DIVERSITY, EQUITY, & INCLUSION STUDENT FOCUS GROUPS - FALL 2022

Overview

Focus Groups were held fall quarter to inform Big Bend’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. The questions focused on campus climate, embracing students’ cultures, and asked for feedback on how the college could improve. Two separate focus groups were held for each of the following AcademicTransfer, Basic Education for Adults (BEdA), and Workforce Education students. Student Group Summaries were created to capture students ideas and improvement suggestions for AcademicTransfer, Basic Education for Adults (BEdA), and Workforce Education students.

Demographics of student participants:

Academic-Transfer: 42 students participated; 52% were female, 45% male; 55% were HUG, 45% were Asian and/or white.

BEdA: 20 students participated; all were enrolled in English Language Acquisition classes; 50% were female, 50% were male; 60% were from Historically Underserved Groups (HUG) which includes African American, Black, Hispanic, Native American, and Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, 40% were Asian and/or white.

Workforce: 23 students participated; 26% were female, 70% were male; 61% were HUG, 39% were Asian and/or white.

Although there was a higher representation of Historically Underserved Students and males in the focus groups. It is of particular interest to hear from these students who have not reenrolled at the same rates as pre-COVID enrollment and students who have been historically underserved throughout the country.

Focus Groups Themes - either general perceptions or suggestions for improvement

DEI ACADEMIC/TRANSFER STUDENTS FOCUS GROUPS - FALL 2022

Focus Groups were held fall quarter to inform Big Bend’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. The questions focused on campus climate, embracing students’ cultures, and asked for feedback on how the college could improve. The following provides students’ feedback.

Main Themes

The following were comments that were most consistent within the focus groups.

• New students struggled finding buildings, classrooms within the buildings; even when they had maps
• New students had difficulty finding where to go for help
• Enhance a sense of community - students want opportunities to interact socially and in study groups and suggested finding a “Study Buddy” App
• Create spaces designated as a “hang-out” area; more information on clubs, programs, campus activities and fun things to do

Is BBCC welcoming to students?

As new students: Students had varied experiences when they first came to campus. Some felt very welcomed and thought it was great. Teachers were helpful. Others came and thought it felt sterile and lacked community.

Finding buildings and classrooms and navigating the College Parkway was challenging to all students, even when they had maps (building numbers are only on the front of the buildings). If you go into the 1400 building by the TRIO entrance, there aren’t signs until you are halfway through the building, then the arrows on the signs are confusing. Some buildings have side doors that are locked from the outside.

Running Start students said that the college expected them to know how to do everything. “You chose to do this (be a Running Start student), this is your problem (to figure it out).” They had a hard time finding the person they could go to for help.

New Student Orientation process should include information about CTE credits, things we should have known before we started.

Students did not know the college did not have food service when they arrived. This was a negative for residence hall students who found they had to go into town to get food or find places to eat.

After you are a student:

Social Interaction: Create spaces and opportunities for students to interact and be involved with clubs, creating a sense of belonging. ASB Food Events were very welcomed and gave students the opportunity to interact with others. Students consistently said they want opportunities to meet other students socially. They thought a place with a coffee or ice cream machine would be a great place to hang out. The students in the residence halls said the staff was doing a good job connecting with them.

Instruction & Instructional Support: Canvas allows students to get timely feedback from their instructors. Students said the STEM Center and library were good places to study, get tutoring, and find information about the college.

The class catalog is cumbersome to scroll through, students said an interactive class catalog would be easier to use. The term “hybrid” is too ambiguous, students want to know how much of a class is in person and how much is online. Students felt disconnected in their online classes when they did not know what their instructors looked like.

Services: Student services (Admissions, Registration, Financial Aid, and Advising) interactions were positive, and they often interacted by email so they could refer to it later. Although students said the 1400 building is welcoming, they also said it can be difficult to find where to go for specific help.

Suggestions to improve processes included:

• Students wanted more content about the campus and resources in their New Student Enrollment session
• More information on Canvas and what the Apps do; the Canvas settings should be set the same for students - example, just having the setting on so you know when the class cancelled
• Consistent rule enforcement across campus; residence halls rules requiring students to clean up after themselves are not enforced leaving other students to live with the mess
• ctcLink payment does not show an itemized list of what is owed, just the total due

Bookstore: The loss of the bookstore was difficult for students who relied on it for aviation maps, tools, and books. “They never told us, we were left in the dark.” Other students said their parents wanted swag from the bookstore.

Embracing Students’ Cultural Background

Create an atmosphere that shows the campus is for everyone. “No one is left out.” The Residence Halls staff are doing a good job of connecting with people.

The following statement was made by one student, but due to the nature of the comment it is being shared. “Although the school as a whole is good, minority groups can feel targeted by other students, and sometimes staff.”

Students want to learn about other cultures. Get people together who have similar interests perhaps a conversational Spanish group.

