This Week
What a week it has been!
I am so happy to see students and faculty back in classes, and grateful for everyone who rolled up their sleeves this past week and persevered.
The two-year faculty contract for 2018-2020 includes significant pay raises for full-time and adjunct professors. It also spells out the distribution formula for the high-demand nursing stipend funding as authorized by the legislature.
The final signed copy of the contract will be available once it has been finalized and posted on clarknet.clark.edu under Faculty Resources.
Many of you have expressed to me your concerns about how we will manage impacts on the budget when we have made new commitments at the same time that our enrollment and revenue are declining. This will likely require us to closely examine every vacancy before we post it and to leave some positions unfilled. It will also likely mean holding the line on other expenses, such as travel and goods and services. I cannot promise that we will not feel a pinch this fiscal year but I can assure you that we will explore all options.
Looking ahead to the 2020-2021 budget, our Budget Committee is working on a process that will engage the entire college community. We will need everyone’s ideas and contributions to help make the difficult budget decisions that lie ahead. There are no magical answers out there, but I believe a budget process that values openness, transparency and accountability will enable us to share in the work of righting our financial picture for the near- and long-term.
Presidential Finalists
This week we also hosted two of our three presidential candidates on campus.
Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement, and success at SUNY Westchester Community College and Dr. Karin Edwards, president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College, have each participated in the two-day interview process.
I encourage you to go online and provide input on the forums for both candidates. We want to hear your feedback. We have an easy-to-use link for you at www.clark.edu under “Important Updates.” For those who were not able to attend the forums, videos of the forums will be available as soon as all forums are completed and captioned.
Next week, Dr. Lamata D. Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community College, will visit the campus for the two-day long interview process.
The student forum will be held Tuesday January 21 at Foster Hall Auditorium from 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. The college forum will be held Wednesday January 22, also at Foster Hall Auditorium from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m.
We received word Wednesday that finalists Dr. Joaquín G. Martínez, district vice provost of institutional effectiveness at Miami Dade College, had removed his name from consideration citing personal reasons. We thanked him for his interest. We are confident that we have a slate of highly qualified candidates who are excited about the opportunity to lead Clark College into the next decade.
The Board of Trustees is on schedule to make a hiring decision by early March.
As a reminder, biographies and resumes of our three finalists are available online atwww.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/finalists.php
Congratulations!
Such good news to report out of our Welding Department that is working closely with a major manufacturer in our region, Vigor. Vigor has a new large military contract to build boats and needs skilled welders. They have toured our program and are excited to work with us.
Caleb White and his team are creating curriculum that will ensure students have the skills that Vigor needs. In addition to curriculum development, we are in the process of developing an agreement with Vigor that will provide our welding students with an opportunity to participate in interviews that could potentially lead to employment opportunities. In addition, Vigor will send their current employees to Clark for training.
This is exactly the kind of partnership we want for our students and our employers.
I thank Mohammed Maraee of the Southwest Washington Center of Excellence, who helps develop the relationship between colleges and employers in this region. He helps us better understand employers’ needs, while helping the employer understand the rules that govern higher education and accreditation. He helps us find ways to work together.
None of this would be possible without Welding Department Head Caleb White and our team of expert welding faculty. They bring both vision and practical skills to lead the effort to create curriculum that fits the needs of the employers.
Welding instructor Wade Housinger was instrumental in showing Vigor what we do at Clark and our capacity to meet their needs. It has been a team effort from the start. Thank you Vice President of Instruction Sachi Horback and Interim Dean of WPTE Armetta Burney for making this a high priority.
This is a big win for our students, our college and our employers. Congratulations to our Welding Program and Office of Instruction!
HS+ Student Success
Twenty-three Transitional Studies students earned their high school diplomas through Clark College’s High School+ (HS+) Program following fall quarter.
HS+ is a competency-based high school diploma program for adult learners age 18 and older who do not have a high school diploma or equivalency.
The program was rebranded statewide from High School 21+ to High School+, recognizing those 18-to-20 are now eligible for the diploma provided they satisfy state requirements for their graduating class.
Several of the graduates were employed while completing their diplomas, had jobs lined up upon graduation, or enlisted in the military. Congratulations to the graduates, and thank you to our team for helping them succeed.
Clark Music Highlights
I know you will join me in sending kudos to Professor Donald Appert. Our Clark College Orchestra Conductor and Music Director is being honored internationally.
His latest composition Contrapunctus (Mirrors) for Flute and Trombone, which was commissioned by Dr. Philip Martinson and Dr. Shelly Martinson, will be premiered at the International Trombone Festival in Osaka, Japan in summer of 2020. Congratulations, you make Penguin Nation proud.
Jazz Festival next week
The 58th annual Jazz Festival is nearly here – January 23-25 at Gaiser Student Center. It is free to all college faculty, staff and students. It’s a three-day event jam-packed with outstanding musical talent all in one place. For more information: www.clark.edu/cc/music.
Clark hosts regional equity conference
There is an exciting conference coming up on campus next month. Registration is still open for the inaugural Northwest Regional Equity Conference for Higher Education. There is depth, weight and real value in this inaugural event organized and hosted by Clark College. Registration Fee is $250. This is a great way to use professional development funds. However, if cost is a barrier please contact the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at extension 2292. More info: www.clark.edu/campus-life/student-support/diversity-and-equity/equity-conference/index.php
Upcoming events
I’m looking forward to attending the 10th Annual Dr. Martin Luther King Breakfast Celebration held by iUrban Teen with a team from Clark College, as well as our annual MLK event in the Gaiser Student Center on Tuesday, January 21, and seeing the interactive hands-on display of the history of Buffalo Soldiers/Black cowboys 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. and the Buffalo Soldiers of the Pacific Northwest documentary discussion being held noon – 1:30 p.m.
Join me in honoring Dr. King’s legacy of service to others by donating hair- and skin-care products for African-American families served by YWCA Clark County. Donations can be dropped off at the Student Center. More information at www.clark.edu/cc/mlk/
New date to be set for State of the College
A reminder – we will be setting a new date for the State of the College, which was rescheduled because of the strike this past week.
The most exciting part, for me, is announcing the inaugural recipients of two new employee awards: the Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award and the Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award.
I will update you on the plans next week.
Also rescheduled
The Student Involvement Fair has been moved to Wednesday, January 29 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in the PUB student center. We can encourage our students to check it out, enjoy a free lunch, and learn about the clubs, programs and resources available at Clark.
Also a student resource for all of us to remember as we interact with students: the Tutoring Centers at Clark. They provide free tutors to assist with most courses offered at Clark. The centers also have computers, printers, calculators, and other tools for students. The link is www.clark.edu/cc/tutoring.
I am reminded of impermanence of all phenomena today as the Tibetan Monks destroy the beautiful Sand Mandala in the closing ceremony. They will be taking a small amount of the colored sand in a procession to Columbia River, where it will be poured into the water for the health and well-being of our waterways and marine life, ultimately making its way to the Pacific Ocean to benefit all beings there.
As we celebrate a new year, I hope we can move forward together supporting one another to make Penguin Nation a great place to work and to learn. In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of service to others, take time during this long weekend pick up some hair- and skin-care products for African-American families to donate to the YWCA Clark County and take time to recharge.
One of Martin Luther King Jr.’s quotes that has guided me throughout my life is, “I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.”
