April 9, 2021 - Vision in Action No. 28
ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSION TO DISCUSS AFFORDABLE HOUSING STRATEGIES FOR CALIFORNIA COMMUNITY COLLEGES
Join California State Treasurer Fiona Ma and the California School Finance Authority for a virtual roundtable discussing innovative strategies for increasing affordable housing for California’s community college students and employees.
Attendees will learn about current bills to support student housing, gain insights from community colleges with housing projects in various stages of development, hear about innovative community partnerships that may offer benefits to students, discover how projects are overcoming obstacles, and learn how the State Treasurer’s Office and the California School Finance Authority can help.
Speakers include:
- Hon. Fiona Ma, CPA, California State Treasurer
- Hon. Kevin McCarty, Member, California State Assembly
- Katrina Johantgen, Executive Director, California School Finance Authority
- Pedro Avila, Vice President, Student Services, Santa Rosa Junior College
- Bob Parker, Vice President of Administrative Services, Napa Valley College
- Dorsey Moore, Executive Director / CEO, San Jose Conservation Corps
- San Mateo Community College District Representative
The discussion is Thursday, April 15 from 12:00 – 1:30 p.m. Register at this link. This virtual roundtable will be recorded and the replay will have closed captioning. (If you need further assistance, including disability-related modifications or accommodations, you may contact the California School Finance Authority no later than five calendar days before the meeting at (916) 651-7710 and Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) at (916) 654-5610.)
System Guidance/News
April is DEI Awareness Month, an opportunity for the California 
Community Colleges to engage students, faculty, staff members, institutional leaders and community partners in our new and ongoing efforts to embrace diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) and anti-racism across the college system — and invite everyone to take part in the conversation.
The Chancellor’s Office has put together this toolkit to help stakeholders across our system amplify the bold and important work being done on all of our campuses to build a more diverse, equitable and inclusive environment for students, faculty and staff through both small- and large-scale actions. Included are sample social media materials, such as hashtags, shareable graphics and Zoom backgrounds, as well as a template one-pager and a proposed calendar for sharing key information across channels.
The next Chancellor’s Office bimonthly systemwide webinar –a Virtual Advocacy Town Hall and DEI Awareness Month Celebration – will take place on April 21 from 9:00 – 11:00 a.m. The purpose of this Town Hall is to elevate our system’s priorities and share out about the critical role of community colleges in California, especially as the state turns to pandemic recovery. If you are already registered for the 2021 Chancellor’s Office System Webinars, there is no need to register again. You will receive a reminder email prior to the webinar with your link.
Please share the 2021 System Webinars registration link with your colleagues that are not yet registered. (Registration is only required once and the same link will be used to access all System Webinars in 2021.)
***The Chancellor’s Office Government Relations & College Finance and Facilities Planning divisions will not be holding its monthly systemwide Policy Advocacy Webinar this month, in lieu of the Virtual Advocacy Town Hall. Webinars will resume in May.***
The California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, in partnership with Cerritos College, Chaffey College, Foothill College, Compton College and Lake Tahoe Community College, is hosting the Courageous Leadership Webinar Series, an opportunity to support each other as we choose courage over comfort in leading Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), and anti-racism efforts on our campuses.
We invite college leaders to join the conversation to not only lift up what is working in championing DEI and anti-racism on campuses, but also share how we are navigating challenges and supporting each other in our struggles.
The next webinar is Thursday, April 15 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.; all webinars are held on the third Thursday of each month through Thursday, May 20. Please register for the Courageous Leadership Webinar Series to advance DEI and anti-racism and be fearless in our commitment to make the California Community Colleges truly student-ready.
The Chancellor’s Office is extending the nomination period for the 2021 Classified Employee of the Year Awards. This is an opportunity to highlight and celebrate the work of our Classified Employees that exemplify the Vision for Success and demonstrate commitment to equitable student outcomes in their local community. Please visit our Board of Governors Recognition and Awards webpage for full details. Nomination packets are now due Friday, April 16. Winners will be announced at the May 24-25, 2021 Board of Governors Meeting. For full details on submitting a nomination packet, please visit the Chancellor’s Office website here.
Registration is open for the third annual California Community Colleges LGBTQ+ Summit, scheduled for Wednesday and Thursday, April 28 and 29. Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley will open the conference with a keynote address. Breakout sessions include: ‘Before and After COVID-19: How to Initiate and Sustain a Successful LGBTQIA+ Initiative on Campus;’ ‘Challenges and Opportunities in Educating the Educators on LGBTQ+ Experience;’ and ‘Throwing a T-Party: How to Build Trans Spaces On-Campus.’ Find more information here.
Join the Chancellor’s Office College Finance and Facilities Planning division for its monthly Fiscal & Policy Webinar Series. The team will provide timely updates on issues related to college finance, state budgets and fiscal policy. Webinars will be held on the last Thursday of each month (excluding holidays). The next webinar is Thursday, April 29 at 11:00 a.m. Register here.
The Chancellor’s Office is committed to keeping everyone informed during this uncertain time. We encourage administrators, faculty, staff and students to regularly check the Chancellor’s Office COVID-19 resource page and the Chancellor’s Office Communications to Colleges section for ongoing executive orders, guidance memos and announcements. Current and prospective students can also get connected with their local college to find out specific resources and support services available as well as enroll in their local community college.
Online Instruction/Webinars
Rules about public benefit programs and immigrants are confusing. But benefits can help your family stay healthy and thrive. It is critical that everyone in the community has access to health care and important support services, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yet many immigrants do not seek the services available to them for fear it will impact their immigration case.
Experts from the Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) and California Immigrant Policy Center (CIPC) will provide an overview of the current state of public charge, who it applies to and the latest information on how the public charge test works. The webinar will also provide updates about which public benefits, tax credits, COVID-19 relief, and emergency response programs are available and won’t affect eligibility for a green card or visa. The webinar is Wednesday, April 14, 2021 from 12:00-1:30 p.m. Register at this link.
The California Counseling Network, a community of practice sponsored by the Career Ladders Project, is hosting a series of Counselor Roundtable zoom sessions. Each session is an opportunity to gather with fellow practitioners from colleges and high schools and engage in conversations that matter and support our work with students and colleagues. The next session is Friday, April 23 from 12:00 - 1:30 p.m. and the focus is: Counseling, Data and Accountability: SCFF, Guided Pathways, caseload management and beyond…keeping our students at the center. Register at this link.
Student Supports
The California Youth Crisis line runs 24-hours a day, seven days a week: 800-843-5200. The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline provides confidential assistance to anyone in crisis and their loved ones through a live chat and free 24-hour hotline at 800-273-8255. You can also text COURAGE to the Crisis Text Line at 741741.
Items of Interest
Rise of coronavirus variants will define the next phase of the pandemic in the U.S.
California to move to statewide reopening plan in June.
Golden State's economy expected to recover faster than the US post-pandemic.
