President/CEO Message
October 18, 2021
Today was the first day of the fall 2021 eight-week session and the first day for our new Certified Nursing Assistant Program. This is a huge accomplishment, and I would like to thank the Nursing faculty, Classified staff, and the managers/supervisors involved that helped make this a reality. Information on the Certified Nursing Assistant Program was included in the President/CEO Message - July 8, 2021, and the President/CEO Message - October 18, 2021, includes COVID-19 information and other campus-related updates.
Compton College COVID-19 Update
Los Angeles County's Daily COVID-19 Data webpage reports 898 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County as of 6 p.m. on October 17, 2021. For more information, go to publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/. As of October 14, 2021, 78% of Los Angeles County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; and 70% are fully vaccinated. For detailed vaccine information, including individual city data, go to publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/coronavirus/vaccine/vaccine-dashboard. Compton College is operating at Level 3 - Moderate Infection Rate according to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan.
Updated Wellness Survey to Go Live Wednesday Evening
An updated Wellness Survey will go live at 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 20, 2021. The survey will now be completed via a Microsoft Office Form versus Qualtrics. Please use the "Daily Wellness" survey tile via MyCompton or use bit.ly/Compton-Wellness-2021-2022 for entry to campus beginning Thursday morning.
COVID-19 Booster Shot is Available for Compton College Employees
As a follow-up to the President/CEO Message - August 26, 2021, President/CEO Message - September 13, 2021, President/CEO Message - September 20, 2021, and the President/CEO Message - September 27, 2021, the third Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine dose (or 'booster shot') is available on campus. Individuals may call 1-877-612-8299 to register for an appointment or go directly to the on-campus Health Center. Below are the St. John's Health Center hours:
Mondays - 11:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Tuesdays through Fridays - 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Fall 2021 Enrollment Update
As of today, October 18, 2021, Compton College has generated 1,297 FTES for the fall 2021 term. Our fill rate is currently 62%, and our seats filled is 9,122. Click here to view today's enrollment snapshot.
Please encourage interested students to check the Searchable Class Schedule, which can be found online at www.compton.edu/studentservices/admissionandrecords/ClassSchedule, for the most up to date information on open sections. A variety of eight-week classes offered the same credit as full-semester classes began on October 16, 2021. Please note that once a class starts, an authorization code from the instructor is required to add it if any spaces remain. Interested students should email the instructor as soon as possible.
In addition, the Winter 2022 Schedule of Classes is now available online. Registration for the five-week Winter Term begins on Tuesday, November 2, 2021.
Undocumented Student Week of Action
October 18-22, 2021 is Undocumented Student Week of Action. I want to thank the UndocuAlly Task Force for coordinating our week of activities listed on the Online Calendar of Events, available here. Please encourage students to participate in these events. On Tuesday, October 19, 2021, at the Compton CCD Board of Trustees meeting, I will recommend that the Board of Trustees approves the Compton Community College District Resolution #10-19-2021B declaring October 18-22, 2021, as Undocumented Student Week of Action.
Food Truck Tuesday - Free Hamburgers for Compton College Students
All currently enrolled Compton College students are invited to stop by campus and pick up a free hamburger courtesy of the Associated Student Government tomorrow, October 19, 2021. Marolyn's Old Fashioned Burgers will be serving free hamburgers (beef or turkey) with French fries and soda from 10:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. in Lot A. Students must show their Compton College student ID or their fall 2021 class schedule.
Update on Compton College Student Housing
As mentioned in the President/CEO Message - September 16, 2021, the California State Legislature passed Senate Bill 169 - Postsecondary education trailer bill. SB 169 establishes a program of one-time grants for the construction of student housing. Compton College has entered into a contract with Gensler, who is working with the District to prepare our funding proposal, which is due by Sunday, October 31, 2021.
The purpose of the SB 169 program is to provide one-time grants for the construction of student housing, or the acquisition and renovation of commercial properties into student housing, to provide affordable, low-cost housing options for students enrolled in public postsecondary education in California. Projects that convert commercial space into student housing projects serving the most significant percentage of a campus's low-income student population and projects serving low-income students across more than one segment may be prioritized for selection. Selection criteria may also include the unmet demand for student housing for the campus or service area, construction timeline, geographic representation, and positive impact on a four-year institution's capacity for undergraduate enrollment growth.
Together with Compton College stakeholders, Gensler developed the student housing concept to create a "pathway toward independence" that supports students with diverse needs while fostering personal growth. This journey begins with a double sleeping room for incoming students with shared bathrooms and amenities, followed by a double suite where students are responsible for their room and bathroom. More mature students occupy a studio, where they potentially live independently with increased responsibility and privacy. This concept was developed by working closely with the Tartar Support Network through the development of multiple scenarios. Key themes of the design concept include creating 'communities of learners,' developing connections to the campus core and maximizing campus resources for student residents.
