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Program Review Self-Evaluation Form 2013-2019 Student Services

Department Name: Veterans Center

Purpose of Program ReviewThe purpose of Program Review is to provide a venue through which the college can evaluate its programs in relationship to the College Mission and its Strategic Goals and priorities. The program review process promotes a self-reflective evaluation of programs in a manner in which faculty can identify programmatic successes within their disciplines, identify areas in need of improvement and establish departmental goals for enhanced programmatic and student success.

The values of program review:

Strengthening of programs through faculty led self-evaluation and goal setting; Fostering inter-departmental cooperation and communication; Stimulating dialog on student success and programmatic improvements; Evaluating each programs unique contribution to the College’s Mission and

Strategic Goals; Promotion of long-term planning focused on the use of data; Ensuring that curriculum and offerings meet student needs and promote student

progression; Providing a venue to justify programmatic augmentation and to connect program

needs to resource allocations. Enhance transparency about college programs to the broader community.

The value of self-evaluation is enhanced with the broad inclusion of individuals contributing to your department or unit. It is recommended that each department or unit make all efforts to include all faculty, staff and administration. Each department or unit may include additional information in their Annual Update Plan as needed to fully describe their department or unit. The Program Review focuses on the identified Programs of Study and Services provided by each department or unit. Each question is identified with P (Program) or D (Department) to denote whether the question should be answered at the program or departmental level.

The Office of Institutional Effectiveness is available to assist each department or unit in their efforts to complete their self-evaluation. The office has provided instructions on completing this document and resources to interactive datasets. In addition, to the generic instructions, the Office is available to assist all departments and units by providing individual training sessions, hosting departmental training meetings, and providing desk-side assistance through the Program Review Process.

Please submit your completed Program Review Self-Evaluation Form 2013-2019 to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness by email addressed to Maribel Carbajal-Garcia, [email protected] no later than Tuesday, September 30, 2014. Following submittal, validations teams organized through the college’s existing committee structure will review your document and provide feedback and recommendations for your department’s review. The Program Review and Viability Committee will provide the final recommendations for your review and feedback.

O ffi c e o f I n s ti t u ti o n a l E ff e c ti v e n e s s P a g e 1 | 20

mailto:[email protected]

Section I. Program Description

College Mission:East Los Angeles College empowers students to achieve their educational goals, to expand their individual potential, and to successfully pursue their aspirations for a better future for themselves, their community and the world.

1. Based on the information provided by the Learning Assessment Coordinator, the following programs are housed in your department/unit. Please review this list and provide any additional programs not already listed. (D)

(LAC to provide list)

Student ServicesVeterans Resource Center

2. Briefly describe each of your programs and answer the following question for each of your program(s) of study/service. In what ways does the program support the College Mission and its Strategic Goals? (D)

Program Mission:

The Veterans Resource Center acknowledges the unique challenges student veterans experience. Our Mission is to assist all student veterans through these challenges with the goal of increasing student veteran retention and completion, and to foster the development of skills needed to succeed in their transfer and career goals.

Program Description:

The Veterans Resource Center serves all veterans, reservists and their dependents, regardless of whether or not they are requesting Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) educational benefits. The center offers a computer lab, lounge, individualized access to campus and community resources, and a full-time counselor. The role of the center is to increase access, retention and completion rates, as well as to educate the campus community about our student veterans' needs. These goals are addressed through academic guidance, wellness, camaraderie and faculty/staff development.

The Veterans Resource Center directly supports the College Mission and its strategic goals through the holistic support offered to veterans, by working directly with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness to identify at-risk students, and by developing partnerships with community organizations such as the TELACU Veterans Upward Bound Program, East LA Vet Center, CalVets and the American Legion, to name a few.


3. Please describe the positions that are budgeted for your department, including the number and function for which they are budgeted.(D)

Total Headcount Function(s)

Academic Administrators

Classified Managers

Classified Supervisors

Regular Faculty 1Full-time VRC Counselor; coordinates VRC

services; creates SEP for all veterans; provides student veteran awareness training for faculty

Other Faculty (Limited Position/Long-Term Substitute Position)

Adjunct Faculty

Classified

1 Assists new student veterans with intake, AOC and GI Bill information; provides resources to

students; provides clerical support to VRC counselor; maintains daily function of VRC

Other (SFP)

UnclassifiedStudent Workers

4 Assists new student veterans with intake, AOC, and GI Bill information; serves as peer mentors for continuing students; provides clerical support to

VRC counselorUnclassified

Tutors

UnclassifiedProfessional Expert

a. Please list all faculty members on reassigned or release time.Jessica Peak, Counselor, full-time

4. List the district and campus-wide governance and decision-making committees with which your department is involved. (D)

