Educational Master Plan 2023-2028

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History and Vision

Established in 1913, Bakersfield College (BC) is one of the oldest continuously operating community colleges in the nation. In 1913, BC opened its doors to thirteen students and since then, the needs of Kern County and the future success of our students has been our highest priority for nearly 110 years.

It was April 30, 1953, that Bakersfield College broke ground and began construction on the153-acre lot on the Panorama Bluffs. Breaking ground on our beloved campus, overlooking the prolific Kern River oil field was just the beginning of a rich history at 1801 Panorama Drive. At the time, the campus had fifteen buildings and greeted 1,400 students and eighty-nine faculty members.

In 1972, BC started offering classes in Delano and shortly after, in 1975 began offering health education courses in downtown Bakersfield at the Weill Institute. In 1981, BC expanded the Delano location, opening with twenty courses and nearly four hundred enrollments. Considering the success of BC’s rural presence in Delano, BC focused on Arvin, offering courses at various community locations, such as Arvin High School, for those students who live and work in the Arvin and the surrounding south Kern area.

For over twenty years, Bakersfield College has also committed to serving students in southwest Bakersfield through locations such as Stockdale High School. In 2019, BC invested in a co-location, now known as BC Southwest, which opened on the shared property of California State University Bakersfield. This location is focused on offering high utility courses and transfer pathways, encouraging students to start at BC for their transfer degree and finish at CSU, Bakersfield, allowing them to earn their degree more affordably.

Bakersfield College is seen as a pillar throughout the community, blazing a trail at the forefront of the intellectual, cultural, and economic vitality for all of Kern County. The work is critical for building the solutions to some of our greatest societal and economic challenges including workforce development, job insecurities, income disparities, wellness, safety, and community health.

Mission

Bakersfield College provides opportunities for students from diverse economic, cultural, and educational backgrounds to attain Associate and Baccalaureate degrees and certificates, workplace skills, and preparation for transfer. Our rigorous and supportive learning environment promotes equity and fosters students’ abilities to think critically, communicate effectively, and demonstrate competencies and skills to engage productively in their communities and the world.
Approved by College Council, March 3, 2023

Guided Pathways

Bakersfield College implemented Guided Pathways in 2014 along with four momentum points as benchmarks for student success. These benchmarks included:

• Attempting 15+ units in the first term
• Completion of transfer-level math and English in the first year
• Attempting 30+ units in the first year
• Completion of nine core pathway units in the first year

Since the inception of guided pathways, BC has focused on improving social and academic support for students, such as the establishment of a robust Basic Needs center called the Renegade Nexus (services include food pantry, transportation, mental health services, etc.), embedded tutoring and writing support, and embedded counseling and advising support.

Going forward, Guided Pathways has the following goals by pillar:

Pillar 1, Clarify the Path: (1) Increase presence and knowledge of transfer at the high schools prior to entering community college, (2) Develop and implement program maps for non-credit certificate pathways, (3) Work to support adult students through supporting Starfish degree planning and Program Pathway Maps, (4) Expand aligned/stackable programs with Non-Credit entry options for livable wage areas.

Pillar 2, Enter the Path: (1) Increase and be more intentional about interaction points and activities, such as Bridge to BC, with students during their onboarding process, (2) Support continued outreach over a 3-year period of 2023 to 2026, (3) Continue to work within the district and at the state level to advocate for improvements to CCCApply, (4) Completion teams will market broadly non-credit courses for Career Development and College Preparation (CDCP) series, (5) Continue to grow and support early college programs, (6) Increase awareness and support for Financial Aid application completion.

Pillar 3, Stay on the Path: (1) Continue efforts to increase student completion of the milestones previously mentioned, (2) Work with faculty leads to evaluate program pathway maps for conflicts and bottlenecks, (3) Completion teams will engage in conversation to encourage student-centered scheduling (e.g. Institution goal to develop schedule based on specific student profiles, aligned with updated pathway maps, and ensuring completion is possible in two years), (4) Support institution
goals to increase Black and African American student persistence over five years by 14.3%, as well as increase male student persistence over five years by 5.8%, (5) Engage in conversations to encourage the development of institution set standards with a focus on persistence and completion, (6) Focus implementation of Zero Textbook Cost and Open Educational Resources to reduce the economic burden/potential barrier to persistence for students.

Pillar 4, Ensure Learning: (1) Target and support disproportionately impacted students to reduce gaps and address equity, (2) Continued expansion of industry and community partners in California Adult Education Program (CAEP) Integration, (3) Support the Kern CCD wide effort to explore the future of teaching and learning by increasing engagement through district-wide peer-learning opportunities and webinars, (4) Continue efforts to increase faculty participation for the completion of student progress reports, (5) In order to improve success in our online classes and incorporate changes in distance education requirements in Title V, we will strengthen our professional development for online learning.

 

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External Scan

Higher Education Policy Impacts

Much of the work of BC over the next years will be impacted by the evolving higher education legislative landscape within the state of California. The 2022-23 adopted state budget for higher education restates outcome metrics expectations which are an extension of the Vision for Success aspirations for the community college system. Described as the California Community Colleges (CCC) Roadmap, the budget represents a commitment of investments to aid the system to meet a set of goals and collaboration expectations through 2026-27.

Two statewide initiatives have helped BC frame its goals with a focus on accomplishing them. First, the adoption of Vision for Success goals in 2017 followed by the Governor’s Roadmap for Community College performance from 2022-2023 to 2026-2027. And secondly, the implementation of the Student-Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) in 2018-2019, provided funding based on the needs of low-income students and on student achievement outcomes in lieu of revenue being based exclusively on attendance. These initiatives complement the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior College’s (ACCJC) expectations that member institutions will annually establish Institution Set-Standard (floor) and stretch goals (aspirational) using metrics that overlap the Vision for Success and SCFF metrics.

ACCJC is also completing its regular review of standards, and BC’s comprehensive accreditation review will take place under the auspices of the new standards. These standards were finalized in Summer 2023, and they contain a greater emphasis upon diversity, equity, and inclusion than ACCJC’s earlier standards. Using these new standards, Bakersfield College will craft its Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) over two semesters, Fall 2023 and Spring 2024, to ensure ISER submission by December 2024. BC’s ISER will be reviewed by an ACCJC team in Spring 2025, and BC will host an evaluation visit in Fall 2025, with the expectation of receiving the accreditation determination by January 2026.

Additional legislative changes will substantially impact BC’s work over the next five years. AB 928, the Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act of 2021, is a landmark piece of legislation that aims to streamline the transfer process for California community college students. The law has the potential to make a real difference in the lives of BC’s students by increasing transfer rates, improving student success, and reducing the costs associated with transfer. Implementation of AB 928 requires the crafting of a shared lower division general education pathway, of no more than thirty-four units, which meets admission requirements for both the California State University and University of California System. Compliance with AB 928 will require substantial curriculum work for all impacted departments to revise courses to fit within this prescriptive framework. Bakersfield College established the AB 928 taskforce to support the work, analyze the Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT’s) for resubmission, and support of courses that are approved for only CSU GE to request IGETC GE as well.  

