March 1, 2024
Dear Colleagues,
On Wednesday, February 21, 2024, I sent a campus-wide email with a follow-up communication to the Cafecito with the College on Tuesday, February 20, 2024. Again, I want to unequivocally affirm Santa Rosa Junior College’s commitment to building inclusivity and belonging among our students and employees and underscore that there is no room for hate speech in our community.
The Cafecito was refocused with the College to address Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Accessibility (IDEAA) centered work and practices. IDEAA is a fundamental value that underpins everything we do as an institution of higher education. While this session was not intended to make right what has been wrong for a long time, we must engage in a real dialogue with respect and honesty to take actionable steps forward.
I committed to taking the following actionable steps to center and advance our IDEAA work and am providing an update on the progress made to date including:
- Organizing additional SRJC Voices sessions to further this conversation during the remainder of the Spring 2024 semester. -- There are two upcoming sessions scheduled for early March with classified professionals and faculty in programs and services for communities of color.
- Addressing communication norms and usage of email with critical partners. Our current Board Policy and Procedure 2.13 and 2.13P Computer and Communications Technology Use governs email use. Policy review is important work College Council is undertaking through our shared governance structure and I plan to bring this policy forward with revisions and updates by May 2024. We must preserve the integrity of an open exchange of ideas and information while also ensuring we have appropriate means for holding one another accountable when communication norms are violated and tools are misused. I consulted with AFA and Academic Senate leadership about 2.13 and 2.13P and am beginning revisions for College Council consultation. I expect to have a revised draft presented to College Council for the April meeting.
- Conducting a campus climate assessment with an anticipated launch date of Fall 2024. This assessment is designed to evaluate the campus culture as well as provide an opportunity for members of the campus community to voice their perspectives about what we need to do as a District to cultivate and create a college community that honors IDEAA in our practices, policies, and procedures. The results will help the District find new ways and enhance existing approaches to be more inclusive, committed to IDEAA, and centered on student success. -- I have reviewed 5 assessments with high validity and reliability rates and have narrowed it to 2 possible assessments. I plan to consult with the Office of Institutional Effectiveness, the Research and Planning team, and colleagues with discipline expertise. My goal is to expedite this important initiative and identify the tool and begin the assessment this spring 2024 semester.
- Delivering EEO (Equal Employment Opportunity) Training to the Board of Trustees by June 2024.--- The Board of Trustees will have part one of this training during their April board meeting and a more comprehensive part two during the May or June meeting.
- Evaluating and determining the need to create a District IDEAA body by May 2024. ----The input from colleagues during the Cafecito provided rich and concrete examples of the kind of group needed to advance our work as a District. Since the Cafecito, I have consulted with the Council for Racial Equity and Justice, Academic Senate, President of the Board of Trustees, AFA leadership, and will consult with Classified Senate, SEIU leadership, and SGA leadership in the next two weeks. I recognize that there is both apprehension and desire to have a District-wide group. I will provide updates on the progress of this area as additional information is known.
This is, by no means, a comprehensive list of the work the District is undertaking in support of IDEAA, but rather specific outcomes from the Cafecito with the College session. I will continue to provide updates on this work throughout the semester and encourage you to engage with your constituent leaders on any of these steps. I have received several communications for engagement and follow-up, including an email from the Ethnic Studies department and am in communication with them on behalf of the Board of Trustees. I am making a point to meet with colleagues as I am able.
In closing, I want to express my sincere commitment to continuing to realize our mission, vision, and values. Choosing to engage from a place of humility, connection, and serving students is an action. Choosing to speak directly with one another is an action. Choosing to do your own work to contribute to an inclusive community is an action. Together, we can create a more inclusive and equitable college community.
Join me in choosing to be in this work collectively and together.
In community,
Dr. Garcia
Angélica Garcia, Ed.D.
Superintendent/President
707-527-4431, angelicagarcia@santarosa.edu
