EXTENDED OPPORTUNITY PROGRAM AND SERVICES (EOPS)

Celebrating over 40 years of serving students and families in our communities since 1969.

Mission Statement

Extended Opportunity Program & Services (EOPS) at El Camino College is dedicated to the delivery of a comprehensive program that encourages the enrollment, retention and transfer of students who are challenged by language, social, economic, and educational disadvantages.

EOPS is designed for the sole purpose of enhancing the success of students in meeting their educational goals and objectives. As a comprehensive program, EOPS is driven by a philosophy of providing services that are “over and above in addition to” services available to all students. EOPS strives for innovative and creative ways to enhance and encourage students’ academic success and excellence, while fostering the student’s personal growth and development.

Program Legacy

EOPS was established in 1969, amidst the struggle for civil rights and racial equality. Students and community activists held demonstrations to protest the under-representation of minorities and low-income students in higher education. In response to the social and political pressure, the state of California passed Senate Bill 164 and amended the Title V regulations, to authorize community colleges to develop the EOPS program for the purpose of supporting economically and educationally disadvantaged students in the community college system.

Since then, EOPS has been operating under the philosophy that everyone has the potential to learn. Necessary support and retention activities were developed to include intensive bilingual counseling, assistance in applying for financial aid, tutoring, summer enrichment and retention programs, book services, emergency loans and special orientations.

Important Changes to Financial Aid 

Please read below to note the changes coming to all Financial Aid students.

• Ability to Benefit - New students enrolling in college for the first time after July 1, 2012 must have a high school diploma or its equivalent to be eligible for federal financial aid. The law makes an exception for students who have completed a secondary school education in a home school setting that is treated as a home school or private school under state law.

• Pell Grant - Effective July 1, 2012, all students receiving Federal Pell Grants now have a lifetime limit of only 12 semesters (or its equivalent). Twelve semesters generally equals four to six years of undergraduate enrollment. The calculation of the duration of a student’s eligibility will include all years of the student’s receipt of Federal Pell Grant. If you have attended college for four years or more and received Federal Pell Grant each year, you probably will exhaust your lifetime limit of 12 semesters by 2012-13 award year.    

• Stafford Loans - Students who receive subsidized Stafford Loans on or after July 1, 2012 and prior to July 1, 2014, must pay interest that accrues during the grace period. If not paid, the accrued interest will be capitalized (added to the principal of the loan).

• Automatic Zero EFC - Public Law 112-74 amended HEA section 479 (c) to reduce the income threshold for an automatic zero expected family contribution (EFC) from $30,000 to $23,000 for the 2012-13 award year for both dependent and independent students.

• Board of Governor’s Fee Waiver - The minimum need to qualify for a BOG C will change from $1 to $1,104 effective July 1, 2012. Need is determined by this formula:

Cost of Attendance – Expected Family Contribution= Financial Need

• Course Repetition - Financial Aid does not pay for repeated courses. See Admissions & Records for institutional policy regarding course repetition.  

• Enrollment Fee Increase - Beginning summer 2012, enrollment fees for California residents will increase to $46 per unit. Please contact Admissions & Records for more information.

• Verification - To receive financial aid, federal law requires that applicants who are selected for verification must use the IRS Data Transfer. Students and parents who are unsuccessful in completing the IRS Data Transfer in FAFSA on the Web must provide IRS Tax Transcript. Refer to IRS Form 4506 at www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f4506t.pdf or online tax filers at www.irs.gov

Services

• Textbook vouchers for the Spring and Fall Semesters
• Priority registration and registration assistance
• Academic, career and personal counseling available by appointment or walk-in
• Career Services
• New Student Intake Orientations
• Individual tutoring
• Computer Lab with 8 stations and free printing
• Peer advisement
• Recognition grants
• University application fee waivers
• CARE - a supplemental program to support single parents who are receiving TANF/CalWORKs

Student Responsibility

1. Enroll in at least 12 units per semester
2. Maintain academic progress toward your educational goal by completing a minimum of 50% of all units enrolled each semester with a grade point average (GPA) of 2.0
3. Acknowledge that EOPS can only provide services for 6 consecutive semesters or 70 degree applicable units
4. Meet with an EOPS Counselor to matriculate (please bring your educational planning worksheet).
5. Pick up and submit completed progress reports before the posted deadline.
6. Enrolled in Human Development 8 for one semester (You must meet with an EOPS Counselor upon completion)
7. Complete one workshop per semester and submit workshop form to an EOPS Counselor when not enrolled in a Human Development course
8. Participate in a total of 3 Counseling contacts per semester (as indicated in 4 - 7 above)
9. Follow your Student Educational Plan (SEP) and notify an EOPS Counselor of any changes in your major and/or schedule
10. Will notify the EOPS Office before you add or withdraw from any class(es), and if you change your name, address, or telephone number
    
    

Important Dates

Stop by the EOPS Office today!