Subject: [All Faculty] Actions and accountability
From: Presidents Office <[email-masked]>
To: undisclosed-recipients:;
Date: Tue, 30 Jun 2020 19:30:22 -0700
List-Id: <nested_in_allfaculty.cca.edu>

Dear CCA Faculty,

CCA is not immune to the structural racism upon which our society is built,
and we are accountable to our community—especially our Black students,
faculty, staff, and alumni.

We have reviewed the recommendations gathered and presented to us by the
President’s Diversity Steering Group (PDSG). You may see a compilation of
those suggestions here
<https://portal.cca.edu/essentials/office-president/presidents-diversity-steering-group/cca-community-recommendations-racial-justice-equity-initiatives/>
.

With these recommendations as a foundation, we are committed to working
toward restorative justice and racial equity. The level of institutional
change we must make will take time and participation from our entire
community. We know we must act with urgency, to ensure our campus is a
brave, safe, welcoming, and actively anti-racist place for everyone. Here
are some of the actions we are taking now:

   1.

   Prioritize funding for diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives. A
   discrete budget for these efforts will be created through existing
   operational funds and fundraising.
   2.

   Designate space on our campus for an academic and social gathering place
   for BIPOC students. This space will be completed and open by the time
   students return to campus this fall.
   3.

   Expand anti-racism and anti-bias training and education for all faculty,
   staff, and students. This training will be universal and mandatory.
   4.

   Continue funding and support for the Decolonial School
   <https://sites.google.com/cca.edu/decolonial/home> and develop support
   specific to BIPOC faculty.
   5.

   Launch the CCA land acknowledgement, which was developed in partnership
   with the Decolonial School and local Indigenous leaders and representatives.
   6.

   Establish forums for regular communication between BIPOC students and
   academic and college leadership.
   7.

   Expand CANVAS
   <https://portal.cca.edu/thriving/dean-students/diversity-and-inclusion/canvas-program/>
   (CCA Artist’s Network Valuing Aspiring Students) to include a for-credit
   experience encompassing mentorship, networking, and leadership preparation.
   8.

   Work with local high schools to expand opportunities for BIPOC students
   and create additional pathways for enrollment.
   9.

   Refocus the Student Retention and Success Committee to prioritize
   support for BIPOC students.
   10.

   Improve the process for reporting, acknowledging, and responding to
   student concerns and complaints.

This is not a comprehensive list, and we’re still just at the beginning of
the process, which will include the creation of a comprehensive diversity,
equity, and inclusion strategic plan for the college.

Thank you for holding us accountable, and for being part of this process.

Stephen Beal

President

Tammy Rae Carland

Provost