The mission of the Butte College Welcome Center is to provide accurate and current information about Butte College’s services, programs, procedures, deadlines and directions. We provide prospective students with information and experiences to discover all the opportunities that await them at Butte College. We create and support programs that serve as a bridge between local area schools and Butte College. This is accomplished in a supportive environment that empowers students.
The Welcome Center provides students with a variety of services including campus tours, information on student services, class locations, instructor locations, campus maps, activities on campus, instruction on how to register, and help in re-setting My BC Portal passwords. The Recruitment and Outreach Office utilizes a variety of methods to reach prospective students. These include activities such as student-guided campus tours, emails, college fairs, special programs and participation in community events. School Relations encompasses a variety of programs and activities targeted to create and develop relationships with local K-12 schools as well as universities. Concurrent Enrollment – Provides an opportunity for K-12 students to take advanced classes at Butte College. College Connection – Program for selected high school seniors to complete their senior year at Butte College while taking college-level classes. About 150 students participate in this program annually.
Out of State Recruitment
Attend out of state recruitment fairs and high school visitations to recruit more students to the campus. This effort helps to diversify our student population.
We are currently evaluating our SLO's to ensure continuous improvement of the program. Pre/Post Tests have been created and student surveys are being conducted to help determine the content of the Tests.
The Welcome Center supports the college in meeting its student achievement standards by providing prospective and current students with exposure to our campus, education of support services, and assistance with the matriculation process. We staff the Information Cube during peak registration times to help continuing students with course registration, staff the Scheduling Center to support students registering for classes at the start of the term, outreach to local community agencies to answer questions about enrollment, host prospective students on campus and coordinate presentations from Financial Aid, Counseling, and other Student Service departments. This exposure, education and assistance supports the improvement of Completion Rates, Degree/Certificate Completion, and Transfer.
The Welcome Cneter supports the college in meeting its Strategic Direction and Priorities by:
Enhancing a Culture of Completion and Academic Achievement
Connection (1.a.2.) – The College Connection Program and Concurrent Enrollment allow local high school student early exposure to college courses and preparation for success.
Entry (1.b.2.) – Summer Bridge participants complete Comprehensive Student Education Plans (CSEP).
Enhancing a Culture of Inclusiveness
(6.3.) Summer Bridge and Summer Connection focus on serving first generation college students.
Campus Information Recommendations and Action/Updates
- Combine all services provided by the Welcome Center into one, integrated program review to eliminate duplication and focus on the interrelationship between services. We have consolidated our programs and services into one area. As such, we have consolidated several separate Program Reviews into one and we have combined six Unit Plans to three.
Recruitment and Outreach Recommendations and Action/Updates
- LEAP/ Summer Connection: Combine these programs into one program for low-income, first generation students; focus on college-going culture (college preparation A-Z, study skills, life skills). The two programs have been combined.
- Summer Bridge: Focus on preparing incoming students to succeed; accept only students who need remediation; add a math and/or English component; create a 60-unit educational plan with a transfer advisor during the program; include a “Family Day” at end of program highlighting resources and what was learned. This recommendation has been accomplished.
- Explore Chico State’s EOPS Summer Bridge program as a possible model. This is still being explored and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Strengthen the online information packet, e.g., include links to departments and contacts. This is still being explored and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
School Relations Recommendations and Action/Updates
- Explore strategies to diversify demographic representation in College Connection. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Increase outreach to new and existing charter, alternative, and private schools that do not currently participate in the College Connection and/or Concurrent Enrollment programs. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Explore strategies to facilitate communication flow between College Connection faculty and the Associate Dean. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Consider adding more career development information and facilitators to College Connection to discuss labor market and employment trends. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Continue to clarify for high school counselors the new transfer degree requirements. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Develop and administer the overall K-12 satisfaction survey being considered. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Continue to pursue upgraded computer technology for student assistant stations. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Research space alternatives if Welcome Center programs and services continue to grow. This is still being discussed and we hope to have it accomplished during the next school year.
- Improve department morale.
- Build additional community relationships that will generate FTES.
- Continue to develop and refine our SLO's.
- Explore technology to improve current processes.
- Continue to improve our Summer Programs
Strategy 1 - Out of State Recruiting
Out of State Recruitment
Continue to implement an assertive recruitment plan for out-of-state students. The plan includes travel to targeted states, mailing of brochures and letters to high schools, actively contacting high school counseling and career centers, working with current out-of-state students to target their high schools, remote video/phone counseling appointments and personally following up with any prospective student that request information. With reductions of state funding, many California colleges are now looking at out-of-state students to help generate income.
