Since ’10, San Mateo Community College District sees 31% enrollment drop

A decadelong 31% decline in student enrollment appeared to be plateauing for the district before the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted everyday life and resulted in one of the steepest drops in recent years and a reduction in student course load.

The effects were felt across ethnic groups but enrollment data shows Latino students, especially those from low-income homes or who would be first-generation college students, were most negatively touched. Enrollment of low-income students specifically has fallen by 57% in the past five years, data show.

Now district officials are working to reverse the decline by focusing on appealing to local students and addressing various barriers that may have caused students to either not complete course work or avoid enrolling altogether.

At the College of San Mateo, officials are taking a “360” approach, Taylor-Mendoza said. Recent surveys have identified some of the top concerns for students rest on transportation access, financial hurdles and scheduling flexibility.

Addressing those needs will take short- and long-term planning, she said, noting sustainability is key for ensuring the campus can attract and retain students. A near doubling of online offerings from 15% of the course to about 30% in response to the pandemic has proven to be a strong short-term solution, she said.

As for long-term planning, Taylor-Mendoza said the campus would benefit from rehiring a director of equity who can help administrators review policies and procedures, student retention and enhanced teaching and learning. Aligning with district equity objectives, revising the campus’ Education Master Plan and drafting an Enrollment Sustainability and Growth Plan are also top priorities, she said.

“Having the same values really helps you get to a place where you understand who you are at your center in order to move the work forward,” Taylor-Mendoza said. “We’re listening to student needs, being flexible and we’re adapting as we need to.”

Kim Lopez, president of Cañada College, said her staff is taking a similar approach to ensure students can complete their courses and have a career path laid out ahead of them. The campus’ five-year Education Master Plan is nearly complete and contains dozens of strategies aimed at address enrollment declines, aligning academic pathways with student support services, establishing an anti-racist institution, among other objectives.

Among the number of strategies listed are plans to make registering for classes easier and increasing dual enrollment of high school students, increase and improve peer mentoring and other student resources, reduce or eliminate various costs and improve faculty and staff hiring practices.

“Ultimately, at the end of the day I just want to make sure they’re going to college, whatever college that is,” Lopez said. We have strategy after strategy. Some are going to change the world. Some may just not work at all but we have more.”

At Skyline College, President Melissa Moreno said staff intends to use geographical data to help recapture some of its enrollment loss from local communities. The campus is positioned in San Bruno and serves residents in the north county but about 42% of its enrollment loss since 2012 was from students living in San Francisco.

Much of its loss was caused by students having to prioritize work or care for family, moving out of the area, financial constraints and a preference for face-to-face learning, according to a student survey Moreno presented.

“What we really need to do is focus on our local service area, keeping the students we have and getting more students in our local area,” Moreno said.

Moreno said staff plans to target resources to local communities by piloting night programs at empty middle and high schools where residents can access support for areas such as food, tutoring, child care and mental health. And a new Enrollment Strategy Committee will begin work in the fall to draft a comprehensive Strategic Enrollment Management Plan containing long-term growth and stability strategies.

District administrators and board members have also thrown out their own solutions including a revamp of district marketing procedures and materials and studies into reducing various fees that could appear burdensome for students such as parking fees.

Pleased with what work has already been done, trustees encouraged staff to continue brainstorming ways to reduce barriers and attract new local students with special considerations made for students facing the greatest hurdles.

“What you guys are actually working on … is just outstanding,” Trustee John Pimentel said. “I encourage you guys to keep trying to think outside of the box and bring back to us crazy ideas.”

sierra@smdailyjournal.com

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