Biology
2025-2026 Program Review

The Biology & Biotechnology programs at American River College offer welcoming, flexible pathways into science for students from all backgrounds and experiences. Whether you’re a first-generation college student, returning to school, exploring a new career, or preparing to transfer to a university, ARC provides hands-on courses, supportive learning environments, and clear roadmaps to help you succeed.

Students can pursue an Associate in Science for Transfer (AS-T) in Biology, career-focused Biotechnology degrees and certificates, or foundational science coursework designed for transfer or career exploration. Classes emphasize real-world learning through labs, field experiences, and skill-building activities that strengthen confidence and prepare students for careers in health care, environmental science, research, and emerging biotech fields.

ARC’s inclusive programs are designed to meet students where they are—offering opportunities to build skills at any starting point while connecting science to real community needs and future career pathways. Whether you’re taking your first biology course or planning your next academic step, ARC’s Biology & Biotechnology programs provide a supportive place to learn, grow, and belong in STEM.

• The biology department will be focusing on three main disproportionately impacted groups this review cycle: African American, Hispanic/Latino, and Below Poverty Level. These groups register as disproportionately impacted in multiple biology courses:
• African American (8% of students; -9 to -19% gap)
• Hispanic/Latino (25% of students; -5 to -10% gap)
• Below Poverty Level (26% of students; -22 to -26% gap)

We believe that the techniques that we employ to assist these groups will also prove beneficial for our other disproportionately impacted populations.

• Data-Informed Instructional Improvement: Faculty systematically analyzed Disproportionate Impact (DI) data to refine curriculum, teaching strategies, and course design with the goal of reducing equity gaps among disproportionately impacted groups.
• Expanded Access to Academic and Basic Needs Resources: Increased student awareness and utilization of campus support programs (e.g., Beaver Cares, Umoja, Puente, DSPS) through syllabus integration, course orientations, and ongoing classroom communication, contributing to improved access to academic and non-academic supports.
• Reduced Financial Barriers to Participation: Implemented actions to lower course costs and increase material accessibility, including adoption/exploration of OER resources, provision of shared textbooks, and promotion of free software access, supporting equitable participation for students with financial need.
• Equity-Centered Course Policies and Assessment Practices: Piloted flexible late-work and exam policies, increased scaffolded assessments (quizzes, homework), and implemented structured post-exam support to promote persistence and improve success outcomes for students balancing external responsibilities.
• Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Learning Environments: Integrated inclusive instructional materials and early-semester relationship-building activities to foster belonging, identify barriers early, and support diverse learning needs.
• Enhanced Academic Support Infrastructure: Expanded access to faculty and peer support through extended office hours (including evenings/weekends), child-friendly office hour spaces, additional open lab time, and trained peer Instructional Assistants.
• Improved Student Guidance and Placement: Strengthened collaboration with counseling and implemented proactive student outreach (pre-course communication, advising meetings, barrier-identification tools) to support informed course selection and reduce attrition in high-rigor courses.
• Ongoing Departmental Equity Capacity Building: Established a shared Best Practices repository and engaged in continuous departmental reflection to improve culturally responsive teaching and targeted interventions for disproportionately impacted groups. Examples include providing Canvas links to stories and photos of notable zoologists/ecologists of different ages, ethnic identities, gender identities, neurodiversity, and disabled status. In anatomy classes, anatomical photos include people of different ages and ethnic identities. We have modified a skin model to better represent darker skin. 

1. Highly Structured (“Moderate Structure”) Course Design

What it looks like

• Weekly low-stakes assignments tied directly to learning objectives
• Required preparation activities before class
• Clear learning guides and predictable weekly routines

Why it matters

• Structured courses have been shown to reduce Black–White achievement gaps and improve outcomes for first-generation and minoritized students by increasing engagement and study behaviors.

2. Faculty Professional Development on Implicit Bias & Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

What it looks like

• Training on implicit bias in grading and classroom interactions
• Workshops on culturally responsive teaching and inclusive assessment
• Reflection on assumptions about student preparedness

Why it matters

• Perceived discrimination and implicit bias negatively impact STEM persistence for Black and Hispanic students; professional development improves inclusive practices and student outcomes.

3. Representation & Faculty Diversity / Role Model Exposure

What it looks like

• Diverse guest speakers and scientists highlighted in curriculum
• Hiring and mentoring diverse faculty or near-peer mentors
• Hiring full-time diverse instructional assistants and lab technicians 
• Visible representation of scientists from students’ backgrounds

Why it matters

• Students from disproportionately impacted groups show increased persistence and achievement when they have mentors or instructors with shared identities or culturally relevant role models. (update.occrl.illinois.edu)

4. Identity Safety Cues & Belonging Interventions

What it looks like

• Visible signals that diverse identities are valued
• Growth-mindset messaging in syllabi and early assignments
• Belonging or “you belong in science” activities

Why it matters

• Identity safety cues reduce stereotype threat and improve performance for marginalized students.

5. Culturally Responsive Mentoring & Relationship-Based Support

What it looks like

• Structured mentoring programs
• Intentional culturally responsive advising conversations
• Support networks linking students to professional communities
• Continue to build relationships with campus organizations such as Umoja and MESA.

Why it matters

• Culturally responsive mentoring significantly improves persistence and graduation rates for students of color in STEM.

6. Summer Bridge / Pre-Course Preparation Programs

What it looks like

• Pre-semester boot camps or readiness modules
• Introductory biology “on-ramp” experiences
• Peer-led preparation workshops
• Develop pre-courses (not pre-requisites) for our courses with low success rates

Why it matters

• Bridge programs and structured academic transition supports improved persistence in high-barrier STEM gateway courses.

