June 2020

President's Message

Greetings Student Leaders!

We have had a lot of firsts this year. We’ve had our first professional staff, Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Faculty Association for California Community Colleges (FACCC), meetings, and visits to different colleges throughout the state, having so many active caucuses, and our first virtual General Assembly. These firsts don't stop here. As we continue to operate at our fullest potential, there will be many more firsts to come.

It has been an honor to serve as your president for 2019-2020. We have come a long way as an organization and have paved the way for future student leaders to continue the progress of making the SSCCC an effective organization.  We have and will continue to ensure that California community college students are at the governance table and in legislative and policy discussions. 

I leave behind a few words of advice:

Participate. It is important that all students participate in the development of the organization that represents students on statewide matters. Contribute to student representation by paying the $2 student representation fee, become your college's delegate to the SSCCC, be active in the region and on our caucuses, and volunteer to be a student representative on statewide governance committees. Without students,  there is no SSCCC.  

Equity. Remember to always look out for our most vulnerable students. Please read the recent message from me and the incoming president about actions SSCCC will be taking in support of our Black community in the very near future and participate with us! Know, however, that even before the events occurring across the nation, community colleges faced inequities that leave our Black, LatinX, Native American, Asian/Pacific Islander, LGBTQIA+, foster youth, veterans, formerly/currently incarcerated, and disabled students behind. We must remember to continue to fight for equity and equality!

Although my time as president comes to an end, I know the good work will continue. I am extremely proud of the work we have accomplished this year and am confident that next year will be even better! I am glad to pass the torch to the next President  Stephen Kodur from Reedley College. 

In Solidarity,

Danny Thirakul

General Assembly Special Meeting
Election for VP of Regional Affairs  

The SSCCC will be holding a Special Meeting of the Delegate Assembly this summer to elect the new Vice President of Regional Affairs.  The following are candidates for the position.  More information on the date of the Special Meeting will be forthcoming via the SSCCC Listserv, Social Media, and the website. 

Opportunity for Students and Borrowers to Share How COVID-19 Has Impacted Their Lives and Ask Financial Aid-Related Questions

Dear Student Leaders and Interested Parties,

We hope you and your families are staying safe and healthy.

The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS), a long-time partner of the SSCCC, is an independent non-profit organization that focuses on research, design, and advocacy for student-centered public policies that promote affordability, accountability, and equity in higher education. TICAS has created an online platform for students and student loan borrowers to share how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted them, such as loss of employment and the inability to meet basic needs, as well as ask financial aid-related questions.  Please feel free to share your stories (either by typing or submitting a short video) or questions, which TICAS will share with policymakers and the media to advocate for the supports we need during these very difficult times.  Please also feel free to share widely with your networks.  If you have any questions or would like to learn more, you can reach TICAS Associate California Program Director Laura Szabo-Kubitz at Laura@ticas.org.  Thank you for your time and partnership.

COVID-19 Survey Report

On May 20, 2020, the SSCCC held a Town Hall meeting to share the results of a survey the SSCCC conducted to understand the challenges students are facing with the move to an all-online learning environment and to better advocate on their behalf. Over 1,690 students from 64 colleges responded to the survey. The results of this survey were shared with students, system partners, constituent groups, and other interested parties. Below are the key findings of the report.  

KEY FINDING

Challenges reported by students because of Covid-19 were as follows:

• The top three responses from students regarding challenges they are facing were higher levels of anxiety, stress, depression, and/or any other mental distress than usual (67%, n=1140), doing well besides from having to adapt to online learning (41%, n = 691), and income loss (40%, n = 671).

• Many of the students who reported higher levels of anxiety also reported a loss of income (45%, n = 508), an inability to pay their mortgage/rent/utilities (27%, n = 305), and having to drop one or more courses due to financial or other reasons (26%, n = 294).

• Of the students who indicated they were doing well other than having to adapt to the online environment, many revealed that although they felt they were doing well overall, they suffered from anxieties and stresses because of the online environment and life circumstances.

• Areas, where students could use SSCCC’s help, include the following:  Forty-five percent (764) of the students responded to this question. The top three types of assistance indicated included assistance with financial aid or needed grants and funds (22%, n = 169), considerations to make online courses better for students (19%, n = 143), and general comments related to advocacy, communication, or community needs (13%, n = 97).

CONCLUSION AND SSCCC'S COMMITMENT

The SSCCC survey was conducted to understand the challenges students are experiencing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on the survey results, students are struggling with the move to an all-online environment, particularly those who depend on the services available to them through campus-based resources such as library, counseling, EOPS, college jobs, financial aid, grants, and health services. In addition, students who do well in a face-to-face environment may not do as well in an online environment and need additional resources to help them transition, including clear expectations, ability to engage with faculty, and consistency as well as leniency. The survey provides important information that will help the SSCCC better advocate for, communicate with, and support students across the state. The SSCCC is committed to increasing support for students by advocating for more resources to help them succeed, communicating student needs broadly, and keeping students informed. 

The SSCCC is committed to serving students and will continue to provide an opportunity for them to communicate their challenges as well as provide them a forum to let their voices be heard. 

RECOMMENDATIONS

As the SSCCC considered the survey results and comments, the SSCCC recommends the following to some of our system partners: 

Chancellor’s Office

• Maintain direct and regular communication with the SSCCC to ensure that the student voice is heard and respected regarding decisions made due to the COVID-19 crisis.

• Ensure that student representatives are included on all committees and task forces that develop recommendations or make decisions regarding college and system operations during the COVID-19 crisis.

Local District and College Administrations

• Ensure that student representatives are included on all committees and task forces and in all discussions intended to develop recommendations or make decisions regarding district or college policies, processes, and procedures during the COVID-19 crisis.

Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC)

• Establish a direct liaison connection to the SSCCC in order to ensure that student perspectives are being included in the development of ASCCC recommendations.

• Work with the SSCCC to help inform faculty statewide of student challenges and needs regarding the online environment.

• Work with SSCCC to help both students and faculty statewide develop a mutual understanding of the need to balance accommodating student needs during the COVID-19 crisis with maintaining standards and fulfilling course requirements.

Download the full report here.  If you missed the Town Hall Meeting, you can listen to the voices of California community college students on our youtube channel.   

Volunteer to Serve on a Participatory Governance Committee 

It's that time again!! Each year the SSCCC appoints students to serve on California Community Colleges participatory governance committees. This is your opportunity to serve at the state level without making an extensive commitment since some committees meet only two or three times a year.  If you are interested in serving on any of the participatory governance committees, please visit the SSCCC website "Serving at the State Level" page to learn about the appointment process and to access the application.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

• SSCCC Board of Directors Meeting, June 12, 2020, Teleconference
• SSCCC Delegate Assembly, Special Election, TBD
• SSCCC Board of Directors Meeting, July TBD
• Check out all the SSCCC events including Regional Meetings, caucuses, and webinars on the SSCCC Calendar.  

All SSCCC Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings are available via teleconference.  Check out the calendar on the SSCCC website (link above) for the agendas and call information at least 72-hours prior to the meeting.