The Report Card
A monthly newsletter that gives you the facts...
Volume II, Issue vi
January 24, 2003
In This Month's Issue:
Access and Diversity
Next month's
issue will feature :
Student Satisfaction -
Entering Student Survey
For more
information
about this survey or other surveys, please contact Erika
Prager or Fia
Eliasson.
Welcome
to another year of The Report Card, a monthly newsletter containing
information on various topics related to institutional effectiveness. This
issue is on Access and Diversity.
Background:
One of the goals of the State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) is to offer accessible and affordable higher education to all Washington state residents. Colleges have an “open-door” policy that gives students access to programs and services on a non-competitive basis to meet the needs of the community.
Highlights:
Washington
community and technical colleges serve an increasingly diverse student
population. The number of
students of color has increased in recent years for all racial and ethnic
groups across the system. Similarly,
the number of students of color enrolled at Green River has increased over
the years, although the percentages have been lower compared to the
system.
- Of the state-supported students enrolled fall 2001, nearly 22% were students of color at Green River compared to 27% system-wide. Over the past three years, the percentage of students of color at Green River increased by 2%. (See Figure 1).
Although
Green River continues its efforts to hire an increasingly diverse faculty
and staff, the percentages of faculty and staff of color is significantly
less than that of the student body. In
fall 2001, nearly 11% of faculty and staff were of color compared to 12%
in 2000. (See
Figure 2).
- Over
the past three years, the percentage of Green River faculty of color
has been comparable to the percentage of faculty of color system-wide
(10% in 2001). (See
Figure 3).
- The percentage of full-time faculty of color increased from 10% in 1999-00 to 12% in 2001-02. During the same time period, the percentage of full-time faculty of color system-wide remained unchanged at 13%. The percentage of part-time faculty of color has mirrored part-time faculty of color system-wide over the past three years (8% in 2001). (See Figure 4).
In
fall 2001, the percentage of students of color at Green River was
comparable to the percentage of people of color in the College's service
area (22% compared to 24%). However,
the percentage of faculty and staff of color was considerably lower (11%
compared to 24%). (See
Figure 5).
Washington community and technical colleges offer special services to students with disabilities that allow them to participate in programs and services. In fall 2001, about 9,000 students with reported disabilities enrolled system-wide, equaling 5% of all state-supported students. Of state-supported students enrolled at Green River, over 4% were students with reported disabilities. (See Figure 6).
The
purpose of financial aid is to provide access to educational opportunity
for students who cannot afford the cost of college. Green River provides a
variety of scholarships, grants, loans and employment programs for
students. Students must be
enrolled in a degree or certificate program and meet satisfactory academic
progress standards to be eligible.
- Of
the $6.7 million in financial resources distributed to students in
2001-02, 69% was in the form of grants and scholarships; 22% was
loans; and 9% was earned through work-study. (See
Figure 7).
- Over the past three years, the number of financial aid awards given to students increased by 12%. (See Figure 8).
The
number of students enrolling in distance learning is rapidly growing
throughout the Washington community and technical college system.
Students taking distance learning courses demand “just-in-time”
training to meet their needs while juggling full-time jobs and family
obligations.
- In
fall 2001, distance learning represented 10% of Green River’s total
enrollment compared to 6% system-wide. (See
Figure 9).
- Since fall 1999, the number of students enrolled in distance learning courses increased by 81% and the number of FTEs increased by 92%, compared to 39% and 46% respectively system-wide.
The
Running Start program allows high school students to take college courses
at Washington community and technical colleges in conjunction with their
high school studies.
- In
fall 2001, Running Start students represented 8% of Green River’s
total enrollment compared to 5% system-wide.
(See
Figure 10).
- Since fall 1999, the number of students enrolled in Running Start at Green River increased by 13% and the number of FTEs increased by 16%, compared to less than 1% and 10% respectively system-wide
Learn More About The Office of Research and Planning
If you have additional questions, please contact
Erika Prager at ext. 2569 or Fia Eliasson at ext. 2568