DEI BEdA - ESL STUDENTS FOCUS GROUPS - FALL 2022

Focus Groups were held fall quarter to inform Big Bend’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. The questions focused on the climate, embracing students’ cultures, and asked for feedback on how the college could improve. Two focus groups were held, one in Othello and one on campus. Both were in night classes.

Main Themes

The following were comments that were most consistent with the focus group.

• Teachers and staff are welcoming and willing to help students
• Students want consistent communication about classes and an annual schedule
• Both groups requested Workforce Programs and financial aid information
• Students want English that is contextualized for their specific workforce program
• Students want opportunities to learn American culture and were willing to share their cultural traditions

Is BBCC welcoming to students?

As new students - learning about BBCC:

Students in Othello said they liked the Outreach event that was held in Othello. They provided their contact information and were told they would receive a call but did not hear from BBCC for six weeks. When BBCC contacted potential students about classes, they had to provide their information again.

Students in Moses Lake learned about BBCC primarily from their friends and DSHS.

As students taking classes:

The atmosphere was friendly both on and off campus. Teachers and staff are welcoming and willing to help students.

Suggestions to support to students and their families in completing their education

Othello students wanted consistent class information and asked for an annual class schedule. They said more people would have enrolled if class information had been available.

On-campus students wanted more structured Canvas assignments, with extra work to help improve their English speaking skills. Having multiple English skills levels in one class is difficult. They would like their English contextualized to the workforce programs students want to go into. Since the students are working, flexible class hours would help them when work schedules interfere with class times.

Both Othello and on-campus students want more information about Workforce programs and financial aid help.

Embracing Students’ Cultural Background

As students learning English, they want to learn about American culture as well. Students suggested that they could share their cultures with each other so they could understand each other better. Students said they felt respected, even though they may not celebrate American holidays, such as Halloween.

DEI WORKFORCE STUDENTS FOCUS GROUPS - FALL 2022

Focus Groups were held fall quarter to inform Big Bend’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategic Plan. The questions focused on the climate, embracing students’ cultures, and asked for feedback on how the college could improve. Two focus groups were held and included students from Computer Science, Business Information Management, Early Childhood Education, Pre-Nursing, Aviation Maintenance Technology, and Welding.

Main Themes

The following were comments that were most consistent with the focus groups.

• Resources awareness - expand New Student Orientation to be in-person the week before school starts, have an open house so students know how to find resources, have campus available
• Students suggested that new students could be paired with returning students so they could become familiar with resources and the campus
• Facilitate networking with other workforce programs and between students
• Students who are parents have difficulty accessing resources, using honor lock, and participating in activities
• Services overall were seen as helpful, however, students want consistent hours when they know they can come and the office will be open. Spanish-speaking help is not always available to students who need it.

Is BBCC welcoming to students?

As new students “I was lost when I came onto campus.” Building numbers are only on the building fronts.

Some students were put in wrong advising groups, had the wrong classes and family had to help them get into the right classes. “People expect us to know everything.” One student said English was not his first language and described coming onto campus “going everywhere” to find things.

WES sends announcements about resources and certain teachers tell students how to access resources, but other than that, students said they had to seek out resources such as checkout laptops and learning about COVID funds. Students suggested having an open house type of event before school starts to familiarize students with the campus, resources, and events.

After you are a student:

Sense of Community: Students suggested pairing new students with returning students so they learn about resources, activities, and where things are.

ASB events allow students to interact with each other. They suggested having interactive events such as dances. Students don’t know about events and asked if instructors could announce upcoming events. Veteran students would like a Veteran’s Community where they can connect. Other students said they weren’t involved on campus and just come to take classes.

Students want to network with students in other workforce programs and alumni so they can be prepared to search for jobs.

Instruction & Instructional Support:

“It’s hard with family and all…working with faculty or in study groups will help you” (with your classes).

Library staff provide a welcoming environment where students can bring in their kids when they need to have access to internet and study. The STEM Center has reduced hours and students need tutors on weekends for non-STEM subjects.

Honor lock is difficult for students with children at home when students don’t have a separate room to take a test.

Working students often cannot take day classes. More working students would enroll if there were night classes.

Services

Students had good experiences with financial aid and were called back when students had questions. The hours that Services are open are inconsistent, students didn’t know if the service would be available if they came to campus. Although the following was from one student this helps the college understand the needs of English language learners. “I am learning the other language. They (services) don’t understand me. I go in and they say, come back later. I go, but they aren’t here today. Staff aren’t here to serve people. Fatima and Gisele are there to help, they can speak to me.”

Suggestions to support to students and their families in completing their education

Students often work, have families, and go to school. For some students, the only time they have to study is when the kids go to bed. The childcare center helped students coordinate their childcare and school.

“I can’t come to events if I have to pay for my children.”

Embracing Students’ Cultural Background

Create events throughout the year that celebrate different cultures with language, customs, food that students don’t know about.

The library displays provide students with a way to connect with their culture and community. “Every time I go by, I learn something.”

Students said MEChA had activities before COVID that enhanced culture.