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This Monday, Golden West College was placed on lockdown for the first time in recent memory. The last time something like a lockdown happened anywhere in the District was in October 2022, when the Coastline College Newport Beach Center had its only documented shelter-in-place order due to police activity in the area. Orange Coast College has not had any incidents that we could find on record. I share this because it is important to understand that by both work and design, our colleges are historically very safe – safer indeed than many areas in our surrounding neighborhoods.
At the same time, every public safety incident is a reminder of how important it is to prepare for rare critical events. I wrote last week in response to two prior public safety incidents at Golden West College earlier this month (and my apologies to those who did not have that context) about our need to restore readiness through resources, training, and practice that has worn down over the constant strain of the COVID-19 pandemic. The presidents, vice chancellors, and their leadership teams are addressing these areas to increase our level of safety.
I want to thank our faculty, staff, and managers who are identifying areas for improvement. The group I want to single out the most for thanks and acknowledgement are our Classified Professionals who are doing the work of keeping us safe. I mean the Public Safety professionals patrolling our campuses, the Maintenance and Operations professionals making sure doors and locks work properly, the Information Technology Services professionals making sure our systems work in an emergency, and every member of our professional staff who keeps watch for suspicious activities. I know there are many more Classified and Confidential Professionals whose work connects to safety, directly or indirectly.
I continue to be awed by the expertise available districtwide. In an era of high fear and uncertainty, I rely on your expertise to know what steps we can take now to provide an even safer environment. You have my continued commitment to prioritize your safety and that of our entire community.
With gratitude,
Whitney
Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
Chancellor
The News Brief will pause for Spring Holiday, March 31, and resume on Friday, April 7.
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