Students who complete an AA or AS Degree at Laney College will be able to: Communication • Develop individual perspectives in essays that demonstrate critical thinking skills, command of standard grammar, and logical organization. • Construct and deliver a clear, well-organized verbal presentation. OR: • Organize information coherently in writing and choose a language and format appropriate for the intended audience and purpose. OR: • Read critically and analyze various literary genres. Critical Thinking and Information Literacy • Solve quantitative problems using numerical, graphical, and algebraic methods. • Demonstrate proficiency in using a computer and computer applications, including the Internet, to accomplish personal, academic, and/or professional tasks. • Locate and cite appropriately information from a variety of sources (books, databases, the Internet, and primary sources) in various formats (print, online, and multimedia), evaluate such information for relevance and reliability, and incorporate it effectively into written work. Ethics and Civic Responsibility • Demonstrate an increased awareness of ethical behavior, civic, and social responsibilities locally, nationally, and globally. Global Awareness • Apply the principles, concepts, and/or methods of the natural sciences to everyday life. • Critically analyze personal experiences within the context of historical, cultural, and environmental phenomena. • Investigate and appreciate the fine arts and humanities, including the cultural and artistic perspectives of various cultures and times. • Critically evaluate the historical and contemporary experiences of African Americans, Mexican/Latino Americans, Asian Pacific Americans, or Native Americans using interdisciplinary approaches.
Financial Assistance Program (BFAP) funds from the State Chancellor’s Office in 2004, the outreach efforts of the college expanded to include the college Financial Aid Office’s efforts to reach more nontraditional students in the service areas as well as “in-reach” to contact underserved students already enrolled at the college in order to increase their rates of retention and success (IIB-16). The Office of Financial Aid initially hired student ambassadors to disseminate information about financial resources available to all students in the college and local feeder high schools. This in-reach and outreach function was later instituted by the college, and a full-time outreach coordinator was hired in fall 2007 to meet the recruitment needs of the college. Outreach efforts to underserved populations have increased as a result of this position (IIB-15, IIB-16). Placement Assessment, Orientation, and Counseling Upon admission to the college, students are assessed for appropriate course placement and go through an orientation that informs them about academic programs and student support services, office locations, and hours of operation. The goal of orientation is to provide students with information as well as options as they begin to consider the selection of courses and plan their educational goals. Counselors then work with students one-on-one to provide multiple-measure assessments, to assist in determining the most appropriate placement of students into classes, and to help students develop a self-education plan. Each student works with a counselor to assess his or her individual set of identified needs (IIB-12, IIB-13). Evaluation The college meets this standard. The college systematically assesses student support services using faculty and staff input through program review, unit plans, and intensive surveying. Student input is also gathered and used for planning purposes. The college is in the process of defining student learning outcomes in all student support units, with the goal of implementing assessment by the end of spring 2009.
Laney College
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