Overview of Introduction

Mt. San Antonio College (Mt. SAC) is a single-college district located in the city of Walnut in the eastern part of Los Angeles County at 1100 N. Grand Ave., Walnut, CA 91789. Among the largest of California's community colleges, Mt. SAC enrolls more than 57,000 students annually. The College's two largest ethnic groups are Latino students (61.5 percent) and Asian students (15.3 percent), and the College's credit student population is 88.6 percent non-white. At Mt. SAC, 43 percent of credit students receive Pell grants, and 73 percent receive some form of financial aid. In addition, 49 percent of enrolled credit students are first-generation college students.

The following are some of Mt. SAC's successful models to reach students and impact their educational outcomes:

• The Bridge Program has been helping students succeed for over 18 years. It has grown from serving its first cohort of 82 students in 1998 to serving 824 students during the 2015-16 academic year.
• The College's Title V, Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) grant focuses on: 1) providing support services that accelerate students into and promote retention in college-level coursework; and 2) creating sustainable and scalable cohort models that move students quickly into college-level coursework and promote faster completion.
• The Pathways to Transfer initiative is an accelerated learning program aimed at helping students who tested below college-level English and mathematics reach transfer-level courses.
• Mt. SAC was one of only 30 community colleges nationwide to be selected to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) Pathways Project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This project focuses on building the capacity of community colleges to design and implement structured academic and career pathways at scale.
• Mt. SAC has received nearly $4.5 million in Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) funding to implement 119 basic skills projects over the past five years. BSI projects have been aimed at improving outcomes of basic skills credit and noncredit students.
• The College will continue to provide excellent programs and services for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students through its second multi-million-dollar funding (2016-2021) by the U.S. Department of Education for the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) Program. The College received a score of 99.33 out of 100 on the grant application. Mt. SAC students will reap many benefits from this fine work.

Programmatic Accreditation

In addition to institutional accreditation by ACCJC, Western Association for Schools and Colleges (WASC), the following programs are required to be accredited by additional accrediting bodies (I.C.1-26):

• The Air Conditioning and Refrigeration A.S. Degree is the only Partnership for Air-Conditioning Heating, Refrigeration Accreditation certified program in California.
• Airframe and Aircraft Powerplant Maintenance Technology A.S. Degree is certified by the Federal Aviation Administration to train new technicians to enter the industry as general aviation technicians, corporate aircraft technicians, or commercial aircraft technicians.
• The Alcohol and Drug Counseling A.S. Degree is accredited by the California Association for Alcohol/Drug Educators.
• The Certified Nursing Assistants (CNA) program is licensed through the State of California, Health & Human Services, Department of Public Health, Licensing & Certification Section.
• The Emergency Medical Services A.S. Degree is nationally accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education
• The Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)- Paramedic Program A.S. Degree is nationally accredited by the Committee on Accreditation of EMS Programs and by The Committee on Accreditation of Allied Health Education
• The Fire Technology A.S. Degree is accredited by the Office of the State Fire Marshall.
• The Histologic Training program is accredited by the National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences.
• The Interior Design A.S. Degree is accredited by the National Kitchen & Bath Association.
• The Mental Health Technology Psychiatric Technician A.S. Degree is accredited by the Board of Vocational Nursing and Psychiatric Technicians.
• Licensed Vocational Nursing to RN A.S Degree and Nursing A.S. Degree are approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
• The Phlebotomy program is accredited by the State of California, Health and Human Services, Department of Public Health, Licensing and Certification Section.
• The Psychiatric Technician to RN A.S. Degree is approved by the California Board of Registered Nursing.
• The Radiologic Technology A.S. Degree is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology.
• The Respiratory Therapy A.S. Degree is accredited by the Committee on Accreditation for Respiratory Care.
• The Registered Veterinary Technology A.S. Degree is accredited by the American Veterinary Medical Association.
• The Mt. SAC School of Continuing Education is accredited by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools & Colleges.

College History

Our Proud History

Since Mt. SAC was established in 1945, it has emerged as an educational leader in the state of California. It is an accredited institution and one of the largest and best known community colleges in the country.

Early History

Before Mt. SAC came to be, the land was inhabited by Gabrielino Indian tribes until Spanish explorers and pioneer settlers called it home. In 1842, the site became the eastern edge of the original Rancho La Puente, a sprawling 48,000-acre ranch granted to pioneers John Rowland and William Workman by the Mexican government. For more than 100 years, the area became known for its fertile land and agriculture, with groves of citrus and walnut trees, packing houses, and small farms.

World War II and Its Impact

World War II inspired dramatic changes. During the war, what is known today as the Mt. SAC campus was actually an Army hospital and, later, a Naval hospital.

As World War II came to an end, local leaders anticipated the return of young students to complete their college education. In December 1945, voters from four local high school districts approved the formation of the Mt. San Antonio Community College District. Mt. SAC was initially named Eastern Los Angeles County Community College, but was later renamed after Mt. San Antonio, the snow-capped mountain (popularly known as Mt. Baldy) prominently visible in the distance above campus.

Walnut, not yet an incorporated city, consisted of very little except dirt roads, cacti, and grasslands covered in the spring with wild mustard grass. Over time, the orchards and small farms began to make way for post-war housing and expanding suburbs.

The Spirit of Mt. San Antonio College

Mt. SAC's first staff began its tenure on July 1, 1946, and was given a daunting task: Create a College and start offering classes that fall.

It was during those precious few months that the "Spirit of Mt. San Antonio College" was born. Faculty, staff, and students banded together under a common vision to make it the best community college in the country. Without concern about monetary compensation, they dedicated themselves to pioneering a new College. Faculty and staff relentlessly worked day and night. Their family, friends and potential students generously donated their time. Spouses helped collect supplies. Students painted walls. Each Board of Trustee member personally helped finance the effort.

In just two months, a meager budget of $191,790 was pulled together. Furniture was obtained from surplus war materials or made from apple crates and orange boxes. By Aug. 15, 1946, student registration began for programs organized under seven divisions and 12 departments.

Through dedication and perseverance, the campus community achieved the impossible. It opened for classes on Sept. 16, 1946. Staff expected an enrollment of 600. By the end of the month, 454 men and 181 women were registered, with a final enrollment number recorded at 682.

A Tradition of Excellence

The Spirit of Mt. San Antonio College thrives to this day. The campus makes no compromises in quality. While maintaining low fees of just $46 a unit, the College continues to provide advanced academic training and state-of-the-art laboratories. The College boasts high-tech equipment and labs but is also recognized for its unmatched water conservation and environmental sustainability efforts. Students are taught skills for global citizenship and also enjoy one-on-one support from a new generation of dedicated faculty and staff.

