Black-Serving Institution

Application (2025)

Black-Serving Institution Application (PDF)

Contact Information

College/University: East Los Angeles College (ELAC)

Website: www.elac.edu

Address: 1301 Avenida Cesar Chavez, Monterey Park, CA 91754

Application Lead Contact Information

Name: Dr. Miguel Duenas

Title: Vice-President of Student Services

Email: duenasma@elac.edu

Phone Number: 

1. Institutional Commitment to Black and African American Student Success

East Los Angeles College (ELAC) is dedicated to empowering Black students for academic and social success. Our college’s mission is to emphasize increasing equity in successful outcomes by analyzing gaps in student achievement and implementing effective models and programming to remedy these gaps. 

At this current time ELAC has centered commitment to resources to support Black student success in the form of intentional program development and support. With the establishment of Umoja in Spring 2020 and A2Mend in Spring 2025, ELAC initiated a programmatic approach to support the Black student experience. Umoja and A2Mend at ELAC place emphasis on the academic success of Black students. Within these programs, efforts such as dedicated courses and tutoring services support the continuum of Black student success. These programs highlight the services that support and assist Black student. Additionally, these programs provide data of what ELAC as an institution needs to embed within academic and student services departments. 

As such, it is important to highlight that ELAC’s commitment to Black student success also aligns with goal 3 and 4 of the colleges mission. Goal 3 requires that ELAC sustain and promote community-centered access and participation, ensuring that programs like Umoja and A2Mend not only support students on campus but also strengthen the college’s presence in the broader community. These initiatives provide platforms for cultural exchange and expression, academic preparation, and community collaboration that reflect the diverse identities and talents of Black students at ELAC. 2 Finally, ELAC’s goal 4 requires that effective decision making at ELAC is based on data that centers ideas of access and success to improve services at ELAC. The college strives to examine data for various communities of students. With Umoja and A2mend as examples of support programs that foster Black student success, ELAC will continue to examine campus wide data to analyze how best to support all Black students at ELAC. As such, ELAC’s support services commit and respond intentionally to the needs of the Black student community, and we commit to the continued growth of institutional effectiveness that will center Black student voice and experiences. 

2. Academic Goals for the Five-Year Period

ELAC will center Black student academic success and goals for years 2025-2030 with intentionality and focus to increase retention, reduce time to degree and increase graduation rates. Holistically, ELAC will need to enhance its emphasis on the Black student experience via the academic and student services departments. Doing so, will ensure that the campus will provide due diligence to support Black student academic success. The goal is to ensure that Black students feel supported, validated and encouraged while at ELAC for their retention and support to complete and graduate. The following is an overview of the three categories to achieve greater academic success followed by a yearly synopsis of action steps the college will provide to achieve stated goals. 

Overall ELAC will provide the following action steps within each category to ensure that the current Black student community at ELAC (approximately 7.1% as of Spring 2025) is retained and grows steady.

A. Improve Retention

ELAC will assess the retention rates of Black students over the last 5 years (20-25). We will examine the data for: 

  1. Patterns to determine where our Black and/or African American students tend to pause, discontinue, or continue their educational journey.
  2. Lead with a collaborative action-oriented mindset to ensure services provided by student services and academic affairs intentionally impact Black student retention. For example, embedded tutoring, peer mentoring, and academic counseling ensure students are completing their courses on a semester basis. Collaboration with various departments on campus to remove systemic barriers for students (Residency issues, financial aid process, book and supplies cost, basic needs). After assessing the data, a structure will be created a to increase the retention by 2% every year (2026-2030) concluding with a total of 8% increase of our Black and/or African American students continuing their education. 

B. Time-to-Degree or Time-to-Certificate Completion

ELAC will use data to ensure analysis is consistent and ongoing for the time to completion of stream of work. 

  1. ELAC will develop a systemic reach out using data queries for incoming Black and African American students during the Fall and Spring semesters. Students identified from the query will be contacted by various support programs (First Year Experience, Umoja, A2mend). These students will have the opportunity to join one or all the programs that will guide them through their collegiate process. This will ensure students are intentionally guided and closely tied to staff who understand their holistic academic journey and support a completion ideology that will center the student experience to ensure there is a decrease in the student’s time to complete a degree. 
  2. Monitor the completion timeframe to ensure there is an overall decrease for Black students. The goal is to decrease the longevity of the Black and African American student educational journey by 1 semester every year. This practice will highlight that students are taking less than 2.5 years than the average Black and African American student which is 10 years. 
  3. Case management of students will be necessary to decrease time to completion. To assist with the case management of students, programs such as FYE, Umoja, and A2mend will be staffed with Registration Assistants to assist with data requests and contacting the students. ELAC will also ensure these students complete financial aid and DSPS documents (if needed) in a timely manner. Therefore, students will be given wrap around educational services, accommodations, and tools needed to succeed.

