New Credit Student Success and Support Program Match Requirement for 2014-15
August 15, 2014
TO: Chief Student Services Officers
Chief Business Officers
Student Success and Support Program Coordinators
CC: Superintendents/Presidents
FROM: Linda Michalowski
Vice Chancellor, Student Services and Special Programs
SUBJECT: New Credit Student Success and Support Program Match Requirement for 2014-15
Background
Funding for the Student Success and Support Program (SSSP) was increased by $50 million
for 2013-14 and by an additional $100 million for 2014-15. Because district budgets
have not been restored from the 2009-10 cuts and there are many needs to address to
restore classes, services, and infrastructure with limited general purpose funding,
districts expressed concerns that they would be unable to match the increased categorical
funding for the Credit SSSP at the 3:1 rate. In response, the Board of Governors took
action on July 8 to amend its regulations and authorized the Chancellor to reduce
the match requirement.
In order to determine an appropriate match for Credit SSSP funds for 2014-15, the
Chancellor’s Office sent a survey to each college, to be completed jointly by the
Chief Business Officer and Chief Student Services Officer. A total of 86 colleges
responded. Based on those results we determined that the match should be reduced to
2:1 and that modifications should be made to the categories of expenditures that can
be applied to the match to ensure that the vast majority of colleges will not have
difficulty meeting it. The matter was taken to the July 24, 2014 meeting of the Consultation
Council for discussion.
Revised SSSP Match Requirements
The 2014-15 SSSP match requirement has been revised to 2:1 for all credit dollars. In
order to further assist colleges in meeting the match requirement, two modifications
have been made to the categories of expenditures eligible to be counted towards match:
· Authorization to count “Transitional Services” as match for 2013-14 has been made
permanent. This refers to expenditures that were allowable for funding under the old
Matriculation program that can no longer be funded with SSSP categorical funds, such
as operation of admissions offices and institutional research.
· The cost of tutoring and supplemental instruction provided as follow-up services
for at-risk students has been added as an expenditure that can be counted as match.
Title 5 section 55525 defines at-risk students as students enrolled in basic skills courses, students who have not identified an education
goal and course of study, or students who are on academic or progress probation or
facing dismissal.
The 2014-15 Credit SSSP Budget Plan has been revised to reflect the new 2:1 match
requirement. It is available on the Chancellor’s Office SSSP webpage at this link:
http://extranet.cccco.edu/Divisions/StudentServices/Matriculation/Forms.aspx. Conforming revisions to the SSSP Expenditure Guidelines are in progress.
Contact
Please direct questions to Jeff Spano, Dean of Student Services at jspano@cccco.edu or 916-327-7252 or Debra Sheldon, Student Success and Equity Specialist at dsheldon@cccco.edu or 916-322-2818. You can also contact me directly at lmichalo@cccco.edu or 916-327-5361.
Linda Michalowski
Vice Chancellor, Student Services and Special Programs
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office
Office: (916) 327-5361
Cell: (916) 804-9392
Fax: (916) 327-8232
Email: lmichalo@cccco.edu