5 Things to Know Weekly Update

January 20, 2026

photograph of gwc president meridith randall. Meridith is leaning against a railing with her hands crossed in front of her. She's wearing a dark sweater and top and glasses, and is standing in front of large windows.

Dear Colleagues:

I hope you had fun over the long weekend – we certainly needed it after a full two weeks of work post-holiday break! 😊 Great things are happening on campus as we creep up on spring semester: the solar project is moving fast, the new cafeteria is shaping up, and enrollment is surging. Let’s enjoy the balmy(ish) weather before it gets really busy!

Meridith

Both the managers and the classified professionals had awesome events last week. First, at the managers’ retreat, we did some planning for the year, encouragement to attend each other’s events, and competition to see who knew different costs for students (I was probably the worst guesser). And on Friday, CAPE, the group of confidential employees, had a wonderful guest speaker who discussed AI in the context of empowerment – and led the group in the cupid shuffle, too! Workshops for more than 100 attendees rounded out the day.

managers gathered in a meeting room, with two women seated at a table in the foreground while colleagues stand behind them holding clipboards, participating in a group activity during a campus meeting.

GWC employees standing in a line at the front of a lecture hall, dancing and laughing during a team-building activity, with a projected music playlist and balloons visible behind them.

Some of you are aware that we will be bringing the Tet Festival back to the GWC campus from February 13-15. I am incredibly excited and grateful that the College will be supporting this important community and cultural event, and thanks especially to Sean Suter, Rick Hicks, Brian Dauterive, Jolynna Dang and many others for working through the details.

Some real talk: hosting a massive event is not usual for us, and it will disrupt the campus to some extent during that week. Please accept my thanks in advance, be patient and let Rick Hicks know if you have specific questions. And please attend!!!

Photo collage from a Lunar New Year celebration showing a woman hanging colorful wish tags, a smiling couple in traditional Vietnamese attire, dancers performing with bright fans on stage, and attendees posing beneath a decorative pagoda surrounded by festive lanterns.

As mentioned above, enrollment is increasing as it usually does right before a semester. Keep an eye out for students on campus and offer some assistance when you can – first impressions of the College are important, and the campus community being helpful can influence a prospective student’s choice.

Quick reminder that the next two weeks are blackout weeks, meaning that there’s no remote work as we prepare for students. This week DOES allow remote work, if you typically have that. Thanks!

I’ll be in all week, attending the first Board meeting of the year on Wednesday, hearing about progress on rebranding and trying to remember last minute details about getting ready for a semester. Next week we’ll remind you about Welcome Week and Black History Month events coming up!

GWC Mission Statement

Golden West College provides culturally affirming educational opportunities for our students and community to achieve upward mobility. Our academic excellence, exceptional student services, and community partnerships empower students to achieve personal and academic goals and contribute toward an inclusive and equitable society.