C. Increase Graduation Rates of Black and African American Students: 

The Black and African American student community at ELAC has steadily increased post covid. ELAC will continue to monitor the successes of these students while:

  1. Implement new strategies that lead to more students completing their degree and certificate. This requires a bolstering of tutorial services, access to more counseling that centers on the Black student experience. For example, counselors will assess if Black and African American students have a pathway to transfer or career. Once this is established, the student will either continue with general counseling or start the process with the career center to individualize their career path. This allows the student to use a guided pathway to completion. 
  2. Scaling up successful practices via the transfer center to embed programming that highlights Black students lived experiences. For years 2026-2030 the expectation is for the Transfer center to work closely with counseling and specialized programs to host workshops and HBCU programming as ways to support Black students.

Via campus wide integrated strategies that center the Black student experience, ELAC will sustain its current Black student community while at the same time growing Black student enrollment. With campus wide support and programmatic insights from FYE, Umoja and A2mend, best practices will be followed to support Black students in their educational trajectory at ELAC. 

3. Academic Equity Goals and Strategies

ELAC’s academic equity goals include a discussion and yearly synopsis of action items for the categories of: Closing the Achievement Gap, Data Driven Decision Making and Resource Allocations. 

Closing Achievement Gaps: ELAC will address disparities in retention, time-to-degree, and graduation rates between Black/African American students and other student groups at ELAC. The following is the yearly breakdown:

  • 2025-2026: A query will be conducted to identify active Black and African American students who have not yet completed transfer-level Math and English, two weeks prior to the start of the Fall and Spring semesters. Based on their completion status, students will be grouped accordingly. Case managers will then contact these students to provide targeted support and assist them with enrolling in the appropriate English and Math courses during their first academic year. This coordinated effort will involve multiple departments, including Admissions and Records, the Welcome Center, the First Year Experience & Completion Center, and Affinity Programs such as One Zone, ensuring a comprehensive and supportive pathway toward academic success.
  • 2026-2027: The biannual query process will continue, conducted prior to the start of each Fall and Spring semester to identify active Black and African American students’ Math and English completion status. In addition, a follow-up query will be conducted at the end of each semester to track which students from the 2025–2026 cohort successfully completed their transfer-level Math and English courses.
    • The collected data will be compiled and analyzed to determine both completion and non-completion rates. Following this analysis, a survey will be distributed to these students to gain insights into factors contributing to their success, as well as to identify additional resources or support services that could have enhanced their academic outcomes.
    • Based on student feedback and assessment findings, ELAC will implement expanded academic support services, including tutoring, access to writing and math labs, and study-jam sessions ahead of midterms and finals. The proactive case management and support model from the 2025–2026 academic year will also be replicated for new and incoming Black and African American students to ensure continued progress and equity in academic achievement.
  • 2027-2028: All Black and African American students are expected to complete their required transfer-level English and Math courses within four semesters. To evaluate progress, a comparative query will be conducted to assess outcomes from Year 1 (2025–2026) and Year 2 (2026–2027). This data will help ELAC identify key success indicators and inform the development of a sustainable, long-term support model for Black student achievement at ELAC. 
    • In addition to English and Math, ELAC will incorporate COMM C1000 (Communication Studies 101) and POLS C1000 (Political Science 001) into the first-year course sequence for the student group. These courses will provide the same support processes established for English and Math, including case management, academic support, and ongoing evaluation.
    • The proven strategies from Year 1 and Year 2 will be applied to this expanded course set, ensuring consistency and continuity in efforts to close equity gaps and promote academic success. 
  • 2028-2029: The biannual student queries will continue as part of the ongoing data-informed support process. During this academic year, ELAC will initiate planning meetings to develop a comprehensive success plan aimed at extending the cohort model from students’ first semester through to graduation. This plan will focus on integrating transferable core courses that align with University of California (UC), California State University (CSU), and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) requirements.
    • Course offerings and student support strategies established in Years 1, 2, and 3 will be maintained and enhanced as needed, ensuring continuity and consistent academic pathways that lead to successful transfer and degree completion for Black and African American students, 
  • 2029-2030: ELAC will compile and analyze all collected data from 2026-2029 to develop a comprehensive academic success plan that strengthens and sustains key success markers for Black and African American students. This plan will integrate existing Black Student Support Programs on campus and ensure alignment with institutional equity goals. Additionally, it will include a framework for consistently identifying, tracking, and supporting all Black and African American students through enhanced data collection and student-centered interventions. 

