The College Planning Council met Tuesday to discuss the new Student Success and Support Program that intends to replace matriculation at City College.

Legislation recently passed with the Chancellor’s Office’s initiative to increase student success rates in community colleges. Colleges must now create a comprehensive plan corresponding to these new regulations.

“It’s much more prescribed and it’s much more encompassing as to who serves by it,” said Jack Friedlander, executive vice president.

The program is directed at students who are looking to receive an Associate’s Degree and/or plan on transferring to a four-year university.

The plan details goals that City College has been keeping up with including orientation and taking assessment tests.

“In the past there were so many ways that students were able to register for classes and get away without taking the assessment tests,” Friedlander said. “This really cracks down on it.”

The plan requires students to create an educational plan with a counselor. The plan also includes the concept of a follow-up. If a student deviates from their plan a counselor will be able to get in contact with them and arrange a follow-up.

The program has a $2 million flexible budget that will be used for student support services. The plan requires permanent positions to be filled in the student support services department.

“I have been pretty vocal in trying to communicate to this institution that we have woefully underfunded student support services,” said Superintendent President Dr. Lori Gaskin. “And I’ll be quite frank, it’s in the counseling area.”

These positions do not interfere with the Academic Senate’s faculty ranking for hires. The plan could take two-years to be fully developed but is supported on the Chancellor’s Office and City College’s trust that it is necessary.

“We need academic counselors,” Gaskin said. “We have to do this.”