Major Developments Since Last Comprehensive Review or Site Visit

Major Developments in Administration

Dr. William (Bill) T. Scroggins took office as the ninth President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Mt. SAC on July 1, 2011. Since arriving at Mt. SAC, Dr. Scroggins has devoted his energy and skill to building on the College's culture of excellence and innovation. He has dedicated himself to securing the necessary resources to foster student success, enhance greater operational efficiency across the College, provide professional development opportunities for employees, and recognize them for noteworthy accomplishments. Dr. Scroggins has mapped out a strategic plan that addresses the academic needs of students for the 21st century and has supported a campus environment that fosters innovative teaching and learning through the College's comprehensive Facilities Master Plan. He has also been a longtime advocate and leader for workforce development within the region and state, which is evidenced by his membership on the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Strong Workforce Implementation Advisory group. Furthermore, Dr. Scroggins has had a key role in preparing the state and regional community college Career Technical Education (CTE) leadership for implementation of the Strong Workforce Program by presenting a series of webinars (INT1, INT2).

Dr. Irene Malmgren became Mt. SAC's Vice President of Instruction on July 1, 2013. She serves as Chief Instructional Officer, overseeing instructional programs and services, which includes full- and part-time faculty, deans, managers, and staff. In addition, she is a member of the President's Cabinet, serves as the College's Accreditation Liaison Officer, and oversees strategic academic planning, research, and evaluation.

Following the 2013, November general election, the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees expanded from five to seven members to better represent the College's district. New trustees Laura Santos and Robert Hidalgo were sworn in to the Mt. SAC Board of Trustees during the December, 2013 meeting.

The College hired Ibrahim "Abe" Ali as Vice President of Human Resources on Aug. 17, 2016. He oversees the District's workforce and employee programs, manages the hiring processes, coordinates the collective bargaining effort, and is a member of the President's Cabinet.

Major Developments in the Instruction Division

In the past few years, Mt. SAC has improved preparation for accreditation by forming a campus wide Accreditation Steering Committee. This committee implemented accreditation training with different constituent groups during Faculty Flex Day and Classified Professional Development Day.

In 2012, Mt. SAC's School of Continuing Education earned a six-year postsecondary accreditation term by the Accrediting Commission for Schools, Western Association of Schools and Colleges. This was the school's first accreditation effort. In spring 2015, the College significantly expanded the school's infrastructure due to program growth. The expansion included a re-vamping of the management reporting and enlarged and expanded the short-term vocational area. This increase was appropriate given that the school is the state's fifth largest noncredit program.

Mt. SAC formed a formal partnership with Mount Saint Mary's University (MSMU) to offer its Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) degree on the Mt. SAC campus. Students earning the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) at Mt. SAC move into the BSN degree program for completion with Mount Saint Mary's University. Mt. SAC is excited to offer this high-wage, high-demand degree to students. Mt. SAC and Pomona Valley Hospital Medical Center created an internship program in which Mt. SAC nursing students in the Transition to Practice course interned at Pomona Valley. The internship program is supported by a Song-Brown grant for Special Programs (INT3).

Mt. SAC improved the Outcomes Reporting Process. The Outcomes Committee and faculty worked together to improve student level, program level, and institutional level outcomes. The College uses TracDat software to record outcomes, assessment methods, data summaries, and discussions that result from assessment. TracDat records assessment activity and identifies alignment across all types of outcomes. Dialogue about outcomes assessment occurs regularly in department and division meetings. In addition, many departments and divisions hold special meetings to focus on outcomes assessment and planning. The College's Outcomes Committee provides updates, training, and discussions via campus wide Flex Day presentations and Professional and Organizational Development workshops. Faculty, staff, and managers, including part-time employees, participate in these activities. Outcomes assessment is a component of the College's program review process known as Planning for Institutional Effectiveness (PIE). Each year a College PIE Summary report is created based on the unit, division, and team PIEs (I.B.3-5).

A number of high-profile grants and projects are helping Mt. SAC increase student success:

• The College received a federal Title III: Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) grant in fall 2011. The five-year, $2.25 million grant funded the Arise Program, which enhances academic and personal development through a network of linked services. These services include academic and personal counseling; educational advisement; study hall; tutoring; learning communities; English language skill workshops; cultural field trips; and Asian American and Pacific Islander conferences.
• As a result of Assembly Bill 86 and an Adult Education Block Grant, Mt. SAC's School of Continuing Education participated in regional adult education planning with local K-12 school districts. The Mt. San Antonio Regional Consortium for Adult Education was established with eight partners from K-12 adult schools and one regional occupational program. A Regional Plan was created to align services among adult education regional partners and promote post-secondary and employment pathways. In the past three years, Mt. SAC has received $798,000 in block grant funds for implementation of the Plan's objectives.
• In 2013, Mt. SAC received its third consecutive five-year Federal Title V: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institution grant to support student success and strengthen the institution. The $3.2 million grant, "Building Pathways of Persistence and Completion," is designed to develop curriculum models and support structures that accelerate students' certificate completion, graduation, job placement, and transfer success.
• Mt. SAC is one of 30 community colleges nationwide selected to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges Pathways Project, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. The purpose of the project is to transform the community college experience from one in which students pick from a broad array of courses that may or may not lead to a productive outcome to one in which students are guided through a structured program of study that leads directly to work or transfer to a university. A current example is Mt. SAC's Nursing Program with its defined prerequisites, application for entry, and exacting four-semester curriculum.
• In spring 2015, Mt. SAC was one of 43 colleges in the system to be awarded the Basic Skills Transformation Grant. The grant is designed to implement high impact practices aimed at accelerating completion for basic skills students. The two objectives for Mt. SAC's grant are focused on guided pathways and English acceleration.

Major Developments in the Student Services Division

Mt. SAC has had an active Student Equity Committee for almost 20 years, and the College has developed a comprehensive Student Equity Plan, which is based on a commitment to address areas of improvement to assure success for all students. As a governance committee, the Student Equity Committee reports to the Student Preparation and Success Council. In 2011-12, the latter developed a Student Success Plan, long before the state required one. The purpose of this plan was to identify gaps in the College's support for students and interventions to improve students' success. In preparing the Student Equity Plan, the College hosted a meeting of college leaders, convened thought-partner teams to focus on aspects of equity, examined data to determine where the areas of need were most evident, and created numerous training tools and opportunities for people to engage with the data. The Student Equity Committee continues to focus on assessment data to evaluate student success and is using an evaluation tool for each project so the College can examine the impact of its work. To address the Student Success and Support Program changes in legislation, the College's processes include: 1) academic expectations with probation; 2) registration priority; 3) pre-requisite or co-requisite priorities; 4) Board of Governors Fee Waiver; 5) description of available programs, support services, financial aid assistance, and how they can be accessed; 6) academic calendar and timelines; 7) registration and college fees; 8) available education planning services, such as educational and career counseling, career planning courses, DegreeWorks, Mountie Academic Plan, and course of study pathways.

