SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Cosumnes River College, CRC, is reinventing what community college looks like following a multiyear decline in enrollment at community colleges.
Angling to be the first community college in the nation where students don’t have to buy textbooks. They plan to reach that goal by Fall 2023.
For students like Austin Newton in the nursing program, the cost of a textbook is also the cost of gas to get to school.
“In my physiology class there was a book you had to buy twice, cause you can rent it for a certain period of time but then you had to rent it again because it goes away by the time the term is over so then you have to buy the same book again,” said Newton.
Andi Adkins-Pogue is the Public Services Librarian in charge of getting faculty on board and 45% of faculty have already made the switch.
“We found that the average cost at our campus of a single class textbook was about $100 and when you are talking about 15 units that starts to add up,” said Pogue.
In the spring semester alone, that saved Cosumnes River College students $1.2 million dollars in the cost of textbooks. For the current fall semester $1.5 million in savings.
“If a student is on financial aid they actually don’t get that payment until after the semester starts so they might try to get through the first few weeks of the class without the textbook and that can be really challenging and it already puts them at a disadvantage,” said Pogue.
And that’s if there are textbooks left. For some students, saving money now can be an investment in future education.
“I’m transferring so that money can go towards college apps and for more colleges since each is 70 bucks to apply,” said Newton.
But CRC doesn’t want to be first in just textbooks. They also have plans to be the first in the Los Rios District to offer affordable housing units.
“The barrier which is a huge barrier of knowing where they are going to sleep where they are going to eat it removes that barrier it takes a lot of stress off their everyday life knowing they have a safe place to sleep,” said Michele Steiner, regional director of philanthropy.
They received $44 million in a grant from the state that will cover the cost of construction. Expecting to break ground in Fall 2023 with completion by 2025.
“It really does elevate the community college status, and we know most four-year institutions do feel that sense of community,” said Steiner.
The community college’s goal is to align students with a four-year institution. The college itself is embracing some traditional aspects of four-year institutions whether it’s the housing project that is looking to provide the same sense of community or class programs.
When students arrive at CRC they are presented with a full-time 15-credit schedule that includes transferable Math and English credits.
“It’s connected to the program that they are interested in the major they are interested in that’s what’s unique about it instead of just taking courses that may not have anything to do with their program of study we want them to come in and stay focus on the area they are interested,” said Tadael Emiru, chief student services officer.
But also, to graduate in two years by being and staying a full-time student.
Students get a choice with their schedule giving them the flexibility for family commitments or jobs.
For those like Rebecca Sutera in a demanding program of vet technician, she can choose to balance the course work.
“I’ve done variations depending on how hard the class is,” said Sutera.
While still feeling confident she will transfer at the two-year mark
"I haven’t been on a waitlist at all yet so that’s been the good thing,” said Sutera.
First-year biology student Lailoni Street says she was also able to get the classes she wanted and feels confident in a transfer after two years.
“It was a little bit stressful I did procrastinate a little bit on trying to get the enrollment stuff down,” said Street.
Another barrier the college is removing is its COVID-19 vaccine requirement.
That will start next semester.
CRC President Dr. Edward Bush says it served its purpose during the height of the pandemic, but it lost students in vulnerable populations, low-income, and students of color.
“Our African American and Latinx students we also saw that we had a decline in those student populations so we are doing targeted equity focus outreach,” said Bush.
Bush says they want to make sure communities of color know CRC is here for them, and to continue to honor the Native American land the school sits on.
The college says one of the largest losses of students are those they consider re-entry. Those 25 and older that maybe didn’t take to online instruction during the pandemic or weren’t able to attend because they were working.
According to Los Rios District, the current rate of students at CRC who complete their degree in the time allotted for the program is 8%. Almost 30% need an extra semester and almost 40% need an extra year.
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President Bush says they want to make sure communities of color know CRC is here for them. To continue to honor native American land the school sits on.
The college says one of the largest losses of students are those they consider re-entry. Those 25 and older that maybe didn’t take to online instruction during the pandemic or weren’t able to attend because they were working.
According to Los Rios District the current rate of students at CRC that complete their degree in the time allotted for the program is 8%. Almost 30% need an extra semester and almost 40% need an extra year.