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Week of May 1, 2023 Update

Posted on by Star Rivera-Lacey

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 and spoke at the Palomar College Community Showcase. Congratulation to the 2023 Comet Award winner, Klaus Kirchhoff, for his generous gift to support student success. I would also like to thank Dr. Nora Kenney, Acting Director of the Rising Scholars Program, for her wonderful presentation on the work and progress the program has accomplished since its inception. Also, thank you to our Rising Scholars speakers and volunteers who attended. And of course, a huge thank you to Foundation Executive Director Stacy Rungaitis, and her team who made this event the tremendous success it was! We had over 300 attendees and dozens of volunteers who helped to make this event memorable. Thank you all!
  • Attended the Pre-Board Agenda review meeting.
  • Attended Commencement preparation meeting.
  • Participated in ongoing faculty interviews. A special note of gratitude to Special Administrator, Dr. Diane Studinka, who has covered for me on several occasions/numerous events in order for me to participate in all scheduled interviews. Her assistance has been invaluable!
  • Hosted President’s Cabinet.

Community Engagement

  • Attended the Community College League of California’s Annual Trustee Conference in Monterey, California. The Annual Trustees Conference is designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge required of trustees to lead the Palomar District. Trustees in attendance included Trustee Jacqueline Kaiser, Trustee Dr. Judy Patacsil, Trustee Roberto Rodriguez, and Trustee Cassandra Schaeg. Also, congratulations to Trustee Rodriguez for completing his Effective Trustee Training! Thank you, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Tina Recalde for serving as Acting President on Thursday and Friday while I was traveling with the Board.
  • Conducted an interview with KPBS reporter Tania Thorne to discuss Palomar’s partnership with the MAAC Project. The MAAC Project is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities through high-quality programs. I am excited to partner with this reputable organization, and it was very nice to get to better know MAAC CEO Arnulfo Manriquez during the filming.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events and News

  • The second annual Queer Pride event at Palomar College will take place on Wednesday, May 10th from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. This event is an important opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators to demonstrate their support for our LGBTQ+ students and employees here on campus. Come help us create a space to celebrate the progress we’ve made toward being an inclusive campus. For details, check out the event flyer. Volunteers are still needed to help on the day of the event. Those interested in volunteering, or those who would like to have a booth, can sign up through this flyer.
  • The Pride Center is also holding a Queer Prom this year on Wednesday, May 10th from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in the Student Union building. There will be a prize for the best dressed! Find more information within the event flyer here.
  • Join the Palomar Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. For a list of all planned events, head over to the APAHE website. Let us amplify the voices of our AANHPI community by learning and engaging together. Faculty, please consider offering extra credit for your students attending AANHPI Month events.
  • Palomar College is excited to launch a new learning series focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Antiracism (IDEAA), qualities that our college continues to embrace. The “IDEAAs for All” course is in the Professional Development Portal and is available to all employees. This optional comprehensive 22-hour course is divided into 5 Modules. To access these exciting new learning modules, first view this instructional video. The video will guide you through locating and launching the various modules. Once you have launched an “IDEAAs for All” module, please follow the instructions found in the “How Do I Navigate the IDEAAs Course” video.
  • Congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 2022-2023 Exceptional Faculty Member Award for Exemplary Accessibility, Inclusion, and Anti-Ableist Teaching and Learning Practices! The winners are Professor of Performing Arts Francis Gercke, Professor of Art Ryan Bulis, and Professor of Math Daniel Clegg. Nominees were Rita Campo Griggs-Fashion Merchandising and Design, Gina Sanders-Math, Elizabeth Pain-Anthropology, Genevieve Griffin-Psychology, John O’Loughlin-American Sign Language, Alyssa Vafaei-DRC, Tina Barlolong-Counseling, and Liz Mendoza-American Sign Language-English Translation & Interpreting Services. Thank you to everyone who nominated these instructors.

Upcoming Events and Campus News

  • Join Associated Student Government for Comet Hour in the Student Union on Wednesday, May 10th from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.! For details and more information, check out the event flyer.
  • In preparation for Summer and Fall registration, Student Services has planned a series of class registration support sessions called, Comets Launch into Registration! The first Comets Launch into Registration event will take place on Friday, May 12th, 2023, starting at 4:00 p.m. at the San Marcos campus. Please RSVP on the Student Success website. In addition to the May 12th event, we will have ongoing class registration and education planning support throughout the end of spring and summer. For more information, please refer to the event flyer. If you have any questions, please contact Student Success Coordinator, Fabiola Hernandez at fhernandez@palomar.edu.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update

Please join our all-campus forum to discuss the role of our Education Centers as part of our new Educational and Facilities Vision Plan (EFVP). This is an exciting time for us! As you know, we are continuing to craft our Educational and Facilities Vision Plan, titled Vision Plan 2035. This plan will serve as a blueprint for our programs and facilities over the next 12 years. While our comprehensive San Marcos campus will continue to serve and support our community, an important component of our long-range planning process includes considering how we can best establish our Education Centers to further support the needs of the residents in our district. During the forum, we will seek your ideas and feedback as we discuss potential opportunities for each of the Education Centers. The forum will be held on Thursday, May 11th from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in LRC-438. A zoom option is also available. Here is the Zoom link: https://palomar-edu.zoom.us/j/84585556861. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.

Comet of the Week

The Comet of the Week is Dual Enrollment Supervisor Jennifer Finn for her “third-party” assistance with the Associated Student Government Election Committee and voting process. Thank you, Jennifer, for facilitating the election and helping our students learn the value of this important process. Your help is greatly appreciated! Please visit the ASG website to view election results.

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
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