Transfer CommitteeVeteran Success Advisory BoardStudent Services MeetingsViolence Intervention TeamGraduation CommitteeDSP&S Advisory BoardProfessional Development

5. Describe the state of your department’s equipment and any unmet equipment need. Please give a specific rationale for these needs. (D)


Currently, the VRC is equipped with eight computers. The VRC would like to invest in assistive technology, particularly to assist student veterans with Traumatic Brain Injury. A large percentage of this population served in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and/or Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF). While in ground combat, many of our student veterans were victims of Improvised Explosive Devices (IED). Traumatic Brain Injury is a direct result of IED explosions. Symptoms from TBI, including memory deficit, visual and hearing impairments, and headaches, to name a few, have a profound affect on academic progress. The CCCCO has recommended that Veterans Resource Centers provide assistive technology for student veterans. In an effort to provide optimal services for student veterans, the VRC would like to purchase this software and upgrade our current computers to allow for this advanced technology. Therefore, our unmet equipment need is to replace the 8 existing computers with 8 newer computers, printers and larger 23"-25" monitors. The purpose of the larger screens would be to accommodate those student veterans who are visually impaired and/or who have TBI.

The Veterans Resource Center counselor ran a total of 22 workshops for student veterans in Fall 2014, including Academic & Transitional topics, New Student Veteran Orientations and Academic/Progress Probation workshops. A tamis order was filled for all workshops at the start of the semester, requesting IT to set up and take down a laptop for each session. The VRC's unmet equipment need would be a designated laptop to be used by the VRC counselor for meetings, conferences, reports, workshops, trainings and guest presentations.

6. Describe the way your department’s current facilities meet the needs of your programs, including your classroom environment. Detail any unmet facility needs and steps taken to address any persisting issues. (D)

Currently, the Veterans Resource Center is located in an office within the Student Services building. The existing space provides a computer lab, lounge, and designated space for staff. The veterans counselor is housed in the Counseling Department. Attaching the physical location of the veterans counselor to the department will add convenience for students and comprehensive services. The Veterans Resource Center anticipates moving to the new Student Activities building upon its completion in 2015. The new space will continue to provide a lounge, computer stations, and space for staff. An office for the veterans counselor is also planned, as is additional surrounding conference rooms to be used for a Wellness Counselor and quiet study rooms when not in use. The space will be ADA-compliant and accessible to people with disabilities.

7. Describe any trends, recent events or activities that have impacted your program(s). Please be specific to each program provided in the list above.(P)

a. Which of these changes or trends have most impacted your programs?

b. What efforts have been made to address these changes?

c. What effect have these changes had on student goal attainment?

Trend #1: Military drawbacks and cuts within all branches is creating a national increase in enrollment of student veterans in community colleges.


Students are particularly inclined to attend college and use the Post 9/11 GI Bill offered through the VA. ELAC has seen an increase in student veteran enrollment as well. According to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, in Spring 2014, there were 550 veterans active in our system with assigned registration appointments. This semester, Fall 2014, there are 673 active veterans in our system with assigned registration appointments. This is a significant increase of the ELAC veteran population. As a result of increased enrollment of student veterans and the need to address unique challenges veterans encounter while in college, a full time counselor was appointed to serve veterans, reservists and dependents. It is unclear on the result of student goal attainment, as the hiring of a veterans counselor was effective as of 08/2013.

Trend #2: Loss of priority registration from academic and progress probation, as well as an excess of

100 units, affects VA educational benefits and timely GI Bill payment.Although there are a reported 673 veterans in our system, approximately 180 veterans request GI

Bill benefits during the Fall and Spring semesters, with about half of those requesting during intercessions. Loss of priority registration directly impacts these students due to the fact that the VA will only fund courses required for a certificate, graduation or transfer. If students can not add courses approved on their Student Educational Plan, they run the risk of not qualifying for full-time benefits with a Monthly Housing Allowance. As non-traditional students, veterans rely on this funding to support themselves and if applicable, their families. Without it, stress levels increase and have a profound affect on satisfactory course completion. The result often times is withdrawal from school or inability to buy books leading to course failure.

Trend #3: The VA will only pay for courses needed to complete a certificate, graduate and/or transfer requirements. As a result, student veterans requesting VA certification are not enrolling into Personal Development courses. Students have explained that they would rather not take an extra course that will not be part of their 12 unit load, or that they would rather focus only on courses they need to complete their goals as quickly as possible.

One of the challenges student veterans encounter is transitioning from military to civilian life. Added to this stress, students are underprepared and not ready to take on a full-time academic load as requested by the VA to receive full GI Bill benefits with a monthly housing allowance. Personal development courses would introduce students to topics such as effective study habits and time management skills. Some colleges offer a Boots to Books course and offer a book stipend to veterans as an incentive to enroll into the course. This would be an option if the VRC had a budget that would fund this stipend.

