On Monday, January 17th our nation will observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. This day honors the American civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner’s life and legacy. Growing up, Dr. King’s writings, and demonstrated courage, had a profound influence on my values. I, like many others, can trace my social justice philosophical approach to his influence. The values highlighted in his, “I Have a Dream” speech still speak to me in a compelling way. I am attaching a link to an interesting NPR article where you can also hear Dr. King deliver his speech. It is amazing how relevant his message remains today, and how it can still inspire us to acts of love and service that benefit our community. This Monday, I hope you are able to find time to listen to his moving words, to reflect on his message, and to celebrate his legacy.
The Week in Review
Campus Engagement
We had a very productive meeting with Fallbrook community leaders to discuss our progress in designing the 40,000 square foot new Fallbrook Education Center building that will serve the educational needs of future generations. I would like to recognize the time and talent of Ryan Williams, Dennis Astl, Chris Miller, and the HMC Architects, as they continue to address the needs of our community, students, faculty, and staff, while also staying focused on student engagement and the overall student experience.
As I do monthly, I met with the leaders of PFF and CCE this week to share ideas and discuss issues that impact our faculty and staff work environments. Thank you Teresa Laughlin, Barbara Baer, Carmelino Cruz, Anel Gonzalez, and Patty Serafin for your involvement.
Community Engagement
The week started with the monthly gathering of CEOs, Public Information Officers and Trustees within the San Diego Imperial Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA). We were joined by our new Board President, Trustee Norma Miyamoto. We discussed the impact of the Omicron variant on our campuses and the enrollment challenges we are all facing as the spring semester begins. These conversations have continued throughout the week and will culminate in an update to all Palomar College employees and students at the beginning of this next week.
Dr. Andy Johnsen, the Superintendent of San Marcos Unified Schools District, hosted an engaging Portrait of a Graduate Student session with community leaders from throughout the District. This initiative is designed to formulate a collective vision that articulates our aspirations for every student in the San Marcos Unified School District. I admire Dr. Johnsen’s vision, and I look forward to participating in other upcoming sessions with the students, educators, community members, and city leaders who were present at the first meeting.
COVID-19 Update
The Omicron variant continues to impact our employees and students. The COVID-19 Response Action Team (CRAT) has reported a steady increase in case submissions over the past three weeks. As a result, we are experiencing an increased number of employees who are unable to come to work due to illness or COVID-19 exposures. Last week, the Omicron variant also impacted staffing levels at our test sites. In order to get through this challenging time, we ask for your patience as certain tasks may take longer to complete. Please also continue to be vigilant about your own health and safety. If you are not feeling well, please do not come to campus and complete a COVID-19 Questionnaire. A member of our CRAT will contact you and provide guidance. During our weekly COVID-19 Return to Campus and COVID-19 Update meeting on Thursday, we addressed many questions and concerns. If you were unable to attend, please review the discussion at this link.
Accreditation
This past Monday, we met with the leadership from our accreditation peer review team to begin coordinating our virtual site visit. Attendees included Dr. Chris Vitelli, Team Chair, Superintendent/President, Merced College; Dr. Michael McCandless, Team Assistant, Vice President Student Services, Merced College; and Crystal Pollinger, Assistant to the President, Merced College; and our ACCJC Liaison, Dr. Catherine Webb. Our peer review team will conduct their virtual visit February 28th – March 3rd. During the visit, the team will assess and confirm how we meet accreditation standards. They will use the detailed explanation and evidence contained in our Institutional Self Evaluation Report (ISER) as the foundation for their review.
The virtual visit includes a kick-off meeting, two campus forums, campus interviews, and an exit report. Dr. Webb encouraged us to use our kick-off meeting to showcase Palomar, our programs, facilities, and community. The forums will provide us and the public with an opportunity to engage with the visiting team. If you are able, please attend a forum and let our visiting team know about the wonderful programs and services Palomar provides to our students and the positive impact we have on the region. During the exit report the team will summarize their observations based on our ISER, interviews with campus representatives, and the campus engagement events. We are looking forward to the visit and sharing our Palomar story with the team! We will continue to update you as we finalize the details of the visit. Please be sure to attend our final Pre-Visit All Campus forum on February 9th at 3:00 p.m. Here is the Zoom link.
Comets of the Week
In keeping with our focus on maintaining a safe and healthy environment, the Early Childhood Education Lab School (ECELS) team, Diane Studinka, Julie Lanthier Bandy, and Mike Day worked with Biocept to organize and implement a COVID-19 test site on campus for our youngest students on Saturday morning. I would also like to recognize Derrick Upson, of facilities, for taking time to provide access on a Saturday to the on-campus testing site. Thank you all for your efforts, time, and dedication in keeping our campus community safe!
Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!
For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
