Gavilan College was one of two institutions among 112 California Community Colleges bestowed with the Student Success Award for its Learning Council.
The prestigious award, presented by the Chancellor’s Office of the California Community Colleges, is given to two colleges per year that “honor college and/or district programs that demonstrate a commitment and significant progress toward achieving success and equity goals for all students.”
The Gavilan College Learning Council is a “collaborative, cross-disciplinary forum that uses research, dialogue, recommendations, action, and evaluation to improve the college environment for individual student learning, growth, and success.”
The Council includes faculty, administrators, support staff and students, working to “break down silos” by bringing together personnel from different departments to focus on problem-solving.
The overriding goal of the Learning Council is to improve student success in learning, completing classes, remaining in school, and achieving their goals of earning degrees, certificates, and transferring to universities.
Within the Learning Council are small groups that help develop “some of the most innovative activities at the college,” including:
-The RAMbassadors Program, where peer mentors have helped more than 1,600 students each summer become more self-sufficient and more connected to the Gavilan community;
-Veterans Voices, where student veterans are given support by creating a climate of comprehensive academic and support services, including a veterans website and Veterans Resource Center on the Gilroy campus;
-Tutoring Support Services, where staff and student tutors work together to strengthen tutoring services for students and train new tutors;
-Basic Skills, which have helped student success rates in English and mathematics rise by 20 percent and 4.5 percent respectively.
