 to June 2021 |
Added: Create student club My Other Brother and Sister (MOBS) as a place of belonging for Black students. In progress |
Added: Hire up to 10 Black students to serve as Equity Ambassadors. In progress |
Added: Coordinate daylong conference for all Student Services personnel on the topic of Black Lives Matter to create a sense of urgency, educate on anti-racist approaches, and share examples of Black excellence. Scheduled for Feb. 2021 |
Ensure a revised BLM Action Plan is posted quarterly. Completed for fall on Dec. 15, 2020. |
Ensure BLM action plan is standing item at every deans meeting and present efforts/approach
at Opening/Flex day. |
Provide Deans/Directors with tools and resources to create spaces to discuss race in their departmental meetings. |
Psychological Services and Personal Counseling
Conduct outreach to students in Umoja, Black Student Union and Harambe to improve access to mental health services. In progress |
Hire an African American mental health ambassador. Complete |
Publicly post statement regarding mental health services for Umoja, BSU, and Harambe participants acknowledging/addressing generational and racial trauma. In progress |
Updated: Develop curriculum for Professional Development training and resources for Psychological Services counselors on Black racial trauma. Scheduled for Jan. 2021 |
Determine areas of appropriate analysis for Black students (privacy rights to be considered). Consider focus group and/or survey: Do Black students feel connected/comfortable with accessing Psychological Services? Why or why not? How can we create an environment that serves our Black population more intently? Completed |
Added: Hire a full-time psychologist with expertise in racial trauma. In progress |
Enrollment Services / Admissions & Records
Proactively reach out to Black students who apply to 17勛圖 and ensure they have ample support through each matriculation step. Track data through the process to determine barriers they face throughout the process. In progress |
Identify Black students who did not receive priority registration and identify how we can support them through any barriers they face. In progress |
Updated: Conduct focus group with Equity Ambassadors to ask what barriers they face in A&R services. Determine a plan for how to remove/address those barriers. In progress |
Research Black students who drop for non-payment due to affordability issues. Reach out to offer additional financial supports (such as ensure they apply for Fin Aid, use of emergency funds, etc.). Explore the college systemically removing drop for non-payment for low income students. In progress |
Conduct analysis of new, first-time Black students to determine if they take advantage of their priority registration block. Consider conducting a follow up survey. In progress |
Updated: In collaboration with our marketing and outreach office, host virtual registration workshops during the week of priority registration. Conduct analysis of new first-time students of if they take advantage of their priority registration block. Consider conducting a follow up survey. In progress |
Updated: Work in collaboration with Guided Pathway Onboarding Team and Equity Office to update banner welcome message to ensure it is student friendly and leads students to next steps in matriculation processes. In Progress |
Conduct a collaborative meeting with outreach office to understand their outreach efforts in high schools and determine areas of collaboration for the new, incoming Black student population. Complete for dual enrollment. General population is in progress. |
Updated: Collaborate with Financial Aid team to cross train A&R staff on financial literacy awareness. In progress |
Financial Aid Office
Conduct FAFSA workshops at local high schools (with high percentage of Black students) to complete it, regardless if they come to 17勛圖 or not. In progress |
Conduct focus groups with EOPS and other representative 17勛圖 populations on obstacles/barriers on financial aid access and financial literacy. In progress |
Create zoom recordings to welcome students of color to the learning communities/EOPS and FAFSA workshops. In progress |
Updated: Work with Office of Online Learning to create Canvas post-able documents/videos. In progress |
Review triage process for late filers of financial aid to allow them to stay enrolled and stay successful. In progress |
Updated: Conduct focus group with Equity Ambassadors on student employment barriers (I.e. does full time status as serve as barrier? Completion of units? What is the Ethnicity breakdown of student employees). Based on analysis, revise policies and practices to support students of color with an emphasis on Black students. In progress |
Updated: Conduct financial literacy workshops for Black students with Community Cultural Wealth framework. In progress |
Office of Student Affairs & Activities
Lead the Student Affairs and Activities team by example in recognizing the difference between intent versus impact and remedying my mistakes as Dean of Students if or when my decisions do not reflect my support for Black student populations. Ongoing |
Partner with Institutional Research Office in:
