5 Things to Know Weekly Update
Dear Colleagues,
Hello again after a brief hiatus – being gone for two Mondays has seemed like a long time to me. I am so happy to be back in coastal Southern California for many reasons, although I spent the weekend in Riverside (99 degrees) for a new President’s training this past weekend. One discussion we had was: when should a President issue a statement about world events? I often find myself caught between wanting to have a campus that is more equitable than, and separate from, the outside world, and feeling uncomfortable about ignoring dramatic and even historic events that affect us and our students. The bottom line is that my hope is always that we all take care of ourselves – emotionally, physically and mentally – and that we support each other, period. So please take time off when you need it, and have a happy week.
Meridith
More than 100 students attended and received assistance with things like completing their online orientation, creating an academic plan, registering for classes, applying for financial aid, and more. Many thanks to our counselors and student services classified professionals for providing exceptional customer service to our students, and to the organizers of this event for thinking of new and better ways to serve our students.
There will be another Golden Futures event coming up on Aug. 12 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you know of a student who needs a little extra help registering for classes, please encourage them to sign up.
As we prepare for our next accreditation review, there are a few areas that need some attention. Evaluations of classified professionals and managers have been a rocky road – I know that some of you have not had a formal evaluation in several years. We will be working this fall to get everyone back on track, not only for accreditation, but also in order to give the feedback that helps everyone identify goals, focus on improvement, and, not least of all, be recognized for accomplishments.
Earlier this month (actually, on my birthday), the Exec Team had a retreat and identified characteristics of good managers and a good management team – please see the attached document below. We invite everyone to add to the list and also hold us to these standards. I recognize that I need to be more consistently positive, so if you catch me frowning, let me know!
As you can see from the photo below, having fun (and sometimes being silly) is an important part of team bonding 🥳 I hope that amidst the hard work of serving students and keeping the College operational this upcoming year, we can all find a little time for fun, too.
Campus improvements continue this summer, although sometimes the timelines get extended. The Gen Ed area renovation is on track to finish during fall semester; the HEERF-funded nursing renovation should be done in November; and the Student Union “spruce up” (painting, lighting, removal of damaged furniture) should conclude next month. I have also signed off on painting the Theater since it looks like a very large muddy dog rubbed against it (I don’t know how else to describe the current state of the walls). Many thanks to Rick, Dawn, Frank, Joe, Monica and the M&O crew for moving quickly on these projects.
My week ahead looks appropriately busy with the Honda PACT conference (bringing together automotive educators from around the country), the next meeting of the SOMOS book club (not too late to join!) and focus on the next phase of our Foundation. I’ll have ice cream treats to share in my office (SSC 1203) on Thursday, 7/25 from 2:30-3:30 p.m. – please come by!