Student Success and Support Program (Matriculation)

Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) is a comprehensive student success program involving the entire campus community. SSSP is a process that enhances student access to the California Community Colleges and promotes and sustains the efforts of credit students to be successful in their educational endeavors. The goals of SSSP are to ensure that all students complete their college courses, persist to the next academic term, and achieve their educational objectives through the assistance of the student-direct components of the matriculation process. It is Taft College’s way of supporting the student’s right to succeed in college. Taft College recognizes that student success is the responsibility of the institution and the student, supported by coordinated and evidence based student and instructional services to foster academic success.

SSSP is a partnership/agreement between students and Taft College. The agreement includes the provision of core matriculation services, including an admission process, college orientation, pre-enrollment assessment and placement, advisement and counseling for course selection, educational planning services, a suitable program of study, and follow-up on student progress.

The student agrees to express a broad education goal at entrance, declare a course of study within a reasonable period of enrollment, attend class and complete coursework diligently, and maintain progress toward an educational goal.

Student’s responsibilities include:

1. Identify an education and career goal upon application.
2. Complete an orientation activity provided by the college.
3. Be assessed to determine appropriate course placement.
4. Participate in counseling, advising, or another education planning service to develop, at minimum an abbreviated student education plan.
5. Declare a specific course of study after completion of 15 semester units of degree applicable credit coursework.
6. Diligently engage in course activities and complete assigned coursework.
7. Complete courses and maintain progress toward an education goal and completing a course of study, according to standards established by the college, the District, and the state.
8. Cooperation in the development of a comprehensive student educational plan by the end of the second semester in attendance

Taft College agrees to provide a strong foundation and support for academic success, providing and mandating the services necessary for students to achieve their educational goals and complete their course of study. Taft College will ensure information regarding its matriculation policies are accessible and available to all students during or prior to enrollment.

College responsibilities include:

1. Orientation services designed to provide, on a timely basis, information concerning campus procedures, academic expectations, financial assistance, and other matters.
2. Assessment of students using State Chancellor-approved tests to determine student competency in computational and language skills; to identify aptitudes, interests, and educational objectives; and to evaluate study and learning skills.
3. Counseling, advising, or other education planning services to assist students in interpreting test results, exploring educational and career interests and aptitudes, identifying educational objectives, and in developing and updating of an educational plan.
4. Assistance in the development of a student education plan identifying the student’s educational goal, course of study, and the courses, services, and programs to be used to achieve them.
5. Follow-up services to evaluate the academic progress of, and provide support services to, at risk students, students enrolled in basic skills courses, students who have not declared an educational goal as required, or who are on academic probation, as defined by the college, the District, and the state.
6. Referral of students to: support services that may be available, including, but not limited to, counseling, financial aid, health and mental health services, campus employment placement services, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services, campus child care services, tutorial services, foster youth support services, veterans support services, and Disabled Students Program and Services; and curriculum offerings which may be available, including but not limited to, basic skills, non-credit programs, and English as a Second Language.

Exemptions Criteria

Students will lose their enrollment priority status if they do not participate in orientation, assessment, and counseling, advising, and other education planning services. Therefore, new students are encouraged to participate in all of these core services. Any exemption will mean losing enrollment priority, and dropping to the end of the enrollment line.

Exemptions from Orientation Services

1. Students who have graduated from an accredited U.S. college or university with an associate degree or higher.
2. Students who have declared one of the following goals:
   1. Advance in current career/job
   2. Maintain certificates/licenses
3. Students who have previously been assessed within the last two years from a California Community College, California State University, or University of California and have written verification of placement and scores. Taft College multiple measures will be applied.
4. Students who submit Early Assessment Program (EAP) results that have achieved ‘college readiness’ or ‘conditional readiness’ for English and/or math. High school transcript required for ‘conditional readiness.’
5. Students who submit Advanced Placement (AP) results with a score of ‘3’ or higher for English and/or math.
6. Students who submit College Level Examination Program (CLEP) results with a score of 50 or higher on the Pre-Calculus or Calculus exams (exempt from math portion of assessment only).
7. Students who have previously taken an English and/or math class from another college or university and provide documentation/transcripts.

Students will only be exempt from the section of the assessment test that documentation is submitting for (i.e. Writing, Reading, and/or Math). The College will make reasonable efforts to ensure all exempt students are provided the opportunity to participate in the assessment component as a valuable service and to retain enrollment priority.

