President Schilling’s Board Report for August 22, 2023
The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees
Presented by Cypress College President JoAnna Schilling, Ph.D.
on August 22, 2023
Enrollment Update: Fall enrollment continues on a positive trend. We are currently up 4% from fall 2022, after an almost 7% increase in the summer. Our in-person and hybrid classes have increased from the previous fall, with online classes still the preferred modality. Students aged 19-24 constitute approximately 65% of the enrollment, while those between the ages of 24-39 make up 25%. This still provides opportunity for us to expand adult learners over 40. We are continuing our reengagement activities including the Cypress College All-Access Passport to support students’ basic and instructional needs. Here are some of the highlights of our marketing campaign:
- Reengaging stopped-out students. We are utilizing a service called Motimatic, which is a digital engagement technology for reaching and reenrolling students who have stopped attending. We anticipate that this campaign will result in approximately 220 students electing to reenroll in classes (through census).
- Reaching potential students. We are engaged in a call campaign to connect with potential students.
- Direct Email. These varied mailing campaigns include: registration appointments; applied but not enrolled students; and various messages highlighting why students should attend (e.g. Charger Book Program, Financial Aid, Charger Experience, etc.).
- Social Media. These campaigns include a broad range of messages from general enrollment and those focused on specific courses based on faculty and dean requests.
- Spectrum News. We have a sustained campaign with Spectrum that has run since June at varying frequency levels, with peak visibility as we approach the start of the semester. These ads are intended to reinforce the other campaigns.
- KIIS FM. Similar to Spectrum in purpose, frequency, and scope, this radio platform adds credibility to our messaging presented on other platforms.
- Phone monitoring. We are working to ensure our phones on campus are answered and every voice message responded to within 24 hours. This includes our student ambassadors calling students, our switchboard team ensuring callers are assisted quickly, and our Welcome Center greeters in the Student Center.
In Theatre Arts news, we are happy to announce that former Theatre Arts student, Theo Abdelmeseh, has been hired as an audio engineer for the national tour of Broadway’s To Kill a Mockingbird. This is Theo’s second Broadway tour since graduating in spring of 2021. The Theatre Arts Department would also like to congratulate our students Diego Huerta-Gutierrez for being cast in the musical RENT at Costa Mesa Playhouse, and fellow actor, Josh Martinez for being cast in The Rocky Horror Show at Cabrillo Playhouse. Thanks to Theatre Faculty Chair Donny Jackson and VAPA Dean Kellori Dower for keeping us updated on the success of our students.
In 2022, Cypress College Foundation Board of Directors member and Mortuary Science alumna, Shivon Ozinga, developed an immersive work experience academy to train and equip students in the mortuary/funeral service field. What is now known as the Forest Lawn Academy of Mortuary Science (FLMP) , this partnership provides a paid hands-on experience complete with tuition reimbursement and potential future employment opportunities. The specially-selected licensed practitioners on staff at each Forest Lawn location serve as educators, taking a personalized approach to impart valuable knowledge to their students fulfilling funeral service and embalming clinical requirements of the Cypress College Mortuary Science program. Learn more about the FLMP and this important collaboration.
The 2022-2023 Cypress Chargers season ended with a total of 28 athletes set to transfer and compete at four-year programs in 2023-24. Charger Athletics prides itself in having a high number of student-athletes continue their academic and athletic journeys at the next level. Seven of fourteen programs will see a student-athlete from the 2022-23 season in uniform at an NCAA or NAIA program during the upcoming season. Congratulations to all our transfer students!
In other good news, the Cypress Chargers Baseball Program has seen yet another player join Major League Baseball. Coby Morales, who played for Cypress College in 2021, was drafted #552 overall by the New York Yankees in the 2023 MLB draft. Congratulations Coby!
Cypress College has been awarded a Cal LAW grant in the amount of $99,000. The Cal LAW grants are awarded to selected community colleges and are intended to enhance opportunities and advancement in the legal profession for diverse populations, particularly those who traditionally have been underrepresented. At the core of this effort is expanding diversity, equity, and inclusion by ensuring that all students, regardless of race, age, economic status, or geography, can gain the exposure and confidence to pursue a Law career pathway. These investments will provide community college students with a direct path to law school and provide those schools with a pipeline of diverse students from across the state. Thank you to Margaret Fernandez and Lisa King for their help obtaining this important grant.
Opening Day was held on August 18 in the Campus Theater. Featured was a student performance of Seasons of Love, a faculty and manager panel discussing innovations and instructional topics, the unveiling of our new Buen Cypress Resource Guide, our new Center for Teaching Excellence (CTX) open house, the awarding of our annual DEI Award, introduction of new employees and much more. Thank you to all who had the opportunity to attend! We followed the morning events with afternoon division meetings and a Welcome Back Night for new students and parents.
Cypress College held its summer Managers Retreat on August 7. This year’s retreat featured a team-building cooking class/competition and dinner at PREP Cooking in Seal Beach. Managers worked together on various tasks as we created delectable dishes under the guidance of expert chefs. It was a great opportunity for our managers to learn together while enjoying one another’s company before the semester begins.
Cypress College was thrilled to participate in the NASA on Campus program for the third straight summer. Cypress is one of only 13 community colleges in the nation to be selected as a premiere minority-serving institution and this year we partnered with Cerritos College who is also one of these elite community colleges. Eleven scholars participated August 9-12 in the miniature Mars Rovers robotics competition on a simulated Mars terrain. The robotics competition provided students with an up-close and intimate look at NASA missions and an opportunity to present their design work to a panel of judges including Cypress Councilmember Bonnie Peat, Alumna of the Year Catherine Sorenson, and Senator Josh Newman. Thank you to faculty member Ron Armale and STEM(2) Director Yanet Garcia for their commitment to this program, and to VPI Kathleen Reiland for attending the competition.
One of our ongoing initiatives to support students’ basic needs and lower the costs of attending college has been our positive collaboration with OCTA. On the following page is our latest OCTA Ridership Report for the past year. Our ridership continues to grow and we are pleased so many students can benefit from this partnership for all their transportation needs.
Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together!