The proposed student housing will be located in the northeast corner of campus and will be three-four stories and approximately 135,350 square feet. The long-term goal for this project would include 450 beds with about 120 double room units, 80 double suite units, and 50 studio units. Those with dependents will be accommodated by combining a studio unit with shared rooms. Amenity spaces include approximately 38 lounges, 30 shared kitchens, and 18 shared baths for the double room units.
At this time, we are still trying to determine the total number of beds we will request funding for from the State of California and the proposed cost. On Monday, October 25, 2021, our consultant, Gensler, will meet with the Tartar Support Network to discuss this project. I am excited about our proposal and look forward to receiving feedback from the Tarter Support Network. If you have any creative input on Compton College Student Housing, please forward your input to kcurry@compton.edu.
Upcoming Community Meeting
Compton Community College District Board of Trustees member Dr. Deborah LeBlanc is hosting a virtual Town Hall Meeting on Wednesday, October 20, 2021, via Zoom from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. The meeting is open to the public, and we will provide an update on facilities, enrollment, and the College's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Annual Statewide Earthquake Drill
On Thursday, October 21, 2021, Compton College will participate in the Great Southern California ShakeOut, along with millions of other schools, businesses, cities, firefighters, police, and individuals who have registered for this event. At 10:21 a.m. October 21, all Compton College faculty, students, and staff - who are on campus - will 'Drop, Cover, and Hold On." For those not on campus, this ShakeOut drill is a great opportunity to practice safety procedures in case of an earthquake at your home and other locations. This year, due to the ongoing restraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, the College's participation in this annual event will be changed. Employees and students will not be asked to evacuate their locations as part of the drill. For more information, please contact the Compton College Campus Police, 310-900-1600, ext. 2999.
Compton Community College District Board of Trustees Meeting
The next Compton CCD Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, October 19, 2021. The closed session begins at 4:00 p.m., with the open session commencing at 5:00 p.m. Information on how to access the Compton CCD Board of Trustees meeting via Zoom is available here. As a reminder, each month, the information section of the board agenda includes updates on programs and services, District financial reports, and information on the Citizens' Bond Oversight Committee.
Closing the Loop
As you know, Rachelle Sasser, vice president of Human Resources, will be retiring from Compton College and Compton Community College District effective December 1, 2021. Today, October 18, 2021, the hiring committee members requested we readvertise the position, and I have asked the Human Resources Department to move forward with that recommendation. Over the next week, I will identify potential interims to fill the position until the permanent vice president of Human Resources has been hired.
This past weekend, I met with the Concerned Citizens of Compton Inc. I will follow up with our Office of Educational Partnerships regarding their recommendation for Compton College to establish an Outreach Volunteers Program. The citizens are interested in being trained to volunteer on behalf of the College at community events, college fairs, recruitment events and share college information within their neighborhoods. I thought this was an excellent idea, and we will be meeting with residents from Lynwood and Paramount to gather their interest in participating in this program. If you have creative input regarding the proposed Compton College Outreach Volunteers Program, please forward it to me at kcurry@compton.edu.
Final Thoughts
As mentioned in the President/CEO Message - May 3, 2021, President/CEO Message - May 6, 2021, and the President/CEO Message - June 17, 2021, the contract with California Competes: Higher Education for a Strong Economy will help us improve our Career and Technical Education (CTE) and workforce-related initiatives to support student success. The Preliminary Observations and Recommendations from that report are available here. We currently have an implementation team working on the execution of the recommendations. At the same time, over the past month, California Competes and I have been meeting with external funders to secure funding to support the implementation of the recommendations. If you have any feedback on the Preliminary Observations and Recommendations or suggestions for the implementation team to consider, please contact the Director of Workforce Development and Adult Education, Lynell Wiggins, at lwiggins@compton.edu.
As defined in the Compton College Collaborative Governance Handbook:
Collaborative Governance at Compton College is the cornerstone necessary to achieve the mission, vision, and strategic initiatives of our institution. Decisions at Compton College are the result of the participation and collaboration among all constituent groups, including the Board of Trustees, administration, faculty, staff, and students. Collaborative Governance ensures diverse and creative input, transparency, and accountability so that decisions made will drive student success at Compton College.
An idea can start at any source within our community. A committee, an individual employee, student, community member, or a department may present an idea for change or investment. Sources have several avenues to initiate these ideas, including the President/CEO Recommendation form (available on the President/CEO webpage) or emailing me directly at kcurry@compton.edu.
Please be safe and have a wonderful week.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/C.E.O.
Compton College
