Palomar named 'Hispanic-serving' college; federal designation means up to $2.5 million in grants

By: DAVID GARRICK - Staff Writer | Thursday, April 12, 2007 9:27 PM PDT ∞

SAN MARCOS -- Federal officials notified Palomar College this week that the school will be eligible for as much as $2.5 million in grants during the next five years as a "Hispanic-serving" institution.

Palomar officials said they plan to use the money to establish a tutoring and academic resource center for struggling students. Schools designated "Hispanic-serving" get extra federal money for programs that support underprepared students and those likely to drop out of college.

The two-year community college has sought designation as a Hispanic-serving institution for many years, but it had previously fallen short of the requirement that Hispanic students take 25 percent of the academic classes at the school.

"We've been increasing steadily over the years, and we just got above 25 percent," said Michelle Barton, director of institutional research for Palomar.

The ratio was 23.56 percent in fall 2005, and then climbed to 24.36 percent in fall 2006, Barton said. School officials then began interviewing students this winter who seemed likely to be Hispanic, but who had not specified their ethnicity on their Palomar application.

"Sometimes students are confused, or just reluctant to say that they are Hispanic," said Barton.

Bob Deegan, president of the college, said that the tutoring center Palomar plans to create with the money is exactly what federal officials have in mind.

"Students who come in lacking basic skills often don't persist as students," said Deegan. "We want to help them stay in school by creating a place they can get tutoring, counseling about transferring to universities and information about financial aid."

Deegan stressed that the tutoring center, which he called a "student support center," would be open to students from all ethnic backgrounds. He explained that money received via the Hispanic-serving designation can be used for programs serving the entire student body, not just Hispanics.

A pilot version of the tutoring center is slated to open at Palomar's Escondido satellite campus this fall, with a larger center planned for the main campus in San Marcos a year or two later, said Berta Cuaron, vice president of instruction.

"We have some space in Escondido, so we'll start there," said Cuaron. "When we get through experimenting in Escondido, we'll carve a space out for this on the main campus and fully institutionalize it so that it continues running after the grant ends."

Palomar recently received $513,000 in state money to establish a tutoring center, but that grant does not include money to sustain the center beyond the first year, said Cuaron. So the timing of the Hispanic-serving designation could not be better, she said.

"We're kind of going outside our typical box with this," said Cuaron. "But we really want to give students a place where they feel comfortable, and this will benefit many, many students."

Cuaron estimated that the pilot tutoring center will feature two professors and five to 10 support staffers. She said the San Marcos version would probably be larger when it opens in a few years.

Beyond having enough Hispanic students, Palomar had to meet other criteria to receive the Hispanic-serving designation, said Barton. The school had to demonstrate that it receives less money per pupil than the national median and that more of its students qualify for financial aid than the national median, she said.

"We got our letter from the federal government on April 9 saying that we qualify," said Barton. "It's pretty exciting, because we've been tracking this for many years."

Cal State San Marcos has stepped up its efforts to be designated an Hispanic-serving institution in recent years, but the most recent data indicate that only 21.1 percent of students at the university are Hispanic.

Palomar joins Southwestern College in Chula Vista and Mesa College in San Diego as the only Hispanic-serving institutions of the eight community colleges in the county.

-- Contact staff writer David Garrick at (760) 761-4410 or dgarrick@nctimes.com.

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Pre-Registration Comments[-]Go to Top

Whites being pushed aside??? wrote on Apr 13, 2007 12:57 AM:This is the reason that when I applied to colleges, I put my race down as "other" on the application. Im just a white male....don't we have enough of them??

Why Discriminate? wrote on Apr 13, 2007 3:26 AM:""Sometimes students are confused, or just reluctant to say that they are Hispanic," said Barton." "Hispanic: Things or people that come from Spain or Spanish-speaking Latin America." Hispanic is not a race. So why single out Hispanic for special treatment? How about all of the " underprepared" student Caucasians, Orientals and Negros. Why Discriminate? Could it be that the Bush Administration is pandring to " Hispanics" for Votes? Follow the power and money, money and power!

MisterE wrote on Apr 13, 2007 6:57 AM:Congratulations Palomar! This stellar college is woefully underfunded by the State of California, receiving less than half the money per student that our K-12 schools in No. County receive. The range of classes offered to students, from remedial reading and vocational programs to advanced calculus and engineering are amazing. The growing demographics of Hispanics in the region necessitates continued efforts to provide quality education programs and consequently a better quality of life for all of our residents in No. County San Diego. Palomar College must strive to improve the retention and graduation rates of all students, and in particular Hispanics, who as a group are not achieving an acceptable number of college degrees compared to other ethnic groups. Keep the "jewel of No. County" shining!

Second Qualification Test wrote on Apr 13, 2007 6:58 AM:There is a second qualification. At least 50% of the Hispanic student enrollment must be low income. Low income is defined as 150% of the poverty level as determined by the Bureau of the Census. http://www.ed.gov/programs/idueshsi/definition.html

Jason wrote on Apr 13, 2007 7:25 AM:Not surprised, not impressed!!!!!!!

