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Community college leaders in California have set a goal to enhance by one million, the number of degrees and certificates awarded to students by the next decade. There was a Commission on Future attended by faculty leaders, trustees and 33 statewide chancellors who met to discuss ways and means to boost graduation numbers in a bid to meet the higher education goals of California according says a Chronicle of Higher Education.

The American Graduation Initiative was put into motion last July and this commission’s benchmark setting is an effort towards supporting the President’s initiative. According to President Obama’s goal, he wishes to strive to boost community college graduate numbers to five million by the year 2020. In order to achieve this goal, it is necessary for every single college to enhance from 1200 to 3500, the annual completions. For this at least 35000 more degrees and certificates must be created and awarded in California each year.

112 community colleges in California teach one fifth of our nation’s community college students. There was a strong recommendation by the panel to bridge the widening achievement gap between black students, Latino students and other minority under represented population.

The goal of striving aggressively to enhance community college graduate numbers apart, college leaders in California face the looming budget deficit. The estimated deficit of $25.4 billion poses a major stumbling block to progress as this may lead to massive state cuts according to officials.

In spite of various issues that may arise due to budget constraints including cuts in student service programs, loss of purchasing power and reduced access, the commissions stands firm in its stand and belief of the necessity to establish goals to meet the nation’s and state’s economic needs, according to the report.

Barbara Dunsheath, the co-chair of the commission is not deterred by this challenge. Barbara teachers history at the East Los Angeles College and is also the North Orange County Community College District trustee according to a report in Red Bluff Daily News.

Barbara Dunsheath says that even as the report accepts and recognizes the difficult financial situation in the state, it also identifies definite ways colleges can handle the crisis using specific strategies. She opined that the goal should be to spread the best practices among all students and colleges across the state.

Strategies include enhancing accountability and leadership of students by making school accessible by broadening financial aid access and recording success data of students, according to the Times Standard.

Organized by the Community College League of California, this commission is a non-profit organization working towards promoting success of students by encouraging development of leadership. 

This league’s CEO and President Scott Lay say that he is very happy with the commission’s work. He said that a strong vision has been charted and clear cut goals established for the league that serves 112 community colleges in California. We only hope everything goes as per schedule and the goal is achieved.