Cultivating a Hispanic Serving Institution Through Inclusive Tutoring Services
In 2012, UC Santa Cruz was designated a Hispanic Serving Institution, currently serving a 31% percent Latinx undergraduate student population. This presentation highlights preliminary findings--data collection is ongoing--from a qualitative study developed by Learning Support Services and SSER.
Purpose of the study Drawing on four focus groups with 14 students, this study focuses on understanding undergraduate students’ experiences with Learning Support Services on campus. More specifically, LSS is interested in observing if the training tutors have received is being implemented in sessions. LSS wanted to observe if tutors are implementing practices that foster a sense of belonging, inclusiveness, and mentor relationships among students. This exploratory study will identify themes to improve Learning Support Services .
Learning Support Services
Who does LSS serve? Who are the facilitators?
Brief overview of the literature by Leanne Grace Novo and Sarahi Godinez ● Tutoring and Mentoring are defined differently for the purpose of exploring our research questions: ○ Tutoring = subject-specific help ○ Mentoring = guidance/leadership ● The literature demonstrates that tutoring and mentoring have shown to be beneficial for both parties involved- the guiding and guided. (Cohen and Kulik 1982; Conners, McCown, Roskos-Ewoldson 1998; Colvin 2007; Colvin and Ashman 2010; Colvin 2015; Darwin and Palmer 2009; Fowler 2007; Friedman, Rodriguez, and McComb 2001; Girves, Zepeda, Gwathmey 2005; Rendon 1994; Topping 1996; Topping 2005)
Learning Support Services are a Critical Support for UCSC Students. ● Students who participated in MSI and tutoring earned higher course grades when compared with other students who did not participate. ● Small Group Tutoring was associated with improvements to retention. (Balzer Carr and London 2019; Balzer Carr and London 2015)
Preliminary Findings ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ■ ○
NEGATIVE RACIAL CLIMATE AT MSI “I just felt really uncomfortable in one of my sessions because I was the only person of color ...and I just didn’t go back to that session. I just went to a different one, cuz I don’t know if y’all have experienced this or not, but as a person of color I just get really nervous if I’m the only person of color in the room and there’s just mostly white people. I just feel like I can’t share my voice.” - LATINA UNDERGRAD
Preliminary Findings ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ■ ○
SUPPORTIVE FACULTY “It kind of paints it as not necessarily asking for help but as just a thing that you should do to do well in courses and to set your own self up for success.”
Preliminary Findings ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ■ ○
Implications ● White students are the majority of applicants for LSS tutors, specifically for upper division STEM courses. This calls to question how students of color are supported and affirmed that they are “good enough” to be tutors in rigorous courses. How is the campus supporting students of color to take on leadership roles in LSS, and more broadly, in the university? ● How do the gendered and racialized dynamics of the university and departments also impact the services we provide on campus? ● What can you do--as faculty, staff, graduate students, TAs, and administrators--to encourage the use of Learning Support Services?
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