San Diego Mesa College does not have a resource problem. It has a usage problem.
Daily, there are resources available to assist in the success of our students through tutoring, counseling, career assistance and more. The Learning Resources Center helps students with research resources, quiet study areas and over 100 academic databases. Tutoring and computing centers offer free academic assistance seven days a week. Student counselors assist students in scheduling their classes, while the Career Center helps with resume writing and job assistance.
None of this is hidden. Students just don’t use it.
That choice has consequences. Students struggle through assignments while tutoring remains available nearby. They stress their future while the Career Center goes untouched. They feel lost planning their schedules while counseling appointments stay open.
The gap isn’t access. It’s an action.
It is all about timing. Due to the responsibilities at work and studies, the student cannot afford any more. That is true. Nevertheless, it shows only half of the picture. The matter is that students manage to find the time for their priorities, and they do not put the listed above assets into their schedule at all.
Furthermore, there is a psychological aspect. Many students think that tutors can help them only if they are going to fail classes. Others believe that they can get by without any help. Instead of seeking assistance right away, they leave it for when they need it badly.
Mesa has already done its part. It built the system. It created access. It made support available every day. But access alone does not create success. Students have to take responsibility for using what is already in front of them.
However, it is critical that Mesa does not assume the significance of accessibility. If, however, students continue to ignore such options, then Mesa would have to consider ways to link the use of their resources with the students’ academic success.
Students must be required to visit at least one session in the tutoring center, Learning Resource Center or Career Center to fulfill their course requirements. Students will become accustomed to utilizing the resources without having issues first before finding assistance.
Lastly, Mesa should market its services not through emails or flyers but based on their performance in terms of better grades and stronger resumes.
These are practical changes. They make it harder to ignore what already exists.
Mesa does not need more resources. It needs students to use the ones it already has.