AB 1111, the Common Course Numbering System Act of 2021, is a new law that requires California community colleges to adopt a common course numbering system for all general education and transfer pathways required courses by July 1, 2024. The common course numbering system will create a single, unified system for identifying and tracking courses across all community colleges in California. Like AB 928, the implementation of the common course numbering system will require substantial curriculum changes to include the catalog and schedule. Over the next five years, BC will carefully monitor statewide activity to ensure compliance.

AB 1705, revision of the Seymour-Campbell Student Success Act of 2012, requires California community colleges to maximize the probability that students will complete transfer level English and mathematics in one year. Access to transfer-level courses will increase. Bakersfield College recently established the AB75 taskforce to analyze student throughput, success, and support resources.

Recent changes to Title 5 are another significant source of reform that will be undertaken. Some changes deal explicitly with standards for courses offered in distance education modalities. They require that students be provided course objectives, outcomes, format, technology requirements, and workload information when the course is being publicized. The revisions are designed to ensure that distance education courses are of the same quality and rigor as traditional in-person courses. The changes will also make it easier for students to find the information they need to make informed decisions about the course format that is best for them. The Office of Instruction at Bakersfield College will oversee changes to scheduling to ensure that distance education course information is adequately shared with students. BC will also explore professional development opportunities to support faculty teaching online modalities. In addition, BC will continue to expand student support options to ensure those students operating within a distance modality have access to the services they need to succeed within their courses.

The second category of Title 5 revisions revolves around diversity, equity, and inclusion. Recent changes highlight the significance of DEI work to the California Community Colleges system. In Fall 2021, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) passed a resolution to revise Section 55002 "Standards and Criteria for Courses" of Title 5 to require the Course Outline of Record (COR) to integrate culturally responsive curriculum, equity mindedness and anti-racism. Regulatory Action also proposed amending Title 5 to include diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility standards in the evaluation and tenure review of district employees. Over the next five years, Bakersfield College will continue to monitor regulatory actions to track changes, integrate recommendations into practice, and ensure college compliance.

Population Served

A collection of 25 populated zip code geographies, approximately 5,000 square miles in the Bakersfield area, has been used to define the effective service area served by Bakersfield College. Of those zip codes, the estimated total population in 2022 was 766,700 residents but that is projected to grow annually at 0.29% until it reaches 777,900 in 2027. By 2040, it is anticipated to become 807,800.

In planning future programs of study, it is critical that BC monitors the population trend in the career choice age range (15 to 24). The numbers of high school graduates in the BC service area between 2021-22 and 2025-26 is expected to increase 1.6% annually. However, from 2026-27 to 2031-32 the growth in the number of graduates is projected to be 0.3% annually.

1 In the effective service area growth in the 15 to 24 age group is expected to slow.
Educational attainment of a college degree by individuals aged twenty-five or older in 2022 trails the state-wide experience (13% vs. 24% respectively). Only 6% of the area’s residents have achieved a graduate degree whereas throughout the state it is 14%. Equally noticeable is that in 2022, 25% of the area residents did not complete high school while state-wide it was only 14% of the population who did not finish high school. The shortfall is perceived to be one of the barriers to attracting additional business investment to the area.

Surveys conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, 21% of the population has an income below the poverty level and another 8% are at the poverty level. The median household income at $58,800 in 2022 is anticipated to increase to $73,000 by 2027.

Economy and Employment

In February 2023, the unemployment rate in Kern County was 8.9%. This is higher than the national unemployment rate of 3.9%. The unemployment rate in Kern County has been trending down in recent years, but it is still significantly higher than the national average. There are several factors that contribute to high unemployment in Kern County. One factor is the county's reliance on the oil and agriculture industries. These industries are both cyclical and volatile, which means that they are more likely to experience booms and busts than other industries. When these industries are in a downturn, they can lead to job losses in Kern County.

Source: California Employment Development Department, Labor Market Information. Labor Force Data for All Counties, Cities, and Census Areas. Retrieved February 18, 2023, from https://labormarketinfo.edd.ca.gov/data/industry-employment-and-unemployment-rates-for-counties.html

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Internal Environmental Scan

Student Body

Bakersfield College (BC) annually serves over 38,000 students or over 75% of the Kern Community College District enrollment and is the largest of three colleges in the Kern Community College District. Since 2014-15 BC substantially increased student participation and attendance as measured by full-time equivalent students (FTES).

*Indicates preliminary count as of April, 2023
Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office

As is commonly the case in higher education, female students outnumber male students. Females have averaged 54% of the student body over the last seven years. Students of Hispanic heritage, averaging 67% of the student body, are the largest group followed by the White-Non-Hispanic cluster that has averaged 19%.

Programs of Study

Bakersfield College offers a robust array of certificate and degree programs. In recent years BC has added two Bachelor of Science degrees and numerous noncredit career development/college preparation certificates.

Source: Bakersfield College, Curriculum Committee

Delivery of the Instructional Programs: The largest concentration of classes and attendance has been associated with the Panorama campus through in-person, online, or hybrid instruction. The long-established Delano center has been a second location for concentrated in-person instruction. Various locations in the Bakersfield area have been used to bring instruction to where students live, attend high school, or work. Under the umbrella of Rural Initiatives, BC has increasingly delivered instruction in rural communities, such as Arvin, Delano, and Wasco.

In response to the pandemic, Bakersfield College increased online offerings for students. Considering the lower nationwide online success rates, BC is monitoring online courses to enhance existing support services available to students online.

Institutional Effectiveness

As a Guided Pathways institution, Bakersfield College is always developing innovations to close equity gaps for student populations that experience the most disproportionate impact. BC has identified key momentum points in a student’s journey through college experience. Progressing through the momentum points improves the likelihood that students will complete a degree and transfer. Momentum point progress for the largest disproportionately impacted populations, Hispanic/Latino/a/x, and Black students, have been of particular interest.

Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office

Student Completion with an Emphasis on Transfer

Bakersfield College has launched an effort to promote degree completion and transfer to four-year institutions by hosting 37 Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADT). BC established a partnership with California State University Bakersfield (CSUB), developed the Finish-in-4 Program in 2017 and revisited it in 2023 for continued alignment. At the same time, Bakersfield College pioneered the Program Pathways Mapper to support academic planning for prospective transferring students. These efforts have stimulated substantial growth in the number of ADT awards.

Transfer Trends - BC Students Transferring to any Four-Year Institution

Between 2015-2016 and 2020-2021, BC has increased the number of students who successfully transferred to any four-year university. In 2021-2022, the number slightly dipped, however overall, our transfer students have increased by 34%. Among those entering CSUB the greatest gains have come from Latino/a/x and Black students, the groups who are most severely disproportionately impacted.

Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office. Renegade Scorecard- Student Success

Between 2015-2016 and 2020-2021, BC has increased the number of students who successfully transferred to any four-year university. In 2021-2022, the number slightly dipped, however overall, our transfer students have increased by 34% (362 students). Among those entering CSUB the greatest gains have come from Latino/a/x and Black students, the groups who are most severely disproportionately impacted.