7. Strength-Based and Asset-Based Framing of Students

What it looks like

• Highlighting cultural strengths, community knowledge, bilingual skills
• Avoiding deficit framing in course materials or advising

Why it matters

• Asset-based approaches increase engagement and sense of belonging among Black and Latino students.

8. STEM Identity Development Activities

What it looks like

• Assignments connecting students’ identities to scientific work
• Reflection on “seeing yourself as a scientist”
• Exposure to culturally relevant biological issues

Why it matters

• Strong STEM identity correlates with persistence among Latino students. (arXiv)

Needed Resources to Achieve Equity Outcomes

To further reduce disproportionate impact and improve success rates among African American, Hispanic/Latino, and low-income students in biology courses, the department has identified several resource needs that will support implementation of evidence-based equity practices. These resources focus on strengthening inclusive pedagogy, improving course structure and accessibility, enhancing mentoring and identity development opportunities, and expanding academic preparation pathways.

1. Faculty Professional Development in Equity-Minded STEM Instruction

To improve culturally responsive and inclusive teaching practices, faculty require ongoing training and support in:

• Culturally responsive and equity-minded STEM pedagogy
• Implicit bias awareness and equitable grading practices
• Asset-based teaching approaches and growth-mindset interventions
• Identity safety strategies that promote belonging in STEM
• Universal Design for Learning and accessible course design

Resources needed include funded professional development opportunities, FLEX credit or stipends, and facilitated faculty learning communities focused on equitable biology instruction.

2. Instructional Design Support for Structured Course Development

Research indicates that highly structured courses reduce achievement gaps in STEM. Faculty require:

• Instructional designer collaboration or release time to redesign courses
• Templates for scaffolded assignments, transparent grading, and weekly learning structures
• Active learning classroom tools and collaborative learning materials
• Technology support for building structured course modules in the LMS

These resources will help faculty create consistent, predictable learning environments that benefit students with varied academic preparation levels.

3. Inclusive Curriculum and Representation Resources

To strengthen students’ sense of belonging and STEM identity, the department requires:

• Access to inclusive curriculum libraries featuring diverse scientists and culturally relevant biological topics
• Funding for guest speakers and diverse STEM professional panels
• Multimedia resources highlighting scientists from historically marginalized communities
• Support for developing culturally relevant case studies and assignments

These resources will help students see themselves reflected in science and strengthen engagement and persistence.

4. Mentoring and Relationship-Based Support Infrastructure

Evidence suggests that structured mentoring improves outcomes for disproportionately impacted students. Needed resources include:

• Funding for near-peer mentors or learning assistants
• Hiring full-time faculty, instructional assistants, and lab technicians from disproportionately impacted groups
• Faculty mentor training and coordination support
• Structured mentoring curriculum and tracking tools
• Dedicated time or stipends for faculty mentorship activities

These supports will expand relationship-based learning opportunities and increase student connection to faculty and peers.

5. Pre-Course Preparation and Academic Transition Supports

To address preparation gaps in gateway biology courses, the department requires:

• Development funding for summer bridge or pre-semester readiness programs
• Diagnostic assessment tools and preparatory learning modules
• Peer-led preparatory workshops and instructional assistant support
• Early outreach and onboarding materials for incoming students
• Release time to develop pre-courses for low success courses

These efforts will help students build foundational skills prior to enrolling in high-rigor courses.

6. Equity Data and Assessment Tools

To evaluate progress toward closing equity gaps, faculty require:

• Access to disaggregated course success and retention data dashboards
• Classroom climate and student belonging survey tools
• Early-alert systems for identifying students needing intervention
• Support for program evaluation and continuous improvement planning

These tools will allow the department to monitor progress and adjust strategies to maximize student success.

Summary

Investment in these resources will enable ARC Biology faculty to implement high-impact, equity-focused practices designed to reduce achievement gaps and improve outcomes for disproportionately impacted student populations. These supports will strengthen inclusive teaching, enhance academic preparation, promote belonging and identity development, and provide data-informed guidance for continuous program improvement.

1. Online Instruction Challenges: While we are happy that our online asynchronous Biology offerings provide access to students who might have otherwise not been able to take classes, we are concerned that with the explosion of student use of AI, it is increasingly difficult to assess how much these students have learned.  If we want to ensure student learning by alternate teaching and testing methods such as group projects, personalized testing, one step may be to reduce class sizes for online classes, or have a room set aside for testing for online classes.
2. Modernization of the current biology building: Our current building, the oldest biology teaching building in California, requires maintenance and upgrades to remain functional until a new building is constructed. Issues include, but are not limited to, HVAC, safety, ventilation, ergonomics, instructional technologies, specimen collection and maintenance, and instructional equipment modernization.
3. New Building:  To meet the needs of future students, the biology department requires that a new building be constructed. This building should be constructed to meet the needs of biology classes during the coming decades, likely differing significantly from the current building that was built over fifty years ago. We would like to see an increase in instructional and lab prep space, modern climate control and ventilation, integration of all the biology courses around a centralized prep area, gallery spaces to display biological specimens to students and visitors, ample faculty office and conference rooms, and integration of modern instructional and communication technologies. Since this list is by no means complete, biology faculty request frequent consultation and inclusion during the building’s design process.
4. Improved course coordination with the Natomas Center: Better coordination between Natomas and main campus regarding class offerings, ideally integrating department input into determining course offerings.
5. Hiring new faculty: Though we have hired multiple new faculty members in recent years, our need for additional full-time faculty members continues. We need more instructors to staff our ever-impacted courses. Our department needs administration to support our needs. For example, in 2025-2026 the ARC Academic Senate ranked two new biology full-time faculty hires in the top ten of over twenty available faculty positions, but the administration only approved one of those positions. If we are to continue to grow, then we require the support of the administrative branch of the college.