NEWS - The Metropolitan

Bill to increase aid for ‘at risk’ students
By Josie Klemaier
jklemaie@mscd.edu

    Julie Farrar, a single mother of three, returned to Metro after 12 years working in the world without a college degree. Coming back to the campus was not easy for her.
    When she returned with years of experience in human services, she wanted to apply for a work-study program, only to find that she had not filled out the right paperwork to qualify.
    Farrar found out she was on academic probation because of classes she had dropped years ago.
    As a Human Services Professions major, Farrar is now in her last year and has an internship under Colorado Representative Jerry Frangas, who is the prime sponsor of a house bill addressing obstacles like the ones Farrar faced.
    Frangas, a democrat for District 4, came to the Roger Braun Lounge to speak to students on Friday, March 3 about House Bill 06-1024, concerning underserved students at institutions of higher education.
    HB 06-1024 has received bipartisan support and responds to the growing retention rate among low-income and minority students at schools across the state.
    “ In Colorado, college participation rates show marked difference based on income level and race/ethnicity,” stated the Bell Policy Center’s state and local opportunity note, authored by Opportunity Analyst Frank Waterous.
    When Metro participated in a study called the Equity Scorecard, it was found that students of color are more likely to need remedial courses, though the faculty and resources may not always be available to them.
    The study also found that students of color have a lower mean GPA when entering Metro.
    HB 06-1024 would require Colorado’s higher education institutions to add an addendum to their performance contracts by Aug. 1, 2006, demonstrating their commitment to the success of underserved students through support services.
    These support services would include individual assessment tools for underserved students or students in need of basic skills instruction, ways of identifying students at risk of academic failure and faculty mentoring programs for these students.
    Frangas said the bill is also looking at improving the availability of work-study to underserved students, though there are federal mandates that need to be worked with.
    An underserved student is any student who is enrolled, but not deeply involved with the resources of a college or university, Frangas said. Studies have shown that students who work on campus have a high correlation with success, he said.
    “ At-risk students (or students at risk of failing grades) would be detected based on an early warning system,” Frangas told students and faculty of Auraria on Friday, “they would be assessed individually.”
    Frangas said having someone there to help guide students through the process can really matter, as he described his own college experience, including his years as a Metro student.
    Frangas also spoke about creating an online text library, which would include only the necessary chapters of textbooks that professors require for classes, cutting down on the amount of money students would have to spend on books.
    “ Voters will be putting their money into these programs and we’re going to make sure it works,” he said, “to make sure that we’re using the money in the most effective ways possible.”
    If the bill is passed, institutions will be required to negotiate fee-for-service contracts annually to deliver a variety of unlimited support services, which are proven effective based on research.
    The language of the bill allows for institutions to decide which programs they will put in place to help raise student persistence and retention.
    Farrar said Metro has a number of resources to help students, but they need help finding them and this bill would encourage faculty to participate in the help.
    “ I am a fairly determined person,” she said about the obstacles she had returning to school as a low-income student. “But, I can see how it would be easy for someone who’s heard ‘no’ all their life to turn around and give up.”