Subject: [Faculty-l] Actions in Progress for Racial Justice and Equity
From: Presidents Office <[email-masked]>
To: [email-masked], [email-masked], [email-masked]
Date: Tue, 9 Jun 2020 12:51:53 -0700
List-Id: All-Faculty mailing list <faculty-l.lists.cca.edu>

Dear CCA Community,

What took place on May 25 in Minneapolis exposed, again, the terrible
systems that support violence against Black lives. The murder of George
Floyd sparked a movement that is reframing the meaning of responsible
citizenship, even amid the continuing crisis of COVID–19. Like so many in
our country, the CCA community—faculty, staff, students, alumni, and
trustees—is responding and demanding change. And you are asking what
meaningful steps the college can take to stand against racial injustice and
to advance social equity.

I value the transformative power of education and take pride in the
generations of CCA alumni who are making our country a more just,
sustainable, and equitable society. Yet this is not enough. We have a long
way to go, and leaders have a special responsibility to reflect upon and
critique the structure of their institutions. We must continuously and
consistently confront power relations within our own walls that devalue,
disempower, or disrespect members of our community. Institutions are part
of a larger American society plagued since its inception by structural
inequities—especially for African Americans. Pledging energy, commitment,
and resources, CCA will take on the task of defining and implementing
reparative steps that are definitive, measurable, and transparent.

Following are some of the steps we are initiating now and others we are
building upon. I ask that you recognize them for what they are—small steps
in an ongoing journey that we are committed to continuing for as long as
CCA stands as an institution.

Juneteenth day of service

Beginning this year, CCA will institute an annual day of service on
Juneteenth (June 19, 2020), a day that celebrates African American freedom
and achievement while encouraging continuous self-development and respect
for all cultures. We will plan an additional service day in the fall that
will focus on decolonial initiatives.

Diversity and inclusion performance goals

All departments will be required to include a diversity and inclusion goal
as part of this year’s annual staff performance review process, with the
purpose of promoting accountability in our efforts to foster cultural
competence, diversity, and inclusivity within our community of students,
staff, and faculty.

Diversifying the CCA Board of Trustees

The CCA Board of Trustees has begun a renewed effort to improve diversity
and inclusion within its governing body. Recognizing the need for deep
expertise to help develop and take action on an effective diversity and
inclusion plan, the board researched and selected an outside expert to
support this work, which will be comprehensive and ongoing.

Racial justice and equity resource list

Last week, I invited members of our community to share anti-racism
resources you have found helpful and would like to offer to others. Your
suggestions are being gathered on a Community-Sourced Racial Justice +
Equity Resources
<https://portal.cca.edu/essentials/office-president/diversity-inclusion/community-sourced-racial-justice-equity-resources/>
page on Portal, a collection of peer-to-peer recommendations that will grow
over time. If you’d like to offer an additional resource, please do so here
<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSegeG1HlLmuO1tTyt-6gxwDpe2dYmIqVYSWbGm4s6wPax8cEw/viewform?usp=sf_link>
.

Emotional support group meetings

HR is in the process of scheduling emotional support groups for BIPOC
colleagues, as well as non-targeted groups. These sessions for faculty and
staff will be guided by a licensed counselor to help participants address
the trauma of racial tension and violence.

Voter friendly campus

Since fall 2019, various departments and programs have been crafting an
action plan to become a Voter Friendly Campus
<https://www.voterfriendlycampus.org/>. The multi-pronged approach will
focus community efforts related to voter registration, education, and
turnout. In November 2020, CCA will once again serve as a polling location.

Coordinated institutional reflection, action, and assessment

Advancing a racially just and equitable culture at CCA will require
continuous, comprehensive work. Several groups and many individuals on our
campus have long been committed to this work, including the President’s
Diversity Steering Group
<https://portal.cca.edu/essentials/office-president/presidents-diversity-steering-group/>,
the Diversity and Inclusion Task Force
<https://portal.cca.edu/essentials/office-president/presidents-diversity-steering-group/diversity-and-inclusion-task-force/>,
and the Decolonial School <https://sites.google.com/cca.edu/decolonial/home>,
and we are all beneficiaries of their energy and expertise. The work ahead,
though, involves all of us—not just our diversity-focused groups and task
forces.

As I said in my message last week, we as an institution have the power and
the privilege that positions us to act in meaningful ways to promote social
justice and community engagement. In the days since, I’ve returned
repeatedly to considering the power we have individually as well—as
artists, designers, writers, architects, scholars, teachers, activists, and
others who support this creative work—to shape the future of our society
and our world.

I will close this message with a personal commitment to redouble my own
efforts to further educate myself about BIPOC racism and anti-blackness; to
facilitate systemic institutional change by creating space and prioritizing
time and resources for this work; and to participate actively in these
efforts. I am grateful for the thoughtful feedback and critique I have
received from this community, and I look forward to working with each of
you to address the structural inequities that exist on our campus and in
our community.

Sincerely,

Steve
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