Fall/Spring is Free at Laney College: More Students Enrolled, Stayed through the Semester, and Re-enrolled in 2022-2023!

Laney College experienced a strong enrollment rebound in 2022-2023, during the Fall is Free and Spring is Free semesters. Fall to spring student persistence numbers -or continuation into the next semester- during these two terms was higher than it was during COVID and is heading back toward pre-COVID averages. In real numbers, 901 more students persisted from term to term in the “Free” year than in the year before, an increase of nearly 1%.

Fall is Free in 2023 and the semester kicked off on August 21, 2023. Welcome Week at the Peralta Colleges marks the beginning of a fresh adventure for both new and returning students.  Each College was bustling with events tailored to welcome incoming students into our tight-knit community. From Ice Cream Socials at Merritt to Pancakes with the President at COA, and from the Campus Resource Fair at BCC to a Block Party at Laney,  it is safe to say that Welcome Week was a great success!

Dear Peralta Community,

Parking Permit Process for Fall Semester

For the fall semester, we are reinstating parking permits at College of Alameda, Laney College, and Merritt College. We will be using a temporary system as we look to implement a new district parking enforcement program for spring. During the fall semester, there is no fee for parking, and we will not be ticketing.

At Berkeley City College, there is not a PCCD-owned lot available. Employees should check with the BCC business office for parking information.

OAKLAND, Calif., August 14, 2023 – Laney College will offer students introductory courses in Artificial Intelligence & Data Analytics (AIDA) beginning this fall, to get students started on a pathway that will lead to careers in this exciting and innovative field. Laney becomes one of the first community colleges in the state with such a program. Laney's partnerships with industry leaders including Amazon Web Services (AWS), Intel, and Google will help prepare students for a career in the field or to transfer to a four-year school for additional study.

OAKLAND, Calif.– For the second year in a row, Laney College is offering free tuition – paired with added incentives – urging the community to pursue an educational goal or simply explore a passion with the help of the college’s 130 different programs and 600+ classes.

Laney Eagle’s Nest and Food Distribution – Fall 2023

As part of Laney’s continuing efforts to meet Student Basic Needs, the College has established a hub providing access to resources designed to keep them enrolled and successful in their academic pursuits. Named the Laney College Eagles Nest, this unique on-campus center fosters a culture of holistic well-being by helping to eliminate life barriers, such as food, housing, and economic injustice, that may jeopardize students’ academic and personal success.

Summer 2023 Enrollment

Summer 2023 is in full swing at Laney. The college is currently teaching 126 sections of classes, with a total of 3,041 students in them. This is an 8% growth over the number of students who took summer classes last year. Classes are being taught in all academic divisions, from African American Studies through Wood Tech. Particularly exciting are the career education courses that are being taught as part of the CE Summer Institute.

Acting on a petition from the renowned Lowell Observatory in Arizona, the International Astronomical Union officially named asteroid 1889TL34 as 28148 Fuentes, after Laney College Dean of Math and Sciences, Mr. Angel Fuentes Figueroa. “The totality of the body is in fact its own solar system orbiting the Sun forever named after me.” After capturing the body on his telescope, Fuentes notified his family in Puerto Rico immediately of the honor, mentioning that he was able to show his mother the asteroid immediately.

Oakland, June 29, 2023

Dear Peralta Community,

Earlier today, the U.S. Supreme Court declared that the admissions systems used by Harvard University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill illegally violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment, effectively overturning Affirmative Action programs. This is an unfortunate decision.

Laney Student Honored with 2023 National Academy of Arts & Sciences Award

Laney College student Susan Bradley became the first student to ever be honored with the 2023 Governors Service Medallion Award by The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS). NATAS also serves as the organization that provides the Emmy Awards. Susan earned this honor thanks to her continual contribution as a photographer for NATAS, but only after three years of service.