Not Going Here. wrote on Apr 13, 2007 7:31 AM:Here's another reason not to send our english speaking, legal Americans to this community college. The college is too interested in catering to the non-English speaking illegal immigrants and their kids. I'll send my kid somewhere else where he can get an education that will move him up rather than re-visit an education that should have been provided in high school.

Disgusted Student wrote on Apr 13, 2007 7:37 AM:Tell me about it. I am a white male, and a senior at CSUSM. I tried applying for financial aid, but I counldn't get a cent. To bad I am not Hispanic. Then perhaps I could have gotten some help.

Ridgerunner wrote on Apr 13, 2007 7:48 AM:Great! They should use the money to teach English and American (U.S.) History, and American (U.S.) Literature.

Ray wrote on Apr 13, 2007 7:48 AM:To all of you, focus on improving yourself and situation rather than looking for excuses because that is the biggest hold up in your lifes....yourselves.

Ray wrote on Apr 13, 2007 10:19 AM:How about you footing the whole bill, thats tax payer money and I'll bet 51% don't support this.

small minded wrote on Apr 13, 2007 10:21 AM:... This grant will also help non hispanic further their education. go onto the US Dept. of Education's website and educate yourselves. Thank god for Palomar College educating people into not being small minded like all of you.

This is a disgrace! Let wrote on Apr 13, 2007 11:49 AM:us never vote for a bond for Palomar college again. Let the HISPANICS give them money since they are a Hispanic college. JEEEEEZ talk about discrimination!!!

Patriot wrote on Apr 13, 2007 12:39 PM:Isn't it amusing that our government uses race as a primary factor in doling out these grants? Would it not be more appropriate to use non-racial factors such as family income, drop out rates and percentage of students enrolled in remedial courses? Using race makes it appear like the government thinks a certain group of students needs extra help due to their genetic makeup.

end racism wrote on Apr 13, 2007 1:08 PM:small minded is not sighted. Racialization and racial classification is an endorsement of racism. Some people want to live in a world where it is ok to be racisist as long as you don't put "other" races down, but you can't have it both ways.

San MarcosTaxpayer wrote on Apr 13, 2007 2:38 PM:Maybe from now on Palomar can get their money from the wonderful country of Mexico so that we can continue to educate their people. I also will never vote for any increase in my bills to pay for PCC. Can we get some support for descendants of Norther European ancestry? I guess that would be illegal as it would infer favortism and a form of racism.

To Disgusted Student wrote on Apr 13, 2007 3:02 PM:I'm Hispanic and I'm a junior at CSUSM and didn't get a cent.

BJane wrote on Apr 13, 2007 3:05 PM:I just had an evil thought... How about white students getting brown contact lens, dying their hair dark and marking "mixed" for race (true, few of us are pure anything anymore). Somebody slap me.

Madness! wrote on Apr 13, 2007 4:22 PM:This madness has to stop! Grants should be going to students that show potential irregardless of race, sex, social-economic status. Reverse discrimination is racist!

Teo wrote on Apr 13, 2007 5:00 PM:I have no idea wha more Palomar College can do. I looked at the ESL curricum "Beginning ESl" It appears to cater to those who are functionly illiterate in their own language. It has arithmetic for those who found fourth grade challenging. What, pray tell, are the tutors going to do? Perhaps they will teach the pragmatics of Spot, Jane and Dick. This is insane. Hispanic is not a race! It is a subculture that adamantly refuses to accept the culture of the main society My great great grandfather came from Jalisco. his son joined the Civil War. My grandmother owned property. I wonder how they got along without ESL and tutoring? The whole "Hispanic" argument is not merely a canard but a base canard.

Hungarian- wrote on Apr 13, 2007 5:38 PM:I AM GETTING VERY ANNOYED CONSTANTLY HEARING THE WORD HISPANIC. I am a second generation HUNGRIAN. Can't these HISPANICS cut it? My Grandfather worked in the Pennsylvania coal mines and died of Black Lung! We never asked for handouts!

Labels, Labels, Labels...... wrote on Apr 13, 2007 6:52 PM:Does that make you a Hungry-American? I am an American of Mexican descent. I am not Hispanic, or Latino but heaven forbid that I say I am a Mexican-American give us a break already. The census bureau came up with these labels not the people.

To all the HATERS on this blog wrote on Apr 13, 2007 6:57 PM:This is extra money you fools!! Grants given to Palomar because more Hispanics are attending college. You guys crack me up!!! All of you have written all this crap are probably the same ones who say "they don't assimulate, they don't learn english well I guess you are wrong and you are still moaning about it. This is a crazy world. To all the Latino and Hispanics who are furthering their education I say good for you. Don't let the haters get you down.

Osider wrote on Apr 13, 2007 9:13 PM:OK whites being pushed aside, try claiming that inside as an Other. Sounds like a beat down to me. Always be proud of who you are no matter who you are and where you came from! Plenty of Americans came from dirt and thats a TRUE AMERICAN!

Tony wrote on Apr 13, 2007 9:39 PM:"Whites being pushed aside???" Yup! I tell everyone I'm Spaniard, really pisses off the mexicans and the illegals run the other way.

San Marcos Taxpayer wrote on Apr 13, 2007 10:33 PM:A message for "To all the haters" - There is no such thing a extra or free money. It comes from someone and doesn't fall from trees. There is an old saying "There is no free lunch". Think about it.

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