Since the last accreditation visit, Mt. SAC developed and is now using DegreeWorks—a system for creating an electronic education plan that assists students in choosing the right courses to complete their goals and enables the College to follow student progress toward these goals. Implementation of DegreeWorks has been successful. Evaluators assessing applications for graduates seeking associate degrees use DegreeWorks to complete that assessment for students graduating under catalog rights no older than three years.

The Office of the President and the Foundation secured a number of scholarships for students and funding for projects. In addition, scholarship incentives were created to recognize notable students. Mt. SAC received a five-year federal Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) grant. The grant-sponsored Summer Math Boot Camp allows students to refresh their math skills by using an online test preparation tool. The Fale Fono (Samoan for "community meeting house") acts as a safe space for Pacific Islanders (and other participating students) to interact with each other and discuss their academic experiences and challenges. The Summer Leadership Retreat offers students a space to develop leadership skills, participate in team-building activities, and reflect on their leadership capabilities.

The College will continue to provide excellent programs and services for Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander students through its second multi-million-dollar funding (2016-2021) by the U.S. Department of Education for the AANAPISI Program. The College received a score of 99.33 out of 100. Mt. SAC students will reap many benefits from the fine work. The major components of the grant include: improvement of English language skills for English Language Learners, increased completion rates among AANAPI students, and bolster career development among AANAPI students while focusing on course completion, especially math.

Mt. SAC students overwhelmingly approved Foothill Transit's Class Pass program and a new transportation fee of $8 for part-time students and $9 for full-time students. During the elections on Nov. 17-21, 2014, 81 percent of students voted to pass the proposal. The new fee pays for the Foothill Transit Class Pass program, which allows credit students unlimited access on Foothill Transit local lines and the Silver Streak that runs between Montclair and downtown Los Angeles.

Major Developments in the Administrative Services Division

The Facilities Planning and Management Department completed short- and long-term construction projects. Mt. SAC modernized and transformed the campus with a number of facilities improvements:

• The College celebrated the opening of the new Agricultural Sciences Building in a dedication ceremony held on May 6, 2011. The $25.2 million, two-story structure affords 54,700 square feet for the Horticulture, Animal Science, and Registered Veterinary Technology programs. It features a state-of-the-art veterinary lab and hospital, classrooms and conference rooms, a kennel, and administrative and faculty offices.
• Mt. SAC also unveiled the $15.7 million Administration Building renovation. A complete redesign of the original building that opened in 1965, the two-level building houses the Instruction, Human Resources, and Administrative Services Division Offices, Research and Institutional Effectiveness, Grants, Marketing and Communication, and Printing Services. Departments began moving into the new facility in December 2011.
• Work was completed on the Athletics Field House renovation project. The $5.2 million project included the renovation of classrooms and office space in the facility. The project also entailed reinforcing the structure for seismic safety. Athletics staff moved into the facility in February, 2012.
• In fall 2012, classes opened in the College's new $24.5 million Design Technology Center, the final project funded through Mt. SAC's $221 million Measure R facilities bond. The 62,837-square-foot center includes a 400-seat assembly space and consolidates computer-based design programs, such as animation, architecture, graphic arts, photography, and geographic information systems. A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the project was held on April 12, 2013.
• The College's new Astronomy Dome opened on May 17, 2013. The $750,000 project, which sits atop the Science Labs Building, includes a 23-foot rotating dome that is the central part of the astronomy program's observatory complex. The dome houses the College's main 16-inch telescope. Six other eight-inch telescopes are also available for student and public use at the observatory.
• Mt. SAC celebrated the grand opening of the Early Childhood Education Center complex on Sept. 26, 2014. The 33,800-square foot, four-building center houses child development classrooms, labs, observation spaces, and other required facilities to provide child care for up to 162 children. The $18.5 million complex is the first of the projects funded under the College's $353 million Measure RR bond.
• The Student Success Center provides 22,800 square feet of classrooms, study labs, offices, and a computer lab to help students thrive. Made possible by Measure RR, the $16.5 million facility was formally opened on March 9, 2016. It houses the Accessible Technology Center, TRiO Programs, ACES and Upward Bound, Bridge Program, Veterans Resource Center, and Student Health Services Satellite.
• Students have a new place to meet, eat, study, and relax after the grand opening of the Mountie Café on April 13, 2016. The 13,500-square-foot facility seats approximately 90 people for interior dining and more than 200 for outside dining on the east, west, and south terraces. The Mountie Café houses several new food stations, including a deli, a pizza location, a grill station, Asian cuisine, a coffee shop, and a self-serve cold display case. The $14.7 million project was funded by Measure RR.

The campus energy and management system is designed to meet comfort and energy conservation requirements. Energy conservation plans for specific projects include a thermal energy storage tank, solar panel, and expansion of the central plant to increase the College's energy efficiency. Most recently, the California Community Colleges Board of Governors honored Mt. SAC as a winner of the 2015 Energy and Sustainability Award.

In October 2010, Mt. SAC launched a campus wide emergency notification system as part of efforts to provide a safe campus environment. The system allows College personnel to quickly notify staff, faculty, and students of campus emergencies via voice, text, and email messages. Text messaging expanded in 2016 to reach students about important registration and financial aid deadlines.

Major Developments in the Human Resources Division

A selected group on campus recently participated in the Mt. SAC Great Staff Retreat, which was reprised after a decade-long hiatus. The Great Staff Retreat was held May 4-6, 2016, at the UCLA Lake Arrowhead Conference Center. The Great Staff Retreat encourages employees to examine and communicate problems faced in their working environment and to develop realistic and usable solutions to discussed issues. It was designed for classified staff to brainstorm improved governance participation. In 2016-17, the Great Staff Retreat received continued funding to encourage classified employee participation in the future.

For the past five years, Mt. SAC has undergone a classification study through the utilization of an outside vendor (Koff & Associates). In addition, California School Employee Association (CSEA) 262 and CSEA 651 collaborated with Human Resources to complete a job analysis for each classified and confidential position. This process influenced effectiveness of personnel and encouraged improvement.