In progress |
Develop equity-focused three-year action plan with quarterly and annual benchmarks based on self-study and data analysis results. In progress |
Establish an equity and racially conscious framework to the work of the Behavioral Intervention Team. In progress |
Together with 17勛圖s Office of Equity, De Anzas Office of Equity, De Anzas Dean of Students Office, and Police department, develop response protocol for reported incidents of racial profiling by district police. In progress |
Partner with Dean of Online Learning and Dean of Institutional Equity to facilitate workshop for faculty on Academic Integrity reporting from an Equity Lens. In progress |
EOPS / CARE / Foster Youth
Work with Institutional Research Office to determine if there is a similar gap as with the general college in the success rate of Black students served in EOPS. Based on analysis, reflect on retention efforts/practices. Ongoing |
Implement a recruitment plan by presenting program services in learning communities, such as but not limited to, Umoja/Athletics. Ongoing |
Identify local community programs to build relationships to understand the needs of the community and prospective students that enroll. Assert follow-up to invitations. Ongoing |
Recruit student employees who resemble the diversity of the program, making sure announcements are reaching Black students enrolled in EOPS. Ongoing |
Build relationships with Student Service and Academic programs to refer students to EOPS. Scheduled for Jan. 2021 |
Establish Guardian Scholars (Foster Youth) Cooperative, Build relationship with community Foster Youth organizations, Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties (East Palo Alto and East Side) In progress |
Incorporate equity education and implicit bias training for EOPS staff. In progress |
Create a space for discussions as an ongoing practice in staff meetings to confront biases. In progress |
Updated: Collaborate with Financial Aid and Outreach teams to identify potential EOPS students and expand reach. Complete |
In order to provide immediate access to services, Foster Youth will be directed to engage in the EOPS/CARE Intake process and will be guided to next steps, regardless of program eligibility. In progress |
Counseling Division
Implement a pilot program beginning Fall 2020. We will assign randomly selected Black students to a counselor so they will have access to support from the time instruction begins in the Fall. In progress |
Conduct data analysis of Black student usage of Counseling services. Examine the following: Do Black students make counseling appointments at the same percentage as the general population? Do they come back for a second appointment within the school year? Do they create comprehensive educational plans, and if so, how has that impacted their graduate or transfer rates within two years? Complete |
Conduct focus groups and/or surveys of Black students to ask about their experience at 17勛圖 and what they think will help them succeed here. Complete |
Expand Starfish to caseload disproportionately impacted groups. Conduct Starfish training for all counselors. In progress |
Updated: Analyze success indicators for Umoja program. Scheduled for Spring 2021 |
dentify Black students near graduation, help them complete the petition process. Scheduled for Spring 2021 |
Updated: Identify Black students that requested prerequisite clearances but did not enroll in those classes. Scheduled for Spring 2021 |
Disability Resource Center / Veterans Resource Center
Partner with local high school districts that have a high percentage of students of color (Black students in particular) to create a more diverse SPED 8 program (high school recruitment program to transition special education students to 17勛圖). Scheduled for Spring 2021 |
Conduct analysis by race on who receives the Schoettler book voucher and determine a plan to ensure eligible low-income students are accessing the voucher. In progress |
Work with Institutional Research office to analyze Tools for Transition and Work and Community Based program data and demographic of students being served. Based on data analysis, determine plan to diversify the student population. Scheduled for Winter 2021 |
Work with Institutional research office to analyze Veterans program and demographic of students being served. Based on data analysis, determine a plan to conduct more comprehensive outreach/in reach of vets of color to ensure they are accessing benefits. Scheduled for Winter 2021 |
Work with Institutional research office to conduct comprehensive analysis of services offered, who is accessing services, and a satisfaction survey all with analysis by disproportionately impacted groups. Research best practices for DRC/VRC Black communities at other colleges. Based on analysis/research, work with the DRC/VRC teams to determine action plan. In progress |
We welcome questions or comments about our BLM statement or action plan. Please contact Dr. Laurie Scolari at scolarilaurie@fhda.edu. Thank you. |
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Christopher Custer, Student Services Administration Office
650.949.7225
Building 1900, Room 1914