The Student Equity Textbook Assistance Program allowed a limited amount of both part-time and full-time Rio Hondo College students to purchase RHC Bookstore textbooks, rentals, and access codes for the Fall 2016 semester. The purchased text materials are to be returned at the end of the semester, to contribute to a lending library in the Spring, in hopes of improving students’ accessibility to necessary reading materials.
Cecilia Roche, grant manager of student equity, said that the goals of the program are set to “bridge the gap” for struggling students, and while resources are limited, the hope is to “build the [lending] library,” and provide the “ongoing availability of textbooks” while creating a self-sustaining resource in which to do so.

The Student Equity initiative is funded by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, who allocate funds to community colleges throughout the state. Starting in 2012, Student Equity Planning was implemented by the Student Success and Support unit of the Office. They are responsible for regulating community college district plans and the further progression and improvement of allocation plans.

Faculty coordinator, Juana Mora, explains that the program seeks to “identify the areas that hinder or obstruct student success,” and to “funnel resources into these areas” where student aid is necessary.

“College student equity plans focus on increasing access, course completion, ESL (English as a Second Language) and basic skills completion, degrees, certificates and transfer for all students,” reads the CCCCO website’s Student Equity page. It is meant to recognize student needs, and provide solutions that best assist students.

This information will help the Student Equity Program in expanding services beyond textbook necessity, and ideally, in their mission to properly recognize and improve student life, education, and success.

To further their mission to provide student assistance, the Student Equity office has issued a survey on Student Financial Wellness, open to RHC students. The survey was created in partnership with the Financial Aid office, and was meant to analyze the financial wellness of students. The deadline to complete the survey was September 9.