During the 2015-16 fiscal year, Human Resources successfully completed full-cycle recruitment processes for 191 vacancies, an increase of 18.6 percent from the previous year. The College hired 1,310 new employees, an increase of 12.5 percent over the prior year.

Table 1. Number of Employees Hired in 2015-16

Employee Classification	Number Hired
Adjunct Faculty	338
Academic Management	5
Classified (All)	55
Classified Management	9
Faculty 10-12 month	45
Temporary Management	3
Short Term Hourly	180
Student Hourly	675

Data Source: Human Resources

Processing new employees includes on-boarding, salary placement, and set-up in Banner including payroll and benefits.

Major Developments Among Students

Students continue to shine at Mt. SAC. In the past year alone:

• The Athletics program captured the National Alliance of Two-Year College Athletic Administrators' Cup Championship, recognizing overall athletic excellence by student teams at the two-year college level, for the fourth consecutive year.
• Health careers students won ten medals – seven gold and three silver – at the Health Occupation Students of America national competition. More than 6,400 secondary and postsecondary students competed in 56 different health-related events at the national leadership event held June 22-26 in Nashville, Tennessee.
• The Forensics Team took second place overall at the 2016 Phi Rho Pi National Tournament in April. Students won five gold medals (including best overall
  speaker), seven silver medals, and 12 bronze medals. More than 500 students from 64 colleges throughout the nation competed.
• Honors student Kristin Ho was awarded the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship worth $40,000 per year to complete a bachelor's degree at a four-year college or university. She is one of only 75 students to receive this prestigious scholarship from a nationwide pool.
• Honors students Jacqueline Yu and Hung Pham were two of 93 community college students who were named to this year's Phi Theta Kappa All-California Community College Academic First Team. Only 31 of those students were chosen for the first team.
• The Turf Team 208 finished first place at the 12^th annual Student Challenge that took place at the Sports Turf Management Conference and Exhibition. This is their fifth national championship. Turf Team 202 finished in third place.

Service Area: District Boundaries

Mt. SAC's district boundaries encompass an area of approximately 189 square miles in the San Gabriel Valley, with 17 communities served. The College boundaries contain ten school districts, including 40 public and four private high schools. Additionally, Mt. SAC borders four other community college districts. Because Mt. SAC is located in a densely populated area, a large number of students from outside of the district boundaries choose to attend the College, with 37 percent of enrollment in fall 2015 coming from outside of the district (INT4).

Long Description
Figure 1. Mt. SAC's District Boundary
Data Source: https://www.mtsac.edu/maps/districtmap.html

Service Area: Labor Market Data

Mt. SAC is a leader in economic development and vocational training because local industries in the region are strong. Top regional occupations aligned with Mt. SAC programs include licensed vocational nurses, nursing assistants, preschool teachers, paralegals, and veterinary technicians. These occupations are also among those with positive job growth rates. Mt. SAC is proud to be the largest provider of Career Technical Education programs in Los Angeles County, which uses labor market data to support the development of specialized training for students in high-growth and high-wage careers.

In the Los Angeles and Orange County regions, the top ten occupations requiring either a postsecondary certificate or associate degree and with the highest number of jobs and the highest projected five-year job growth rate are summarized in the following tables (INT5):

Table 2. Top Ten Occupations Requiring Postsecondary Certificates or Associate Degrees by Number of Jobs, Los Angeles and Orange County Regions

Description	Number of Jobs	Five-Year Change*	Five-Year Percentage Change
Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	47,859	2,352	5%
Nursing Assistants	44,190	8,584	19%
Hairdressers, Hairstylists, and Cosmetologists	30,564	4,011	13%
Medical Assistants	30,449	4,368	14%
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses	29,404	4,198	14%
Automotive Service Technicians and Mechanics	27,765	862	3%
Preschool Teachers, Except Special Education	18,072	872	5%
Dental Assistants	17,557	1,796	10%
Paralegals and Legal Assistants	12,896	865	7%
Telecommunications Equipment Installers and Repairers, Except Line Installers	10,122	512	5%

Note: *Job growth or job loss.
Data Source: Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc.

Table 3. Top Ten Occupations Requiring Postsecondary Certificates or Associate Degrees by Job Growth Rate, Los Angeles and Orange County Regions

Description	Five-Year Change*	Five-Year  Change
Occupational Therapy Assistants	262	32%
Physical Therapist Assistants	568	27%
Veterinary Technologists and Technicians	596	20%
Nursing Assistants	8,584	19%
Emergency Medical Technicians (EMT) and Paramedics	1,134	19%
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers	313	19%
Ophthalmic Medical Technicians	233	18%
Massage Therapists	1,734	17%
Radiation Therapists	63	17%
Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians	249	17%

Note: *Five-year Period Job growth or job loss.
Data Source: Economic Modeling Specialists, Inc. (EMSI).

Service Area: Demographic Data

Age of the District and Service Area Population

According to 2010 census data, the largest age group in the Mt. SAC district and service area is 55 years and up (22.8 percent and 22.3 percent respectively). Among the College's student population, 11.8 percent are 50 years and up. To address the needs of this unique population, the Mt. SAC School of Continuing Education has designed a noncredit Education for Older Adults Program, which has become one of the largest in California.

The next largest to smallest age groups in both the Mt. SAC district and service areas are:

• 1 to 14 years (20.1 percent and 19.8 percent)
• 45 to 54 years (14.1 percent and 14.7 percent)
• 35 to 44 years (13.90 percent and 14.3 percent)
• 25 to 34 years (14.30 percent and 13.3 percent)
• 15 to 19 years (7.60 percent and 8.1 percent), and
• 20 to 24 years (7.40 percent and 7.6 percent)

However, certain communities in the service area have a larger proportion of individuals in the 15- to 19-year and 20- to 24-year age groups than the service area as a whole (e.g., Ontario, Montclair, Fontana, Claremont, Chino Hills, Azusa) (INT6).

Table 4. Gender in the Mt. SAC District and Service Area

Long Description
Note: Unknown gender: 514 (1.76%).
Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart; U.S. Census Bureau.

Gender of the District and Service Area Population

Among the Mt. SAC student population, slightly more students are female (50.5 percent) than male (47.7 percent). This distribution is similar to the demographics for the Mt. SAC district and service areas, as shown in the table above.

Race/Ethnicity of the District and Service Area Population

The Hispanic/Latino and Asian groups are the largest ethnic groups in both the Mt. SAC district and service area. Between 2009 and 2015, the reported proportion of Hispanic/Latino students increased by 20.9 percent. While this shift appears significant, it is notable that 29.25 percent of students did not report their race/ethnicity (unknown). Most of this shift may have been due to federal government changes in the process for reporting race and ethnicity. As a result, the number of unknown ethnic groups at Mt. SAC was higher than usual because it took a while for students to self-identify via the survey in their portal.

