According to the March 10, 2008 issue of Hispanic Outlook Magazine, Ventura College is 34th in the nation among community colleges granting associate’s degrees to Hispanic American students. The article, “The Top 50 Community & Junior Colleges for Hispanics,” states that “[T]hese latest figures from the National Center for Education Statistics, U.S. Department of Education, based on a 95 percent response, rank the nation’s community and junior colleges in number of associate’s degrees awarded to Hispanics in 2006.” Oxnard College is 48th. Neither Moorpark College nor Santa Barbara City College is on the list. Oxnard College placed 34thfor full-time Hispanic faculty (including instruction, research and public service) for the second year, listing 94 faculty of whom 32 are Hispanic.
The 2007 list also placed Ventura College 34th, Oxnard (OC) at 33rd and Moorpark College not on the list. California and Texas community college dominate the Top 50: California placed 25 on the list and Texas has 13 listed on the Degrees Granted list.
A college’s placement varies based on the number of degrees granted overall, the number of full-time equivalent students and the percent granted to Hispanic students. Ventura College, like the other two schools in the Ventura County Community College District (VCCCD), experienced enrollment declines as the enrollment fees increased over the last several years. Fees have currently stabilized at $20 per unit for in-state students, and enrollment is climbing.
The latest statistics from the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) indicate there are 1,195 community colleges in the United States. There are 109 community colleges in California. None of the colleges in the VCCCD qualify for the Hispanic Outlook list of Top 50 Community and Junior Colleges by Hispanic Enrollment.
To earn this ranking, Ventura College awarded 912 total associate’s degrees, of which 325 were earned by Hispanic students. 36% of the degrees granted to Ventura College’s students in that year went to Hispanic students. In the fall 2006, the year used for the list, 38.5% of the 12,617 members of the VC student body listed themselves as Hispanic, according to the VCCCD demographics. Fall 2007 showed an increase in both the number of students enrolled at Ventura College (13,551) and the percentage designated as Hispanic (40.0%)
Ventura College President Dr. Robin Calote said, “We are very proud to be identified as a Hispanic Serving Institution by the U.S. Department of Education. These statistics verify the success our College is having in serving those who have traditionally been limited in their access to higher education and the path to the American Dream paved by scholarship.”
Ventura College has ranked in the Top 50 Community and Junior Colleges for Hispanic Outlook magazine for the colleges awarding the most Associate’s degrees to Hispanics consistently for at least the past nine years. Hispanic Serving Institutions are recognized as such by the US Department of Education, and have more than 25% of their enrollment identified as Hispanic. Oxnard College is also a Hispanic Serving Institution. Ventura College was recently awarded its third Title V grant from the Department of Education. These grants are designed to enhance Hispanic Serving Institutions, strengthening the academic offerings and the student services available to attendees and to encourage student success.
Florida, New York, Arizona and New Mexico also have community colleges listed in the Top 50 Community and Junior Colleges listed for Degrees Awarded to Hispanic Students.
According to the American Association of Community Colleges website, there are 11.6 million students currently enrolled in community and junior colleges around the country, 6.6 million students in for –credit classes and 5 million in noncredit classes. 55% of all Hispanic undergraduate students are enrolled in the nation’s community and junior colleges. The nation’s community and junior colleges award Associate’s Degrees more than 550,000 annually. According to Hispanic Outlook magazine, the average expected lifetime earnings for a graduate with an associate’s degree is $1.6 million – about $0.4 million more than a high school graduate earns. Visit http://www2.aacc.nche.edu/research/index.htm for additional statistics.
For additional information, please contact Alisa Moore, Ventura College Public Information Officer, 805-654-6462. Hispanic Outlook Magazine does not post the Top 50 Community & Junior Colleges list on the magazine web site, although they do post their Top 100 Four-Year Colleges list online at www.HispanicOutlook.com.
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