The month of April has been designated as Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility (DEIA) Awareness Month by the California Community College Chancellor’s Office and embraced by Â鶹´«Ã½ through our commitment to building an inclusive campus culture that reflects the lived experiences of our diverse community.
Our college mission opens with a powerful statement: Student equity, inclusion, access, and success are central to Â鶹´«Ã½â€™s identity. As a result of this commitment, we have embraced the framework to Become a Student Ready College. As a reminder, the tenets of this framework are simple:
- All members of our campus community contribute uniquely as educators.
- We embrace our journey of intentional, systemic, holistic, and transformative approach to ensure every student receives what is needed to be successful.
- We have redefined student success in a way that represents a paradigm shift-reframing the student success conversation from one of pre-college characteristics and student deficits to one of student assets and institutional opportunity, leadership, and accountability.
- We cultivate a caring campus culture where organizational learning and improvement are central values and where we understand our roles in affirming, validating, and providing a sense of belonging to our students, particularly those who are the first in their families to navigate our complex educational system.
- We are committed not only to student achievement but also to identifying and removing systemic barriers and engaging every student in learning experiences and high-impact practices rather than reserving these opportunities for a select few.
DEIA month is significant because it raises awareness about the importance of these principles in creating a more just and equitable society. It provides an opportunity to recognize the contributions of individuals from diverse backgrounds, promotes understanding and acceptance, and fosters a culture of inclusivity and accessibility in various aspects of our lives. DEIA month encourages dialogue, action, and advocacy towards building a more equitable and inclusive world for all members of our campus community.
Â鶹´«Ã½ is dedicated to advancing these principles by aligning our campus culture with action-oriented strategies. Individually and collectively, we continue to grow, learn, and incorporate change as part of our equity journey. I invite you to join me in these efforts. It can’t be done by a select few nor is it the responsibility of a particular department, school, or council. We all have a role to play to achieve transformational change. Let us do so boldly and unapologetically!
Best,
John