October 31, 2024
Dear SRJC Community,
I am writing to share progress on the important work underway to create a more inclusive and welcoming environment in the Shone Farm and Agriculture/Natural Resources community.
As I shared in this month’s Institutional and Workplace Culture Initiatives communication, our District leadership team, in collaboration with college and community partners, is working to develop an action plan to address areas for growth. This work is connected to one of our core priorities for this academic year: IDEAA: Institutional and Workplace Culture Initiatives.
Through multiple convenings over the past several months with employees and students, the team has developed more than 30 action items aligned with themes that emerged from the individual listening sessions and facilitated discussions. The themes are:
- Student Support Enhancement
- Employee Onboarding and Engagement
- Academic Programs and Farm Operations
- Site Alignment and Goals
- Fiscal Management
- Community Building
- District Operations Integration
This has been an intentional, iterative planning process, focusing first on establishing an environment built on trust – one where students and employees feel safe, welcomed, and heard. Understanding how we communicate and build trust within teams and the District is the first area of the action plan that we will address in Fall 2024, with the goal of building upon a foundation of re-established relationships.
Implementation Timeline: The action plan will roll out over four semesters:
- Fall 2024: Addressing immediate needs – focus on student and employee basic needs, workplace safety and emergency preparedness, culture, and communication
- Spring 2025: Building future success – create a sustainable organizational model to fortify long term success for academic programs and operational services
- Summer 2025: Strengthening community – enhance employee engagement and identify community building activities within SRJC and with community partners
- Fall 2025: Ensuring sustainability – establish ongoing processes for resource allocation and inclusive practices within the department
The detailed action plan will be shared with the community in mid-November and will outline specific steps the District will take to accomplish the goals associated with the seven themes above.
We are doing the work of engaging in the spaces to impact our institutional culture. I know that this work is hard, emotionally charged, and calls for us to be in dialogue with one another. I deeply appreciate how colleagues have remained engaged and in partnership with the District to develop sustainable solutions. I am grateful to the District leadership team for their thoughtful approach to this work and I am confident in the plan we are building together. I remain committed to providing a leadership perspective that is student-centered, equity-minded and working to realize our mission.
In Community,
Dr. Angélica Garcia, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President
707-527-4431, angelicagarcia@santarosa.edu
