WHEREAS, Due to the hours of operations, evening students do not have access to valuable resources like the library, basic needs center, transfer center, and other academic resource center and this causes the evening students population to face a disadvantage, hindering their ability to complete assignments, study, and meet academic deadlines;
WHEREAS, Many indirect matriculants evening students are parents (18%) or working adults (88%) facing the challenge of balancing both academics and personal life and with the challenge surrounding these responsibilities, evening students struggle with finding a quiet location to complete their studies and prepare for assignments while also having reasonable access to resources in order to meet sufficient goals towards their academics;
WHEREAS, Students requiring a safe location to study on campus during later hours of the day, also require a safe location to wait for their rides and transportation and students with no occupied and well lit area to wait, face increased worry towards their safety; the National Center for Education Statistics shares, “In 2021, about 23,400 on-campus criminal incidents were reported by degree-granting postsecondary institutions” and this can make students feel unsafe and deter them from attending night classes or using campus facilities; and
WHEREAS, Part-time students face a decline in graduation rates, having an area of focus to complete assignments can greatly increase student completion and the lack of resources evening students have access to, impacts the graduation rate; in the U.S. it is reported by MDRC that, “only 20% of part-time students graduate within six years, compared with the 33% of full time students;”
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges encourage California community colleges to provide students with a space following evening classes, allowing them to have access to the internet, textbooks/reading materials for assignments and access to proper research material and this space could also be used fors instructors to have a location to conduct office hours;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate that the accommodating spaces on campus be designated for night students to relax, study, and connect with peers and that this can include lounge areas, study rooms, or virtual platforms for evening students to interact and collaborate;
RESOLVED, That the Student Senate for California Community Colleges advocate for extended hours for campus library and any other study spaces to midnight, to accommodate evening students daily within the next 3 to 5 years; accessibility to study areas, and a supervised location such as the library during later hours can assist with sustaining student safety and helping students feel safer on campus during the evening will potentially see an increase in student life and participation in enrollment, curriculum, and graduation.
Sources
[1] https://www.unr.edu/nevada-today/news/2017/best-time-of-day-to-study
[4]https://journals.library.ualberta.ca/eblip/index.php/EBLIP/article/view/23403
[5]https://www.mdrc.org/work/projects/promising-practices-supporting-part-time-community-college-students#:~:text=Overview,%2C%20practice%2C%20and%20future%20research
[6] https://www.acenet.edu/Documents/Student-Parent-Data.pdf