By Star Rivera-Lacey, Sunita Cooke, for San Diego Union Tribune
The following commentary is in response to a commentary published
here regarding the current status of local Chicanos/Latinos in colleges and universities in San Diego County.
Rivera-Lacey is the superintendent/president of Palomar College and lives in Fallbrook. Cooke is superintendent/president of MiraCosta College and lives in El Cajon.
MiraCosta and Palomar colleges are committed to their mission of equity and inclusion. The Latinx/Chicanx community is the fastest growing in
San Diego County and, unfortunately, experiences the lowest rates of higher education attainment. A focus on this population is critical for our colleges to support thriving communities and an inclusive regional workforce. Here, we share some metrics on student success, hiring and systems to better serve Latinx/Chicanx students.
Both colleges proudly serve north San Diego County, including Carmel Valley, Fairbanks Ranch and Poway to the south, across the entire length of the highway 78 corridor, up to Camp Pendleton and the Riverside County border to the north. While north San Diego County has experienced population growth, the
rate of growth is slightly less than all of San Diego County. Using the term Hispanic, the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau indicates north San Diego County is
29 percent Hispanic, while the rest of the county is 36.4 percent Hispanic.
Due to a steadfast focus on serving Latinx students, the number of transfers for Latinx students has more than doubled for both colleges since 2011. This work was recognized in 2021 by Diverse Issues in Higher Education and Hispanic Outlook Magazine. The former ranked both colleges in the top 4 percent of 2,507 institutions across the nation in serving total minority students who earned an associate degree. For Hispanic students earning an associate degree, both colleges were ranked in the top 2-3 percent of national colleges. Hispanic Outlook Magazine
ranked Palomar 51st and MiraCosta 76th in the nation among two-year colleges in awarding associate degrees to Hispanic/Latino students. Both entities use data collected by the U.S. Department of Education’s National Center for Education Statistics for the 2019-20 academic year.
In an effort to employ more faculty and administrators who reflect our students’ backgrounds and lived experiences, both institutions have made significant advances in hiring equity-minded and Latinx/Chicanx faculty and administrators to support our students.With continued improvements each year, MiraCosta reported that 21 percent of its full-time tenured faculty were Hispanic in 2021. At Palomar, the figure was 14 percent. While these
numbers are a lower percentage than the representation of our student body, progress is being made despite a limited rate of annual hiring.
Meanwhile, in 2021, 16 percent of MiraCosta’s 19 administrators and 25 percent of Palomar’s 16 administrators identify as Hispanic, including its first Latina superintendent/president.
In addition, MiraCosta and Palomar Colleges proudly offer programs that serve Latinx/Chicanx students.
- The PUENTE Program — offered at both colleges — provides counseling, writing, professional development, culturally-inclusive pedagogy and mentoring to Latinx/Chicanx students. By upholding best practices, the goal of the PUENTE Program is to increase the number of students who transfer to a four-year college/university or earn a college degree or certificate.
- Undocumented People Rise in Solidarity and Empowerment (UPRISE) is a program offered at MiraCosta College to bolster academic success, enhance professional opportunities, improve personal wellness, strengthen institutional support, and increase allies for undocumented students and their families. UPRISE offers students and their families free services, such as legal consultations about immigration status and academic, mental health and career counseling, among other support services.
- Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs (GEAR UP) is provided through a federal grant received by both MiraCosta and Palomar colleges to support families and develop a college-going culture in middle and high schools. GEAR UP students receive support and mentoring, complete early college classes and visit four-year institutions to garner higher rates of participation and success in college.
- Emergency Grants and Technology Distribution is ongoing at MiraCosta and Palomar colleges, which both received Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds. We intentionally partnered with our Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, Puente and UPRISE programs to ensure our Latinx/Chicanx students were overrepresented in the number of recipients who received emergency grants. In collaboration with our respective foundations, both institutions leveraged Higher Education Emergency Relief Funds to assist students basic needs (food), technology (computers and hotspots), gas gift cards and rental assistance.
As a result of these intentional and systematic approaches, MiraCosta and Palomar colleges are experiencing positive increases in student outcomes. We hold ourselves, our institutions and our communities accountable for serving the needs of our growing Latinx/Chicanx community seeking higher education. Our commitment is strong, our work is showing positive impacts, and much more must be done.