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Equity, Completion, and Intersegmental Approach to the Future

Over the past three years, Bakersfield College has been envisioning what the future of learning will look like. As an institution, we are focused on ensuring that historically marginalized students who have disproportionately been impacted by the pandemic, poverty, inaccessible resources, and other barriers are given a streamlined path with equal opportunity and support to succeed.

Rural Initiatives

Students at Bakersfield College come from a wide range of backgrounds, forming a diverse and unique representation of the Central Valley. Our role in addressing persistent barriers to economic and social mobility is magnified in this community where, for too many, a college degree was historically seemingly out of reach.

According to the Public Policy Institute of California, high schools in rural areas tend to offer fewer advanced placement (AP) courses and college-prep classes than do urban schools. College degree attainment is also lower compared to urban communities. Because of these alarming statistics, Bakersfield College took the lead in helping students from these communities through our Rural Initiatives, and since its creation, has helped thousands of students achieve upward mobility.

We have opened our doors wider than ever before to rural students and families, reducing time to complete, improving transfer outcomes, and most importantly, their needs have been at the forefront of our developments and innovations for years. Therefore, the instructional services currently referred to as the Bakersfield College Rural Initiatives are embedded into all that we do and are interwoven throughout various sections of this Educational Master plan.

Bakersfield College has increasingly delivered instruction in the surrounding rural communities. Highlights per site include:

Delano: BC’s programming in Delano has expanded tremendously leading to the need for the recent opening of a new 39,000 square-foot learning center. In addition to the Delano-specific existing programs, such as HVAC, this expansion will bring new programs and degree offerings, such as BC’s degree program in Construction Management, which launched this all. Enrollment at BC’s Delano campus is on the rise and has doubled in Fall 2023 from last year. With this new space, the college is offering services that previously were only available at the Panorama campus such as career advising, Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunity Programs & Services (EOPS), the AB540 Student Support Program, the BC Library, and Renegade Nexus Pantry. It was also important to offer students additional comfortable spaces for expanding Student Government, collegiate activities, and events. Considerable thought was put into providing students with a place to congregate, support each other, study, and thrive.

The Adult Education program is looking for additional opportunities to provide the Delano Adult School with onboarding into Workforce Development programs such as office skills, pharmacy technician, phlebotomy technician, medical assistant, English literacy, and welding. The BC team continues to bring BC to the Vineyards through a project that reaches farm workers throughout the region and offers enrollment and support.

Arvin and Lamont: BC has been committed to building a college going culture in the Arvin and Lamont area for nearly 20 years. Beginning with developmental courses offered at Arvin High, the need for local college-level courses grew. Since then, the college has worked with Arvin High School and Building Healthy Communities South Kern to identify and address the need for more classes and in response has also identified land for a new Arvin location. The BC Arvin Educational Center will be located across the street from Arvin High School and is on track to be completed in 2025.

Through a comprehensive review of market research, BC created a curriculum that ensures our students are equipped with the skills to thrive. In discussions with The Tejon Tribe, BC aims to ensure that degrees and certificates will be aligned with the needs of the new Hard Rock Resort, along with emerging employment opportunities as the area experiences economic growth.

These include:

• Agriculture, Nutrition, Culinary Arts: Degrees, and certificates such as Food Service Management, Culinary Arts, Environmental Horticulture, Hospitality Management, and more
• Mechanic, Elevator and Escalator install and repair, and Automotive Technicians.
• Business: Degrees and certificates such as Accounting, Logistics Management, Bookkeeping, and more.
• Arts, Communication, Humanities: Degrees and certificates such as Graphic Design, Media Arts, Commercial Music, and more.
• Industrial Technology & Transportation: Degrees and certificates such as HVAC Technology, Occupational Safety and Risk Management, Woodworking and Cabinetmaking, and more.
• Public Safety Training: Degrees and certificates such as EMT, Fire Life Safety, CPR certification, and Security.

New certificate and degree options are being explored such as Resort Management, and Resort Operations.

BC is also looking to enhance opportunities for students to “earn while they learn” through Apprenticeship programs in Arvin. The College will expand the Apprenticeship Pathways Demonstration Project with positions such as Bakers, Hotel Security Officers, Cyber Security Technician, HVAC, and more.

To support this growth, the college is recruiting a dedicated program manager for the Arvin area who will join the Rural Initiatives team and explore partnerships with places such as the Arvin Navigation Center. Additionally, we are exploring workforce recruitment strategies so that instruction, outreach, and onboarding are coordinated, ensuring that education remains a catalyst for economic prosperity and sustainable development for all within the Arvin and Lamont area.

Lost Hills: As a component of BC’s strong partnership with Wonderful Education, BC continues to offer sections of Mathematics and Crop Science to Early College students in Lost Hills. The partnership is continually exploring opportunities for growth and further development.

McFarland: Building upon the already successful relationship with McFarland’s Early College program, BC also partners with McFarland Adult Education to provide non-credit Adult Education courses in areas of Child Development and EMLS (English for Multilingual Students). FTES for Fall 2023 is on par with pre-pandemic level of Fall 2019. BC is looking to expand the Adult Education and Workforce Development opportunities at McFarland Learning Center with additional programs in conversational English, office skills, and logistics. Meanwhile, the relationship between BC and McFarland Unified School District remains strong, enrolling all high school students in college pathways.

Shafter: Bakersfield College has been a long-time partner of the City of Shafter to bring learning opportunities to the community. In 2021, BC provided support staff and a librarian to reopen the Shafter Library. This opportunity not only enhanced educational access, but increased services for the residents of Shafter.

BC has also strengthened our partnership with the Wonderful Company, drawing on some of the curriculum from the industrial automation program to be taught at the Company’s training center in Shafter. The program is intended for educational and technical training delivered to existing and the potential employees at the Wonderful Industrial Park and high school students participating in the BC early college initiative. In addition to workforce instruction, Early College credit programs that align with industry certification requirements will be provided. A series of sixteen non-credit instructional topics about occupational safety, risk management, and office and business skills will also be available for students. BC is prepared to offer a series of courses in eight-week modules during the primary terms and in the summer months.

Wasco: BC’s commitment to the community of Wasco remains strong, evidenced in our partnership with Wasco Independence High School which is flourishing. FTES for Fall 2023 is on par with 2019 as the site offers three associate degrees and nine certificate options, including the popular Job Skills Certificates in Nursing Assistant and Shielded Metal Arc Welding. Adult Education is also supporting students at Wasco Adult Education Center, located at Wasco Independence High School. To better serve students in Wasco, BC’s Nexus Pantry has also expanded to the community with a mobile Snack Station serving nonperishable and nutritious snacks for the students there.

