President/CEO Message
November 2, 2020
Campus Community,
Tomorrow, November 3, 2020, is Election Day, and it is the last day to vote or submit your ballot.
Today, I only had six Zoom meetings, which I was extremely excited about. During our managers/supervisors' meeting, we discussed how programs/departments are implementing the Compton College 2020-2021 Goals, and their concerns about the goals. We also discussed Chapters 5-8 of "Won't Lose This Dream: How an Upstart Urban University Rewrote the Rules of a Broken System" by Andrew Gumbel. The book highlights the changes at Georgia State University that are centered around student success. I enjoy hearing from managers/supervisors about their thoughts on this book, and how some of the strategies could help Compton College as we strive toward Compton College 2024.
The President/CEO Message - November 2, 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 2, 2020, there were 1,590 newly recorded confirmed cases in Los Angeles County. The county now has a total of 309,190 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.
Actions Related to Symptomatic and COVID-19 Positive Individuals
In addition to the current procedures outlined in the Eventual Return to Campus Plan, a follow-up communication will be distributed if a positive case is determined to be a false-positive. An update to the original case will be sent via email to the campus community and posted to the Confirmed COVID-19 Cases webpage: www.compton.edu/adminandoperations/campuspolice/confirmed-cases.
Los Angeles County Vote Center
Working with the Los Angeles County Register-Recorder's Office, the Compton College Gymnasium serves as a Vote Center. Voting will be held on campus from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 3, 2020. A Vote by Mail DropBox is located in the Gymnasium.
Auxiliary Services Committee Funding Requests
The Auxiliary Services Committee provides funding opportunities for programs that directly support student learning. Please refer to the Auxiliary Services Committee Funding Request Form and Procedures available here, to learn more about the requirements and application process. The deadline to submit your request, along with the required signatures, is noon on Monday, November 9, 2020. Please send questions and comments to Dr. Michelle M. Garcia, Director of CalWORKs/TANF/GAIN, and Auxiliary Services Committee Management Representative, at MGarcia22@compton.edu.
Compton College Response to the California Community College Chancellor's Office Call to Action
In the President/CEO Message – October 12, 2020, President/CEO Message – October 5, 2020, President/CEO Message - August 3, 2020, President/CEO Message - August 27, 2020, President/CEO Message - September 17, 2020, and the President/CEO Message - September 24, 2020, I provided you with an update on the Compton College California Community Colleges Call to Action. Tina Kuperman, Director of Diversity, Compliance, and Title IX, and Dr. Kendahl Radcliffe, Division Chair of Social Sciences, have been working together to develop Compton College's Response to the Call to Action. An updated draft of the Compton College Response to the California Community College Chancellor's Office Call to Action is available here. We are requesting final feedback on this document. Please forward your feedback on the Compton College Response to the California Community College Chancellor's Office Call to Action to tkuperman@compton.edu and kradcliffe@compton.edu by Thursday, November 5, 2020 4:30 p.m. The goal is to present the final version to the Compton CCD Board of Trustees at their Tuesday, November 17, 2020, Board meeting for review and approval.
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, 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.
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
A couple of weeks ago, in the Student Services Division Meeting, Dr. Joseph Lewis, Student Services Advisor, asked questions about computers and the eventual return to campus. He wondered if our desktop computers would be suitable for the online environment when we returned (i.e., cameras and software). I reminded the Student Services Division employees that we are telecommuting until further notice. However, Dr. Lewis raised a fundamental question. As we implement the Compton College 2024, Compton College 2024 Technology Plan, and the Compton College 2024 Human Resources Staffing Plan, we must implement the following Compton College 2024 Action Plan key action step:
Upgrade/recycle computers and other technology equipment on a scheduled basis. Smart classroom technology will have to be incorporated into future classrooms or presentation spaces; regular upgrades will be scheduled to keep current with changing technologies - all of which require planning for additional hardware, software, training, and the staffing needed for implementation.
Over the next couple of months, we are going to update our schedule for upgrading employee computers. My goal is that all employees receive a laptop and have a docking station in their office - no more personal desktop computers. Once the schedule has been completed and reviewed by the Technology Committee, I will move forward with a recommendation to the Compton CCD Board of Trustees to allocate funding this year for employee computers that need to be replaced. Furthermore, each year in the budget, we will need to designate funding for employees' computer upgrades.
Please be safe and have a wonderful week.
Keith Curry, Ed.D.
(preferred pronouns: he/him/his)
President/CEO
Compton College
