President/CEO Message

April 8, 2021

Another Thursday, and I am officially Zoomed Out! The President/CEO Message - April 8, 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 7, 2021, there were 479 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 1,223,174 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.

Face Coverings, Hand Hygiene, Personal Protective Equipment

To help ensure the health and safety of the Compton College campus community and the public, face coverings are required to be worn on campus by all individuals including employees, students, construction workers and visitors. This requirement follows federal and state safety requirements and local public health directives, including the CDC's "How to Wear Face Coverings" guidelines (updated January 30, 2021).

All employees, students, and visitors must wash their hands regularly following CDC recommendations including washing with soap and water for at least 20 seconds after blowing their nose, coughing, or sneezing; after using the restroom; before preparing food; before eating; after being near someone who is ill; after touching garbage; after touching an item or surface that may be frequently touched by other people, such as door handles, tables, or keyboards; or before touching your eyes, nose, or mouth. If soap and water are not readily available, then an alcohol-based hand sanitizer is used. Additional hand sanitizer stations have been installed throughout campus with appropriate hand hygiene information.

The College provides personal protective equipment to employees and students as feasible. Procedures for monitoring, maintaining and distributing PPE and other COVID-19-related supplies for District employees and students are coordinated between Campus Police and Administrative Services.

Safe Return to Campus Survey 

A survey was emailed to all Compton College employees to gather input about their considerations related to returning to in-person work and activities. The College will use this input to inform the Safe Return to Campus Plan. The survey closes tomorrow, April 9, 2021. Results from the survey will be shared at the April 21, 2021, Health, Safety & Parking Committee meeting. Please contact Lauren Sosenko at lsosenko@compton.edu if you have any questions.

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.

Compton College Program Review

On Friday, April 2, 2021, during the "Collaborative Governance - All Institutional Standing Committee Summit," it was mentioned that various Compton College Program Reviews have not been completed and some need revisions before approval by the Institutional Effectiveness Committee. Compton College Program Review is now a priority for the institution. We have to ensure all program reviews are completed and the quality of the reviews must improve immediately. I am concerned we are not meeting the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) Accreditation Standards, which are available here. Particularly the following standards, I.B.5, I.B.6, I.B.7, I.B.8, I.B.9, II.A.3, II.A.16, II.C.1, III.D.1, and III.D.2. 

In the coming days, the departments and programs that have not completed their program review or who need to complete revisions to their program review will receive a communication from me regarding the next steps. We can not jeopardize our accreditation status with ACCJC due to our failure to meet the Accreditation Standards.

Hispanic Serving Institution Designation Granted

I am very excited to share with you that Compton College has been approved as an eligible institution under the Titles III and V of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended by the Higher Education Opportunity Act of 2008, also referred to as a 'Hispanic Serving Institution" by the federal government. This designation makes Compton College eligible for potential additional federal funding and grants. This is an annual designation that the College must apply for each year. Please see the attached approval letter for 2021-2022 from the U.S. Department of Education. I want to extend thanks to Lauren Sosenko for leading the application process. We had various partners working with Compton College to obtain approval from the U.S. Department of Education, including Congresswoman Nanette Barragán, Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities, and the Association of Community College Trustees. Click here to read the U.S. Department of Education's letter of approval. This is good news for Compton College and Compton Community College District.

Final Thoughts

In the President/CEO Message - October 29, 2020 and the President/CEO Message - December 14, 2020, I shared my involvement in the University of California, Davis, School of Education's Wheelhouse Institutes. I want to share with you the new reports published by Wheelhouse in 2021.

I shared the "A Portrait of Student Parents in the California Community Colleges: A New Analysis of Financial Aid Seekers with Dependent Children" report in the President/CEO Message - March 4, 2021, and thought it would be a good idea to share the other reports published by Wheelhouse in 2021.

Please remind your students to check their @compton.edu email for information on the COVID-19 vaccines that are available to students by appointment only, April 19-26, 2021, at the St. John's Student Health Center on campus. 

In closing, have a restful spring break with your family and friends. Please stay away from Zoom. I will try, but as usual, my week begins with a recurring 8 a.m. Zoom meeting to discuss COVID-19 matters. 

Sincerely,

Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/CEO
Compton College

Keith Curry on Social Media: Twitter Instagram Snap Chat

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