Data-Driven Decision Making: Elac will leverage institutional data to inform targeted strategies, measure progress, and drive continuous improvement in educational equity for Black and African American students. As an example, the college has dedicated time to discuss and explore research regarding: “Guiding Young Men of Color from Connection through Completion.” This project is still on-going and resulted in a Longitudinal Equity Evaluation Framework (L.E.E.F) that proposes a common framework to better understand equity gaps and success rates (Please see attachment) 

  • 2025–2026: Implement biannual data queries (prior to Fall/Spring) to identify Math and English completion rates for Black students. Please reference L.E.E.F as an example of data driven inquiry work taking place at ELAC. 
    • Create baseline metrics: academic performance, enrollment, persistence, and completion rates for Black/African American students data needs to be collected and analyzed.
    • Disaggregate data by course completion, program participation (e.g., FYE, Umoja, A2mend).
    • Leverage relationships with outreach to ensure there are in and outreach programming opportunities. 
    • Collaborate with Professional development office to Train individuals (Admissions, Welcome Center, FYE, etc.) to use an equity-centered data analysis approach when examining data to ask the correct questions.
  • 2026–2027: Continue biannual and end-of-semester queries to monitor cohort progress.
    • Conduct yearly comparisons of 2025–2026 and 2026–2027 outcomes (e.g., Math/English pass rates).
    • Provide student surveys to gather qualitative data on barriers, supports, and success factors for Black students. 
    • Utilize results to maximize and enhance interventions (e.g., tutoring, study jams, culturally responsive curriculum).
    • Explore integration of COMM C1000 and POLS C1000 into student coursework,
  • 2027–2028: Incorporate transfer-level course tracking (COMM 101, POLS 001, and other GE requirements) into the data model.
    • Collaborate with OIEA to examine current student success dashboards and trends as they relate to Black students. for internal stakeholders (case managers, affinity programs, faculty).
    • Create academic snapshots of various program participation to examine academic success and areas of growth. (e.g., first-year credit accumulation, persistence into Year 2).
    • Analyze program effectiveness (Umoja, A2Mend, One Zone) based on academic outcomes and engagement data for specific programs that highlight transfer.
    • Refine outreach strategies using past and current data to improve engagement with new and continuing students.
  • 2028–2029: Convene cross-departmental and program teams to design a long-term success plan using three years of data.
    • Align core curriculum with UC/CSU/HBCU transfer patterns, informed by student course progression data.
    • Standardize interventions (study jams, labs, embedded tutoring) based on proven effectiveness.
    • Expand data-sharing and transparency across student services, instructional divisions, and governance bodies to create accountability for Black student success for students. 
    • Counselors review student progress to ensure student is moving along in their educational continuum. 
  • 2029–2030: Institutionalization Institutionalize the cohort data model as a standard equity practice across campus.
    • Publish annual equity reports focused on Black/African American student outcomes and interventions by the campus. 
    • Adopt continuous improvement cycle using data that is meaningful. 
    • Evaluate five-year impact and use findings to inform the next institutional equity plan.

Resource Allocation: Allocate resources and targeted support effectively to enhance initiatives that promote academic equity for Black/African American students at ELAC. 

