President/CEO Message

May 6, 2021

I want to begin today's President/CEO Message in honor of Teacher Appreciation Week. I would like to recognize our faculty for their dedication and compassion for Compton College students. I am appreciative of the work Compton College faculty have done and continue to do in support of student success. On behalf of the Compton Community College District Board of Trustees and myself, please join us in thanking the Compton College faculty!

Several faculty members participated in the prerecording of congratulatory videos at their Guided Pathway Division meetings this week. The gallery views of the Zoom meetings will be included in the final recording of the virtual commencement ceremony that will be available on the Compton College website on Friday, June 11, 2021, at 11:00 a.m.

Furthermore, on behalf of the Compton CCD Board of Trustees and myself, we are thankful for and proud of all our employees for their hard work over the past year as the District continues to serve our students, their families, and the community.

The President/CEO Message - May 6, 2021, includes COVID-19 information and other campus-related updates.

Compton College COVID-19 Update

Los Angeles County's current risk level is Yellow Tier (minimal), according to California's "Blueprint for a Safer Economy." On May 5, 2021, there were 287 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 1,234,372 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. Compton College is operating at Level 3 - Moderate Infection Rate according to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan.

Summer 2021 Enrollment Update

As of today, May 6, 2021, Compton College has generated 176 FTES for the summer 2021 term; the fill rate is currently 22%, and our seats filled is 1,117. The Summer 2021 Enrollment Report is available here. The first six-week and eight-week sessions begin on June 21, 2021, the second six-week session begins July 6. Please encourage interested students to register as soon as possible, as sections are filling quickly.

Distinguished Faculty Award

The Compton College Distinguished Faculty Awards honors one full-time faculty member each year. These outstanding faculty members have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to their students, college, and profession. In addition to excellence in helping students succeed, they have a record of outstanding participation on campus and in professional activities. Candidates are evaluated on the following:

Serving students
Commitment to the Compton College mission
Campus, professional, or student activities
Commitment to education and discipline
Commitment to serving as a representative of the profession
Commitment to exhibiting professionalism to staff, faculty, students, and the campus

Sean Moore, professor, Cosmetology, was selected for the 2020-2021 award and received a specially designed medallion; $500 from the Compton Community College District; and was recognized by the Board of Trustees on May 18, 2021.

Distinguished Staff Award

The Compton College Distinguished Staff Award is presented annually to a staff member whose contributions demonstrate a commitment to academic excellence, professionalism, and outstanding service to Compton College and its students. Candidates are evaluated basis on a demonstrated record of:

Service to students and Compton College
Professionalism when working with employees, students, and the community
Professional growth and/or community service

LaVetta Johnson, accountant, Administrative Services Department was selected for the 2020-2021 award and received a specially designed medallion; $500 from the Compton Community College District; and was recognized by the Board of Trustees on May 18, 2021.

Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award

The Compton College Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Award honors one adjunct faculty member each year. These excellent faculty members have demonstrated the highest level of commitment to their students and teaching. Also, they show a commitment to the Compton College mission and campus, professional and/or student activities. The candidates are evaluated on the following:

Serving students
Commitment to education and discipline
Commitment to the Compton College mission
Involvement in campus, professional, and/or student activities

Diego Back, instructor, Health and Public Services Guided Pathway Division, was selected for the 2020-2021 award and received a specially designed medallion; $250 from the Compton Community College District; and was recognized by the Board of Trustees on May 18, 2021.

New Online Applause Card Nomination Form

A new online nomination form is now available here. Employees, students, and the community may recognize a Compton CCD employee for helping to ensure the success of our students. Complete the online form, and the President/CEO Office will officially recognize the employee who helped you.

Compton Community College District Board of Trustees Meeting

The Compton CCD Board of Trustees' next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, May 18, 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 morning, the Vice President of Human Resources, Rachelle Sasser, informed me that the Office of Human Resources will be developing the plan to honor employees for their years of service. We will be honoring employees who achieved five, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 years of service during 2019-2020 and 2020-2021. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, we could not recognize employees for years of services during 2019-2020. Our goal is to honor those employees by Wednesday, June 30, 2021.

I haven't had a chance to review a special report that was released today from California Competes titled "Get Ready: Introducing the Millions of Adults Planning to Enroll in College," but according to survey data gathered after the start of the pandemic, about one-fifth of California adults (5.1 million individuals ages 25 and older) intend to enroll in postsecondary education within the next two years. We must re-engage these adults within the communities we serve. In the President/CEO Message - May 3, 2021, I mentioned the contract with California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy to help us improve our Career and Technical Education and workforce-related initiatives to support student success. Their assistance is even more critical with the anticipation of more adults planning to enroll in College. We also need to be creative with our recruitment of adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. In my free time, I have been researching how other California Community Colleges and out-of-state community colleges work with firms to develop strategic marketing programs to promote services to adults. More information on the contract with California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy and the new strategy to recruit adults to enroll at Compton College will be included in future President/CEO Messages.

In closing, tomorrow, May 7, 2021, I am on vacation after 9:15 a.m. Please enjoy your Friday and have a great weekend.

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