California community colleges create task force to improve degree and certificate completion rates over next decade
Lake County News
January 19, 2011
California Community Colleges Chancellor
Jack Scott announced Tuesday that the state board of governors
appointed 21 individuals to a Student Success Task Force during its
January 2011 meeting.
The task force will meet regularly during
the next 12 months and develop a strategic blueprint to help community
college students to succeed.
“California stands ready to lead the nation
in developing innovative reforms to foster improved certificate and
degree completion rates,” said Chancellor Jack Scott. “Attaining a
college degree is a key indicator of how an individual will fare over
his or her lifetime.
Community colleges are on the front line of serving
all students seeking a degree, however, many of these students must
overcome significant life challenges in order to graduate. Ensuring
access to higher education is only half the equation, equally important
is granting students a legitimate opportunity to succeed upon entering
the classroom,” Scott concluded.
The task force includes a broad array of
academic, research and business leaders and will be chaired by board of
governors member Dr. Peter MacDougall.
The task force will examine strategies for
promoting student success, including improving student assessment,
delivering remedial instruction, increasing access to financial aid and
academic counseling and identifying national funding models to
incentivize completion rates.
