President/CEO Message
November 19, 2020
Campus Community,
On November 18, 2020, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst's Office (LAO) released the annual publication, California's Fiscal Outlook, including the revenue summaries for the first quarter of the fiscal year as well as a five-year fiscal forecast. The 2021-2022 Fiscal Outlook for Schools and Community Colleges is available . The good news is the state revenue is ahead of the 2020 California Budget Act assumptions. These estimations may be able to assist with paying down the $1.45 billion in California Community College deferrals. In my President/CEO Message - October 1, 2020, I discussed budget deferrals and the potential fiscal impact to Compton Community College District.
Also, on November 17, 2020, the Lumina Foundation released the "." and the Major Shortfalls are Forecast for State Budgets are highlighted on page 3 of this report, which "estimate state revenues and state budgets will decline 7 to 30 percent". The news from LAO is great; however, I am seriously concerned since we do not know the full fiscal impact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the state of California. Furthermore, with the increasing number of COVID-19 cases in the state of California and Los Angeles County, we are now anticipating further restrictions that could negatively impact our economy.
Finally, I wanted to share the California Community Colleges' 2021-2022 System Budget Request, titled "" In the coming weeks, working with the Compton CCD Board of Trustees, we will be developing our Legislative Priorities for the 2021-2022 year. The President/CEO Message – November 19, 2020, includes COVID-19 information and other campus-related updates.
91ÁÔÆæ COVID-19 Update
Los Angeles County's current risk level is Tier 1 (widespread), according to California's "." On November 18, 2020, there were 3,944 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 348,336 reported cases (including cases reported by Long Beach and Pasadena Health Departments). For more information, go to . According to the Compton CCD Pandemic Outbreak - Emergency Operations Plan, 91ÁÔÆæ continues to operate at Level Four - Severe Infection Rate.
Essential Employees Work Schedule
The Essential Employees Work Schedule for Monday-Wednesday, November 23-25, is posted online here. The schedule will be updated every Thursday for the following week as employees continue to gradually return to campus.
Free Groceries Available for Students and Employees via Curbside Pickup
On Wednesday, November 25, 2020, 1,200 30-pound 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 91ÁÔÆæ student ID or a copy of their fall 2020 class schedule. The Sunrise Produce Grocery Boxes are available on a first-come-first-served basis. 91ÁÔÆæ employees are also invited to pick up a box at the Greenleaf entrance.
Click to view photos from last week's grocery box giveaway event.
Call for Volunteers for the Free Groceries 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 on either Thursday, November 19, 2020, or Wednesday, November 25, 2020, from noon to 5:00 p.m.
2021-2022 Compton Community College District Faculty Hires
I have reviewed the recommendations from the 91ÁÔÆæ Faculty Prioritization Committee, and the following full-time faculty positions have been approved for the 2021-2022 year:
- Political Science
- History/Ethnic Studies
We will also continue the recruitment for the following full-time faculty positions that were approved in prior years:
- Special Resource Center Counselor/Guided Pathways Counselor (roll-over from the 2019-2020 year)
- Social Media - Journalism/English (roll-over from the 2020-2021 year)
California Community Colleges Student-Centered Funding Formula
At the November 17, 2020, Compton CCD Board of Trustees Meeting, the Director of Institutional Effectiveness, Lauren Sosenko, provided an update on the Student-Centered Funding Formula. Click to view the PowerPoint presentation. This presentation provides valuable information regarding the Student-Centered Funding Formula and the future impacts it can have on the Compton CCD Budget.
Connecting Students to Their Guided Pathways Division Dean
If 91ÁÔÆæ students are having difficulty connecting with their instructor outside the "classroom," please refer them to the dean for the Guided Pathway Division(s) corresponding with their course. To determine which Guided Pathway Division, their course falls under, go to www.compton.edu/gpdiv/index. Students may also connect with a counselor to access online student support services and discuss concerns. 91ÁÔÆæ counselors are available online via Cranium Café. Click here for more information.