To compensate for low student veteran enrollment into Personal Development courses, the veterans counselor developed a series of workshops for Fall 2014 called Warriors to Scholars: Academic & Transitional (A&T) Workshops for Military Veterans and Reservists. Topics include Time Management, Note taking skills, Effective study strategies, and choosing a major. In addition, skills and training methods from the military are applied whenever possible. Topics in readjustment, PTSD, Traumatic Brain Injury and Military Sexual Trauma are also addressed. Students who attend 10 out of 12 workshops will receive a Certificate of Participation. In the military, certificates are a thing of honor and pride. As a result, a consistent group of veterans have attended the workshops and are working toward earning a certificate from the veterans counselor. It must be noted that students clearly understand the workshops do not carry units, are extracurricular, and will not reflect in their transcript as an earned certificate. Nevertheless, mission-driven veterans are determined to accomplish this goal and complete the series.


Section II. Program Assessment

In order to fulfill the College Mission, the college has developed four goals. These goals serve as the broad planning objectives through which all other college planning documents and departmental plans will be based. Together these goals provide a foundation for building a true agenda of student success.

Goal 1: Increasing student success and academic excellence through student-centered instruction, student-centered support services, and dynamic technologies.

1. How has your department evaluated the impact that your program(s) has on student learning and achievement? (D)

The VRC has recently began to implement the practice of providing surveys to students after workshops and orientations to evaluate their overall effectiveness.

2. The college has a goal of increasing first-year persistence and completion of certificate, degree and transfer programs. What efforts are being conducted to improve student academic performance? (D)

a. What are the results of these efforts to date? (D)In Fall 2014, the veterans counselor developed Warriors to Scholars: Academic and

Transitional (A&T) Workshops for Military Veterans and Reservists. As mentioned previously, these workshops cover time management, study skills, learning styles, notetaking, and test taking skills. While the workshops are open to all student veterans and reservists, the A&T Workshops are highly recommended for first year student veterans, as well as those students who are on academic or progress probation. Students attending 10 out of the 12 workshops will receive a certificate of participation from the VRC at the end of the series. It is with great anticipation that we see an improvement of grades for those who have consistently attended each week.

Another avenue to promote and improve student academic performance is the prospect of starting a Peer Mentor & Tutor Network. Funding for these positions would be through VA work study. These mentors and tutors would only be allowed to work with student veterans; their positions would be funded by the VA. To qualify for VA Work Study, a student must be a veteran carrying 75% of a full time course load. Although the VRC promotes reintegration of student veterans and interactions with non-veteran tutors, VA Work Study limits the selection of mentors and tutors to veterans receiving benefits only.

If funded through the VRC, the Center would have flexibility to hire any veteran, regardless of whether or not they are receiving GI Bill benefits, or even non-veterans. All mentors and tutors, veterans and non-vets, would undergo Kognito interactive computer trainings on how to assist student veterans with PTSD, TBI or Military Sexual Trauma.

Academic and Progress Probation workshops were offered in Spring 2014 and Fall 2014. Spring 2014 workshops were offered in collaboration with DSP&S. For Fall 2014, with the support of the VRC, the veterans counselor worked from a list of students provided by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Individual phone calls, emails and mailers were placed and distributed to students on the list in an effort to draw students into the workshop. Student progress has been monitored by the veterans counselor through case management; data


provided by the Office of Institutional Effectiveness will be available upon completion of the Fall 2014 semester.

3. Review the provided student demographics. What efforts have been made to ensure that students are able receive services? (P)

To ensure students are able to receive services, workshop announcements and reminders are emailed to students, posters are visible in the VRC, and all events are posted on the Veterans of ELAC Facebook page. We are currently working with IT to post all workshops and events on the ELAC Veterans Resource Center website as well. Furthermore, the newly implemented Veteran Success Advisory Board (VSAB) will bring awareness to faculty and staff who will in turn advocate for student veterans in their classroom and promote VRC services to them.

