California Advocates for Re-Entry Education

CARE Newsletter: Fall 2002

WHAT IS CARE?
CARE is a statewide, inter-segmental, non-profit organization of professionals, faculty and students within California higher education. CARE has an impressive history of fostering vital collaborative partnerships among community colleges, independent institutions, the California State Universities and the University of California.

Founded in 1978 to serve re-entry students, CARE's target population has expanded to include the closely related, often overlapping issues of retention and success in all the "non-traditional" and transfer student populations. CARE has been working to improve admissions and other administrative policies; to influence legislation at the state and national levels; to develop responsive program design and class scheduling methods; and to develop and refine support services for these special student populations.

WHO ARE RE-ENTRY STUDENTS?
Any student who has had a break in their pursuit of higher education and who is returning to college to complete personal, academic and career goals. Re-entry students are often in transition: divorce, career change, empty nest syndrome, or release from the military. Some are simply pursuing their dream of a college education."

• Advocate for legislation and institutional policies that facilitate access to higher education for re-entry and non-traditional students.
• Increase the effectivess and viability of institutional support programs.
• Provide leadership and educational opportunities that expand the horizons of re-entry and non-traditional students.
• Educate the academic community and general population about the significance and benefits of re-entry education.
• Provide opportunities for leadership and professional development, and the exchange of ideas and strategies, to best serve Califiornia's re-entry and non-traditional students.
• Create a network for re-entry education advocates.

Regional meetings and conferences give members the opportunity to network with other professionals in the field; to discuss pertinent issues on their respective campuses; to obtain ideas for improving their own program's effectiveness and visibility; and in general to become more effective advocates for re-entry education in the state and national legislative arenas.

Membership in CARE is open to anyone interested in supporting the objectives of the organization.

Membership includes a subscription to the CARE Newsletter, participation in regional meetings and conferences at membership rates.

CARE is dedicated to expanding and strengthening a support network for re-entry and non-traditional students by providing contacts, information, and consultation to the membership and to other appropriate individuals and agencies. CARE also provides re-entry and non-traditional students with leadership opportunities through participation in conferences, workshops and on the CARE Council.

Application Form

Please contact Shirley Sperry if you have additional questions or concerns: phone: (530) 753-4275
email: ssperry@ucdavis.edu