President/CEO Message
September 9, 2021
We are concluding the third week of the fall 2021 semester, and we are getting back in full swing of things, including several Zoom meetings each day and our other daily responsibilities. I am hopeful we have learned from the prior year regarding limiting the number of Zoom meetings we have each day and each week. My goal this year is to limit my Zoom meetings to five per day. however, this semester I have already exceeded that number each day. Maybe next week, I might achieve my goal.
The President/CEO Message - September 9, 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 2,006 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County as of 6:00 p.m. on September 8, 2021. For more information, go to publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Coronavirus/data/. As of September 7, 2021, 75.1% of Los Angeles County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine; and 66% 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 4 – Severe Infection Rate according to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan.
How to Submit Proof of Vaccination or Exemption Requests and COVID-19 Test Results
Employees and students must use the online form to submit proof of COVID-19 vaccination status, exemption/accommodation requests and required* COVID-19 test results. The online form is available via the MyCompton portal using the "COVID-19 Vaccination-Test-Exemption Submission" tile. Do not email these items to the vice president of Human Resources or any other staff member. Submit all of these items online before the applicable deadlines.
Proof of vaccination status deadlines:
- October 1, 2021 - Employees scheduled to work on campus, and all student-athletes to practice, play and travel with their team.
- January 1, 2022 - Students enrolled in in-person, on-campus classes.
*Negative COVID-19 test results are required to be submitted weekly by in-season student-athletes until further notice.
Fall 2021 Enrollment Update
As of today, September 9, 2021, Compton College has generated 1,215 FTES for the Fall 2021 term. Our fill rate is currently 57%, and our seats filled is 8,338. Click here to view today's enrollment snapshot. A variety of eight-week classes, that offer the same credit as full-semester courses, begin October 18. A list of open classes is available online here.
Additional second eight-week classes will continue to be added to meet the needs of our students.
One More Class Campaign
The 'One More Class - You’ve Got This!" campaign continues with an email scheduled to go out next week to current Fall 2021 students who are enrolled in 10 or fewer units. Students will be encouraged to register for a mid-term class to help them complete their educational plans faster. The Compton College Call Center will follow up with phone calls offering to help make appointments for enrollment services. This campaign embraces a new culture of completion that we know will help more students earn their degrees or certificates on time.
2021-2022 Catalog Now Available Online
The 2021-2022 Catalog is available online as a PDF. The catalog has been reorganized with a focus on the student enrollment process and includes new and revised curriculum. Printed copies will be available at the Bookstore for purchase later this semester. Click here to access the catalog.
FREE Resources Available for Fall Students
It is not too late to apply for free resources for the fall semester. Laptops, Wi-Fi hotspots, calculators, meals & food vouchers, housing referrals, headsets, and financial assistance are available to currently enrolled students via the Student Resources Form, available here. Edquity emergency grants are available to fall 2021 students who have experienced financial hardship and expenses related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For more information and to apply for a grant or free resources, go to www.compton.edu/studentservices/student-equity-program/student-resources. Questions? Send an email to tartarsupport@compton.edu.
Six Compton College Faculty Members Achieve Tenure
On September 23, 2021 at 6:00 p.m. via Zoom, Compton College will recognize the following faculty members who achieved tenure:
Domenic Capozzolo, B.A., M.A.
Donald Mason, B.S., M.S., Ed.D.
Janette Morales, B.S., M.S.
Jasmine Phillips, B.A., M.S.
Evan Skorka, B.S., M.S.
Sophia Tse, A.D.N., B.S.N., M.S.N.
Attaining tenure reflects the excellence of an organization, and it creates a path for faculty to influence and shape the institution. The contributions of these faculty members are essential to Compton College's mission of offering a welcoming environment where the diversity of our students is supported and essential, as they pursue and attain academic and professional excellence.
Please be on the lookout for an invitation that will be emailed to all employees from the Office of Academic Affairs. Please RSVP by 2:00 p.m. on Friday, September 17, 2021, to sbarakat@compton.edu to receive the Zoom Meeting information.
President/CEO Virtual Student Forum
The next President/CEO Virtual Student Forum is scheduled for Wednesday, September 15, at 1:00 p.m. Students will have the opportunity to join via Zoom and ask me questions. Students may register for the 2021-2022 series of virtual forums at http://bit.ly/CCVSF2122.
Compton College Virtual Tartar Talks
I will host a special virtual Tartar Talks on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom Meeting. The focus will be on enrollment and recruitment; accreditation, and COVID-19. To participate, please use this link to register in advance: September 21, 2021 Tartar Talks Online Registration.
September 14, 2021 California Gubernatorial Recall Election
Tuesday, September 14, 2021, is Election Day. Compton College will again be serving as a vote center for our community. Working with the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder's Office, the Compton College Student Lounge will serve as a vote center. Voting will be held on campus from Saturday, September 11 through Monday, September 13, 2021, from 10:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., and on Tuesday, September 14, 2021, from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. A Vote by Mail DropBox will be located in the Student Lounge during this time.
President/CEO Closing the Loop
As mentioned President/CEO Message - January 4, 2021, President/CEO Message - April 26, 2021, and the President/CEO Message - April 29, 2021, over the years, I have discussed Compton CCD's outstanding fiscal obligations, including our Other Post-Employment Benefits (OPEB) liability. This month, Total Compensation Systems, Inc. completed the Compton Community College District Actuarial Study of Retiree Health Liabilities. The report states as of June 30, 2021, the Compton CCD Total OPEB liability has decreased to $14,028,797. Previously, the Compton CCD Total OPEB liability was $15,005,388.
Based on the new actuarial study, the Compton CCD Total OPEB is fully funded. As of August 30, 2021, the trust has a fair market value of $14,576,572.95. Our current funding schedule has been to pay the entire liability by the 2022-2023 fiscal year. In the coming weeks, we will have more information on the next steps. However, in the 2022-2023 year, we will be utilizing the earnings from the OPEB Futuris Public Entity Investment Trust to pay for our future expenses, i.e. the "pay as you go" costs for retiree benefits, which are estimated at $600,000 for the 2021-2022 year. Please note, the future savings in the Unrestricted General Fund will assist Compton College with expenses currently funded by the Compton Recovery Fund, including the Information Technology Staff positions, Information Technology Maintenance/Service Contracts (Non-ERP Related), and Information Technology Equipment.
Final Thoughts
Over the past couple of weeks, I have heard employees say we do not offer the classes students need to complete their particular program. This week, Lauren Sosenko, director of Institutional Effectiveness developed a survey to collect information from employees regarding classes students are interested in that are not being offered at Compton College for a particular term. The draft survey is available here. If you have any corrections or additions to the survey, please forward those recommendations to Lauren Sosenko at lsosenko@compton.edu, by Friday, September 17, 2021.
Today, I had the excellent opportunity to meet with various Student Services Advisors in the Little Theater. It was my first in-person meeting with employees since the beginning of the pandemic. We talked about many items, and the Student Services Advisors provided a lot of valuable input on outreach/recruitment and retention efforts. I appreciate the recommendations and look forward to future meetings.
In closing, I want to remind you that I have open office hours on Tuesdays, and I am available through Cranium Cafe. Also, you can send me an email at kcurry@compton.edu regarding anything that you believe would help move our organization toward 2024
Please be safe and have a wonderful weekend.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/C.E.O.
Compton College
