President Thayer’s Board Report for June 11, 2024
The following is a report to members of the North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees
Presented by Cypress College President Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
on June 11, 2024
Summer Enrollment up 25%
Our summer session will be a robust one with an increase of 25% compared year-to-year from summer 2023. Notably, we have seen a 20% increase in headcount, up to 6,137 students compared to last year. Our fill rate is also nearing 100%, which represents a 13% increase compared to 2023. We are experiencing notable growth in both online and asynchronous hybrid modalities.
Strategic Enrollment Management Program
Next week, a team of 10 from Cypress College will officially launch our participation in the 2024-25 Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) Program: Supporting the Student Journey. The Chancellor’s Office program seeks to build a structured community of practice where these challenges and opportunities are both examined and addressed with a focus on the intended outcome to strengthen our strategic enrollment management.
The program aligns with Vision 2030, recent legislative changes, Guided Pathways, equity planning, and the Student-Centered Funding Formula. Cypress College is one of 15 colleges accepted into the program. Participating in this program highlights the college’s commitment to work efficiently across silos to continue our progress to restore enrollment to pre-pandemic levels and beyond.
Commencement Highlights
We are still buzzing from our 57th Commencement on May 24. I am pleased to reiterate some numbers with you from this signature event. Roughly 700 students participated in the ceremony. In all, 1,446 students earned a total of 1,713 associate degrees.
We were pleased to recognize our Presidential Scholars of Distinction, our Outstanding Graduate, and our honored faculty. Also, 1,736 students earned certificates this academic year. Our livestream video from commencement was seen in 27 countries and on six continents.
Thanks go to Dr. Paul de Dios, and the entire Student Support Services team, which includes the Charger Experience Program. In addition, thanks also to Marc Posner and the Campus Communications team. My thanks to Trustees Rosales, Bent, Brown, Dunsheath, and Rodarte for your participation, and to Dr. Breland as well. I was honored to have Vice Chancellors Li-Bugg and Williams and President Olivo at my first commencement here in North Orange.
Event Tent Hosts Celebratory Events Adjacent to Pond
As we enter June, we are completing use of the event tent that was set up at the end of April. This year, 17 year-end celebratory events were hosted in the tent and, in addition, the space also hosted the AI Symposium with State Chancellor Christian, a Congressional candidate forum, and Classified Appreciation Week events. In the past week, EOPS, STEM, and Financial Aid all hosted events in the space.
The event space was conceived to reduce labor on the part of our Maintenance and Operations staff, to save wear and tear on the equipment needed to host year-end events, and to save money that previously had been spent on outside rentals by some programs.
Nursing Ranks #1 in California and in the United States
The National Council Licensure Examination, which licenses professional nurses in the United States, recently released nationwide test results that showed Cypress College students achieving the highest passing rates in the country. In addition to placing first among passing rates in all California and all associate degree programs, the students scored the highest out of all test takers in the county across all degrees, including bachelor’s degrees.
The 2023-2024 NCLEX-RN Program Reports show passing rate comparisons with other programs within licensing jurisdiction (state), with that of other programs of a similar type (associate degree), and within the United States. The 56 Cypress College Nursing Program students in this most recent cohort all scored 100%, placing first out of 142 state programs, first out of 1,175 associate degree in nursing students, and first out of 2,218 programs nationwide, including those in bachelor’s degree, associate degree, and diploma-granting programs.
These scores show an increase over last year, when students placed 46 out of 143 in California, 275 out of 1,175 in associate degree programs, and 541 out of 2,212 in all nationwide programs.
Thanks to Campus Safety and Cypress Police
Finally, I wish to express my thanks to our Campus Safety team and to the Cypress Police Department for successfully and safely resolving a situation near campus on Wednesday.
During the period where the situation was unknown and unresolved, precautionary emergency notifications (text, voice, and email) were distributed to employees, vendors, and summer-enrolled students through the NOCCCD’s RAVE system.
The quick response, the constant communication, and the thorough investigation highlight the cooperative relationship our Campus Safety group has built with our local police agency. In addition to a recently signed MOU between the District and the department, Campus Safety Director Craig Lee and his team work diligently with the agency to proactively focus on the safety of our campus community.
Buen Cypress! We Take This Journey Together!