SMC's Black Serving Institution

Cultivating and Sustaining an Ecosystem for Black Student Success

California Senate Bill No. 1348 (SB 1348)- Black Serving Institution Designation

California Senate Bill No. 1348 (SB 1348) established the Designation of California Black-Serving Institutions (BSI) to recognize colleges and universities that demonstrate a commitment to advancing the access, persistence, completion, and overall success of Black and African American students. The first ever in the nation!

In 2025, Santa Monica College (SMC) was officially designated as a California Black-Serving Institution (BSI), joining 31 designated institutions across the state. This designation represents both a significant recognition of SMC’s longstanding commitment to Black and African American student success. As well as an important call to action in creating and sustaining an ecosystem for Black Student Success. At SMC, the BSI initiative is housed and supported by Black Collegians Program Umoja Community. The work will include stakeholders from across the campus.

Vision

Where every Black and African American student experiences a sense of safety, belonging, and achieves their personal, academic, and professional goals at SMC.

SMC BSI Designation

Fall 2026 Black Student Success Dashboard

Enrollment Momentum
- A total of 3,530
Academic Momentum (Persistence)
- Continuing from last semester–52% (1,838)
Degree Attainment
- Earned Associate Degree, No Transfer–13.3%
Career Certificate Attainment
- Earned Career Certificate, no transfer–3.3%
Transfer Readiness
- Transfer with associates degree–56.1%

Goal 1

Increase the first-to-second term persistence rates of first-time in college Black and African American students by 9.0% over the next five years, from 62.3% to 71.3%.

Goal 2

Reduce the average units to completion for Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs) among Black and African American students by 10 units over the next five years, from 84% to 74%.

Goal 3

Increase the three-year graduation (certificate/degree completion) rates of first-time college Black and African American students by 11.0% over the next five years, from 9.5% to 20.5%.

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Black Collegians UMOJA Community

The Black Collegians program UMOJA community at SMC is designed to assist students of African descent in transferring to four-year universities and obtaining their associates degree. We offer services to help you become academically competitive and to set personal goals. Black Collegians program staff and counselors, provide a constant source of encouragement to our students and work with students to ensure that your needs are met. All that we provide is done through an ethic of love and family. The Black collegians program is a program with the statewide UMOJA community. As a recognized program within the UMOJA community, we abide by the mission and the educational philosophy of the community and we share strategies and goals with other UMOJA community programs at the various California community colleges statewide.

Pan African Alliance

The Santa Monica College (SMC) Pan African Alliance (PAA) is a network of faculty, staff, and administrators who seek to increase awareness of the diversity and richness of our culture and heritage as people of African descent. The PAA promotes the overall mission of SMC by empowering students and its members to reach their self-determined academic and personal goals. The organization aims to create a nurturing environment where Black students and organization members feel a sense of belonging in all aspects of their experiences at the college. The PAA advocates on behalf of our Black students and organization members and is committed to closing equity gaps in student success and completion rates by building strong student, staff, and faculty networks. By challenging systemic and racial bias, the PAA seeks to dismantle the barriers that inhibit the academic successes of our students and the professional successes of our members.

Institutional and Statewide Black Student Success Goals and Metrics

Student Equity Plan
Strategic Enrollment Management Plan
Vision 2030 – California Community Colleges | Find Your Path
2025-2026 SMC Institutional Effectiveness Report
California BSI Dashboard – Black-Serving Institution Designation Project
SMC Black Student Research & Assessments – National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climate-Mattering and Affirmation