Volume 78, Issue 16 | www.elaccampusnews.com | Wednesday, March 16, 2022 | Single copy free - additional copies 50 cents
Students fight for rights of pre-transfer level courses BY LEONARDO CERVANTES Staff Writer The California Legislature is considering a bill to end pretransfer level remedial education. The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges and ELAC Senate opposed the bill to end English and Math unanimously, resulting in students forfeiting their right to take a pretransfer level English or Math course for the purpose of academic preparation. AB 705 requires colleges to increase the probability that students will be able to complete transfer-level Math and English within a year. Jeffrey Hernandez, current Academic Senate President, said, ”Students have a right to take courses that may help them. I benefited from a pre-transfer English course when I was a student at ELAC. “I know that these courses can help students. I don’t think that we should be requiring students to take a higher level of math if that’s not what our interested partners say is necessary for that degree or certificate.” Jeffrey Hernandez, current academic senate president, said The Academic Senate for California Community Colleges has urged stakeholders to address COVID-19 related learning disruptions by providing students with access to a community college education by offering adequate English and Math courses to serve the needs of all students. It’s no secret that the pandemic has altered many students’ academic learning. The pandemic caused students
to adjust on the fly and some were math courses have increased across able to transition to online learning all ethnic groups. However, equity fairly quickly while others are gaps remain and are growing. One-year completion rates still struggling for a multitude of reasons like not having a stable for Black and Hispanic students wifi connection or limited space groups are increasing at a slower rate when compared to other to get work done. President Angela Echeverri student groups. “As of 2020, 64% of Filipinos said.“For Fall 2021, 47% and 50% of white of students students completed successfully transfer-level completed their Math 125 class, “Students have E n g l i s h c o u r s e s while Hispanics while online or a right to take only completed 43% hybrid classes only and Blacks students 41% of students courses that completed 31% of successfully may help them. these courses.” completed their “The numbers on class.” I benefited from transfer-level math “When we a pre-transfer courses are even create the program staggering as requirements for a English courses more Asians completed non-transfer degree 45% of such courses or certificate that’s when I was and white students supposed to help a student at completed 30% students get a job of their courses. ,we work with the ELAC.” Hispanic students industry.” only completed 18% “ We f i n d o u t of transfer-level from them what’s math courses and needed, the state Black students only counseling office completed 13%,” s h o u l d n ’t n e e d JEFFREY HERNANDEZ Academic Senate Echeverri, said. to overwrite President Within the that,”Hernandez Hispanic subgroup, said. South American The percentage students have higher of first-ime students successfully completing transfer- success rates in transfer-level level English and math courses English courses than Central within one year has increased American and Mexican student groups. over time. Within the Hispanic subgroup, From Fall 2017 to Fall 2020, there has been about a 17-point success rates in transfer-level increase for students passing a math courses for South American transfer-level English course and Students have increased over time, a 12 point increase for completion while rates have decreased for of a transfer-level math course Central American and Mexican within a student’s first year of student subgroups. All Asian Subgroups have enrollment. First-time students’ completion experienced increased success rates for transfer-level English and rates in transfer-level math courses.
PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY TERESA ACOSTA
GRAPHIC BY ZASHA HAYES
News Briefs
Transfer Center Presents CSULA Day
Join us for an online event to meet with Cal State LA Representatives! On March 23 at noon. For more information email: transfer@elac.edu
ELAC Spring 2022 Scholarships
All applicants home college must be ELAC or planning to enroll, must have completed or plan on completing a minimum of six units. For more information check out @ elactransfercenter on instagram
Town Hall Series: Racial Equity and Social Justice
On Friday for a Town Series with Dolores Huerta who was been pursuing social justice and civil rights for more than 50 years. For more information check out @elachuskies on instagram.