English for Multilingual Students (EMLS): Bakersfield College wants to ensure that all students, regardless of their starting skills can step onto an on-ramp pathway towards baccalaureate degree or gainful employment. EMLS offers four college-prep, non-credit courses that introduce a student to a path toward a BC certificate of achievement, as well as courses that can be taken for credit or non-credit, and a transfer level composition course.

BC aims to continue taking BC to the community by offering courses at locations within the communities it serves while embedding necessary academic support services in courses. We will also continue to strengthen our collaboration with community leaders, such as the Farmworkers Institute of Education and Leadership Development (FIELD) as we increase outreach strategies in new and innovative ways.

Health Equity And Learning (HEAL) Collaborative: BC’s HEAL Collaborative is on a mission to lift the voices of California's San Joaquin Valley rural communities by connecting available resources and bringing policy changes needed to improve health. The group has been working with partners across the state to develop pipelines to promote medical education in the central valley. Specifically, partners include Kern Medical, CSUB, Western University, Pomona College of Osteopathic Medicine, and UC Merced. With room to expand these programs in Shafter and with the support of BC’s partners, the team looks forward to supporting expanded cohorts of rural students focused on Health Sciences pathways.

Racial Equity for Adult Credential in Higher Education (REACH): Bakersfield College began its participation in the Racial Equity for Adult Credential in Higher Education (REACH) program in 2022. The REACH Collaborative aims to increase the attainment of high-value certificates and associate degrees for adult learners of color (age 25+), particularly Latino/a/x, Black and African American, and Indigenous learners. The Bakersfield College REACH initiative began with both Business program noncredit and credit options at the Delano Campus. Over the next five years, the REACH program will expand to additional rural sites (Wasco, Arvin, etc.).

Early College

At Bakersfield College, we know that Rural Initiatives in higher education are the bedrock of equitable progress, forging pathways for knowledge and opportunity where they are needed most. Bridging this educational divide is vital for not only empowering individuals and fostering innovation, but also for catalyzing sustainable development in underserved communities.

BC’s commitment to the Early College program is part of a comprehensive effort to strengthen a college-going culture throughout the service region by offering high school students the opportunity to start college while still enrolled in high school. The program uses both dual and concurrent enrollment strategies, in which fees are mostly waived or very minimal, resulting in a highly equitable approach.

In 2013, BC made a leap forward by beginning the Dual Enrollment program as a component of the CCPT1 grant in partnership with the Wonderful Academy. The initial goal was to provide Wonderful College Prep Academy students the opportunity to complete an Associate of Science in Agriculture Business by the time they completed high school. Since then, the college has developed partnerships with twenty-nine public high schools, two private high schools, and three charter schools.

The goal has been to provide every ninth grader at 35 high schools throughout Kern County the opportunity to earn at least twelve college credits during their high school career. Some students will earn an associate degree simultaneously as they complete 12th grade. The Early College program is part of BC’s equity agenda and currently 11,918 students participating in dual or concurrent enrollment courses through Bakersfield College annually, and 10% of these students are participating in degree completion pathways that will allow them to earn an associate degree by the time they graduate from high school.

*Indicates preliminary count as of April 2023
Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office. Early College Dashboard

Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office. Early College Dashboard

While the Early College program has sustained success each year with earned certificates and degrees, Bakersfield College has identified several additional areas for action to further develop the Early College program. These include refining and streamlining the dual enrollment application process, facilitating annual enrollment, and developing a fee waiver application protocol for non-residents. To ease the transition to BC, support is provided to ensure all students are completing their appropriate financial aid applications.

Through the Early College Faculty Mentorship program, BC works with our Early College high school instructors to ensure the curriculum taught is aligned and consistent with the curriculum being offered in traditional courses at BC. College and high school faculty members will continue curriculum alignment discussions for the expansion of pathway high schools and to further grow the program.

To take the equitable approach one step further, faculty and staff are exploring the use of open education resources in as many courses as possible to mitigate the cost of textbooks for concurrently enrolled students.

Completion and Transfer

Kern Promise Finish-in-4 and Transfer-in-2:

Kern Promise Students can earn an Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) in any of the 35 Finish-In-4 maps Bakersfield College offers; receive priority admission consideration and a guaranteed admission, with junior level standing in a similar degree to participating four-year universities through structured support and priority access to courses. This work has served students well and earned BC several statewide recognitions.

Through the Kern Promise, students work with a “Completion Coaching Team” to chart and follow the path to transfer success. BC provides priority registration, specialized academic and advising support throughout the two years to complete an ADT, along with a guaranteed saved spot into the CSU system, 39 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and participating institutions within the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU).

The Bakersfield College Kern Promise includes the following two programs: Finish-in-4 and Transfer-in-2.

FINISH-IN-4: Bakersfield College and CSU, Bakersfield (CSUB) fully aligned and sequenced over twenty transfer pathways. Students follow a Finish-in-4 roadmap to earn an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) in 2 years (60 units) at BC with a guaranteed spot at CSUB, in a similar degree. Students are guaranteed to earn a baccalaureate degree in no more than 2 years (60 units) at CSUB.

TRANSFER-IN-2: The Transfer-In-2 program supports student completion of an Associate Degree (A.A. or A.S.) at BC followed by transfer to a 4-year institution, and the completion of an Associate Degree for Transfer (AA-T or AS-T) at BC, followed by a guaranteed admission into the CSU system, 39 Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), and participating institutions within the Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities (AICCU). or ADT into a similar major within 2 years.

BC serves over twenty high schools and collaborates with high school personnel and other BC departments such as Outreach, Financial Aid, and Counseling & Advising to address student needs from pre-matriculation through transfer to a four-year institution. Transfer Center staff are currently collaborating with high school counselors to provide additional opportunities for transfer and financial literacy in high school students and their parents’ education. BC also embeds a transfer pathway in HS dual enrollment programs, and the BC Transfer website clearly identifies transfer information.

Transfer pathway educational advisors work in conjunction with Learning and Career Pathway counselors and educational advisors, along with all affinity groups and programs to provide additional support and transfer information for students. In addition, a dedicated CSUB academic advisor is available 20 hours a week at BC Southwest to provide information about CSUB’s transfer requirements and Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

Over the next several years, transfer staff will continue to offer services both virtually and in-person, specifically pairing online services for students who take their courses online and in-person services for students who take their classes in-person. Additionally, BC’s Transfer Center plans to continue the implementation of the transfer programs and services noted above, and to continue to assess its programs and services to make informed decisions and improvements.

Baccalaureate Programs

Bakersfield College was selected in 2015 as one of 15 California Community Colleges to pilot a baccalaureate degree program. BC’s Industrial Automation Baccalaureate Program was intentionally designed to prepare individuals for technical management careers in industries that utilize automation, including the petroleum, manufacturing, logistics and agriculture industry sectors, to improve the regional economy. In 2018, BC held a record-breaking commencement ceremony, recognizing the first-degree earners of the Industrial Automation Baccalaureate degree from a California Community College. Graduates of the Industrial Automation Baccalaureate program are typically immediately employed upon graduation.

Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office. Projected Graduate Goals: 2023-2024 (50), 2024-2025 (75), and 2025-2026 (100)

Staff and faculty have advocated for growing the baccalaureate offerings at Bakersfield College to not only meet local demand. These affordable and accessible paths are one way educated students will secure lifelong and gainful employment to support themselves and their families right here at home, giving back to our community.

Upon the approval to offer the Bachelor of Science in Research Laboratory Technology, BC offers two baccalaureate degrees and aims to continue expanding the baccalaureate offerings.

Rising Workforce Needs And Special Populations

Bakersfield College is continually looking to develop programs that will offer gainful employment opportunities and economic growth for the region.

Adult Education: Adult learners are the next frontier of service from BC and consist of prospective students who are unemployed, underemployed, displaced people, or looking to upskill. Noncredit curriculum and programs provide a tool to incentivize adult learners to attend BC and services are delivered at multiple sites within the BC service area including Delano, Shafter, McFarland, Wasco, metropolitan Bakersfield, and Arvin.

Faculty have developed forty-three career development programs across sixteen disciplines, to onramp adult learners on an educational path towards earning a certificate or degree.

An area of focus for the future will be how to arrange opportunities so that the students who complete noncredit instruction may transition to a credit certificate or degree program of study. Credit for Prior Learning protocols is one strategy to address this issue.

Project HireUP is another of BC’s innovative programs providing support and a pathway to employment through education for individuals experiencing homelessness or housing insecurity. The Community Action Partnership of Kern (CAPK) in Kern County provides basic services (housing, underemployed, etc.). The City Serve faith-based non-profit organization provides wrap around services to support the most vulnerable adult learners. Both organizations are prime partners in supporting the adult learners through the program.

BC is thinking about the life cycle of a student. The intent is to onboard adult learners through community organizations, teach the adult learners, over a short-term, some essential skills, have the adult learner leave with support to secure employment. The core task over the next one to four years is to provide a more robust support system and to think about relationships in a systematic way to support students from start to end. The BC effort will rely on partnerships, such as with the Bakersfield Homeless Shelter to recruit students into the program. BC would also like to provide for an employer and employees any relevant basic training for prospective adult learners in the workforce and to do so at the employment site. 

Teacher Preparation Model: The Education Department is looking to promote a “grow your own” teacher preparation model that would offer stackable paraprofessional certificates, which would lead to a local Education Studies degree. The “grow your own” strategy is particularly relevant for employed paraprofessionals who live in rural areas. They intend to expand these efforts in the next several years.

Although recent legislation regarding teacher credentialing pertaining to transitional kindergarten and K-3 teachers may not go into effect until 2023, the Family and Consumer Education (FACE) Department is working with districts to provide teachers with the required educational experiences that will qualify them for the new certifications. Several school districts have approached the Department with an invitation to offer their K-12 faculty members curriculum from noncredit certificates which would help those faculty with transitional development (aka professional development) skills and insights appropriate to implement new modes of teaching or curriculum.

Another growing innovation is Parent University, a program offered in the Bakersfield City School District (BCSD) and in the rural community of Arvin to get parents involved in their child’s education or to consider becoming an educational paraprofessional. The pilot is modeled after some aspects of BC’s child development programs. The Parent University leaders seek to create cohorts of parents in need of support from the Family and Consumer Education Department child development faculty members. Courses in the Parent University are offered as either credit or noncredit classes. The Parent University program will expand this project into the northern region of the BC service area.

Hospitality: BC is developing a Hospitality Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT). The idea for this degree grew out of conversations with the local Tejon tribe which looks to be constructing a four hundred room Hard Rock Resort at the base of the Grapevine. The plans for this resort include several restaurants as well as a need for general skilled hospitality workers in various positions throughout the hotel and resort.

BC is therefore developing its Hospitality ADT with these working professionals in mind. BC will ensure that sustainability is included in this program by embedding principles and strategies of sustainable business practices within the program’s coursework and by developing an independent course on sustainable business practices. The program will also give students practical experience with sustainability by continuing practice of using produce from BC’s edible garden in the hospitality program’s curriculum and events.

The Hospitality ADT will be made up of three stackable certificates and will launch Fall 2024.

Pre-Medicine: BC is focused on establishing several articulation agreements and pathways to graduate programs in medicine. BC has a planning grant from the California Wellness Foundation to plan an articulated pathway from the community college for pre-med students to attend University of California (UC) Merced for a bachelor’s degree then acceptance into the medical doctor program at UC San Francisco campus.

Another grant is being managed by the Kern County Superintendent of Schools to support planning with CSU Bakersfield (CSUB) and Kern Medical that would allow high school students to learn about a pathway to attend BC, transfer to CSUB, complete a doctorate at Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, and return to Bakersfield for residency at Kern Medical.

Rising Scholars: BC’s Rising Scholars Program currently operates in five state prisons, two juvenile hall facilities, and a custody to community transitional reentry program located in Kern and Kings Counties. In addition to instruction offered to those who are incarcerated, BC also offers a variety of support services to formerly incarcerated individuals who are enrolled and attending classes at BC.

*Indicates preliminary count as of April 2023
Source: Bakersfield College, Institutional Effectiveness Office.
Projected Headcount Goals: 2023-2024 (1,958), 2024-2025 (2,252), and 2025-2026 (2,590).
Projected Enrollment Goals: 2023-2024 (6,903), 2024-2025 (7,939), and 2025-2026 (9,130).

The program envisions growth over the next few years by increasing cohort sites, increasing short term program offerings, including non-credit, and collaboration with facilities wardens to enhance classroom and resource opportunities.

New collaborations are vital to the program’s success and will be pursued with local jails, custody to community transitional reentry facilities, and juvenile hall facility administrators to increase participation. Most recently, courses have begun at the Casa Aurora drug rehabilitation facility in Bakersfield that is designed to support females struggling with addiction.

International Students Program

Bakersfield College’s vision for the future includes dedicating resources to the growth of its International Student Program. Following the decline of international enrollment due to the pandemic, BC’s International Student Program is actively developing relationships to help increase the number of students enrolled in BC’s international student program.

BC’s international students (F1 Visa or M-1 Visa students) typically identify a UC as their transfer institution of choice, and two of the top transfer UC’s from BC are Berkeley and UC Santa Barbara. BC works closely to ensure successful completion of transfer courses as well as seamless transition to the international student’s 4-year college of choice. The staff in BC’s international student program are currently working to develop pathways for transfer students to the UC’s and bring BC’s exposure to other countries through social media and webinars to provide BC with quality leads for international students.

Future goals of the program include targeting outreach to students from other countries including Korea, Vietnam, Latin America countries, and India, and developing pathways that include support for the unique needs of for international students at identified momentum points. These will include addressing social and emotional needs of international students, including providing opportunities for international students to be active on campus, creating engagement opportunities to combat homesickness, and aiding students to understand logistics of living in Bakersfield.

