Last Sunday, I joined 123.4 million people in watching the Super Bowl, what a game….
I enjoyed Reba McEntire’s rendition of the National Anthem.
And one of my all time favorites Usher’s halftime performance.
Check out the video at this link. His best song “Yeah” starts at 10:30 timestamp, but the whole 13 minutes are worth a watch.
After all that, it was right to work for another busy week.
On Monday I was at a climate summit hosted by Second Nature and was on a panel with
Chancellor Millie Garcia, CSU, and Executive Vice President Nathan Brostrom, UC. The panel was moderated by Lande Ajose, who is now with Waverley foundation.
It is impressive what all the systems are doing as it relates to climate action.
Here are a few points I made about our work:
- The three fields of climate practice – facilities, workforce, community
- For facilities: The Board of Governors has adopted the Climate Action and Sustainability Framework and Goals which includes specific measurable goals for 2025 through 2035. By 2025, colleges are encouraged to benchmark metrics for reliance on greenhouse gas, energy usage by campus, water usage, waste, purchasing and procurement, fleet vehicle composition and purchases, and sustainable food purchases. By 2030, the plan calls for specific reductions in each category, and by 2035 districts are encouraged to reach zero net greenhouse gas emissions and all goals as summarized in the table below.
- Workforce: Gave examples of the different regional work with coastal colleges working on aspects of the blue economy to the central valley focusing on Agtec.
- Community: CCs being the anchor institutions for the community including shelters during disasters.
Tom Epstein, member of the Board of Governors, attended the event and participated in an invitation-only discussion with governing boards and presidents.
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On Tuesday, I attended a Vision 2030 event at LA Southwest College. Paul Medina was also
at the event. It feels great seeing how colleges are really committed to operationalizing the
various elements of Vision 2030. I love this picture that we took with the students. You can
see President Anthony Culpepper beaming with pride.
Good morning California.
It is February 17, 2024.
A good day to be a Community College Champion
From California Community Colleges.
Our Time is Now!
Cabrillo College Unveils Mural Celebrating HSI Designation
Cabrillo College unveiled a new mural created by tudent artists of the Fall 2023 ART 91 Mural class, guest muralist, Yermo Aranda, and their instructor, Danielle Torvik-Staffen. This project, funded by Cabrillo College’s HSI Task Force, is intended to celebrate the College’s designation as an Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI).
Golden West College Art Gallery Presents:
In the Places Beneath the Sand by Lorenzo Baker
The Golden West College Art Gallery is pleased to present In the Places Beneath the Sand, a solo exhibition from multimedia conceptual artist Lorenzo Baker, curated by Jasmine McNeal. The show, which will run from Feb 1–29, coincides with the start of Black History Month and explores different forms of light, tracing the visibility of Black spaces and their effects on universal truths.
Cypress College Student Recognized for Outstanding Community Service
A Cypress College student has won the Surfer of Distinction award for his outstanding contributions to the community. Then 18-year-old Andrew Baldwin was nominated for his humanitarian efforts to support the Navajo Nation during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Case You Missed It
Report: 4 Ways to Engage and Graduate Stopped-Out Students
Over six million Californians aged 25 to 64 have completed some college but have yet to earn a credential, according to data from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. A new report from California Competes identifies four themes in supporting stopped-out students to help them re-enroll and attain degrees in California.
Through interviews, researchers learned institutions have an opportunity to better support students’ degree-completion rates through adaptation to adult learner needs, strategic outreach, removing barriers to enrollment and providing personalized support.
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2024 CACCRAO Annual Conference – Register Now!
The annual CACCRAO conference is the organization’s premiere event, where members benefit from a wealth of information pertinent to their areas of operation.
The conference includes keynote speakers such as the California Community Colleges Chancellor and Admissions and Records professionals throughout the state. In addition, information on regulatory developments, budgetary issues, technology, and many other topics are presented and explored. With the support of the association, CACCRAO members have an opportunity to gain meaningful insights that will develop sound enrollment and record-keeping practices that comply with the prescribed regulatory framework of the California Community College system.
The event is March 24th, 2024 in Sacramento, CA.
Fun Photos & Spotted on Social Media
From Gavilan College:
The Welcome Center introduced UbiDuo devices to bridge communication gaps between the deaf, hard of hearing, and hearing. This was championed by peer mentors Kristiana Stricker and Kylie Silvia.
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From the Campaign for College Opportunity:
We are proud to announce that our President, Michele Siqueiros (@MSCollegeOpp), has been selected as a recipient of The James Irvine Foundation Leadership Award for championing college access & student success for all Californians!
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From Napa Valley College:
Happy Valentine’s Day, Storm! Today, we’re sending a special thank you to ASNVC for spreading love on campus by passing out flowers to students!
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And check out this recipe for Honey Butter Toast from Orange Coast College chef Phi Nguyen:
Blast from the Past
Check out my remarks in this 12-min video from the Leadership Summit at Bakersfield College, back in May 2017!
And From the Home of the Renegades
BC Theater Program Presents 2024 Spring Play Festival
Bakersfield College’s Theater Program announced the details of their 2024 Spring Play Festival, featuring four contemporary plays directed by BC Theatre students. The festival will be presented from February 28 to March 10, with all four shows presented in the Edward Simonsen Indoor Theatre at Bakersfield College. Tickets are available at the BC Performing Arts Eventbrite page.
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Remember – our greatest challenges enable us to do our greatest work.
That’s all for today.
See you next Saturday!
With much hope and joy,
Your Chancellor,
-sonya
#OurTimeisNow
#NuestroTiempoEsAhora
