e-mail this page
Printer Friendly Version

Sacramento State teams up with
community colleges for student achievement

Deborah Travis, vice president of instruction, Sacramento City College, Greg Wheeler, Sacramento State’s Associate Dean of Undergraduate Studies, and William Karns, vice president of instruction, Cosumnes River College

Community college and Sacramento State leaders came together last week in the first of many meetings that promise not only to foster relationships, but deliver real results for Sacramento State students before, during and after their college careers.

The series of meetings was designed because of the need for the University to work closely with leaders from community colleges to enhance student success in every stage of their academic career, as well as serve the needs of the Sacramento Region in their careers beyond the University.

More than 60 of the region’s community college administrators and faculty from around the region participated. Representatives from American River, Cosumnes River, Delta, Folsom, Sacramento City, Sierra and Yuba Colleges, and Sacramento State came together to discuss the importance of focusing on collaborations that will best serve the students.

“Roughly two-thirds of our students are transfer students,” said Greg Wheeler, associate dean for Undergraduate Studies and conference organizer. “A crucial factor in the success of these students is the strong partnership we have with our regional community colleges. This partnership provides for clear course articulation, good regional planning for workforce needs and a healthy dialogue with all the important players in the region’s educational programs.”

Subsequently, those important players are actively engaged in constructive approaches. The participants addressed topical student issues such as STEM (sciences, technology, engineering and mathematics) training in the region, teacher preparation and early childhood education training. Several plans of action were generated:

• Address the shortages in the number of students pursuing STEM careers, determine the skill sets STEM students need and generating excitement in students with STEM career choices through close collaboration between all levels of education. There is a plan for a partnership conference with K-12, community college districts and Sacramento State to discuss best practices in STEM education.
• Identify workforce trends and effective ways to meet the demand for well-prepared teachers. Action plans were implemented at individual institutions, and a follow-up meeting will occur in the spring.
• Prepare well-qualified early-childhood education teachers and administrative leaders in the field through cross-institutional collaborations on recruitment and workforce development projects. Another goal is to engage and educate the wider community about the critical importance of early childhood education, particularly given the push toward publicly funded preschool programs and the requirements of teachers to have a BA degree in those programs. The goal is to reach county offices of education, schools districts and the Child Development Division of the California Department of Education.

For more information, contact Wheeler at 278-5344.