4. How have your programs coordinated efforts with other programs of service and programs of study? (P)

The following are ways the VRC has coordinated efforts with other programs of service and programs of study: Disabled Students Programs & Services: Academic Probation Workshops, VA memos, sharing of information regarding GI Bill benefits and VA updates as they affect student veterans receiving services from DSP&S;Career Center: Resume writing workshops, veteran-specific job leads;Counseling: Academic Probation planning, VA/benefits and VRC updates shared at counseling meetings;Learning Center: Director is aware of the VA tutoring stipend for veterans and ready to recommend tutors as opportunities arise; MESA/STEM majors: Year-round acceptance of eligible student veterans into the MESA program, NSF Grant collaboration; Nursing/RT: Priority admissions for veterans -- qualified student veterans who have been accepted into these programs are not subject to the lottery system. Student veterans may start their program among the first group of students in the Fall;Admissions: Certifying Official certifies students requesting to use GI Bill benefits at ELAC;Administration of Justice, Logistics and Nursing Departments: Have been proactive in reviewing military transcripts and offering credit for military experience and training in lieu of major coursework;Art 708: 8-week long summer ceramics course offered in Summer 2014 to all students but highly recommended for student veterans; Workforce Development: Entrepreneurship workshop offered to veterans;First Year Experience Program: Program is flexible with student veterans receiving GI Bill benefitsStudent Services - Outreach (Senior Day);Professional Development: Coordinate with the Professional Development Coordinator to offer FLEX credit to faculty who attend Veteran Success Faculty Workshops;Campus-wide: Newly implemented Veteran Success Advisory Board (VSAB) inviting administrators, faculty and staff to join a campus-wide collaboration to advocate for student veterans and promote the VRC.


Goal 2: Increasing equity in successful outcomes by analyzing gaps in student achievement and using this, to identify and implement effective models and programming to remedy these gaps.

1. Review the following data on student completion. What have your programs done to address the equity gaps depicted in the data? (D)

ELAC All Credit Student Retention by Ethnicity and GenderEthnicity and Gender Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013African-AmericanF 83.5% 79.0% 84.8% 82.1% 84.1%M 88.3% 87.5% 85.5% 81.4% 82.1%Asian/Pacific IslanderF 90.3% 92.3% 91.9% 89.7% 89.9%M 88.9% 89.4% 90.8% 88.4% 87.2%CaucasianF 90.2% 89.8% 88.8% 87.8% 86.6%M 87.4% 89.1% 86.2% 87.5% 83.7%Hispanic/LatinoF 84.4% 85.6% 85.9% 84.8% 83.6%M 84.1% 85.5% 85.3% 83.5% 81.8%Multi-EthnicF 84.7% 89.1% 91.1% 87.0% 84.0%M 87.2% 83.8% 89.8% 86.8% 83.2%Native AmericanF 68.8% 83.3% 77.6% 85.7% 81.3%M 87.1% 89.5% 84.8% 82.9% 95.5%UnknownF 87.5% 86.3% 89.1% 84.1% 84.0%M 85.7% 84.4% 87.3% 85.2% 84.5%

ELAC All Credit Student Persistence to Spring by Gender and EthnicityCohort Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013African-AmericanF 40.7% 48.7% 49.5% 54.9% 47.0%M 47.6% 59.0% 53.0% 52.8% 54.8%Asian/Pacific IslanderF 64.1% 69.2% 70.1% 70.4% 69.8%M 68.0% 69.0% 71.8% 73.4% 72.3%CaucasianF 42.6% 54.6% 48.5% 51.8% 51.6%M 44.1% 49.4% 53.8% 55.7% 52.8%Hispanic/Latino


ELAC All Credit Student Persistence to Spring by Gender and EthnicityCohort Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013F 62.2% 66.2% 65.9% 67.6% 67.7%M 61.5% 66.2% 66.3% 67.5% 66.5%Multi-EthnicF 61.1% 68.8% 65.8% 72.7% 64.6%M 63.3% 63.0% 73.0% 74.3% 66.5%Native AmericanF 66.7% 66.7% 70.0% 57.1% 66.7%M 61.5% 69.2% 48.1% 66.7% 80.0%UnknownF 63.9% 71.2% 69.3% 72.0% 65.1%M 59.4% 67.2% 70.8% 64.7% 66.1%

ELAC Veteran Credit Student Retention by Ethnicity and GenderEthnicity and Gender Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013African-AmericanF 75.0% 60.0% 100.0% 100.0% 80.0%M 95.0% 94.7% 85.0% 91.4% 87.5%Asian/Pacific IslanderF 92.6% 100.0% 96.4% 90.2% 86.8%M 90.8% 84.1% 90.2% 87.8% 86.0%CaucasianF 86.7% 78.3% 81.3% 90.0% 64.3%M 85.4% 85.3% 89.4% 89.4% 96.2%Hispanic/LatinoF 92.3% 82.2% 86.7% 84.6% 87.1%M 87.6% 88.9% 87.6% 83.8% 88.0%Multi-EthnicF 50.0% 100.0% 100.0% 88.9% 100.0%M 100.0% 63.6% 94.7% 94.1% 66.7%Native AmericanF N/A N/A N/A N/A N/AM N/A N/A N/A N/A 100.0%UnknownF 40.0% 88.9% 100.0% 83.3% 76.9%M 93.0% 88.4% 78.8% 92.3% 88.2%