Exemptions from Counseling, Advising, and Other Education Planning Services

1. Students who have graduated from an accredited U.S. college or university with an associate degree or higher.
2. Students who have declared one of the following goals:
   1. Advance in current career/job
   2. Maintain certificates/license

The College will make reasonable efforts to ensure all new, continuing, and returning exempt students are provided the opportunity to participate in counseling, advising, and other education planning services as a valuable service and to retain enrollment priority.

Exemptions from Loss of Enrollment Priority and Appeal Process

Students may lose their enrollment priority and regain it under certain circumstances.

Loss of Enrollment Priority due to Academic Standing

Students on academic or progress probation for a second consecutive term will lose their enrollment priority unless they participate in the MAPP (Monitoring Academic and Progress Probation) program and complete a progress report for each course they are enrolled in showing at least a 2.0 GPA and/or 50% or more completed progress. Students on continued probation that earn a 2.0 GPA or higher in the most recent term, and/or pass 50% or more of their classes in the most recent term, are exempt from the mandatory petition process for dismissed students and maintain their enrollment priority.

In addition, academic reinstated students that earn a 2.0 GPA or higher in the most recent term progress report are exempt from the mandatory petition process for dismissed students and maintain their enrollment priority.

Loss of Enrollment Priority due to 100 unit limit

Students who have earned 100 or more Taft College degree applicable units will lose their enrollment priority. Students that complete a comprehensive student education plan showing the additional units are needed may be exempt and maintain their enrollment priority.

Loss of BOGW fee waiver due to Academic Standing

Students on academic or progress probation (or a combination of the two) for a second consecutive term will lose their BOGW fee waiver. Students have options to appeal the loss of BOGW by filling out the Loss of Enrollment Priority and/or BOGW Fee Waiver Appeal form. That form can be found on our website. If approved, they may have their BOGW fee waiver reinstated.

Conditions for Appeal

Petition to Reinstate Priority Enrollment

Students with extenuating circumstances may appeal the loss of enrollment priority by providing written documentation to the Admissions and Attendance Committee under the following conditions:

• Students who have earned over 100 Taft College degree applicable units due to extenuating circumstances. Extenuating circumstances are verified cases of accident, illness, or other life changing events beyond the control of the student.
• Students that complete a comprehensive student education plan with a counselor showing the additional units are needed.

Petition to Reinstate BOGW Waiver

Students are able to appeal the loss of their BOGW fee waiver for the following verifiable reasons:

1. Extenuating circumstances-documentable cases of accident, illness, or other circumstance beyond their control.
2. A documentable change in their economic situation (loss of job, change in living circumstance).
3. Evidence of inability to receive essential support services
4. Special consideration factors for CalWORKs, EOPS, DSPS and military veteran students.
5. Students with disabilities who qualified for but did not receive accommodations in a timely manner.
6. Significant academic improvement (defined as achieving at least a 2.0 term GPA and completion of 50% of courses taken in the immediate preceding fall or spring semester).

Assessment Appeal

After meeting with a counselor and discussing overall placement level recommendations, a student may be referred back to the Testing Center to re-test. There is no waiting period required between re-tests, and a no other conditions a student must meet to be allowed to test again. A student may also challenge a course and/or program pre-requisite, co-requites or any other limitation on enrollment, per Administrative Procedure 4260.

Dismissal Appeal Petition

Students on dismissal are notified by the Admissions Office via mail of their academic status at the end of each fall and spring semester. The dismissal notification letter outlines the students’ options to either appeal their dismissal status or sit out the next term.

Students who appeal their dismissal status are notified of the outcome of their appeal immediately following the Admissions and Attendance meeting held monthly. Students on dismissal may be reinstated and allowed to enroll with a reduced unit load or no restrictions or stipulations. Students on dismissal who do not meet the conditions for reinstatement may again appeal after sitting out one term.

Students on continued probation earning a 2.0 GPA or higher in the most recent term, and/or pass 50% or more of their classes in the most recent term, are exempt from the mandatory petition process for dismissed students and maintain their enrollment priority. In addition, academic reinstated students earning a 2.0 GPA or higher in the most recent term are exempt from the mandatory petition process for dismissed students and maintain their enrollment priority.

Violations

If the student feels that assessment, orientation, counseling, or prerequisites (or any other matriculation procedures) is being applied in a discriminatory manner, the student may file a complaint of unlawful discrimination. See Student Handbook for grievance procedures.