Yuba College on track for grant to streamline class availability for degrees, certificates

President says it will help institution that can be on an ‘island’ for services

Yuba College won a grant because administrators, faculty and staff highlighted that the community college is an “island” and its community deserves cutting-edge services, administrators said.

Yuba College will be one of 20 junior colleges in California to receive grant funding to streamline class availability for degrees and certificates.

“This is a really system-changing endeavor. We will change the way we teach and train our students,” said college President G.H. Javaheripour.

Javaheripour said a team of top administrators, faculty and staff will attend about six training sessions during the next 1218 months and disseminate the knowledge gained to their peers.

“It’s not in place or up and running, yet,” he said. “It is indeed one of the greatest honors we have received at Yuba College.”

When the program becomes operational, students will be advised on the specific course outline for their desired associates of arts or associates of science degree. The college will track the number of students interested in a particular program and ensure classes are available in sequential order so students can complete their degrees or certificates as quickly as possible.

“It applies a guide to students who are attempting to obtain a degree or certificate,” Javaheripour said.

“It supports our faculty and students services in the form of having a process they can depend on in order to get the students from start to finish."

Chancellor Douglas Houston said community colleges in Florida and Texas have successfully implemented similar systems. He said Gov. Jerry Brown will be presenting a statewide initiative to implement new educational pathways, and many junior colleges want a head start in case allocations are made by the Legislature.

“Typically, community college students are generally undeclared when they come to us in what they want to pursue,” he said. “This whole system will help us better advise students early on.”

He said the streamlined approach will be an overhaul of current practices at Yuba College. It will be at least a couple of years before students see implementation of the program at the college.

“There’s a real science to this that some other colleges in other states have mastered,” he said.

However, when the program is up and running, students will move through courses at a faster rate and concurrently with classmates who share similar degree aspirations. Classes will be less impacted and more available based on demand, Houston said.

“As close as we are to Sacramento, we seem to be an island to ourselves and we need to support to our students and constituency,” Javaheripour said.