“Your education is about you helping yourself, your family and your community.”

-Victor Rios

On September 27, Skyline College hosted the Call to Consciousness College Lecture Series. This program was co-sponsored by the Associated Students of Skyline College (ASSC) and the Division of Student Equity and Support Programs (SESP). The program opened with welcoming remarks from Dean Lasana Hotep and Vice Chancellor of Human Resources, Eugene Whitlock. Dr. Whitlock said, “Skyline’s mission is to empower and transform a global community of learners…my hope is that by you participating in today’s lecture, you will have a greater consciousness around how to imitate these values.”

Kristen Ersando, ASSC’s Commissioner of Activities introduced the guest speaker onto the stage. Dr. Rios opened his talk detailing his childhood as a migrant, high school dropout, and gang member. In 1994, his life story was featured in a Frontline Documentary. He became an Award-Winning Author, Educator, and Professor of Sociology at UC Santa Barbara. Dr. Rios shared about the poverty and violence he experienced growing up in Oakland that led him to eventually drop out of high school and join a local gang. After going in and out of juvenile hall multiple times and witnessing his best friend get shot and die at 15-years-old, Rios decided to turn his life around. He visited a high school teacher that once told him, “When you’re ready, I’ll be here for you.” That educator played a significant role in putting him on a path of success.

Dr. Rios finished high school on time, got accepted into college and graduated from CSU East Bay. He continued his education and earned an MA and Ph.D. in Comparative Ethnic Studies from UC Berkeley. Dr. Rios has used his personal and academic journey to motivate, teach, conduct research and publish books about Juvenile Justice, the Youth Control Complex, Restorative Justice, and Educational Equity to students, school districts, and organizations throughout the country. He stated, “You in the audience are the next generation of our political leaders. You are the next generation that’s gonna lead the world and this country in the right direction.”

Dr. Rios shared about an experience as a College Professor where he brought a group of high school students to visit UC Santa Barbara for a campus tour. The students were racially profiled by a campus police officer who stopped and searched them for 45 minutes. After he informed the College President about the incident, the police officer was terminated and the following year, Dr. Rios was asked to be on the committee to hire a new Chief of Police. “You want to change things, go get power. You want power, get yourself an education,” he said. This story was an example of how an education is a tool that empowers us to take action against injustice.

The lecture was followed by a question and answer segment and a book signing of Dr. Rios’ books: Punished: Policing the Lives of Black and Latino Boys, Human Targets: Schools, Police and the Criminalization of Latino Youth and his autobiography, Street Life: Poverty, Gangs, and a Ph.D.

Article By: Katrina Pantig

The College Governance Council met on Monday, September 25, 2017 from 2:10-4:00 pm, in Building 4, Room 4343.  In attendance was Christine Abella, Eloisa Briones, Kate Browne, Angelica Garcia, Michele Haggar, Leandro Torres Mantilla, Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Christina Trujillo. Absent from the meeting was Jesse Raskin and Regina Stanback Stroud.

 

Approval of Minutes

The August 23, 2017 minutes were approved. (M/C/U Christina Trujillo/Michele Haggar -approved) Unanimously.

The Academic Senate provided the following report.

Academic Senate meetings regularly include visits and discussions with key administrators about the state of the College and issues for this year.

 

September meetings included Discussions about:

• Comprehensive Redesign/MetaMajors-Guided Pathways. A major goal of the Academic Senate this year. Design Team Leads Jesse Raskin, Carla Grandy, Jessica Hurless, & Mustafa Popal offered updates that included summary of significant student input, announcement of a significant CCCCO grant application that the leads will write next month, and a first draft of 4 Metamajors, with the focus of building a Navigation Tool.
• Focus on Equity. A second major goal of the Academic Senate this year, a full discussion was conducted at both meetings. Topics included the incident, its handling and management, harm done, and the recommendations presented at Board of Trustees meeting.  Associated Students of Skyline College expressed interest in working with the Academic Senate and the Board of Trustees. A Trustee attended and offered District/Board support, AFT representatives and Senators alike offered perspectives, and a multi-authored draft of a Skyline Academic Senate Resolution was introduced.
• Academic Senate Revision Task Group.  Chair Jessica Hurless will re-convene the Task Group in early October, called for revised membership; Senators will begin review of the charge and offer its recommendations to the full Senate by December.
• Vice-President of Instruction Screening Committee. Categories of Faculty expertise were introduced for Academic Senate consideration; discussion planned for October.
• District Academic Senate. Introduction of Academic Integrity [to Ed Policy], Cañada Academic Senate Resolution on District Media Server for October

Actions/Approvals on:

• Museum of Tolerance faculty attendee: Mary Yung, ECE/EDU
• Compendium of Committees, with edits on Academic Senate membership
• Tenure Review Committees [new and revised] of BEPP.

Reports from Academic Senate Standing Committees & Organizations:

• Curriculum, –Educational Policy, and –Professional Personnel once membership is complete in September.
• –ASSC – Support of Academic Senate Equity plans & actions, & interest in working with Academic Senate.
• –AFT – Discussion of racial incident and its handling & perspective.
• –SEEED – Report on Student Equity part of Integrated Plan, announcement of Spring Equity Training Series [Faculty & Staff].

