I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the new week. Below is a brief recap of my Campus and Community engagement activities from the previous week.
Campus Engagement
● Attended the Regular Governing Board Meeting for October where the Governing Board conducted general operational business.
● Attended a Special Meeting to discuss the District’s hiring efforts.
● Attended a Leadership Meeting where the Executive Team shared information and discussed campus priorities.
Community Engagement
● Attended the monthly San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA) meeting. SDICCCA is a collaboration between ten community colleges in a two-county area collectively serving over 200,000 students. We discussed current issues the region is facing, provided updates on our respective colleges, and did collective planning for the 2022-2023 academic year.
● Attended the Chancellor of the California Community Colleges Office (CCCO) System Webinar. This webinar shared tools and resources to make progress on the Vision for Success which is the CCCO’s plan to increase accessibility to higher education. The webinar featured prominent local educational leaders that spoke about topics such as Guided Pathway Strategies, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI), Title IX, and more.
● Presented two workshops at the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) Conference in San Diego.
● Attended the, On the Road event hosted at the University of San Diego. This was a special luncheon presentation to discuss the state of Hispanic Higher Education and we explored how Palomar can partner with HACU to advocate for Hispanic students. I met Dr. Antonio Flores President/CEO of the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) and Dr. James T. Harris III President of the University of San Diego. These two men were both informed, student-centered, forward-thinking, solution oriented, and generous with their time. I thoroughly enjoyed meeting them both.
● Conducted a Fox 5 News interview to discuss issues of food insecurity facing our campus community. We also discussed the Pack the Pantry Food Drive which is a collaboration between California Coast Credit Union, local community college campuses, and the San Diego Food Bank to raise funds and fill local college pantries. The Anita & Stan Maag Food & Nutrition Center at Palomar College has been named “Agency of the Month” for October 2022 by the North County Food Bank, a chapter of the Jacobs & Cushman San Diego Food Bank. This recognition by the Food Bank validates that we are truly making a difference. Education is the most significant pathway to a life free of poverty and food insecurity, and our students are deserving of every opportunity. The Food & Nutrition Center is operated by the Office of Student Life & Leadership and led by Director Sherry Titus and Supervisor Pippa Pierce.
● Met with Dr. Matthew Doyle, the Superintendent of the Vista Unified School District, and discussed plans to strengthen our growing partnership.
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Updates and News
● On Wednesday, October 5th, the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals determined that the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) violates federal law. This news is troubling, and we are aware that this decision impacts our students, staff, and faculty. Palomar Community College District continues to welcome and serve all students. We remain steadfast in our commitment to support the success of our DACA, AB 540, undocumented and mixed-status students. The Court’s decision allows current DACA recipients to avoid immediate disruption to their lives and to seek extensions of their DACA status. It is important for current DACA recipients to apply for renewal as quickly as possible. Through our partnership with the Jewish Family Service of San Diego (JFSSD), free immigration legal services are available to students, faculty, and staff. Some of these services include DACA application/renewal assistance, naturalization, immigration eligibility consultations, and other immigration services. For support, please contact Jewish Family Services of San Diego for assistance or call 858-637-3345. All information is strictly confidential. We remain fully committed to working with all constituent groups to advocate for permanent pathways to citizenship so undocumented Californians can pursue their academic and professional goals without fear of deportation.
● Undocumented Student Action Week. The Undocumented Student Support workgroup has been working diligently to provide our students, staff, faculty, and administrators with workshops that will enhance knowledge of our undocumented student population, provide resources to support students and the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA). This week of action is taking place October 17-21, 2022. Here is a link to the calendar of events. A Zoom background is available for your use, and here is a link to view the Undocumented Student Support Work Group Video. This effort was led by Professor Alexander Gomez, and his colleagues, to show support for our students.
● Please note, October is LGBTQ History Month. The Palomar Pride Center has many fantastic events planned starting this week with a workshop called, “The Journey of Coming Out for LGBTQ Individuals” led by Outreach Specialist Tony Quiroz. Here is a link to view the full calendar of events.
Educational and Facilities Vision Plan 2035
Are you interested in following our progress on our Vision Plan 2035? Would you like to provide your ideas but cannot make a listening session? Please check out the Vision Plan 2035 webpage by clicking here. We have posted an online feedback form, and we update the page regularly.
Comet of the Week
The Comet of the Week is Pippa Pierce, Supervisor of Student Life and Leadership, for her outstanding work with Palomar’s Anita and Stan Maag Food and Nutrition Center. Fox 5 news was here on Thursday to feature our Food and Nutrition Center and she did an amazing job getting it ready for filming and did an outstanding interview. Thank you for all you do Pippa! We appreciate your incredible effort to ensure no comet experiences food insecurity.
I also recommend reading the latest edition of the Palomar News!
Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!
For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