  • 2025–2026: Invest and center equity for Black Students
    • Designate and ear mark funding in the college budget specifically for Black/African American student success for areas such as outreach, dual enrollment, tutoring counseling. 
    • Fund key support programs (e.g., Umoja, A2Mend, One Zone) with dedicated staffing and operational resources that are needed for them to flourish and operate appropriately.
    • Hire or reassign equity-focused success coaches to provide direct academic and wraparound support to students, 
    • Allocate funds for early intervention tools, including success coaching, outreach campaigns, equity training and mentoring. 
    • Support faculty development for culturally responsive teaching in Math, English, and GE courses.
  • 2026–2027: Expansion & Structural support: Expand budget for academic support services, including tutoring centers, writing and math labs, and study jams.
    • Invest in instructional materials and technology that reflect and support culturally responsive pedagogy.
    • Provide mini-grants for departments or faculty to develop equity-minded curricular enhancements or workshops.
    • Increase funding for outreach and onboarding events tailored for Black/African American students.
    • Begin planning space improvements to support student affinity spaces (e.g., lounge/classroom enhancements).
  • 2027–2028: Implement and SustainIntegrate equity budgeting into institutional budgets to ensure resource allocation center equity for Black students. For example, ELAC will provide funding to grow staffing for Black centered programming and programs. 
    • Ensure recurring funding for high-impact programs based on demonstrated success and student data such as Umoja and A2mend. 
    • Support targeted success cohorts via data review to determine best practices. 
    • Co-fund faculty-student engagement activities that center the Black experience, such as workshops, speaker series, and townhall meetings. 
  • 2028–2029: Targeted scaling of programs
    • Scale successful pilots and programs to additional departments or student populations where applicable.
    • Fund cross-campus collaborations between student services, academic affairs, and affinity groups in the form of events, tactics, services 
    • Allocate resources for transfer partnerships with UCs, CSUs, and HBCUs (e.g., articulation workshops, HBCU tours).
    • Budget for external evaluation or consultation to assess overall campus role in supporting Black students and program effectiveness across campus for Black students
    • Strengthen all efforts to build long-term program sustainability and mentorship pipelines to campus stakeholders who are conducting solidified practices to support Black student success. 
  • 2029–2030: Institutionalization and Long-Term Commitment
    • Institutionalize funding in budget for Black/African American student support programs.
    • Develop a five-year equity resource plan grounded in data and outcomes from 2025–2029.
    • Secure long-term partnerships with community-based organizations for additional support. Such as NAACP, work source centers, etc. 
    • Support campus-wide professional development to embed equity and inclusion across all campus departments, in particular academia. 
    • Publish annual equity and resource allocation reports to ensure transparency and accountability for ELAC to support Black Students. 

4. Institutional Memberships and Affiliations

ELAC has various memberships with various organizations. In 2020, the Umoja Program was inaugurated. Additionally, as of Spring 2025 ELAC established a partnership with the African American Male Education Network & Development (A2MEND). In spring 2025, A2mend had its inaugural cohort of 5 student members and Co-Advisors. We are in the process of exploring collaborations with NAACP of Los Angeles chapter, the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), the Nandi Sisterhood and the Men of Color Action Network. The goal is to grow, collaborate and enhance partnerships with organizations that center Black student success. 

5. Strategic Plan for Black-Serving Institution Goals

ELAC’s strategic plan includes:

Mission Statement explained: 

East Los Angeles College’s mission reflects a strong commitment to advancing equity in student success by proactively identifying and addressing achievement gaps. This commitment is realized through the continuous analysis of student outcomes and the implementation of targeted programs and evidence-based strategies that support equitable educational attainment.

In alignment with this mission, campus stakeholders are expected to engage in intentional, equity-focused actions, guided by data-driven decision-making and a shared responsibility for student success. These collective efforts are directly aligned with the strategic goals outlined for the 2025–2030 planning period, with a particular focus on closing equity gaps and enhancing outcomes for Black/African American students.

Outreach Services to Support Black/African American Student Recruitment and Success

Goal: Enhance and expand intentional outreach efforts that effectively engage Black/African American students and their families, increase enrollment, and build awareness of culturally responsive programs and services at ELAC.

