President/CEO Message
April 12, 2021
Hopefully, you are enjoying your spring break with a book on your reading list and spending time away from Zoom and emails. This morning, I read the EdSource article titles "California's community colleges at critical crossroads as more students opt not to attend." Across the state, from San Diego to counties on the northern border, enrollments at many community colleges have plummeted during the coronavirus pandemic, including Compton College.
I agree with the article's advice that colleges need to find creative ways to re-engage students, including emergency grants and providing in-person support to assist students in registering for classes. Please share your thoughts with me on this article by emailing me at kcurry@compton.edu.
We're reaching out to our students via traditional communication methods, including the U.S. Postal Service. Last week, we sent the Oliver W. Conner College Promise Program postcard to graduating seniors from Compton, Lynwood, and Paramount unified school districts. A copy of the postcard is available here.
The President/CEO Message - April 12, 2021, includes COVID-19 information and other campus-related updates.
Compton College COVID-19 Update
Los Angeles County's current risk level is Orange Tier (moderate), according to California's "Blueprint for a Safer Economy." On April 11, 2021, there were 546 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 1,225,796 reported cases (including cases reported by Long Beach and Pasadena Health Departments). For more information, go to http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/index.htm. Due to a confirmed COVID-19 case on campus, Compton College is operating at Level 4 - Severe Infection Rate according to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan.
COVID-19 Vaccines Available to Compton College Students
Beginning Monday, April 19, 2021, COVID-19 vaccines will be available to Compton College students at the St. John's Student Health Center on campus. Students need to check their @compton.edu email for the links to register for appointments. Please note, additional appointment dates for students were made available through April 30, 2021.
Summer 2021 Class Schedule
The online searchable version of the summer 2021 schedule is available online here. The PDF version of the class schedule will be posted online by April 15, 2021; a summer/fall 2021 registration reminder postcard will be mailed to all District residents by May 31, 2021. Summer 2021 registration begins Tuesday, April 27, 2021.
Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges - Annual Reports
Each spring, Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges accredited institutions are required to submit both an Annual Fiscal Report and Annual Report to the Commission as part of its role to monitor institutional performance. Compton College submitted our reports on April 9, 2021.
National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates Survey
The National Assessment of Collegiate Campus Climates is a quantitative survey that measures institutional commitment to equity and inclusion, the extent to which students interact meaningfully with diverse others, where and what they learn about race, and their feelings of readiness for citizenship in a racially diverse democracy, and other important topics. It takes about 15 minutes to complete. Students will be sent a reminder to participate in the survey next week. We have also extended the deadline for survey completion to Friday, April 23, 2021. Please encourage your students to participate if you have not done so already to help us better understand and address racial climate on campus.
Compton Community College District is Accepting Applications for its Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee
The Compton Community College District (CCCD) is currently accepting applications for consideration in serving on the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee. The application deadline is 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, May 6, 2021. Applications are available online at http://www.compton.edu/district/measure_cc_bond/docs/Oversight-Committee-Application.pdf.
The CCCD is seeking applicants who represent the following constituencies: a member who is a resident of the district and active in a bona fide taxpayers organization; a district resident who is active in a senior citizens' organization; and members of the community at large who reside in Compton, Lynwood or Paramount.
To qualify for an appointment, a member must meet the criteria listed in one of the above categories. A member cannot be an employee, official, contractor, consultant, or vendor of the Compton Community College District. Elected officials are also disqualified from service on the committee.
Tartar Talks/Photo Day – April 20, 2021
As mentioned in the President/CEO Message - March 15, 2021, President/CEO Message - March 18, 2021, President/CEO Message - April 1, 2021, please hold 1-2 p.m. open on Tuesday, April 20, 2021. During our quarterly Tartar Talks, we will host a "Compton College Zoom Picture Day." Full-time faculty, Classified staff, and managers/supervisors should have received your Compton College t-shirt in the mail to wear during the Virtual Picture Day on April 20, 2021. If you have not received your Compton College t-shirt yet, please contact Pilar Huffman, Professional Development Manager, at phuffman@compton.edu.
Compton Community College District Board of Trustees Meeting
The Compton CCD Board of Trustees' next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, April 20, 2021. The closed session begins at 4:00 p.m., with the open session commencing at 5:00 p.m. via Zoom Meeting. Information on how to access the Compton CCD Board of Trustees meeting is available here.
Final Thoughts
This month and this year have been moving fast. The next eight weeks will move even faster as we close out the semester, prepare for our virtual commencement, complete performance evaluations, and begin registering students for summer and fall 2021. We must balance our work/life over the next couple of weeks. I know this has been a challenging year for all of us, and for some, it has been incredibly stressful. Please make sure to take breaks between Zoom meetings, carve time out in your day for breaks, and try to find time for your well-being. I will try to take my advice, but everyone knows how hard it is for me to take time away from work.
Please be safe and have a wonderful week.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/CEO
Compton College