Mt. SAC responded to this tremendous shift by developing student support and success programs through the Student Equity Plan, Student Success and Support Plan, and Title V: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions grant (INT7).

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Figure 2. Student Ethnicity
Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Service Area: Socio-economic Data

Poverty Level

The Mt. SAC district and service areas are socioeconomically diverse, with pockets of high- and very low-income levels. For example, the College is located in Walnut where the poverty rate of only 5.0 percent does not reflect the poverty levels in the larger district. In Pomona, on the other hand, one out of five individuals (20.4 percent) lives in poverty. Other high poverty cities within the Mt. SAC service area include El Monte (24.0 percent) and Rosemead (20.3 percent). Nine of the communities in Mt. SAC's district and service areas have poverty levels higher than the national average of 15.6 percent (INT8).

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Figure 3. Population Below Poverty Level for Mt. SAC District
Data Source: 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Long Description
Figure 4. Population Below Poverty Level for Mt. SAC Service Area
Data Source: 2010-2014 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates.

Educational Attainment

The diversity of educational attainment levels in the Mt. SAC district area is striking and very closely mirrors poverty level data by city. Cities such as Walnut, with a low level of poverty, have higher than average rates of the population with a bachelor's degree or higher (51.5 percent). Conversely, those cities with high levels of poverty, such as Pomona, have lower rates of educational attainment, with only 16.5 percent of the population holding a bachelor's degree or higher.

Overall, 8.5 percent of the adult population (25 years or older) in the Mt. SAC district area and 8.9 percent in the service area hold less than a high school diploma, compared to the national average of 7.8 percent. However, an average of 28.0 percent of adults in the Mt. SAC district area and 27.6 percent in the service area hold a bachelor's degree or higher, compared to the national average of just 18.3 percent. Eighteen of the communities in Mt. SAC's district and service areas have higher rates of adults without a high school diploma than the national average. In order to address this educational gap, Mt. SAC's Adult Basic Education programs offers a high school diploma or equivalency for students seeking to earn their high school credentials (INT9, INT10, INT11).

Many Mt. SAC students with strong educational histories have earned their baccalaureate and/or postsecondary degrees in another country. These students wish to transfer their professional degrees from their native countries and obtain a license to practice their profession in the United States; however, language is often a barrier. Mt. SAC's American Language program and English as a Second Language program have been designed to support language acquisition for these and other students who speak a primary language other than English.

Faculty and Staff Demographic Data

With the end of the recession and a return to a positive economic climate, the number of faculty and staff employed at Mt. SAC increased steadily between 2011 and 2016. The number of adjunct employees went from 707 in 2011 to 1,209 in 2016; this represents an exceptional increase in employment of adjuncts. Funding that supports College wide initiatives, such as the Student Support and Success Plan and the Student Equity Plan, have resulted in increases in counseling faculty and overall staffing. College enrollment growth has also contributed to these changes.

Among the academic positions at the College, the number of adjunct faculty has increased nearly 7 percent compared to five years ago, due to sustained enrollment growth.

Table 5. Academic Employees at Mt. SAC

Academic Employees	Fall 2011 Number	Fall 2011 Percent	Fall 2012 Number	Fall 2012 Percent	Fall 2013 Number	Fall 2013 Percent	Fall 2014 Number	Fall 2014 Percent	Fall 2015 Number	Fall 2015 Percent	Fall 2016 Number	Fall 2016 Percent
Academic Administrators	36	3.4	35	2.9	35	2.7	34	2.3	35	2	39	2.34
Full-time Faculty	331	30.8	345	28.7	352	27.1	364	24.6	385	22.4	420	25.18
Adjunct Faculty	707	65.8	824	68.4	911	70.2	1079	73.1	1301	75.6	1209	72.48
TOTAL	1,074		1,204		1,298		1,477		1,721		1,668

Data Source: Argos Report PER0066.

Table 6. Classified Employees at Mt. SAC

Classified Employees	Fall 2011 Number	Fall 2011 Percent	Fall 2012 Number	Fall 2012 Percent	Fall 2013 Number	Fall 2013 Percent	Fall 2014 Number	Fall 2014 Percent	Fall 2015 Number	Fall 2015 Percent	Fall 2016 Number	Fall 2016 Percent
Classified Managers	31	5.6	33	6	36	6.24	40	7	42	7	49	8
Classified Greater than 50 Percent Assignment	416	75.8	422	76.6	441	76.43	444	77	461	78	480	77
Classified Less than 50 Percent Assignment	102	18.6	96	17.4	100	17.33	95	16	90	15	92	15
TOTAL	549		551		577		579		593		621

Data Source: Argos Report PER0066.

The ethnic distribution of academic employees has changed over the past five years, with the largest decrease (9.3 percent) in the "Caucasian/White" ethnic group and an increase in the "Hispanic/Latino" group (3.4 percent). The Asian/Pacific Island employee population has varied over these five years. In contrast, while the total number of classified employees has grown, the ethnic distribution has remained constant. For both academic and classified employees, a change in privacy laws has had a significant impact on employee ethnicity data collection, resulting in a large increase in the number of employees with "unknown" ethnicity (INT12, INT13).

Student Enrollment and Demographic Data

Credit/Noncredit Headcount by Fall Semester

Mt. SAC's unduplicated enrollment from fall 2011 to fall 2015 has demonstrated a modest 2.5 percent change overall with the increase in noncredit student enrollment (4.8 percent) slightly higher than that of credit enrollment (1.9 percent).

The data provide a snapshot of the number of students accessing Mt. SAC programs in a semester. However, it is important to remember that fewer students are attending classes on campus on any single day, as their classes are scheduled Monday through Friday and sometimes Saturday. Also, some students participate in distance learning classes, which significantly reduces the amount of time they spend on campus. Although there has been some on-campus noncredit enrollment growth primarily in English as a Second Language, most noncredit growth has occurred in programs offered at off-campus locations.

Table 7. Credit/Noncredit Headcount by Semester

Semester	Fall 2011	Fall 2012	Fall 2013	Fall 2014	Fall 2015
Number of Credit Students	28,672	27,973	28,445	29,063	29,232
Number of Noncredit Students	6,082	6,044	5,920	6,217	6,374
Total Unduplicated Number of Students	34,754	34,013	34,364	35,280	35,606

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Credit/Noncredit Headcount by Academic Year

Mt. SAC's unduplicated enrollment for an entire academic year is much greater than what is found in any one semester and has increased by 8.2 percent from the 2011-12 academic year through the 2015-16 academic year. Overall, employee staffing during this same time increased by 30.4 percent, demonstrating Mt. SAC's commitment to supporting student success through personalized services and programs designed to meet the needs of special populations.