  • Strategic Leadership and Oversight
    • Lead Unit: ELAC Outreach Office
    • Supporting Units: Umoja Program, A2MEND Program, Family and Community Engagement, One Zone Equity Centers. 
    • Objective: Provide leadership and coordination for targeted Black/African American student outreach strategies to various areas. 
  • High School Partnerships
    • Objective: Build sustainable pipelines from local high schools with significant Black student populations.
    • Activities:
      • Develop and maintain partnerships with schools in the LAUSD Region East, Montebello, Alhambra, and nearby charter schools.
      • Conduct on-site presentations, information sessions, and college readiness workshops for partner schools. 
    • Timeline: Ongoing throughout 2025–2030
    • Yearly Data metrics: Number of partner schools connected to ElAC, student engagement rates, enrollment yield from partnering schools. 
  • Community-Based Organization Collaborations
    • Objective: Increase ELAC’s visibility and credibility within Black communities through partnerships with various organizations. 
    • Activities:
      • Continue to strengthen current partnerships with LAUSD Black Student Achievement Initiative staff and continue to build out options for dual enrollment.
      • Identify and partner with local nonprofits, youth programs, and faith-based organizations that serve Black students and families. Organizations such as, NAACP of Los Angeles, National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC), Men of Color Action Network.
      • Participate in community events and provide resources about college access to ELAC and financial aid.
    • Timeline: Launch key partnerships by Year 1 (2025); sustain and expand through 2030
    • Yearly Data metrics: Number of community partnerships, outreach event participation, student referrals from Organizations. 
  • Integration of Culturally Affirming Programs in Outreach
    • Objective: Promote Umoja and A2MEND as part of ELAC’s recruitment strategy to highlight culturally relevant student support.
    • Activities:
      • Include Umoja and A2MEND staff and student ambassadors in outreach presentations and panels.
      • Feature program success stories in marketing and communication materials.
    • Timeline: Integrated into all major outreach efforts beginning in Year 2025. 
    • Yearly Data Metrics: Number of outreach events featuring Umoja/A2MEND, student interest in these programs, enrollment trends.
  • Culturally Relevant Marketing and Communication
    • Objective: Ensure ELAC outreach messaging reflects and affirms Black student identity and experience.
    • Activities:
      • Develop outreach materials that feature Black student voices, program success, and community impact at ELAC.
      • Utilize social media, video storytelling, and targeted digital campaigns.
    • Timeline: Initial development in 2025, annual updates through 2030
    • Yearly Data Metrics: Engagement data, prospective students/family interest and application trends for Black students. 
  • Annual Evaluation and Strategic Adjustment
    • Objective: Monitor outreach impact and adjust strategies based on data and community feedback.
    • Activities:
      • Outreach and Data office will track Black student application, enrollment, and retention rates between 2025-2030.
      • Conduct surveys and focus groups with prospective students and partners.
    • Timeline: Annual review each summer starting summer of 2026. 
    • Metrics: Outreach-to-enrollment rates, partner feedback, continuous improvement actions taken

Strengthen Institutional Support for Black/African American Student Success:

East Los Angeles College is committed to advancing equity by deepening institutional support for initiatives that center the Black/African American student experience. This commitment will encompass all areas of the college, including Instructional, student services, and workforce development.

Academic departments will be encouraged to develop and expand culturally relevant coursework that affirms and reflects the identities, histories, and contributions of Black communities, ensuring that Black students see themselves represented meaningfully across disciplines. This concerted effort to develop and promote culturally relevant curriculum is a conversation that is continuously supported via ELAC’s Professional Development office that offers campus wide workshops for faculty to enhance their coursework. Additionally, for 2025-2030 the goal will be to scale up the professional development of the campus faculty to ensure their is a campus wide understanding of what culturally rich curriculum encompasses. 

In alignment with these efforts, the Career Technical Education (CTE) division at East Los Angeles College will enhance its outreach and engagement strategies to increase awareness among Black/African American students about available career pathways, certificate programs, and workforce development opportunities. These coordinated initiatives aim to create a more inclusive and supportive campus environment that drives equitable outcomes.

Looking ahead to the 2025–2030 strategic cycle, the approach will begin with intentional marketing and outreach efforts designed to elevate student awareness and, ultimately, increase engagement with CTE and related academic and career opportunities.

Lastly, support services that promote Black/African American student success will continue to be advanced through targeted programming and resources offered by culturally affirming initiatives such as Umoja and A2MEND. These programs play a vital role in fostering a sense of belonging and supporting the holistic development of Black students through mentorship, academic support, and community engagement.

For the 2025–2030 planning period, the goal is to expand the reach and impact of these programs by increasing student participation and aligning programming with current social and cultural trends that resonate with Black student experiences. For example, Umoja currently serves 115 student participants. With increased institutional support and resources, the college aims to grow program membership by 2–5% annually over the next five years for Umoja.

