Pilot program changes registration dates

By Isaiah Kramer
The Guardsman

At the student equity hearings last February, concerns about class availability prompted a pilot program for the fall semester that gave early registration dates to 2010-graduates from the San Francisco Unified School District who enrolled at City College.

Before this program was initiated, all incoming students had registration dates later than those of continuing students. As implemented, the program gave SFUSD students the same registration date as continuing students.

“New incoming high school students couldn’t get their classes,” Gohar Momjian, an assistant to the chancellor said, alluding to the program’s purpose.

Approximately 1,000 students, or 1 percent of City College’s total population, come from SFUSD annually. This year, only a third of the 1,000 completed matriculation within the given time frame to receive early registration.

“The students have to complete the matriculation process: testing, orientation and counseling in order to qualify for priority registration,” admissions counselor Monika Liu said.

This gives students an incentive to matriculate by promising a full schedule, inclusive of core classes that, otherwise, is seen as difficult to attain.

Members of the Student Equity Task Force on Priority Registration are establishing relations with SFUSD high schools in an outreach effort to get students on the fast track to matriculation.

The outreach involves direct contact with various counselors, administrators and principals from the 17 SFUSD high schools. Task force members provide information and opportunities for students to enroll at the college with the appropriate help.

“All the data shows that if you get them fresh from high school and give them a full-time schedule, then they are more likely to succeed,” Associate Dean Laurie Scolari said. “The success rate goes down as the years go by after high school.”

The 321 students that took advantage of the priority registration were able to enroll in 56 percent more courses than the previous year with an average 12.7 credits per student. This fall, 70 percent of the SFUSD graduates took English and 74 percent took math, compared to 47 percent and 22 percent the previous year.

Amid the enthusiasm and positive data, there is concern about how it has affected students who are already enrolled.

“There has to be balance between the needs of high-school students enrolling, and those of students already progressing through the college,” Darlene Alioto, chair of the social science department, said.

In a school bombarded by budget cuts, new students had little chance of getting their essential courses. The program sought to rectify that situation without negatively affecting continuing students.

“SFUSD students should be given the same priority as continuing students, not better, not worse,” Griffin said. “We don’t want to close the door on beginning or continuing students.”

Of the classes cut last year, 65 percent will be reinstated so as to, “not penalize or hurt continuing students,” Griffin said. “That will cost $4 million; we will do fundraising to get it.”

Aside from being a service to SFUSD students, the priority registration program seeks to attract students to City College.

When there are perpetually closed courses, widespread cuts and closure of summer school, the college suffers a loss of prospective students, Chancellor Griffin said.

The pilot has been deemed effective by the Student Equity Task Force on Priority Registration. They plan to recommend it to the chancellor, who is himself optimistic about the program. Though it seems likely for another round, it is undecided if the program will resume and in what form. Another meeting will be held Oct. 14, 2010.