Action Plan

This strategic plan outlines a comprehensive approach to enhance student retention and success by integrating LinC learning communities, OER/ZTC resources, Village Centers, student clubs, and stackable Village certificate pathways at De Anza College. By creating connected learning environments centered within the Village structure, we will promote directed pathways that lead to both career-ready certificates and transfer/degree completion.

The plan establishes Village Centers as vibrant hubs where academic learning, peer support, and co-curricular activities converge through Village-affiliated clubs and student organizations. These clubs will serve as extensions of the academic experience, providing opportunities for peer mentorship, practical application of learning, community engagement, and leadership development—all aligned with Village themes and certificate pathways.

This integrated approach will foster student engagement, provide accessible educational resources, and build supportive communities—particularly for underrepresented and underserved student populations including Black, Filipinx, foster youth, Latinx, LGBTQ+, Native American, and Pacific Islander students. The certificate framework will create tangible milestones that validate student learning, enhance employability, and maintain momentum toward longer-term academic goals.

Vision

To create a cohesive educational ecosystem where Villages serve as hubs for integrated learning communities, providing clear pathways through stackable certificates that lead simultaneously to career advancement and academic achievement. This model will establish a progressive credential structure within each Village—from entry-level certificates to advanced specializations—that validates student learning at multiple stages, enhances employability, and maintains momentum toward degree completion and transfer.

Village-affiliated student clubs and organizations will serve as vital components of this ecosystem, extending learning beyond the classroom, fostering peer connections, and creating communities of practice centered on academic interests and career aspirations. These student-led communities will facilitate deeper engagement with Village themes while providing leadership opportunities and real-world application of skills developed through certificate pathways.

By coupling these credential pathways with affordable educational resources, vibrant student organizations, and supportive networks, we will enhance student retention, success, and long-term career readiness while eliminating false dichotomies between career preparation and academic advancement.

Goals Addressed

• Goal 2: Achieving student success factors through directed, focused, nurtured, engaged, connected, and valued student experiences, reinforced through Village club participation and peer-to-peer engagement
• Goal 5: Enhancing transfer rates through integrated academic and career pathways, supported by transfer-focused activities within Village clubs and peer mentorship programs
• Goal 6: Increasing degree attainment by creating momentum through certificate milestones and maintaining engagement through continuous Village community involvement
• Goal 7: Boosting certificate attainment through Village-aligned entry-level and advanced credentials, celebrated and reinforced through club activities and peer recognition
• Goal 8: Developing workforce readiness with industry-informed certificate competencies, enhanced by professional networking opportunities through Village clubs and industry partner engagement
• Goal 9: Building civic capacity for community and social change through certificate-embedded community projects coordinated through Village clubs and service-learning initiatives
• Goal 10: Meeting basic needs by increasing employability at multiple credential levels and creating support networks within Village communities that connect students to essential resources

Key Strategic Components

1. Village-Centered LinC Learning Communities with Certificate Pathways

The foundation of this strategic plan is the integration of LinC learning communities within the Village structure. LinC (Learning in Communities) represents an innovative approach to learning designed for student success, linking two or more classes with common themes, content, and materials. This model creates cohorts of students and instructors working collaboratively in a supportive atmosphere, enhancing natural learning through connections between different ideas and experiences.

Each Village will host thematic LinC pairings specific to its academic focus area, creating "open cohorts" that allow students to join communities aligned with their interests. These paired courses will feature integrated assignments that connect disciplinary knowledge to real-world applications.

Building on this foundation, we will develop progressive certificate pathways through strategic course clustering within LinC communities:

• Village Certificates of Achievement (18-26 units) that provide industry-recognized credentials while satisfying significant degree requirements
• Village Certificates Advanced (27-45 units) that represent comprehensive specialization in a field, fulfill substantial degree requirements, and provide advanced career preparation

All certificate pathways will be designed to simultaneously support transfer and degree completion, eliminating the false choice between career preparation and academic advancement.

2. OER/ZTC Integration Initiative

To reduce financial barriers and improve accessibility, we will systematically integrate Open Educational Resources (OER) and Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) materials into all Village-based LinC courses. These digital textbooks and educational resources will be available at no cost to students, addressing a significant barrier to education as textbook prices continue to rise.

The OER/ZTC initiative will include:

• Converting all LinC paired courses to OER/ZTC
• Developing Village-specific OER repositories for common themes and topics
• Training faculty in OER adoption, adaptation, and creation
• Implementing student feedback mechanisms on OER/ZTC materials

This initiative directly supports our equity goals by removing financial barriers to education, particularly for underserved student populations.

3. Village Center and Club Integration

Village Centers will serve as physical and virtual hubs that connect LinC communities, provide OER/ZTC support, and foster peer mentorship and belonging. Each Village Center will host Village-affiliated clubs that extend learning beyond the classroom and create communities of interest around Village themes.

Key components include:

• Establishing Village Center clubs tied to LinC communities and certificate pathways
• Creating peer mentorship programs within Village Centers, facilitated through club structures
• Developing faculty office hours and support services within Village Centers
• Implementing Village-specific events connecting students, faculty, and industry partners

Village clubs will:

• Provide leadership development opportunities aligned with Village themes
• Create spaces for peer-to-peer learning and support
• Organize academic and social events that reinforce Village identity
• Connect students with industry partners and professionals in related fields
• Facilitate service-learning projects that apply certificate skills to community needs
• Support transfer-focused activities and mentorship between current and former students

4. Block Scheduling Framework

To facilitate student enrollment and completion, we will implement strategic block scheduling for LinC courses within and across Villages. This approach will make it easier for students—particularly working students and those with family responsibilities—to find compatible class schedules and maintain momentum through their certificate and degree pathways.

The block scheduling framework will include:

• Coordinated time blocks for LinC paired courses that ensure students can take both courses in a pairing without schedule conflicts
• Multiple scheduling options (morning, afternoon, evening, weekend) to accommodate diverse student needs
• Consistent scheduling patterns across quarters to allow for student planning and work/life balance
• Strategic alignment with high-demand general education courses required for certificate pathways
• Dedicated blocks for Village community activities and club meetings to ensure all students can participate
• Priority registration for continuing students in certificate pathways to maintain cohort progression

Block scheduling will be implemented in phases, beginning with high-enrollment Villages and expanding to all Villages by Fall 2027. Each Village will develop block schedules that reflect the specific needs of their student populations, with particular attention to the scheduling needs of working students, parents, and other non-traditional learners.

This approach directly addresses scheduling barriers that often prevent students from completing certificate and degree pathways in a timely manner and strengthens the cohort experience that is central to the LinC model.