Source: MIS Datamart

Credit for prior Learning (CPL)

To ensure students enter the path with credits they’ve earned through validating prior learning, Bakersfield College (BC) has a process established and a web site with forms and information in place for CPL. Military veterans can access a state database, the Military Articulation Platform (MAP), to explore the possibility of being granted BC course credit for training they received while serving in the military. The MAP platform is used by California community colleges to facilitate comparison of course outlines and learning outcomes on a Joint Services Transcript (JST) to the college’s course outline of record and related learning outcomes to reach equivalency decisions. BC department chairs are instrumental in utilizing the MAP resource to create equivalencies that would facilitate awarding BC credits to the veteran students and future workshops are being planned to accelerate the review process across all BC programs.

BC is part of a statewide initiative focused on providing CPL to veteran students who gained skills during their active duty, however there are also expanded opportunities for students who have prior learning in various areas of skilled industry work. Future resources will facilitate the granting of equivalent BC course credit to students who have documented industry certificates. Eligible students can also receive recognition for prior learning accomplished to earn an industry certificate.

Additionally, students who have a work history that is not recognized by an industry certificate but can be documented in a portfolio for BC faculty to review may also be eligible to earn CPL. The next steps are to develop rubrics with which the portfolio materials could be evaluated for equivalency to a BC course. BC has a robust process for awarding CPL earned through standardized exams (AP, IB, and CLEP) and continues to improve avenues of internal credit by exam for students.

Competency Based Education (CBE)

BC is one of eight pilot colleges participating in a grant funded opportunity to work with the State Chancellor’s Office to develop Competency Based Education parameters for the state. This work will facilitate the development and implementation of CBE programs at all 116 California Community Colleges. BC has selected Culinary Arts as its pilot CBE program. CBE will allow students to progress at their own pace, get credit for skills they already possess, and will increase the numbers who are able to complete degrees. The program is expected to launch in 2025.

Student Information Desk (SID)

At the height of distance learning in 2020, Bakersfield College launched a fully staffed Zoom lobby, creating a digital “face-to-face” portal for a variety of student needs. Students could connect with a support staff member, counselor, educational advisor, tutor, or more. The goal was to replicate a one-stop-shop for students seeking answers or individualized services in a remote and digital environment. As an equity game changer, meeting the needs of students balancing life, family, jobs, and other commitments, the Student Information Desk has been institutionalized and will continue to be fully staffed to meet the needs of BC’s students.

The Office of Student Life

Leadership and staff in BC’s Office of Student Life are dedicated to ensuring learning through the opportunities they provide students both inside and outside of the classroom. They understand, through both anecdotal and empirical evidence, which increased student success and completion are correlated to student engagement.

Over the next few years, BC’s Office of Student Life envisions a transition from the current perception of Student Life as separate from instructional departments; to one where these aspects of a student’s education are recognized as essential to student equity and success. In this re-envisioned model, Student Life and Instructional departments will work together to form a culture of co-curricular student services where service learning and student organization engagement are embedded in the academic curriculum.

Within the next 5 years, BC Student Life staff will partner with instructional faculty to develop a certificate in leadership that will leverage existing leadership courses at BC, Government and Civic co-curricular requirements, and the development of new courses as necessary to support our future leaders serving in the Student Government Association.

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Evolving Workforce Preparation for the Future

Bakersfield College has a strong commitment to providing a robust lineup of career education programs designed to prepare students to enter the workforce and fill identified gaps between projected job openings requiring technical knowledge and the regional supply of college graduates. The future direction of BC’s workforce preparation is focused on the following categories of efforts: (1) educating healthcare providers; (2) creating apprenticeships and industry partnerships; and (3) mastering technology.

Apprenticeships and Industry Partnerships

BC has leveraged the state’s policy and funding to increase the number of apprenticeship programs to prepare students for the Kern County workforce. The new areas of interest for BC include health care, information technology, transportation and logistics, and energy. Each apprenticeship requires several administrative activities to be accomplished in collaboration with business partners, labor councils and unions, the California Division of Apprenticeship Standards (DAS), the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL), the California Apprenticeship Initiative (CAI), and nonprofit and other community groups.

New apprenticeship training programs have been established through partnerships with these firms: Wonderful Company, California Department of General Services, California, and Bakersfield Area New Car Dealers Association, OpenClassrooms, Adventist Health, and Kern Medical. Additional apprenticeship opportunities are being pursued in advanced manufacturing, automotive, hospitality, healthcare, and energy.

Healthcare

Health, Equity, and Learning (HEAL): In November 2018, BC’s representatives, BC’s community healthcare professionals and other partners created a healthcare initiative called the Health, Equity, and Learning (HEAL). The Collaborative has identified several workforce preparation gaps in a variety of medical professions which BC is addressing by introducing new programs of study and increasing enrollment capacity in existing programs. Supported by a Title V grant, the Early College program will expand the number of sections offered, double the number of declared majors, and create pathways from adult schools to health programs of study. Partnerships with hospitals and unions have also created a Licensed Vocational Nurse (LVN) to Registered Nurse (RN) bridge program for perinatal and neonatal nursing care.

Registered Nursing: BC’s RN program started an apprenticeship path for those completing the associate degree who want to train for perioperative nursing. This bridge into the community health sector is aimed at expanding opportunities for the RN program graduates. Several new allied health programs are being considered while other existing programs are going to have expanded curriculum. Modification of facilities will allow growth efforts of established programs of study to increase enrollments.

Physical Therapy Assistant: BC’s Physical Therapist Assistant program is in the process of seeking accreditation from a national organization to enhance the stature of the program. A course introducing BC students to the discipline has been popular and is being offered at the Kern High School District (KHSD) Career Technical Education Center (CTEC). The program will expand to create a Certificate of Achievement for rehabilitation aides to spark interest in the occupation.

Public Health Sciences: The Public Health Science department is working to strengthen the AS-T to ensure easy transfer to four-year public institutions. The department will establish an advisory board to maintain industry relevance and meet current industry needs. This board will consult on further developing the existing two job skills certificates into Certificates of Achievement. Those two job skills certificates currently require only a few units: (1) community health worker and (2) public health informatics & technology.

Emergency Medical Technician (EMT): Public safety health-related career technical education programs of study are also being expanded. Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) faculty members are expanding instruction in Delano, Wasco, and in Arvin. Faculty members will continue expanding the strategy of using a hybrid delivery modality to attract more students. The overall cost of the BC EMT Program is significantly lower than other similar programing withing the State of California. The American Heart Association (AHA) courses are Pre-Hospital Trauma Life Support (PHTLS), Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS), and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS). Additionally, the AHA courses are already in high demand among Paramedic students, in addition to being required courses for BC Nursing Program.

Mental Health Certificate: Over growing mental health concerns, the psychology and criminal justice departments partnered with nursing faculty members in the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program to offer an introductory mental health course to complement the currently provided occupational training. The Bakersfield Behavioral Healthcare Hospital approached BC to conduct more training in mental health for their employees. In response, the Psychology Department is working on a non-credit certificate.

