PIERCE COLLEGE : Program Passes Funding Review

The Pierce College matriculation program is “head and shoulders above the rest of the state,” according to an on-site review by the State Chancellor of Community Colleges office.

Matriculation is a process designed to assist students in achieving their educational goal at the college through assessment testing, orientation sessions and counseling.

Colleges that receive matriculation funding from the chancellor’s office must subject their programs to an on-site review team every six years. If the program does not pass the review, it is given a follow-up visit by the team.

“They can cut your funding. That’s the hammer over our head,” said Yasmin Delahoussaye, Pierce’s director of matriculation.

Because Pierce will not be subject to any type of follow-up review, the college is guaranteed funding for the next five years, Delahoussaye said. “To escape follow-up is really great. It means we must be doing it right.”

This was the first time the matriculation program at Pierce, which began in the mid 1980s, was reviewed by the chancellor’s office.

Peter White, representative from that office, said that the review was so good that other colleges throughout the state would soon be contacting Pierce.

“You had good ideas, good processes and good documentation in every single component. This is not consistent at other colleges. The extent to which Pierce has extended assessment and testing to evening students is outstanding and practically unique,” White said.

After a review is completed, the state team gives a report with recommendations, or concerns that need to be addressed by the college.

Delahoussaye said the average number of recommendations given in state matriculation reviews throughout California was 15 to 18 per college.

“Pierce only got six or seven recommendations, little things that will be easy to implement,” Delahoussaye said. “For example, they suggested the English as a Second Language groups be smaller, that the Assessment Center be wheelchair-accessible.”