ELAC Veteran Credit Student Persistence to Spring by Gender and EthnicityCohort Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013African-American


ELAC Veteran Credit Student Persistence to Spring by Gender and EthnicityCohort Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013F 28.6% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 66.7%M 11.1% 83.3% 37.5% 70.0% 62.5%Asian/Pacific IslanderF 82.6% 61.5% 70.6% 64.7% 59.1%M 73.8% 68.9% 68.2% 64.0% 65.5%CaucasianF 75.0% 100.0% 60.0% 57.1% 66.7%M 45.0% 58.8% 57.1% 55.0% 61.9%Hispanic/LatinoF 65.2% 65.5% 68.1% 61.4% 65.9%M 67.0% 69.5% 67.5% 66.2% 69.5%Multi-EthnicF 50.0% 100.0% 0.0% 100.0% 100.0%M 66.7% 20.0% 85.7% 71.4% 55.6%Native AmericanF N/A 66.7% N/A N/A N/AM N/A 69.2% N/A N/A 100.0%UnknownF 33.3% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 50.0%M 78.6% 68.8% 68.8% 61.5% 66.7%

The Veterans Resource Center has done the following to address the equity gaps depicted in the data:

Assign a full-time veterans counselor to provide veteran awareness faculty workshops, comprehensive Student Educational Plans, academic support, interventions, new student veteran orientations and case management to at-risk military veterans, reservists and dependents;

Increase faculty awareness regarding reservists' commitments & military withdrawal as an option for students receiving orders for deployment mid-semester;

Provide priority registration to all veterans with a DD-214;

Offer monthly new student veteran orientations. Based on the data, there is an increase in retention which could be greatly due to the result of students receving GI Bill benefits. To keep up with VA policy, students must keep their courses or will either not get paid or see an overpayment to the VA. Understanding benefits is critical and affects the enrollment, progress and completion of those who are receiving benefits;

The VRC offers individual, one-on-one consultations to student veterans who seek community resources for challenges such as homelessness, mental health, physical disabilities, alcoholism/substance abuse, and legal advice for veterans;


In Spring 2014, the VRC launched its first effort to reach out to female veterans with an empowerment luncheon. It has been a trend that female veterans are not seeking the VRC's services as frequently as their male counterparts. Female and male veterans often times face different challenges associated with readjustment and mental health. A goal of the VRC is to establish a comprehensive support system for female veterans. There is much support from female faculty in particular. Wellness, support and empowerment will be the central themes surrounding events coordinated for this group.

Goal 3: Sustaining community-centered access, participation, and preparation that improves the college's presence in the community, maximizes access to higher education and provides outlets for artistic, civic, cultural, scientific and social expression as well as environmental awareness.

1. The college strives to reach non-traditional students. What efforts have been planned or have taken place to reach underrepresented student populations? (P)

ELAC All Credit Student Profile: Gender

GenderFall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

N % N % N % N % N %

F 16,964 59.9%

16,026 58.7%

16,487 58.0%

15,680 58.3%

15,279 57.4%

M 11,345 40.1%

11,281 41.3%

11,952 42.0%

11,217 41.7%

11,349 42.6%

Total 28,309

100.0%

27,307

100.0%

28,439

100.0%

26,897

100.0%

26,628

100.0%

ELAC All Credit Student Profile: Ethnicity

EthnicityFall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

N % N % N % N % N %African- 558 2.0% 483 1.8% 542 1.9% 483 1.8% 463 1.7%


AmericanAsian/Pacific Islander 4,608 16.3% 4,411 16.2% 4,363 15.3% 4,119 15.3% 3,844 14.4%Caucasian 566 2.0% 540 2.0% 629 2.2% 524 1.9% 552 2.1%Hispanic/Latino

21,232 75.0%

20,713 75.9%

21,743 76.5%

20,719 77.0%

20,731 77.9%

Multi-Ethnic 198 0.7% 265 1.0% 356 1.3% 381 1.4% 430 1.6%Native American 53 0.2% 50 0.2% 47 0.2% 42 0.2% 39 0.1%Unknown 1,094 3.9% 845 3.1% 759 2.7% 629 2.3% 569 2.1%

Total 28,309

100.0%

27,307

100.0%

28,439

100.0%

26,897

100.0%

26,628 100.0%

ELAC All Credit Student Profile: Age

Age Group Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013N % N % N % N % N %