Resource Allocation for Black/African American Student Success:

Objective:

ELAC will allocate resources—including budget, student services, and academic supports—in a strategic and equity-driven manner to advance the success of Black/African American students. These investments aim to increase student engagement at every stage of the educational journey, from initial connection through to completion, including certificate attainment, associate degrees, and successful transfer.

Key resource allocations will include, but are not limited to:

  • Expanded access to tutoring services offered at varied times to meet diverse student needs
  • Culturally relevant, campus-wide programming that affirms and celebrates Black identity and experience
  • Stronger partnerships with ELAC’s Career and Technical Education (CTE) departments to promote awareness of career pathways and certificate options

From 2025 through 2030, resources will be closely aligned with ELAC’s equity priorities, particularly in support of culturally affirming programs such as Umoja and A2MEND. Additional focus will be placed on targeted outreach and recruitment, enhanced academic and career support services, and the use of data to guide resource allocation and assess impact.

Annual evaluations will be conducted to monitor progress and ensure that resource investments continue to align with the college’s equity goals. These assessments will inform ongoing adjustments, with the overarching objective of closing equity gaps in academic performance, persistence, completion, and transfer outcomes for Black/African American students.

Culturally Relevant Professional Development for Faculty and Staff

ELAC is committed to leveraging existing institutional resources to provide culturally relevant professional development opportunities that directly support the success of Black/African American students. These efforts are central to ELAC’s broader goal of becoming a designated Black-Serving Institution (BSI) and reflect a campus-wide commitment to equity.

To support this goal, ELAC will strategically utilize campus resources to provide the following:

Equity-Centered Training:

  • Ongoing workshops focused on collaboration and allyship building to support Black students academic and social support.  The goal is to design and foster inclusive learning environments throughout academic disciplines. 
  • Activities: 
    • Host regular workshops on culturally responsive teaching, implicit bias, and holistic approach to support Black students. 
    • Integrate speakers and content from the President’s Race and Equity Town Hall series.
  • Timeline: 2025-2030-ongoing, with a minimum of 1 session per semester

Develop Faculty and Staff Learning Communities:

  • 2025-2026: Creation of interdisciplinary communities of practice that engage in reflective dialogue, culturally relevant pedagogy, and curriculum redesign efforts centered on the Black student experience.
  • 2026-2027: Leads from learning communities will implement best practices in their own courses/centers to lead by example.
  • 2028-2029: Faculty will Collaborate with Umoja and A2MEND: Partnership with Umoja and A2MEND program leaders to deliver professional development and share effective strategies for supporting Black student success as best practices from their program engagement. 
  • 2029-2030: Review best practices from 2025-2029 to determine how to proceed with staff and faculty training and learning process. The goal is for intentional efforts to lead to greater support of Black students and increase retention of Black students at ELAC.

Guest Speakers Culturally relevant facilitators: 

  • 2025-2030: Host leading scholars, community advocates, and practitioners to facilitate campus-wide trainings on issues relevant to the Black/African American community. Currently, ELAC hosts the Racial and Equity series that centers experts from various communities. The goal is for this practice to continue and foster open dialogue on the ELAC campus regarding support for Black student success. Every semester, we offer a platform for engagement with topics related to racial justice, educational equity, and systemic change. These events serve as both professional development and institutional reflection spaces.

Targeted Conference Participation: 

  • 2025-2030: Sponsor faculty and staff to attend relevant equity-focused conferences, such as the A²MEND Summit, Umoja Conference, Umoja Summer Learning Institute, MOCAN, WOCAN, NCORE, and other regional or national forums focused on racial equity and Black student achievement.

All professional development initiatives will be aligned with institutional equity goals, and an annual review will be performed to measure impact, ensure relevance, and inform future programming. Through these efforts, ELAC aims to build a culturally competent campus community capable of effectively supporting the academic, social, and personal success of Black/African American students.