Forward into Fall Upcoming Plans:

SWF update [October]; State events & meetings [Change Conference & Area meeting/October, Fall Plenary/November]; visit by President Regina Stanback Stroud [TBA].        ​

The Classified Senate provided the following report.

• Alcatraz trip October 14, 2017. 10-13 Classified Staff members will be volunteering their time to help with the restoration of the island.
• Hurricane relief fundraiser October 27, 2017. The fundraiser is a 5K walk/run event that will be take place at the Skyline College track.
• Update to Classified Senate Constitution: will be voting this week.
• 2 Classified representatives attending Museum Of Tolerance trip this Fall.
• Appointed various Classified Staff Members to the overall design team.

The Associated Student Body of Skyline College provided the following report.

On Oct 19, the Associated Students of Skyline College received training about Domestic Violence by “One Love Foundation.” The council learned about how important is to recognize early signs of abusive in a relationship. The ASSC in collaboration with the Athletics department will hold an Escalation Workshop on Oct 27 to share this knowledge.

Unfortunately, the ASSC ID machine has presented technical difficulties lately, so we are in the process on voting to buy a new one soon. We have been in contact with the Associated Students of Cañada College and Associated Students of College of San Mateo to obtain suggestions in which machine to purchase.

In regards to events, ASSC are finalizing LatinX Heritage Month and planning the upcoming FilipinX Heritage Month and Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

ASSC has also formed two additional committees: the Student Equity Committee and the

Fundraising Committee. The Student Equity Committee is currently drafting a response, letter, and resolution regarding the Blackface incident and thinking of ways to support the DREAM

Center and DREAMers on campus in light of the DACA removal. The Fundraising Committee is hoping to obtain donations from the Skyline College community; there will be donation boxes at the Bookstore and World Cup.

There are well over twenty active clubs (and counting) as of this moment. ASSC will be the first out of all three sister colleges within SMCCCD to present Associated Students plans and goals to the Board of Trustees for Fall 2017.

Dr. Angélica Garcia shared with the committee the California Guided Pathways Award Program

The CCCCO has released the California Guided Pathways Award Program making $150 Million dollars available to all California Community Colleges who are pursuing implementing Guided Pathways work.  There are three items we must complete as a college to access these funds:

1. Self-Assessment (Due November 15, 2017 with board approval).
2. Attend Regional Workshop (earliest some team members could get to is workshop held November 7, 2017).
3. Submit our written proposal on February 15, 2018.

We have a structure in place with the Design Team and the Design Team Co-leads that has championed the work and has positioned us well for this award program, namely because we are doing the work of redesigning Skyline College.

The most pressing is the Self-Study Assessment, due November 15 with board approval.  The Design Team Co-Lead (DTCL) are providing the leadership with Vice President of Student Services Dr. Angélica Garcia, Vice President of Instruction Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Vice President of Administrative Services Eloisa Briones, and Dean of Planning, Research and Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Jacqueline Honda to ensure timely completion and submission for the October 25th board meeting.

Items for the next agenda include:

Recommendation to consolidate the Health and Safety Committee and the Emergency Task Force group. – Eloisa Briones

The Technology Plan will be presented at the October meeting. – Dr. Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza

Present a draft and/or update of the Self Assessment. – Dr. Angélica Garcia

Present to the CGC the Promise Scholar Program at the November meeting. – Dr. Angélica Garcia

Adjourn

(M/S/U Michele Haggar/Kate Browne approved.) Unanimously.

The 6^th annual Transfer Conference was held on Saturday, September 30. Over 150 students registered for the event and over 115 students were in attendance.

The Transfer Center offers this conference annually to provide students with access to critical resources and support services that support their transfer. It is our goal to ensure all students have the necessary information about the transfer process. Students learned how to explore career and major options and they also learned about resources and tools that are available to plan and achieve a successful transfer to a university.

Students started their day with a nice breakfast. The morning session included breakout sessions with former Skyline College students who completed their transfer journey from Skyline College to a 4-year university. A total of six Skyline College alums shared transfer tips and tricks with students. This included information about making connections with resources on campus to help make their transfer journey less complicated and stressful!

Students who participated in the event said it was “…good for students confused about process,” and that they “…loved the student panel.”

Additionally, students found the Financial Aid workshop very beneficial to them. They also learned about scholarships, grants, and financial aid tips to manage their financial aid as they transfer. Many students expressed that the conference was “extremely informative and helpful.”

Students who entered into our giveaway were able to walk away with college gear that our Skyline College Bookstore Manager, Kevin Chak, generously donated for the event! One student even won an Amazon Kindle donated by Ernesto Hernandez, the Transfer Center Program Services Coordinator. Thanks to all our donors!

This event was ultimately a great success thanks to all the supportive volunteers, faculty, and staff who helped set up and participate in the event. We extend a heartfelt thank you to all those who participated this past weekend.

Article by Lucy Jovel & Ernesto Hernandez