Don't Forget About Night Time Programming

Palomar College reviewed their current programming and realized that almost all their student activities occur between 10am and 2pm. The problem is 5,000 to 7,500 of their students strictly take evening classes.With a FTE of 30,000, night goers make up nearly 25% of the student body, but yet were receiving almost 0% of the student activities.

To curtail the imbalance and to seize the opportunity:

The college's Associated Student Government hosted its first "Coffeehouse Night" last month, during which students heading to class in the twilight were treated to coffee, cookies and the sounds of an acoustic guitar, as played by a fellow student.

"People drop by, grab a cup of coffee and listen for a little," said Jesse Lyn, student government president. "Many night students come straight from work, so they need an opportunity to unwind before class."

More than 100 students stopped by within the first hour of the event and were "thrilled" by the break from class, Lyn said

Commuter campuses, like Palomar, are known for their large percentage of evening or non-traditional students. Sherry Titus, interim director for student affairs, said:

"They get here after work, take a class and get home to get dinner
started," she said. "They have no buy-in (to the college) besides the
educational one."

Coffeehouse events give these students an
opportunity to become a part of the Palomar community, even if it's
just for a few moments, Titus said. Students are entertained by their
peers or can use the venue to showcase their own talents, including
music, poetry and dance, she said.

So don't forget about your night time students. How are you servicing them with the same student activities fees that everyone else is paying?