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Weekly News Brief | March 10, 2023
From the Office of Chancellor Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
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Today, Presidents Rodriguez, McGrath, Suarez, and I are at the annual convening for California Community College chancellors, superintendents, and presidents from across the system. While I've attended before, it is a great honor to represent the Coast Community College District.
This has led me to reflect on the leadership the Coast District provides for the system. Coastline College is known for blazing a trail on remote learning, with an increasing focus on competency-based education and serving incarcerated scholars hoping to better their future. Golden West College recently hosted a convening on community college baccalaureates, and President McGrath has been a leading advocate on preserving the Lifelong Learning and Self-Development transfer pathway. Orange Coast College is the model that all our peers are looking toward when thinking about student housing, as well as establishing international programs and welcoming international students.
The Board of Trustees provides leadership and direction to our district and to many systemwide efforts, with influence in advocacy, equity, and good governance. As fellow elected officials, the trustees maintain strong and productive relationships with representatives across our region.
Community colleges are by nature embedded in our communities, with a focus on service to our surrounding region. At the same time, we know that opportunities and challenges can be found beyond the boundaries of our service area. I believe the Coast District strikes the right balance of local, regional, state, national, and global leadership. That is among the many reasons why I am proud to carry the banner of the Coast District today and every day.
With gratitude,
Whitney
Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
Chancellor
Note: Dr. Serban is acting chancellor today, March 10, while Chancellor Yamamura is out of the district.
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Coast Celebrates Women's History Month
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What challenges have you faced being a women in higher education?
I have been fortunate to be a woman in higher education at a time when we are valued as leaders...but challenges remain. For me, one specific challenge is "being heard." When I am with others on a panel or speaking to a group, men will often take charge. Even if we have divided up a presentation, they often take my part without realizing that they have gone beyond what we planned. I've had issues with this early in my career as an educator and now as a Trustee. Because of this, I try to speak first and am very sensitive about being interrupted by others.
What would you tell your past self about the journey you've been on to get to where you are today?
Always say yes! You will be amazed at who you become when you take chances. From college, to Ph.D., to becoming a professor at CSUF, I ventured forward despite doubts. As a professor, I became an innovator beyond my campus in service-learning/community-based education. I took advantage of opportunities to teach in a study abroad program in London and traveled to China and Cuba with professional delegations. Most unexpectedly, I was elected to be a CCCD Trustee. Serving in this role at CCCD has been most gratifying, as I use my experience in higher education to serve students, faculty and staff.
Who are your role models?
I admire smart women who are always striving and learning: Vice Chancellor Andreea Serban at CCCD, Congressional Representative Katie Porter are women who I know and who stand out in my mind.
What brings you joy?
One of my biggest joys is watching my daughter grow up. Now, I look forward to being a grandparent for the first time and that anticipation brings me joy.
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College News
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Program of Special Note:
Disrupting Racism through the Lens of The ArtsIn support of diversity, equity and inclusion, Coastline College is hosting a series of collaborative events for faculty, staff and students running through June 15, 2023, the Friday before Juneteenth. All are invited to attend the remaining sessions. |
COASTLINE COLLEGE |
Coastline College welcomes new ASG President, Jessica Lopez. Jessica is a disability advocate and full-time student in her second year at Coastline. She is triple-majoring in Business, Economics, and Communication. Born without hands and feet, Jessica's lived experience as a disabled student informs her advocacy for more inclusive and accessible education and workforces.
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GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE |
Golden West College's School of Nursing received full approval from the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN) on February 15 to increase its enrollment from 120 to 200 students annually and participate in the Concurrent Enrollment Pathway (CEP) with the California State University system. This is an historic moment for the program as the last approval for any type of enrollment increase was in 2006. The BRN approval allows for increased enrollment for GWC's School of Nursing, which benefits the community by preparing more graduates to address a nationwide nursing workforce shortage. The approval also opens the door for the College's Registered Nursing program to partner with CSU San Bernardino on a concurrent enrollment program, which would provide students with an accelerated educational pathway to a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree at an affordable cost. The School of Nursing is one of Golden West College's most in-demand programs and enrolls approximately 120 students per year, many of whom are given priority based on factors such as low income and other barriers to higher education. Partnerships such as CEP are crucial to the region's healthcare stakeholders because they promote accessibility and affordability for applicants who traditionally may not earn admission into a nursing program due to the competitive nature of impacted programs.
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| ORANGE COAST COLLEGE |
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The Orange Coast College Friends of the Library will host a two-night screening of the Banff Mountain Film Festival World Tour on Tuesday, March 14 and Wednesday, March 15 in the Robert B. Moore Theatre. Each night will offer a different selection of films. The event will begin at 7:00 pm on both nights. It will feature an international selection of films that present a wide range of outdoor adventures and portraits, including climbing, mountain expeditions, remote cultures, and the world's last great wild places. The Banff Mountain Film Festival is a flagship program of the Banff Centre in Canada. The Festival began more than 35 years ago as a one-day event featuring films about mountain climbing and has grown into a nine-day event with more than 840 screenings throughout the year.
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Schedule, Week of March 13
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Board of Trustees
The next regular meeting will be held Wednesday, March 15, with closed session beginning at 4:00 p.m. and open session at 5:00 p.m.
Chancellor
Dr. Yamamura is in the District, Monday through Friday
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publicaffairs@cccd.edu
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