Strategy 2 - Increase the Number of Participants on Campus Tours
Explore ways that we can market campus tours to prospective students and improve the overall experience during the tour.
Studies have shown that one of the most effective ways to recruit prospective students is having them participate in a meaningful and engaging campus tour.
Strategy 3 - Improve Summer Bridge and Summer Connection Programs
Continue to develop the Summer Bridge and Summer Connection Programs.
Summer Bridge and Summer Connection are designed for under-represented students. Bridge is designed for students that have recently graduated from high school. The program's goal is to transition students into college providing them with the greatest chance of success. This is a population that is targeted by student equity. The plan is to add FYE courses to the program. Summer Connection is designed for grades 7-10 and provides the students with exposure to a college campus and resources available to support them.
Strategy 4 - Expand Domestic Recruitment Efforts
Explore new markets and improve existing markets to generate additional FTES.
With local high school populations decreasing we need to explore additional markets to reach the Districts FTES goals.
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| Original Priority | Program, Unit, Area | Resource Type | Account Number | Object Code | One Time Augment | Ongoing Augment |
| Description | Supporting Rationale | Potential Alternative Funding Sources | Prioritization Criteria | |||
| 1 | Recruitment and Outreach | Personnel | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 52390 | $0.00 | $207,000.00 |
| 3 Recruitment and Outreach Technicians | Continue the funding of 3 full-time Recruitment and Outreach Technicians that are funded 50% from SSSP and 50% from SE. Recruiters will focus on improving and supporting students during the matriculation process and serving students identifies in the SE Plan. |
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| 2 | Recruitment and Outreach | Operating Expenses | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 55200 | $0.00 | $20,000.00 |
| Travel Funds | Cover travel costs of Recruitment and Outreach Technicians. |
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| 3 | Recruitment & Outreach | Operating Expenses | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 55890 | $15,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Out of State Recruiting Strategy | For travel to out-of-state locations, registration in college fairs, printing/mailing and for contacting high schools/students. We now have additional staff to support this effort. |
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| 4 | Recruitment and Outreach | Personnel | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 52368 | $15,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Hire 3 students for the call back project | By hiring students specifically for this project and identifying the various groups to call throughout the year we will recruit more students and provide additional support to our current students. |
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| 5 | Recruitment and Outreach | Operating Expenses | 11.000.700.1.639001. | 55890 | $0.00 | $5,000.00 |
| Specialized Campus Tours | Over the years we have received a significant increase in the requests to coordinate large group campus tours. We have also collaborated with other on campus departments such as CTE to help host large groups of students. Having the ability to provide lunch, snacks, refreshments, supplies, and staffing for these groups is critical for the success of the events. |
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| 6 | Recruitment & Outreach | Operating Expenses | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 55890 | $15,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Summer Bridge | Summer Bridge is designed for under-represented students that have graduated from high school. The program's goal is to transition students into college providing them with the greatest chance of success. This is a population that is targeted by student equity. The plan is to add LM 40 to the program. At this time, the program has minimal on-going District funding. |
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| 7 | School Relations | Operating Expenses | 11.000.705.1.499900 | 55890 | $15,000.00 | $0.00 |
| Summer Connection | Provide funding for a program designed for underrepresented students that are part of the Student Equity targeted group. Program is for 7th though 10th graders and its goal is to build a pipeline to college for these students. Due to program requirement revisions, Migrant Education is unable to participate financially in Summer Connection (Summer Connection does not meet all revised requirements dictated to Migrant Ed). Traditionally, Migrant Education has provided about $10,000 with other partners providing additional funding for the program. |
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| 8 | Recruitment and Outreach | Operating Expenses | 11.000.700.1.639001 | 54500 | $0.00 | $6,000.00 |
| Promotional Items | Butte College promotional items to be used at recruitment events and presentations. Would include items such as Butte College t-shirts, pens, flash-drives, cinch sacks, etc. |
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| 9 | School Relations | Operating Expenses | 11.000.708.1.649002 | 54500 | $3,000.00 | $0.00 |
| College Connection Promotional Material | Provide polo shirts to help College Connection students identify with the program and Butte. Also help cover the cost of printing promotional brochures used for marketing the program. |
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