Under 18 2,061 7.3% 1,481 5.4% 1,750 6.2% 1,283 4.8% 1,262 4.7%18-21 10,070 35.6% 10,280 37.6% 10,912 38.4% 10,335 38.4% 9,811 36.8%22-25 6,510 23.0% 6,701 24.5% 6,988 24.6% 7,037 26.2% 7,425 27.9%26-30 3,864 13.6% 3,770 13.8% 3,726 13.1% 3,594 13.4% 3,581 13.4%31-35 2,020 7.1% 1,815 6.6% 1,889 6.6% 1,705 6.3% 1,671 6.3%36-40 1,350 4.8% 1,154 4.2% 1,144 4.0% 1,036 3.9% 997 3.7%41-50 1,571 5.5% 1,344 4.9% 1,315 4.6% 1,210 4.5% 1,185 4.5%Older than 50 863 3.0% 762 2.8% 715 2.5% 697 2.6% 696 2.6%Total 28,309 100.0% 27,307 100.0% 28,439 100.0% 26,897 100.0% 26,628 100.0%

ELAC Veteran Credit Student Profile: Gender

GenderFall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

N % N % N % N % N %F 105 24.8% 93 21.9% 76 18.7% 76 19.7% 79 18.8%M 318 75.2% 332 78.1% 331 81.3% 310 80.3% 341 81.2%Total 423 100.0% 425 100.0% 407 100.0% 386 100.0% 420 100.0%

ELAC Veteran Credit Student Profile: Ethnicity

EthnicityFall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013

N % N % N % N % N %African-American 16 3.8% 9 2.1% 11 2.7% 11 2.8% 19 4.5%Asian/Pacific Islander 65 15.4% 71 16.7% 61 15.0% 67 17.4% 77 18.3%Caucasian 24 5.7% 22 5.2% 33 8.1% 27 7.0% 27 6.4%Hispanic/Latino 296 70.0% 298 70.1% 275 67.6% 254 65.8% 274 65.2%


Multi-Ethnic 5 1.2% 6 1.4% 8 2.0% 10 2.6% 10 2.4%Native American 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 1 0.2%Unknown 17 4.0% 19 4.5% 19 4.7% 17 4.4% 12 2.9%

Total 423 100.0% 425 100.0% 407100.0

% 386 100.0% 420 100.0%

ELAC Veteran Credit Student Profile: Age

Age Group Fall 2009 Fall 2010 Fall 2011 Fall 2012 Fall 2013N % N % N % N % N %

Under 18 4 0.9% 4 0.9% 1 0.2% 2 0.5% 5 1.2%18-21 47 11.1% 26 6.1% 27 6.6% 31 8.0% 36 8.6%22-25 84 19.9% 82 19.3% 73 17.9% 74 19.2% 70 16.7%26-30 114 27.0% 140 32.9% 138 33.9% 112 29.0% 104 24.8%31-35 66 15.6% 78 18.4% 73 17.9% 65 16.8% 86 20.5%36-40 38 9.0% 34 8.0% 39 9.6% 33 8.5% 30 7.1%41-50 35 8.3% 29 6.8% 25 6.1% 42 10.9% 50 11.9%Older than 50 35 8.3% 32 7.5% 31 7.6% 27 7.0% 39 9.3%Total 423 100.0% 425 100.0% 407 100.0% 386 100.0% 420 100.0%

Currently, the VRC works closely with our community partners, TELACU Veterans Upward Bound Program and the East L.A. Vet Center. TELACU VUB provides veterans with career training, job placement and college preparation. They offer free courses in basic computer usage, English and Math. Veterans who go through TELACU and are seeking to start college are often times referred to the ELAC veterans counselor and/or VRC. Likewise, we refer students who have not taken their assessment to receive preparation in English and Math so as not to take a "cold" assessment. Student veterans who go through TELACU prior to the ELAC assessment have reported feeling more confident taking the test.

The East L.A. Vet Center is another community organization that supports veterans and seeks to provide assistance to ELAC veterans as necessary. The East L.A. Vet Center provides therapy for veterans who are experiencing transitional challenges. They also help veterans with PTSD, TBI or Military Sexual Trauma. The East L.A. Vet Center is a branch of the VA located in neighboring Commerce, CA. As students experience service-related anxiety, they are directly connected by the veterans counselor or VRC to the East L.A. Vet Center. Likewise, veterans demonstrating a readiness to start college during or after therapy are advised of the academic programs offered at ELAC and support services for veterans. The VRC is currently communicating with the East LA Vet Center Team Leader to arrange for a therapist to provide individual and group sessions to student veterans at ELAC's main campus.

In Fall 2014, the VRC, Certifying Official, and Administration of Justice Department Chair will present an orientation to students at the Sheriff's Academy regarding GI Bill benefits, support for veterans at ELAC, and academic requirements for graduation and transfer. There is a high number of veterans enrolled in AJ 98, a 15 unit course. Offering an orientation regarding VA benefits and educational options will bring awareness to the veterans in the Academy and connect them to ELAC.


