Cruz-Soto, Ed.D., Dean of Student Services, Represented Riverside City College as a Panel Speaker on Student Housing and Success

Thomas Cruz-Soto, Ed.D., Dean of Student Services at Riverside City College, served as a featured panel speaker at a statewide convening in November for the California Community Colleges, which  focused on aligning student housing operations with student success outcomes.

Cruz Soto participated in the panel “Aligning Operations with Outcomes: KPIs for Student Housing Success,” hosted by the California Community Colleges. The session brought together senior student service leaders and housing professionals from across the state to share best practices, lessons learned, and data-driven strategies that support student retention, persistence, and overall well-being.

“At the time of RCCD’s housing initiative, I was serving as Vice President of Student Services, and together we were able to fill the majority of RCCD’s allocated beds. This success was made possible by the dedication and coordination of the student services team. While the initiative was a districtwide effort, Riverside City College carried much of the operational work to ensure RCCD students were able to break through equity barriers and access stable housing. Our sister colleges also provided a helping hand in ensuring that all students were given a chance to access this first in the state and first in the nation residential experience.”

During the panel, Cruz-Soto contributed insights from Riverside City College’s student-centered approach to housing and student services, emphasizing the importance of integrating housing operations with broader institutional goals related to equity, access, and student success. His participation highlighted RCC’s role as a leader in advancing innovative, intersegmental solutions that address basic needs and remove barriers to completion.

The panel also featured leaders from Santa Rosa Junior College, Orange Coast College, and industry partners, creating space for cross-institutional dialogue on key performance indicators, governance structures, and operational models that directly impact student outcomes.

Cruz-Soto’s participation reflects Riverside City College’s continued commitment to elevating student voice, strengthening support systems, and contributing to statewide conversations that shape the future of student services and housing across California’s community colleges.

For more information about affordable housing available to RCC and RCCD students you can visit our website.