Mastering Technology, Research, and Renewable Energy

Industrial Automation: Faculty members leading the Industrial Automation program will increase enrollments in the program in several ways. Curriculum is taught at six high schools in the Early College Program, and this will be a focus of the Early College expansion efforts. The Rising Scholars Program also includes the curriculum in offerings to incarcerated individuals at several state prisons in Kern County. Discipline faculty members are considering ways to facilitate program access for BC students in related disciplines such as engineering, energy, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, etc. Industrial automation courses also have been articulated through the state and the department hopes to continue expanding those agreements. A final new audience has been identified as currently employed individuals who would like to learn some of the topics covered in the upper division curriculum. A certificate of achievement proposal is underway to address the interests of those individuals who have not completed the eighteen units of lower division coursework and cannot currently enter the program.

Makerspace: Faculty members in the Industrial Technology department are seeking to attract BC students to careers in industrial automation, advanced manufacturing, and other technical programs that can utilize the new makerspace laboratory as a creative design center. The vision for the makerspace is to provide learning opportunities focused on innovative and advanced manufacturing technologies in a hub open to BC students and the community. The nine hundred square foot makerspace is equipped with a laser for engraving and cutting, a 3D printer, an industrial quality power sewing machine, and various tools necessary to support inventors and innovators. The grand vision is to allow BC students and the community to build wood, plastic, and metal scale models from their designs. A series of six nine-hour non-credit courses is being created to prepare students to use the makerspace.

Research Laboratory Technology: Following the success of the Industrial Automation program, this  new degree also focuses on workforce skills in high demand throughout the region. The upper division courses are designed to educate students about instrument maintenance and laboratory preparation tasks. Students completing an AS-T in a variety of laboratory-focused programs can complete the BC Research Laboratory Technology AS program with two additional courses. Most students who are currently BC science, technology, engineering, math (STEM) majors can transition easily to the Research Laboratory Technology AS and be immediately on the pathway to the baccalaureate degree leading to careers in a variety of settings including healthcare to biotechnology.

Valley Strong Energy Institute and the California Renewable Energy Lab: The Kern Community College District (KCCD) and BC are working together to advance renewable energy in the service area and beyond. The Valley Strong Energy Institute was created in Fall 2021 from early KCCD energy efforts through a $2 million gift from the Valley Strong Credit Union. The state of California also awarded Kern CCD a $50 million grant to create a renewable energy hub called the California Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL). CREL has formed a coalition of 37 partner organizations from labor, industry, community, local indigenous tribes, government, national labs, academia, and workforce development to advance the project’s agenda that is organized into four focus areas: (1) three centers of excellence to conduct demonstration projects, (2) community education and engagement through webinars, (3), technology transfer and commercialization, and (4) workforce development training.

Modern Energy Workforce Certificate: To address workforce development, a Modern Energy Workforce certificate has been developed that will be conferred upon completion of three non-credit courses. In addition to faculty creating a credit curriculum certificate, an associate degree in energy systems technology is being developed for future energy workers.

Federal grant and low-interest loan resources will be available throughout the nation due to funding from the infrastructure and inflation reduction legislation. Those funds are expected to offer many opportunities for the CREL team to partner with BC, community organizations, national laboratories, and the private sector to secure additional federal investment, and technical expertise with which to leverage state and local clean energy advancements.

Optimizing Processes

Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP): BC is implementing the Learning Aligned Employment Program that was established in the 2021-22 state budget. It allows the placement of a participating student in an educationally beneficial position that relates to the student’s area of study, career objective, or the exploration of career objectives while decreasing financial barriers associated with educational cost. The first cohort of students linking their education to careers in this way are expected to be placed in employment opportunities in Summer 2023.

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Facilities and Infrastructure

Measure J Improvement Projects

Passed in 2016, the Measure J bond of $502 million set Bakersfield College on track to make needed improvements to the BC campus as well as the Delano campus, Arvin campus, Porterville College, and Cerro Coso Community College. Completed, in-progress, and proposed projects are designed for the future; BC students will have the opportunity to learn and thrive in facilities with current and scalable technology that will remain relevant for decades to come.

Completed Measure J projects to date include the following facilities and modernizations: Veterans Resource Center, Science and Engineering building, Campus Center, Administrative Services, Memorial Stadium and the newly completed Welcome Center which serves as a centralized location and one stop shop for students to enroll or visit with Financial Aid, Admissions, and get general questions answered. Interior building infrastructure has also been updated with wireless access points, water/sewer/gas upgrades have been made, and parking lots have undergone improvements.

Current Projects

Delano Learning Resource Center: In Delano, a new two-story Learning Resource Center (LRC) opened in Fall 2023. This facility includes a library, study hall, flexible classrooms capable of holding 32-64 students, a tutoring center with private tutoring rooms, computer labs, and faculty offices. The library is the heart of the building and serves as the place where students can study, and access resources needed to further their education.

Renegade Athletic Complex: The Renegade Athletic Complex is scheduled for completion in the next year and includes a new gym and women’s field house as well as fitness center, locker rooms, and other training rooms.

Arvin General Education Center: The City of Arvin gifted a 31-acre plot of land, adjacent to the high school. Beginning in Summer 2022, the new Arvin Education Center began construction and will be the first BC building to serve students in the community. A large parking area will also be made available. This new facility will consist of flexible classrooms capable of holding 32-64 students, a tutoring center with private tutoring rooms, computer labs, a dedicated Writing Center, an open study hall with group study rooms, and a library to help facilitate research and to provide additional quiet study space. Spaces where students can access help directly from their teachers, counselors, and educational advisors will be available. Finally, also planned is a multipurpose lab to be used by several disciplines from science to art. Occupancy is projected for Fall 2024.

Future Projects

Agriculture: Currently the Agriculture Department resides in a series of outdated and undersized buildings. With new facilities, improvements will allow the program to grow and diversify into a second century of agricultural education. A general Agriculture build-out is proposed to include greenhouses, a horticulture shop, and a mechanized agriculture shop. This reinvented space will be located at the site of the existing Horticulture and Agriculture buildings, keeping the department near other disciplines such as Science, Engineering, and Industrial Technology. Having these departments as neighbors will facilitate exciting, multidisciplinary collaboration in the future.

Parking Lot Construction and New Entry: By 2025-26, BC intends to create a new parking lot south of the existing agriculture farm and add a new entry road off Panorama Drive. BC also plans to relocate two multi-purpose sport fields south of the existing baseball field to provide space for the new parking lot

Culinary Arts: The culinary arts program looks forward to the modernization of approximately 6,000 square feet of the Mt. Vernon swing space for their use. The facility is on the east side of Mt. Vernon Avenue, adjacent to the Panorama campus. Occupancy is anticipated in 2024-25.

Center for Student Success: The creation of a new Center for Student Success is in the initial stages of planning and development. Various departments will be housed in this building, some of which include Academic Support, Career Services & Student Employment, Disabled Student Programs and Services (DSPS), Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS)/ California Student Opportunity and Access Program (CalSOAP), Advising & Counseling, Education Department, and International Programs. There will also be several classrooms, computer labs, and group study areas.