2. What specific efforts have been conducted by your department/program(s) to promote student access? (D)

The following efforts promote student access through the VRC: VRC website, mailers, phone calls, emails, flyers, updates made to general counselors, veterans counselor emails and phone calls, partnerships with community agencies, attendance at campus fairs and events, participation on committees, and faculty awareness workshops. Classroom presentations and advertisements on the campus newspaper are ways the VRC plan to promote student access in the future.

3. What efforts have been made to improve your program’s presence in the community? (P)a. What efforts have been made to engage the community or other educational

institutions to improve the preparation of all entering students? (D)Creating partnerships: The VRC coordinated with the Career Center to bring TELACU Veterans Upward Bound career

workshops to ELAC ; East LA Vet Center; USC/LA Mayor collaborative survey participant; University reps to promote transfer for veterans (CSULA, CSULB, Pepperdine, LMU, USC, Chapman,

UCLA); Veterans Services Region 7 member; LACCD Veterans Services Collaborative; Department of Veterans Affairs;Department of Vocational Rehabilitation;USC Higher Education Collaborative; TELACU (computer skills, math/english assessment and GED preparation); Outreach: LA Sheriff's Academy; Fundraisers with American Legion Post 804.


Goal 4: Ensuring institutional effectiveness and accountability through data-driven decision-making as well as evaluation and improvement of all college programs and governance structures.

1. What have you learned from the assessment of your Student Service Outcomes? (P)a. In which areas did you excel? (P)b. What issues and needs have been revealed? (P)c. Describe the changes that have taken place. (P)d. Describe how your department will use program assessment results for program-level

improvement.

***Since this is the first year completing a Veterans Resource Center Program Review Self Evaluation, SSO's have not been completed on TracDat. The VRC will work with OIE to develop full program outcomes.

The following observation is based on the Spring 2014 Student Survey and may have an effect on the VRC's SSO's: It is clear that there is a need to promote awareness of student veterans and services provided to them. Many non-veteran students are unaware of this population and the need for support. The Veterans Resource Center will implement new strategies such as posting regular advertisements in the student newspaper and displaying posters throughout the campus to promote the VRC and its services. Integration with non-veterans is promoted among our student veterans. It is clear that the VRC and Veterans of ELAC (VELAC) must continue planning events to include non-veteran students as well.

2. Describe your 4-year assessment plan for each program-outcome. (P)

Program & Outcome #

Spring 2013 Fall2013



3. Describe any additional assessment that is needed to more fully understand your outcomes. What requests, if any, for evaluation have been made to OIE? (P)

Assessments will include the following:

Semester surveys to all ELAC student veterans requesting feedback and satisfaction of VRC services;

Surveys given to students after each orientation and workshop;

Surveys given to faculty and staff after each Faculty Awareness Workshop;

Semester surveys given to female student veterans requesting feedback and satisfaction of VRC services;


Section III. Program Plan

Complete Table A by: a. Based on the data provided in the preceding questions, describe your department or unit

goals for the next six years and the programs involved.b. Aligning the department/unit goals with the Educational, Facilities and Technology

Master Plan objectives. c. Reporting progress on stated goalsd. Stating the anticipated outcomes of the stated goals


Department/Unit Goal

Programs Involved

Alignment with Educational Master Plan Objectives Alignment with Tech Master Plan Objectives Alignment with Facilities Master Plan Objectives Progress to date Anticipated Outcome of Department/ Unit

Goal

Additional Resources Required?

Description of goal

List of programs involved

None None None Description of an previous or ongoing activities

Description of anticipated improvements on measures

Description of resources required to accomplish department goals

Increase the number of student veterans transferring to 4 year universities.

Transfer Center, Counseling Department, OIE

Goal 2: Improve the transfer rate for underreprese Goal 1: Support students, faculty, and staff in th Goal 1: Complete the Campus Student Center/Booksto

Counselor and VRC staff promotes transfer; university reps are invited to present on veteran-specific admissions policies; partnerships created with university Veterans Resource Centers to assist students with transfer and VA benefits.

Transfer admissions for veterans varies for each university. ELAC's VRC anticipates to continue building partnerships with additional university VRC's and representatives with the goal of creating a streamlined transfer process for vets at multiple schools.

Create flashdrives accessible to students with information regarding transfer and links to university VRC's; Plan campus tours to university VRC's; Student vets are older and considering graduate school. Bringing in grad school representatives would be highly effective in motivating students to transfer and set goals for specific grad programs.

Increase retention, completion and graduation rates through academics, wellness and camaraderie.