6. Data on Student Outcomes  

The number of all students, and of Black and or African American students:

  • Completed degree and certificate programs within normal time and up to 300 percent of normal time to degree completion. 
    • The number of degree and certificate programs completed by all students. (ELAC)
      • 2021-22: 8,283 
      • 2022-23: 7,283 
      • 2023-24: 7,114 
    • The number of degree and certificate programs completed by Black / African American students. (ELAC)
      • 2021-22: 235 
      • 2022-23: 204 
      • 2023-24: 231 
    • The number of all students who completed degree and certificate programs within normal time. (ELAC)
      • 2021-22: 1,941 
      • 2022-23: 2,465 
      • 2023-24: 2,573 
    • The number of Black / African American students, who completed degree and certificate programs within normal time. (ELAC)   2021-22 87 
      • 2022-23: 108 
      • 2023-24: 116 
    • The number of all students who completed degree and certificate programs up to 300 percent of normal time to degree completion. (ELAC)  
      • 2021-22: 6,807 
      • 2022-23: 6,171 
      • 2023-24: 5,913 
    • The number of Black / African American students, who completed degree and certificate programs up to 300 percent of normal time to degree completion. (ELAC)   
      • 2021-22: 198 
      • 2022-23: 177 
      • 2023-24: 208 

Transfer Rates for ELAC students and Black/African American Students

  • All Student Transfers (ELAC 2021-22)
    • CSU: 1,432
    • UC: 291
    • ISP: 91
    • OOS: 111
    • TOTAL: 1,925
  • All Student Transfers (ELAC 2022-23)
    • CSU: 1,154
    • UC: 223
    • ISP: 78
    • OOS: 129
    • TOTAL: 1,584
  • All Student Transfers (ELAC 2023-24)
    • CSU: 1,111
    • UC: 141
    • ISP: 37
    • OOS: 65
    • TOTAL: 1,354

Source: CSU and UC reports, CCCCO data on demand for ISP and OOS

In-State Private (ISP)

Out-of-State (OOS)

Black & African American Transfer Students ELAC

  • 2021-22 
    • CSU: 9
    • UC: 5
    • ISP: 3
    • OOS: 12
    • TOTAL: 29
  • 2022-23 
    • CSU: 11
    • UC: 5
    • ISP: 8
    • OOS: 20
    • TOTAL: 44
  • 2023-24 
    • CSU: 10
    • UC: 4
    • ISP: 4
    • OOS: 14
    • TOTAL: 32

Source: CSU and UC reports, CCCCO data on demand for ISP and OOS

In-State Private (ISP)

Out-of-State (OOS)

8. Campus Resources for Equity and Inclusion

ELAC offers various resources to promote equity and inclusion for Black and African American students, including:

  • Academic Support Programs: ELAC currently offers students the opportunity for the Umoja and A2mend program. Umoja for example offers tutoring services and academic advising tailored to the needs of Black and African American students.
  • Cultural Centers: The Umoja Space celebrates and honors the Black experience. 
  • Mentorship Opportunities: Umoja currently supports peer to peer informal mentoring via porch talks and connections to Umoja and A2mend staff. 
  • Student Organizations: A2mend Charter Club provides opportunities for Males of Color.
  • Financial Aid Initiatives: The campus will need to provide a more intentional support system for Black students. This gap must be addressed.

9. Additional Information

ELAC commits to center the Black experience from a collegiate perspective and collaborate with all divisions to ensure all entities support Black Student Success.  Black student excellence needs to be interconnected more to academic and student support services such as relevant coursework, financial aid services and health and wellness. ELAC commits to expanding this work via faculty and staff awareness to ensure there is a collective campus wide efforts and support of Black student success as outlined in this application. Additionally, the following link to “Black Employment and Educational Outcomes in Los Angeles County 2025” report highlights the need to emphasize the importance of building the career technical education pathway at ELAC to support Black/African American students in their career trajectories. 

ELAC’s Mission Statement:

East Los Angeles College empowers students to achieve their educational goals, to expand their individual potential, and to successfully pursue their aspirations for a better future for themselves, their community and the world.

Goal 1: Increasing student success and academic excellence through student-centered instruction, student-centered support services, and dynamic technologies.

Goal 2: Increasing equity in successful outcomes by analyzing gaps in student achievement and using this to identify and implement effective models and programming to remedy these gaps.

Goal 3: Sustaining community-centered access, participation, and preparation that improves the college’s presence in the community, maximizes access to higher education and provides outlets for artistic, civic, cultural, scientific and social expression as well as environmental awareness.

Goal 4: Ensuring institutional effectiveness and accountability through data-driven decision-making as well as evaluation and improvement of all college programs and governance structures.

In collaboration with the LACCD Mission, ELAC is committed to advancement in student learning and achievement that prepares students to transfer to 4-year institutions, successfully complete workforce development programs, earn associate degrees and bachelor’s degrees, and pursue opportunities for lifelong learning and civic engagement.