Nov. 12, 2024
This last week, I received numerous messages from colleagues across our system and thought I would drop you a note.
Let me start by reaffirming that the California Community Colleges’ mission remains unchanged. Our colleges continue to be places of support and opportunity for everyone, including our undocumented students. Education empowers individuals to break cycles of poverty, shape their futures and contribute meaningfully to the world. Access to quality education must be universal, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can learn, grow, and thrive.
From my experience, the work of community colleges is generally beloved by all, including business and industry leaders, government officials, elected members of congress and the state legislature regardless of their political affiliation. Workforce development, educational pathways leading to good jobs, and economic and social mobility for our most deserving communities is all at the core of our mission. Our elected officials count on community colleges for the well-being of their communities, their states, and the nation. We should keep this framework visible in our internal and external engagements. Remember, that here in California, the community colleges are essential in developing California’s workforce, keeping the economy strong and strengthening our democracy.
The California Community Colleges serve the largest and most diverse student body in higher education. Our students, all of them, need our support to continue with their courses on their educational pathways to complete a degree or certificate. We must actively support them to finish their courses this fall and come back in January 2025 for the spring semester. By supporting our students, we support their families and communities.
Our policy remains: We do not participate in federal enforcement of national immigration regulations unless compelled to by state or federal law. Our system does not capture information on undocumented students and our colleges will not release personally identifiable student information related to immigration status unless required by judicial order.
Furthermore, even if the federal government limits the Title IX protections against harassment or discrimination, California’s own laws require us to provide equal rights and access to students, faculty, staff, and administrators, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We will not support efforts to roll back protections for any student or staff group.
Supporting our students to stay on their educational pathway is a top priority for the Board of Governors and the Chancellor’s Office. Please do everything you can to encourage students to continue attending classes, complete this semester and then return in Spring 2025 so that they stay on the path to complete their education goal. We are working with our partner agencies to provide supplementary guidance to support our college campuses and our students.
In addition to Dream Resource Centers and UndocuLiaisons on every campus, there are a number of resources and support services available to help address both legal and mental health challenges. These resources are also available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Additionally, we recently launched a statewide partnership with the President’s Alliance to provide access for every California community college to numerous resources and technical assistance to support immigrant students.
California Community Colleges have work to do, but it isn’t anything that we can’t handle, especially when we all work together.
Every step counts. Every action matters. Focus is our strength.
Our students and our communities are counting on us.
More than ever, our time is now.
Your colleague,
sonya
Find me on:
My blog: https://sonyachristianblog.com/
Twitter: @sonyachristian
Threads: sonya_christian
Instagram: sonya_christian
This last week, I received numerous messages from colleagues across our system and thought I would drop you a note.
Let me start by reaffirming that the California Community Colleges’ mission remains unchanged. Our colleges continue to be places of support and opportunity for everyone, including our undocumented students. Education empowers individuals to break cycles of poverty, shape their futures and contribute meaningfully to the world. Access to quality education must be universal, ensuring that everyone, regardless of background, can learn, grow, and thrive.
From my experience, the work of community colleges is generally beloved by all, including business and industry leaders, government officials, elected members of congress and the state legislature regardless of their political affiliation. Workforce development, educational pathways leading to good jobs, and economic and social mobility for our most deserving communities is all at the core of our mission. Our elected officials count on community colleges for the well-being of their communities, their states, and the nation. We should keep this framework visible in our internal and external engagements. Remember, that here in California, the community colleges are essential in developing California’s workforce, keeping the economy strong and strengthening our democracy.
The California Community Colleges serve the largest and most diverse student body in higher education. Our students, all of them, need our support to continue with their courses on their educational pathways to complete a degree or certificate. We must actively support them to finish their courses this fall and come back in January 2025 for the spring semester. By supporting our students, we support their families and communities.
Our policy remains: We do not participate in federal enforcement of national immigration regulations unless compelled to by state or federal law. Our system does not capture information on undocumented students and our colleges will not release personally identifiable student information related to immigration status unless required by judicial order.
Furthermore, even if the federal government limits the Title IX protections against harassment or discrimination, California’s own laws require us to provide equal rights and access to students, faculty, staff, and administrators, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity. We will not support efforts to roll back protections for any student or staff group.
Supporting our students to stay on their educational pathway is a top priority for the Board of Governors and the Chancellor’s Office. Please do everything you can to encourage students to continue attending classes, complete this semester and then return in Spring 2025 so that they stay on the path to complete their education goal. We are working with our partner agencies to provide supplementary guidance to support our college campuses and our students.
In addition to Dream Resource Centers and UndocuLiaisons on every campus, there are a number of resources and support services available to help address both legal and mental health challenges. These resources are also available in Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese and Korean. Additionally, we recently launched a statewide partnership with the President’s Alliance to provide access for every California community college to numerous resources and technical assistance to support immigrant students.
California Community Colleges have work to do, but it isn’t anything that we can’t handle, especially when we all work together.
Every step counts. Every action matters. Focus is our strength.
Our students and our communities are counting on us.
More than ever, our time is now.
Your colleague,
sonya
Find me on:
My blog: https://sonyachristianblog.com/
Twitter: @sonyachristian
Threads: sonya_christian
Instagram: sonya_christian