Learning Assistance Center, ASU, Student Activities/Health Center, Counseling Department, Academic Programs,

Goal 1: Ensure on-campus student engagement to inc

Goal 2: Ensure all students have equitable access Goal 1: Complete the Campus Student Center/Booksto

Program Assistants serve as mentors and assist students through AOC and transitional challenges; Classified support offers individual assistance with benefits and resources; veterans counselor provides workshops and individual appointments for academic support; collaboration with VELAC (Veterans of ELAC student club);

Determined strategies will be developed and implemented to strengthen existing academics, wellness and camaraderie components.

Create a comprehensive female veteran support group; Provide a Wellness Counselor for veterans to coordinate individual and small group sessions at least twice per week; Develop and implement a peer mentor and tutoring network; Continued collaboration with VELAC (Veterans of ELAC student club);


Community Partners

engage female veterans within the VRC through luncheons and other events; students are encouraged to use the $100/month VA tutoring stipend.

High-tech software on all computers for student veterans with TBI; Coordinate with the VA to have a health van for veterans visit the campus regularly; Campus events to commemorate Veterans Day and Memorial Day

Establish a Veteran Success Advisory Board (VSAB).

Student Services departments, Academic Departments, Community partners

Goal 2: Create strategies to recruit and support u Goal 3: Expand access to higher education through Goal 2: Provide adequate access to facilities for The first VSAB meeting is scheduled for 11/6/14. An email invitation was sent out and immediately drew interest through positive responses and RSVP's from faculty and staff.

To gain campus-wide support of the VRC and student veterans, as well as collaborate with the campus community on ways to promote retention, completion, graduation and transfer.

Data from OIE to present to VSAB in tracking effectiveness of recommendations provided by the Board; Community partners to present on trends affecting veterans and available resources regarding housing, mental health, and VA benefits; VSAB stickers to be created for all active participants to display in their office or workspace.

None None None

Increase the number of students served. Concentrate on main campus and offsite outreach efforts.

Outreach, Academic Departments

Goal 2: Create strategies to recruit and support u Goal 1: Support students, faculty, and staff in th Goal 1: Complete the Campus Student Center/Booksto

An estimated 200 veterans (unduplicated) have been served this past year at the VRC with far more vets who are not utilizing VRC services. Typical methods of communication include email blasts, phone calls, flyer distribution,

The goal is to increase the number to at least 500 veterans.

Classroom presentations made by student workers and program assistants to courses with high veteran enrollment (based on majors); posters to promote the VRC can be displayed throughout the


and Facebook page updates.

campus; VRC staff presence at South Gate at least once a week; continued community partnerships, but with more site visits with a purpose to meet with veterans and recruit; orientations at Sheriff's Academy

Provide on-going faculty and staff workshops to promote awareness of student veterans' needs.

Campus-wide faculty & staff

Goal 1: Provide sustained professional development

Goal 3: Expand access to higher education through Goal 1: Complete the Campus Student Center/Booksto

As of date, two faculty workshops with available FLEX credit have been offered. The first was a webinar and the second was a presentation on physical, mental and academic challenges of student vets. It was presented by the veterans counselor and included a student veteran panel. In collaboration with Professional Development, a third workshop will be offered on 11/14/14.

To continue offering Veteran Success Faculty Workshops every semester.

Veterans counselor and Classified support to attend "Train the Trainer" VetNetAlly seminar offered at CSULB (registration fee required); Create stickers for ELAC faculty and staff to display in their office or workspace that they are supporters of ELAC student veterans. This would encourage student veterans to ask for help.

None None None

1. Please describe what additional resources are required in order to meet your planning goals.The most important resource needed to meet these planning goals is funding. The VRC currently has no budget and relies on donations and fundraisers. A budget would allow the VRC to fund for peer tutors and mentors (use of VA work study limits the mentors and tutors who can be hired to only veterans who are receving benefits) , training of peer tutors and mentors, promotional materials, university campus and VRC tours (e.g, transportation), part-time wellness counselor to work with individuals and small groups, meditation workshops, monthly events for female veterans, end of year graduation and transfer banquet, Veterans Day celebrations, Memorial Day campus event, high tech software, recorders, scholarships, $100-$200 book grant as an incentive to enroll into Personal Development 1. As mentioned previously, this course is not paid for by the Department of Veterans Affairs, but is greatly needed for veterans as they readjust into civilian life and transition into college. Most student veterans are not taking PD1 as a result of not receiving payment from the VA for the course. If a book grant is offered to veterans, they would need to enroll into a PD1 course that would be highly recommended for student veterans and have an added emphasis on transitional challenges. This course would not count towards their 12 units for VA certification, but would be a course in addition to their 12 units. Students may also earn a Certificate of Participation.


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