Table 8. Credit/Noncredit Headcount by Academic Year

Mt. SAC Academic Year	Mt. SAC Unduplicated Number of Students
2011-12	52,954
2012-13	53,830
2013-14	54,357
2014-15	57,319
2015-2016	59,185

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Full-time Equivalent Student (FTES) (Credit and Noncredit)

Consistent with the increase in unduplicated enrollment, FTES from the 2011-12 academic year through the 2014-15 academic year rose by 5.2 percent.

Table 9. Full-time Equivalent Student by Academic Year

Academic Year	Credit Number	Credit Percent	Non-Credit Number	Non-Credit Percent	Total
2011-12	24,963.20	82.50%	5,300.88	17.50%	30,264.08
2012-13	25,062.73	82.10%	5,468.00	17.90%	30,530.73
2013-14	25,303.40	82.00%	5,555.74	18.00%	30,859.14
2014-15	25,889.24	81.30%	5,948.50	18.70%	31,837.74
2015-16	25,900.46	80.50%	6,253.91	19.40%	32,154.37

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Special Programs Enrollment (Disability, Foster Youth, and Veterans)

Mt. SAC has a strong history of serving students with specialized needs to provide support designed to help them achieve success. Special programs enrollment has increased at the same rate as College growth, remaining consistent over the past five years. Individuals with disabilities are identified using verified disability status in student records maintained by Accessibility Resource Centers for Students. Students are identified as foster youth or veterans through the College application and/or financial aid application.

Table 10. Student Enrollment in Special Programs

Special Program	Fall 2011 Number	Fall 2011 Percent	Fall 2012 Number	Fall 2012 Percent	Fall 2013 Number	Fall 2013 Percent	Fall 2014 Number	Fall 2014 Percent	Fall 2015 Number	Fall 2015 Percent
Disabled	1,529	5.3	1,652	5.9	1,841	6.4	1,900	6.5	1,938	6.6
Foster Youth	963	3.3	1,156	4.1	1,185	4.1	1,171	4	1,047	3.6
Veterans	799	2.8	755	2.7	758	2.6	679	2.3	651	2.2

Note: *Percentage of the total credit student population.
Data Source: Mt. SAC Banner System Data Warehouse.

Credit Students by Age

Age demographics for credit students enrolled at Mt. SAC are very different from those of the district service area. Among the Mt. SAC credit student population, 85.8 percent of students are under 30 years old. The two largest age groups are 20 to 24 years (41.5 percent) and 19 years or less (29.2 percent). These age demographics have remained steady over the past five years.

To address the needs of the significant population of teenage students, Mt. SAC has grown one of the largest high school articulation programs in the state. During the 2015-16 academic year, Mt. SAC established 194 articulation agreements with 18 partnering agencies. The agreements served students at 44 locations (high schools, adult education centers, and Regional Occupational Programs). More than 1,500 articulation requests were processed. These agreements not only allow students to receive college credit while still enrolled in high school, but they also enable students to progress through Mt. SAC's participating Career Technical Education programs more quickly.

The following table provides the demographic distribution of Mt. SAC credit students by age group for fall 2015 (INT14).

Table 11. Credit Student Headcount by Age Group, Fall 2015

Age	Number	Percent
19 or less	8,522	29.20%
20 to 24	12,132	41.50%
25 to 29	4,407	15.10%
30 to 34	1,662	5.70%
35 to 39	892	3.00%
40 to 49	999	3.40%
50+	618	2.10%
TOTAL	29,232	100.00%

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Credit Students by Gender

In terms of gender, female students enrolled in credit courses at Mt. SAC have slightly outnumbered males for the past five years. Between the fall 2011 and the fall 2015 semesters, female enrollment increased by 340 students, with females accounting for just over 50 percent of total credit enrollment. During the same time period, male enrollment decreased by 42 students for a decrease of approximately 1 percent of the total credit enrollment. However, the number of students whose gender was "unknown" during that time period increased by 262 students, or approximately 1 percent of the total credit enrollment.

The following table provides the demographic distribution of Mt. SAC credit students by gender for fall 2015 (INT15).

Table 12. Credit Student Headcount by Gender, Fall 2015

Gender	Number	Percent
Female	14,774	50.50%
Male	13,944	47.70%
Unknown	514	1.80%
TOTAL	29,232	100.00%

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Credit Students by Race/Ethnicity

The large majority of students at Mt. SAC are Hispanic/Latino, representing over half of the total headcount each year, followed by Asian and white student groups respectively. These demographics mirror the ethnic demographics of the Mt. SAC district and service areas. Mt. SAC is both a federally designated Hispanic-Serving Institution and an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI). Currently, the College is the recipient of a $3.2 million Title V: Developing HSI grant and a $2.25 million Title III: Developing AANAPISI grant as well as a fall 2016 recipient of another AANAPISI grant. These grants enable the College to develop programs that serve the unique needs of these student populations (INT16).

Table 13. Credit Student Headcount by Race/Ethnicity, Fall 2015

Ethnicity	Number	Percent
African-American	1,201	4.10%
American Indian/ Alaskan Native	46	0.10%
Asian	4,466	15.30%
Filipino	1,074	3.70%
Hispanic/Latino	17,994	61.50%
Multi-Ethnicity	838	2.90%
Pacific Islander	86	0.30%
Unknown	222	0.80%
White, Non-Hispanic	3,305	11.30%
TOTAL	29,232	100.00%

Data Source: CCCCO Data Mart.

Credit Students by Socio-economic Status

In order to accomplish the mission of Mt. SAC and provide student access to educational programs, Mt. SAC offers a full array of financial aid programs, including fee waivers, grants, loans, scholarships, and work study opportunities for full-time and part-time students. Most financial aid resources are intended to supplement the financial resources of the individual or family, assisting students who might not otherwise be able to attend college. Low-income students are defined as any Mt. SAC student who has demonstrated documented financial need and has received any form of financial aid. Since fall 2011, the percentage of students identified as low income has increased from 60.9 percent to 69.1 percent.

The following chart shows the growth in the number of credit students receiving financial aid (INT17).

Long Description
Figure 5. Percentage of Low Income Credit Students
Note: Chart does not start at zero to allow for better visualization of data.
Data Source: Mt. SAC Banner System Data Warehouse.

