The necessary decision to delay face-to-face learning and services on our main campus and education centers until February 22 was a difficult one to make. Since our return from the winter break, COVID-19 related illnesses, exposures and quarantines have had a negative impact on our operations. This decision enables us to better prepare for a safe and healthy return to comprehensive onsite services and learning. Details associated with this decision are included in Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Montoya’s communication accessible here. We understand that this decision will have a significant impact on our campus community, but please know the decision was not made lightly. Thus far, we have been able to overcome every obstacle this pandemic has presented, and I am confident that we will also successfully navigate this current challenge as well. Thank you all for your understanding and patience.
Please note, the Office of Instruction is working as quickly as possible to make the required changes in PeopleSoft, so that when our students review their schedules and consider potential changes, they will have the most accurate information available. Virtual Student Services are still available, and students can be directed to view and access available services on the Student Success Webpage. Students are encouraged to check their student email daily, and to log into the MyPalomar portal to view updates and notifications. Please address specific concerns or questions regarding your area to your supervisor.
Campus Engagement
On Tuesday, the Governing Board held a special meeting to review the proposed Trustee Area Maps that are required due to the results of the 2020 U.S. Census. You can view the proposed maps here. To gain as much public input as possible, we have made available a public comment form. We are also hosting two virtual public meetings on Saturday, January 29th. The first session begins at 9:00 a.m. and the second begins at 1:00 p.m. You can find more information on this webpage. Please share this opportunity with community members.
Spring ’22 Plenary – Transitions 2.0 is upon us! There are many informative virtual sessions planned for Thursday, January 27th. Please review the agenda and register through the PD Portal. A special note of thanks to our PD Office, Luis Guerrero and Matt Grills for their commitment and time in designing, preparing, and managing Plenary.
The Educators for Equity, Diversity and Cultural Consciousness Committee is excited to present the inaugural Social Justice Convening “Our Heart – Our Community: In Lak’ech” on Friday January 28th. This event supports the mission of disrupting the status quo by dismantling inequities within the community. You can register for the general session and specialized workshops through the PD Portal. Thank you to Eduardo Aguilar, Dr. Hossna Sadat Ahadi, Dr. Alan Aquallo, Cynthia Cordova, Dr. Lisette Ordorica Lasater, Lawrence Lawson, Michael Mufson, Tina-Marie Parker, and Alyssa Vafaei for making this event possible.
Community Engagement
This past week, I had the pleasure of meeting with Dr. Marian Kim Phelps, Superintendent of the Poway Unified School District. It was a great opportunity to discuss our joint initiative, the Middle College, that is coming to fruition Fall ’22. We discussed our common interest to serve the educational needs within the southern portion of our District.
COVID-19
During our weekly COVID-19 Return to Campus and COVID-19 Update meeting, we discussed the fluctuating impacts of the Omicron variant on the region, state, and nation. We were also reminded that free COVID-19 antigen tests are now available from the federal government. We also had the opportunity to address questions associated with our delay in face-to-face instruction and return to onsite work. Please review this link if you were unable to attend the meeting.
Accreditation
We are moving closer to our accreditation site visit! This past week we received our visiting team’s pictures and bios. You can view them here. As we move into February, I will begin highlighting information contained in our ISER, and I will share details regarding how the virtual visit will be conducted. This information will be helpful if you are asked to participate in one of the interviews during the visit. Another useful tool in preparing for the visit is to review the content that we shared at our recent All Campus Accreditation meetings. During these meetings we discussed the accreditation cycle and standards; shared our new Vision, Mission, and Values; and connected our new governance structure to accreditation. Please take some time to review the recordings of these meetings. You can find the links on the following accreditation webpage. Also, please don’t forget to attend our final All Campus Accreditation meeting via Zoom on February 9th from 3:00 p.m.- 4:00 p.m. I hear ice cream may be a topic on the agenda (inside joke for those who attended the last meeting).
Comet of the Week
Congratulations to Comet of the Week, Dr. Najib Manea! Dr. Manea has been selected as the new Director of California Community Colleges TechConnect. We are grateful for his many contributions as the Manager of our Academic Technology Resource Center at Palomar over the years, and we celebrate his promotion.
Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!
For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
