Author: Raul Rodriguez (Raul Rodriguez)

Rodríguez: Enrollment is rebounding at San Jose community colleges

It is no secret that California Community Colleges experienced a significant decline in enrollment during the COVID-19 pandemic. There are numerous reasons for this and just as many different ways the state’s 116 community colleges are working to address the decline. Community colleges play a vital role in our local and regional economies, and it’s...

Rodríguez: San Jose needs affordable student housing

It is no secret that California is experiencing a housing crisis. The lack of affordable housing is particularly pronounced in the Bay Area and college students—especially community college students—are among the hardest hit. According to a 2021 California Assembly report, about 20% of the state’s community college students reported experiencing homelessness in the previous year....

Rodríguez: Addressing the climate crisis through education

I recently had the distinct pleasure of visiting the Lab for Nature-Based Living—the flagship garden of the California Native Garden Foundation. Located at 76 Race Street near downtown San Jose, the foundation is a nonprofit whose mission is to create a new land-use model in order to “leverage urban spaces for education, workforce development and...

Rodríguez: Undocumented students deserve a chance at their dreams

As the higher education system that enrolls the largest number of undocumented students in the United States, California Community Colleges are instrumental in ensuring every student, regardless of their citizenship status, has the opportunity to pursue their career and professional goals free from institutional barriers and discrimination. Undocumented Student Action Week is a joint effort...

Rodríguez: Accreditation ensures quality education

A key aspect of higher education most people don’t spend time considering is accreditation. For many people, as long as the college or university they attend or graduate from is accredited, that’s all they care about. But the process of accreditation, its history and future play a key role in ensuring a high-quality education and...

Rodríguez: Partnering to build an innovative campus in Milpitas

Since opening its doors to students in early 2017, the San Jose-Evergreen Community College District (SJECCD) Milpitas Extension has served thousands of students and community members, bringing higher education classes and services to Escuela Parkway in Milpitas and creating one of the first locations anywhere in the United States where a kindergarten-to-college pipelines exists within...

Rodríguez: Alternatives to paying for pricey textbooks

For first-time college students, the start of their first term is often a time of great excitement. Getting familiar with their campus and all it offers, meeting classmates, making new friends and learning from expert faculty in their chosen field of study all provide unique and stimulating experiences. One aspect of the college experience students...

Rodríguez: Apprenticeships pair paid work experience with education

Apprenticeship programs are one of the most often overlooked areas of education. They may also be the key to our economic recovery and future success following the COVID-19 pandemic. Registered apprenticeship programs in community colleges pair coursework with paid work experience for the student. Most of these programs are directly tied to the traditional trade unions,...

Rodriguez: The number of high school students earning college credit is growing

Dual enrollment, a term sometimes used interchangeably with concurrent enrollment, provides students with the opportunity to earn college credit while still in high school—without paying the cost of college tuition. While there are differences between dual and concurrent enrollment, both refer to programs by which high school students are able to take college courses taught...

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