Cohort Programs for Credit Students

Bridge

Bridge is a well-established and successful learning community program that provides specialized classes and counseling designed to increase students' success. Bridge creates a unique, cooperative learning environment among students, professors, counselors, and other critical resources on campus. The goal of these learning communities is to create a sense of community, using a cohort model, and to improve success rates in "gateway" courses. Students participating in a learning community are enrolled in linked or clustered classes that are taught in a cooperative environment among instructors. There are various learning communities offered: Summer Bridge, Math Bridge, English Bridge, and many linked courses. Each learning community focuses on a specific academic need and has an assigned counselor to assist students. The Bridge Program is perfect for students who are underprepared academically, are economically disadvantaged, and who need additional support in their first year at Mt. SAC. Bridge students also form lasting friendships. They tend to share educational goals, interests, and similar backgrounds. Mt. SAC works with students in these learning communities to promote their transfer success to universities.

AACC Pathways

Mt. SAC is honored to be selected to participate in the American Association of Community Colleges Pathways Project, an initiative funded through the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. This initiative directly aligns with the College's mission. The focus of the work is to design and implement structured academic and career pathways for community college students that lead to university transfer as well as jobs within the labor market. Here at Mt. SAC, teams will develop action plans, assessment needs, and discuss pathways implementation. Through this process, Research and Institutional Effectiveness (RIE) has provided data examining student enrollment and the number and types of awards distributed within specific fields.

Starting with 20 programs, bi-weekly workgroups have met to discuss and plan who will be in charge of the pathways implementation, what the key components are [e.g., meets Articulation System Stimulating Interinstitutional Student Transfer, Intersegmental General Education Transfer Curriculum (IGETC), California State University general education requirements], how the implementation will be conducted, and the time frame for implementation (2017-18 academic year with a first draft projected for fall 2016). Some of the data that the College has examined include: faculty analyzing course-taking patterns within their respective departments and RIE comparing student enrollment by term to annual degree completion. Further work will involve assessing appropriate classes toward "meta majors," conducting and implementing meta major mapping, and incorporating onboarding.

Pathways to Transfer

In 2014, the Pathways to Transfer Program was established as a Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) project. Students enroll in supported learning cohorts in basic skills English and mathematics classes, which allow them to complete three semesters in the winter/spring sessions. Preliminary data showed positive success and progression rates. Therefore, more Pathways links were added for summer/fall 2014 sessions, and the program was scaled up in 2015.

As a result, there was a significant increase in the success and progression rates for students enrolled in this program. Students in the Pathways to Transfer courses were able to persist through a sequence of two levels of both English and mathematics at significantly greater percentages than non-participants (34% greater frequency).

Title V Grant: Building Pathways to Persistence and Completion

Mt. SAC's Title V: Developing Hispanic-Serving Institutions Grant, funded by the U.S. Department of Education, has developed curriculum design models and support structures that accelerate students' certificate completion, graduation, and/or transfer rates. One of the program's goals is to create sustainable and scalable cohort models. To that end, the program has implemented and modified Career Technical Education (CTE) program-specific cohorts. These CTE cohorts are modified learning communities where the counseling component, rather than linked with a learning community or library course, is provided in a "just-in-time" fashion. At the outset of the grant, Mt. SAC developed five CTE program-specific cohorts enrolling 366 students during the first year. These cohorts have been continued or modified within the CTE areas of Culinary Arts, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Paralegal Studies, and Child Development. Cohort activities include faculty professional development, professional mentors, a textbook rental program, and career development through paid internships and skills competitions (INT18).

Arise Program (AANAPISI Grant)

The Arise Program, funded by an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) grant from the U.S. Department of Education, provides additional support for Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) and other students. Arise has addressed AAPI students' under-performance by building upon successful learning community models and developing specialized approaches to meet these students' unique needs. Learning communities enable AAPI students to participate in cross-discipline cohorts to improve their English acquisition and writing skills by linking American Language (English as a Second Language) courses with standard transitional English courses, writing courses linked with humanities courses focusing on AAPI content, and mathematics courses paired with counseling courses. Learning communities for English language learners focus on accelerating instruction and progress through the sequenced English course requirements. Tutors assigned to the learning community cohorts and specific American Language and English course sections assist AAPI students' successful mastery of course material.

Career and Technical Education (CTE) Programs

Existing CTE Programs

As one of the region's largest institutions and the largest provider of CTE programs in Los Angeles County, Mt. SAC is an integral part of the community in which thousands of businesses reside. Mt. SAC has a strong history of working closely with industry to ensure that credit and noncredit CTE programs provide students with a pathway to employment or transfer. Mt. SAC assesses CTE program effectiveness by evaluating program licensure rates and employment rates, as well as seeking information about student performance – both in work experience placements and on the job. This information is gathered through student surveys, alumni surveys, employer surveys, and employer and work experience site supervisor feedback from members of Mt. SAC program advisory committees.

In fall 2014 and fall 2015, Mt. SAC distributed a student survey to selected CTE classes/programs (designated by the CTE Deans Workgroup). The CTE Deans Workgroup was interested in collecting student feedback regarding Mt. SAC programs, services, and education. The 2015 survey questions were edited to mirror the CTE Employment Outcomes Survey instrument. The questions were also aligned with the CTE Deans Workgroup's goals: 1) draw students into Mt. SAC programs; 2) provide students with in-demand skills; and 3) provide students with a path to transfer or employment. In addition, one question focused on the institutional level outcomes related to student equity. Key results included the following:

• 11 percent (N = 2,284) of survey respondents indicated that they are "very satisfied" or "satisfied" with the education and training received at Mt. SAC.
• Of the students that are currently employed, 42.35 percent (N = 783) are "very close" or "close" to their field of study (INT19).

Mt. SAC also administers a CTE alumni survey, which examines graduates' current college enrollment, employment status, and their satisfaction with the education they received at Mt. SAC. The survey is distributed two years after receipt of a degree. Key results of the most recent survey included the following:

• Most of the survey respondents (73.7 percent, N = 303) are currently employed.
• Over half of survey respondents (53.6 percent, N = 220) reported that their current job is "very related" or "somewhat related" to their field of study.
• More than one-third (36.3 percent, N = 149) reported that their current job is "very related" to their field of study (A.2-17).

