President/CEO Message
November 9, 2020
Campus Community,
This morning, I received the Answering the California Community Colleges Call to Action document from California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Oakley. Please note, on pages 1-2, Chancellor Oakley makes the following statement:
" I want to thank the district and college leaders who have acted with urgency. Leaders like those at the Compton Community College District and the San Jose Evergreen Community College District serve as examples of the type of local leadership our colleges need with urgency. I encourage you to visit their websites to learn about their work in response to the Call to Action."
Once again, I would like to thank Tina Kuperman, Director of Diversity, Compliance, Title IX, and Dr. Kendahl Radcliffe, Division Chair of Social Sciences. They have been working together to develop Compton College's Response to the Call to Action. It was amazing to read the comment from Chancellor Oakley about the Compton College Response to Call to Action. Many individuals have been involved in developing our response, including the Compton College Academic Senate and the Consultative Council. The updated version of the Compton College Response to Call to Action is available here. The final version of the Compton College Response to Call to Action will be presented to the Compton Community College District Board of Trustees at their Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Board meeting for review and recommended approval.
The President/CEO Message - November 9, 2020, includes COVID-19 information and other campus-related updates.
Compton College COVID-19 Update
Los Angeles County's current risk level is Tier 1 (widespread), according to California's "Blueprint for a Safer Economy." As of November 8, 2020, there were 2,238 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 322,207 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. According to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan, Compton College continues to operate at Level Four - Severe Infection Rate.
Entry to Campus Protocol
We are now working to have all construction workers and architects scheduled to work on campus regularly to be required to complete COVID-19 testing. This is to ensure that District employees who may come into contact with these individuals are protected to the best of our ability. In the future, all new construction contracts will include language regarding state-of-emergency protocols.
Free Groceries Available for Students via Curbside Pickup
Compton College and Sunrise Produce have created a partnership to provide Fall 2020 Compton College students with a free 30-pound box of groceries. Each week, 1,200 grocery boxes will be available for curbside pickup at the east Greenleaf Boulevard entrance, between noon and 5:00 p.m. Students must show their Compton College student ID or a copy of their fall 2020 class schedule and access a vehicle with a trunk or backseat – no walk-ups or motorcycles allowed. The Sunrise Produce Grocery Boxes are available on a first-come-first-served basis.
Curbside/Drive-Thru Pick-up Available:
- Thursday, November 12, 2020
- Thursday, November 19, 2020
- Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Students should check their @compton.edu email for more information. All student communications are also available on the Student Communications and Information webpage.
Call for Volunteers for the Free Groceries Available for Students via Curbside Pickup
I am asking for staff and faculty volunteers to assist with distributing the boxes of groceries mentioned above. Please email Student Services Coordinator Oluwatosin Williams at owilliams@compton.edu if you can help us this Thursday, November 12, 2020, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
Achieving the Dream Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool
As noted in the President/CEO Message - November 5, 2020, Compton College faculty, staff, and managers/supervisors are invited to contribute to the Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool. The tool will take approximately 30 minutes to complete and guide the college to achieve the Dream over the next three years. You can access the survey here, and please complete the Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool by Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
African American Male Education Network Development (A2MEND) Anti-Racism National Dialogue
The next African American Male Education Network Development discussion is scheduled for Saturday, November 21, 2020, at 11:00 a.m., and is titled "Transitioning from AntiBlackness to ProBlack." The discussion will include Dr. Tommy Curry and Dr. William A. Smith. Compton CCD will provide financial support for employees (including faculty, Classified staff, managers/administrators) and students. If you are interested in participating in this national discussion, RSVP with Pilar Huffman, Professional Development Manager, at phuffman@compton.edu, by Wednesday, November 18, 2020.
#RealCollegeCalifornia Basic Needs Summit: Fostering Resiliency During A Pandemic
The #RealCollegeCalifornia Basic Needs Summit: Fostering Resiliency During A Pandemic, is scheduled for Friday, December 4, 2020, via Zoom. As many may recall, in December 2018, we held the first summit at Compton College. If you are interested in participating in the 2020 summit, which is free to #RealCollegeCalifornia members, such as Compton College. The link to register is available here. The keynote speaker for this year's summit is broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien.
Compton Community College District Board of Trustees Meeting
The next meeting of the Compton CCD Board of Trustees is scheduled for Tuesday, November 17, 2020. 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
I wanted to remind you, as mentioned in the President/CEO Message - November 5, 2020, if you have any recommendations, including suggestions for a keynote speaker, for the Friday, June 11, 2021, Virtual Compton College Commencement Ceremony, please forward those recommendations to Andree Pacheco, Director of Student Development and Athletics, at apacheco@compton.edu.
I also wanted to remind you that Wednesday, November 11, 2020, is the Veteran's Holiday, no classes or Zoom Meetings will be held, and the campus is closed. Please take the day off.
Finally, we know the outcome of the 2020 Presidential Election. We look forward to working with the new administration on our appeal to the United States Department of Education regarding their decision to deny Compton College's ability to apply for Titles III, V, and VIII Eligibility for FY 2020. For your information, our appeal letter from February 26, 2020, is here. Please note, we never received a response from U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos. On October 16, 2020, the Honorable Nanette Diaz Barragán, who represents the 44th Congressional District, which includes Compton College, sent a letter to Secretary of DeVos following up on our appeal request. The U.S. Department of Education's decision to deny our eligibility made Compton College unable to apply for the Hispanic-Serving Institution designation. Last spring, if we were a Hispanic-Serving Institution, we would have received additional funding through the first round of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act for our students.
Please be safe, and remember not to have too many Zoom meetings each day. Hopefully, I can follow my own advice.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/CEO
Compton College