California Community Colleges Chancellor's Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI)
In the President/CEO Message - August 31, 2020, I discussed the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative (IEPI). The IEPI is committed to advancing the California Community Colleges' institutional effectiveness and enhancing the system's impact on serving students, advancing best practices, and avoiding potential pitfalls. Technical assistance teams, called Partnership Resource Teams (PRT), are subject matter experts and help institutions develop improvement strategies and timelines on their area of focus.
In July 2020, 91ÁÔÆæ applied for assistance from a mini-PRT to strengthen its professional development opportunities in relation to diversity, equity, and inclusion matters. The proposal was approved, and along with technical assistance, 91ÁÔÆæ will receive up to a $75,000 grant in seed money towards the effort. The mini-PRT is set to visit 91ÁÔÆæ virtually on Monday, November 30, 2020. They will meet with various constituent groups, provide feedback and advice, and assist with drafting a plan on how to best design and implement the diversity, equity, and inclusion elements within professional development.
The mini-PRT will be led by Dr. Pamela Luster, President of San Diego Mesa College. Dr. Luster's scholarly and professional pursuits are focused on student equity, diversity and inclusion, and building campus and community coalitions towards cultural proficiency. We are looking forward to welcoming Dr. Luster and her team as they bring their experience and knowledge to 91ÁÔÆæ.
Achieving the Dream Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool
As noted in the President/CEO Message - November 5, 2020, 91ÁÔÆæ 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 , and please complete the Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool by Tuesday, December 1, 2020.
For individuals who complete the Institutional Capacity Assessment Tool, you may enter your name in an opportunity drawing, where four employees will win $200 each.
91ÁÔÆæ Virtual Tartar Talks
I will host our next virtual Tartar Talks on Tuesday, November 24, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. via Zoom Meeting. We will provide campuswide updates during the virtual Tartar Talks, including the 2020-2021 Compton CCD Final Budget, Guided Pathways, COVID-19, 2020-2021, and the Compton CCD Legislative Agenda. The virtual Tartar Talk Zoom Meeting information is available .
President/CEO Virtual Student Forum
The next Virtual Student Forum is scheduled for Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 1:00 p.m. You will have the opportunity to join via Zoom and ask me questions. Student login information is available here.
#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 91ÁÔÆæ. If you are interested in participating in the 2020 summit, which is free to #RealCollegeCalifornia members, such as 91ÁÔÆæ. The link to register is available . The keynote speaker for this year's summit is broadcast journalist Soledad O'Brien.
Final Thoughts
This morning, I had the opportunity to listen to 91ÁÔÆæ student Kevin Quincy Jones participate on a student panel with California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley. Kevin talked about his personal life, 91ÁÔÆæ, and provided recommendations on how community colleges could better support their students. Kevin's inspiring words during the panel personified our mission here at 91ÁÔÆæ and exemplified student success. Below is the email I received this afternoon from Kevin:
"Hello, Dr. Curry! We completed our panel discussion today, and I wanted to say thank you for believing in me enough to recommend me to such a prestigious event. I had no idea it was LIVE on YouTube, and I believe that in part is what helped me today. I wanted to represent you and 91ÁÔÆæ to the best of my ability and training. Thank You Again!"
I responded and said, "You did well, and you represented 91ÁÔÆæ well! Please be proud." Thanks go to Kevin Quincy Jones for sharing his story at this panel discussion. He is definitely a 91ÁÔÆæ Success Story!
In closing, thank you to everyone who reached out to me regarding the special gift that was sent to all 91ÁÔÆæ full-time faculty, Classified staff, and managers/supervisors. I hope everyone enjoys their treats.
Please be safe, and tomorrow is Friday! And I only have four Zoom Meetings. Hopefully, no more meetings are added to my schedule in the next 24 hours.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/CEO
91ÁÔÆæ