Advisory committees are critical to ensuring the quality of CTE programs; thus, the CTE Deans Workgroup has generated resources for CTE faculty who must establish and then work effectively with advisory committees. Programs now have a detailed handbook that reinforces the role of the advisory committee in providing programs with advice that leads to instructional improvement. This goal is achieved through open discussions on the strengths and weaknesses of the program. Discussions include: a) performance of graduates; b) current skill set requirements; c) emerging industry trends; d) student performance in work experience placements; e) program level student learning outcomes; f) articulation efforts; and g) quality and condition of instructional equipment (II.A.5-4).

Creation of New CTE Programs

While it is expected that advisory committees will provide input on the need for new programs, faculty also receive feedback from area deans in the regional consortium. In the past year, the consortium has revised its review process to better utilize available data. The consortium uses documented data (regional labor market data, including "real time" data from such sources as Burning Glass) to generate a "demand" number, while program completion rates from community colleges in the region provide "supply" numbers. Thus, a simple calculation provides faculty with a clear indication of regional need for a new program it may be considering.

Noncredit vocational programs are developed based on a variety of factors. First, labor market data, which is contained in the Regional Plan for Adult Education, drives decisions to create short-term vocational courses and programs. Secondly, new programs and courses evolve if noncredit and credit faculty and managers identify a need for pre-collegiate vocational courses to improve students' success in credit programs. These new offerings, again driven by local demand, fill a "gap" in the pathway to credit CTE programs or immediate employment. Finally, new programs are introduced if faculty and managers determine that a course is appropriate to offer as dual-listed credit and noncredit, which enables students to take courses as noncredit and at no cost. Most dual-listed courses within a credit program are grouped in a sequence of two or more courses to create a program or a noncredit Certificate of Competency.

Mt. SAC also hosts a Center of Excellence (COE) for Labor Market Research. The COE provides regional workforce information and insight for California community colleges, regions, and sector networks to: 1) identify opportunities and trends in high-growth, emerging, and economically critical industries and occupations; 2) estimate the gap between labor market demand, available training, and existing or future workers; and 3) help regions respond to workforce needs by providing them quality information for decision-making. Data provided by the COE helps to inform new CTE program development.

In addition, the College regularly pursues grant funding to support the development and/or implementation of new CTE programs. Mt. SAC has received funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, the National Science Foundation, and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) to support emerging CTE programs. Examples include certificates and degrees in cyber security, building automation, and industrial design engineering.

The Chancellor's Office recent focus on "Doing What Matters for Jobs and the Economy" has resulted in expanded expectations for the regional consortiums. Fundamentally, a consortium is tasked with assisting colleges in its region to "align programs and curriculum to the needs of business & industry." To accomplish this, the consortium must serve as the conduit through which the Deputy Sector Navigators, Sector Navigators and Technical Assistance Providers provide just-in-time labor market data, and business contacts" to community colleges in the region. It must also provide leadership for and coordination of regional activities involving academic, workforce, and industry leaders. Both the support and the coordination components are particularly important as colleges craft both local and regional "strong workforce" plans to meet labor market demand in high priority industry sectors through the revision of existing or the design of new programs.

Basic Skills and English as a Second Language (ESL) Programs

Mt. SAC is focused on improving the progression of credit and noncredit basic skills students and utilizes data as an opportunity to improve student success. The Mt. SAC Basic Skills Coordinating Committee works diligently to examine, evaluate, and recommend projects for funding approval through a thoughtful and well-established process that evaluates Basic Skills Initiative (BSI) project proposals on feasibility, potential for improving student achievement outcomes, direct support to students, supporting data or rationale to support need, and direct connection to effective basic skills practices. At the end of each year, the Basic Skills Coordinating Committee develops the Basic Skills Annual Report, which provides assessment details of the individual projects funded for the year. Many of the projects also complete a formalized assessment review known as BSI-PIE. These BSI project reports include the establishment of goals, projected outcomes, research methodology, assessment, and outcomes (INT20).

Recent data from the Basic Skills Cohort Tracker compared two Mt. SAC basic skills cohorts in 2011-2013 and 2013-2015 to determine completion of transfer-level courses. Specifically, the cohorts compared were in English writing and reading, ESL writing and reading, and mathematics, from four levels below transfer courses. Students included in this comparison were taking their first basic skills course in the first semester of the identified cohort year. The following sub-sections reveal the results of these cohorts (I.B.1-50).

English-Writing Discipline

Overall progression rates through the composition sequence for students who started in basic skills English writing classes were higher in 2011-2013 than they were in 2013-2015. This was consistent with the College's overall completion rate for students enrolled in all basic skills English writing courses, which was higher in 2011-2013 (71.0 percent) than it was in 2013-2015 (66.2 percent). One important piece of data from both reporting periods shows that African-American students have lower overall success rates in basic skills English writing classes. This is a factor that the campus is addressing through specialized support structures such as Aspire. Aspire is a dynamic program designed to provide essential educational support and services to increase the academic success, retention, degree completion, and transfer rates of African-American students enrolled at Mt. SAC. The program includes monthly workshops, academic counseling, and learning communities.

English-Reading Discipline Progression

The progression rate for students in the basic skills English reading cohort showed no significant change. The overall completion rates for basic skills English reading showed a slight decrease from 74.1 percent in 2011-2013 to 71.8 percent in 2013-2105. However, it was noted again that there was a disproportionate impact on African-American students enrolled in basic skills English reading classes with an overall lower success rate than other ethnic groups. The success rate gap for African-American students is slowly closing with the infusion of targeted support.

ESL-Writing Discipline

Comparing the 2011-2013 to 2013-2015 cohorts, there was no significant change in progression for students who started either four levels below or two levels below transfer in writing. Compared to 2011-2013, there was a decrease in the overall completion rate for students in basic skills ESL writing courses in 2013-2015 (from 75.1 percent to 70.5 percent). This is clearly an area of concern. Age is also a factor; students ages 20 to 29 were less successful than students who were ages 18 to 19 or over 30.

ESL-Reading Discipline

Comparing 2011-2013 to 2013-2015, there was virtually no change in the progression rate for students who started three levels below transfer in reading. However, there was an increase in the progression rate for students who started two levels below transfer (American Language 32R). As was the case with English as a Second Language (ESL) writing courses, Hispanic/Latino students who were enrolled in ESL reading courses had lower success rates than the total enrollment. However, these data appear to provide a narrow representation of outcomes for Mt. SAC basic skills students.

Mathematics Discipline

It was also noted that between 2011-2013 and 2013-2015, there was no significant change in the progression rate of students who started four levels below transfer in mathematics (Learning Assistance 49). However, there was an increase in the progression rate of students who started three levels below transfer.

There is a recognized need for improving completion rates of English and math basic skills courses. American Association of Community Colleges Pathways is one initiative that is actively looking to close these gaps.