Whereas established at California Community Colleges in 1969 by Senate Bill 164, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOP&S) has endeavored to meet the unique educational needs of educationally disadvantaged and low-income students by providing programs and services over and above, and in addition to, the established programs offered at the colleges, and
Whereas by assisting in the students' opportunity to pursue a college-level education, EOP&S programs help encourage the growth and development of students as individuals, and
Whereas since 1970, EOP&S, statewide, has evolved from 13,000 students served at 46 participating community colleges with an annual budget of $2.87 million to an anticipated 40,000 students served at 107 community colleges during 1989-90 with an annual budget of $31,635,000, and
Whereas in its 20 years of existence, EOP&S has provided educational opportunities to over 650,000 educationally disadvantaged and low-income students, and
Whereas in addition to financial assistance, EOP&S offers a broad range of support services and related programs to enhance the educational opportunities of nontraditional students so they can maintain a commitment to achieving their educational goals, and
Whereas EOP&S students have generally fared as well as, and in some cases, better than, non-EOP&S students when their academic achievement is measured on the basis of grades, units completed, consecutive semester attendance, graduation, and transfer rates at four-year institutions, and
Whereas minority groups are strongly represented in EOP&S with 70% of the students currently enrolled in EOP&S possessing an ethnically or linguistically diverse background, and
Whereas Asian/Pacific Islander students, the state's largest population served by EOP&S make up 28% of the students enrolled in EOP&S, followed by Chicanos/Latinos, 20%; African-Americans,9%; Native Americans, 2%; and Filipinos, 1%; and
Whereas at the onset of the third decade of EOP&S service, EOP&S remains committed to the program's original mission: to provide expanded educational opportunities to those wishing to attend community colleges,
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges especially commend the EOP&S, on the occasion of the program's Twentieth Anniversary, for its commitment and concern for the educational endeavors of the students enrolled in EOP&S, and
Resolved that the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges extend to the administrators and support staff of EOP&S its sincere gratitude and appreciation with best wishes for continued success.