Fine Arts: The Fine Arts building work will improve acoustics in the music labs and provide the technology infrastructure needed to create smart classrooms. Practice spaces and instructional studios will be equipped with modern acoustical treatments to improve music training. Performing Arts, Art, and Communication classrooms will be equipped with modernized technology relevant to their discipline. For example, Communication classrooms will be equipped with hyflex technology. Performing Arts classrooms will be equipped with modern sound equipment, and Art classes will be equipped with modernized projection and lighting equipment to facilitate university and industry-standard teaching and learning. A centralized practice studio area will include a suite of practice rooms equipped with recording and amplification technology so that students from Performing Arts and Communication can utilize the spaces to rehearse, record, and receive feedback on their progress. Instructors will be able to use current teaching methodologies in their art or photography labs when the construction is finished.

Language Arts: Similar to the Fine Arts building, the Language Arts building project will provide technology infrastructure to create smart classrooms and support the use of current teaching methodologies in the math and computer labs.

Other Improvement Projects

Transformations are taking place now and, in the future, so BC students can continue learning in supportive environments that meet their needs and mirror their future careers.

Edible Education Garden: The Edible Education Garden is now complete and serving for Edible Education Garden non-credit courses, and general use for Culinary, Agriculture, and Horticulture Students. Harvests from the Edible Education Garden also serve to reduce food insecurity for BC students.

Delano Regenerative Farm: The Delano Campus is in the construction phase of the Regenerative Farm which will be used to teach students about paper plot planting systems, commercial and home hydroponics, and traditional seasonal crops. The Agriculture Department was recently awarded a grant for commercial and home hydroponic systems as well. Other study areas will include reducing carbon dioxide in the soil, the use of crop covers, and ways to decrease the use of fertilizer.

Peace Gardens: Community partners came together to develop a series of Peace Gardens, where students can study, spend time, and reflect in an outdoor space. These areas were designed intentionally to encourage students to consider how their education will help them give back to their community while utilizing an outdoor learning lab for studying.

Projected Facility Needs

Student Housing: BC has identified a housing need within its student population including specifically, emancipated former foster care students, veteran students, and those who are currently or imminently facing homelessness. The proposed vision is to create housing where these qualifying students, through various subsidy programs, could reside while attending BC. The 154-bed residence hall is to be located on the Bakersfield College Panorama Campus in P7 along University.

Bakersfield College Southwest: Leased space at 9400 Camino Media, on the southern border of the California State University, Bakersfield (CSUB) property, is the location of Bakersfield College Southwest (BCSW). Given the overall growth of the student population at the Panorama campus, BCSW provides another location for offering high demand courses and programs focused on encouraging students to complete their transfer degree in 2-years to earn their transfer degree. Currently, BC is utilizing the first two floors of space as authorized in the lease.

While much of the programming remains intended to support students earning transfer degrees, BCSW also offers career education with an emphasis on health care. Thirteen ADT programs are offered at BCSW plus additional non-transfer degrees, certificates, and portions of several health careers programs. Starting in Fall 2023 the Architecture Associate of Science degree curriculum will be offered at the BCSW location. A variety of general education courses that are taught at BCSW allow students to complete the general education pattern requirements for BC, CSU, or UC.

Public Safety Regional Hub: With an eye toward the future and to meet the growing workforce demands in the field of public safety, the Kern Community College District would like to establish a regional public safety training hub property of between 100 to 120 acres located outside of the urbanized area. Kern County Sheriff and Bakersfield City Police and fire agencies are collaborating on the project.

Currently BC’s public safety programs are taught at various locations in the service area: Panorama campus, various high schools through the early college program, Weill Institute, Shafter’s Westside Energy Services and Education Center (WESTEC) facility, and the Olive Drive Fire Training Facility which is owned and used by the Bakersfield City Fire Department.

Space Allocation Needs

The detailed future space needs analysis compared to the results of planned future capital construction will be conducted in preparation for the Facilities Master Plan update. A projection of space needed at various locations is provided in Appendix Detailed Space Allocations. It was developed by using state space standards and applying the fall term annual weekly student contact hours (WSCH) growth rate of 3.29% to the assignable space documented in the 2019 space inventory. Except for some portable units, the 2022 space inventory was the same as in 2019. A future space allocation was not prepared for Arvin because BC is currently using space located at the local high school during construction of the Arvin General Education building.

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Acknowledgments

The following groups and individuals contributed to the Educational Master Plan 2023-2026:

Project Steering Team

• Billie Jo Rice, Vice President, Instruction
• Jessica Wojtysiak, Associate Vice President, Instruction
• Imelda Simos-Valdez, Interim Vice President, Student Affairs
• Nick Strobel, 2022-23 Academic Senate President and Professor of Astronomy
• Christopher Glaser, Executive Secretary, College Safety and CSEA Representative
• Tracie Grimes, Professor of English and CCA Representative
• Grace Commiso, Counselor and AIQ Committee Representative
• Sooyeon Kim, Interim Dean of Institutional Effectiveness
• Harvind Grewal, 2022-23 BCSGA Director of Legislative Affairs
• Monika Roberts, Director of Marketing and Communications
• Erica Gibblin, 2023-24 Academic Senate President and Professor of Education
• Catherine Rangel, Administrative Assistant, Office of the Vice President
• Cindy Ceja-Miranda, 2023-24 BCSGA President

Contributors

Committees

• College Council
• Academic Senate
• Administrative Council
• Student Affairs Leadership Team
• Faculty Chairs and Directors Council
• Educational Administrators Council
• Guided Pathways Strategies
• Assessment & Institutional Quality Committee
• Program Review

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Appendices Index

1. Guided Pathways
2. Environmental Scan
3. Equity, Completion, and Intersegmental Approach to the Future
   1. Adult Education
   2. Competency Based Education
   3. Credit and Prior Learning
   4. Early College
   5. Education
   6. English for Multilingual Students (EMLS)
   7. Hospitality
   8. International Students
   9. Persistence
   10. Pre-Medicine and Engineering
   11. Police Science Baccalaureate
   12. Rising Scholars
   13. Student Government Association and Student Life
   14. Transfer/Finish-in-4/Transfer-in-2
4. Evolving Workforce Preparation for the Future
   1. Apprenticeships
   2. Certificates
   3. EMT and Paramedic Expansion
   4. Health, Equity, and Learning (HEAL)
   5. Industrial Automation
   6. Learning Aligned Employment Program (LAEP)
   7. Logistics
   8. Makerspace
   9. Mental Health
   10. Non-credit Courses
   11. Nursing and Allied Health Expansion
   12. Physical Therapy Assistant
   13. Public Health
   14. Renewable Energy Laboratory (CREL)
   15. Research Laboratory Technology
   16. Wonderful Training Center
   17. Workforce: Wonderful
5. Facilities and Infrastructure for the Future
   1. Agriculture Science Pavilion
   2. BC Southwest
   3. Fine Arts Building
   4. Measure J
   5. Public Safety Regional Training Hub

 

 

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