This Week: Coronavirus Concerns

As a college, we are closely monitoring the outbreak of a respiratory disease known as COVID-19. We are in ongoing contact with Clark County Public Health. We will work with them to determine risk and exposure. We will act with abundant caution.

Our Number One priority is to safeguard the health of our students, staff, and faculty. We also want to do everything we can to help our students successfully complete their winter term studies.

Facilities Services staff are using COVID-19 sanitation guidelines from the CDC for routine cleaning, including common touch surfaces. Please understand that increased cleaning in high-use locations will result in service reductions or suspensions in low-traffic locations, such as private offices.

Our departments are building their operational plans should there be a temporary disruption to classes or college operations. We are taking into consideration all possible scenarios. That makes it hard for me to generalize our operational plan to you today because it’s dependent on so many variables. I want to thank the work of the Incident Response Team, which is meeting daily. We post updates to www.clark.edu under “Important Updates.”

As a reminder, we all have a role to play:

1. Know our facts. The CDC government website is a reputable resource. 
2. Wash our hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds each time. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.
3. Avoid touching our faces with unwashed hands.
4. Don’t share food and drinks.
5. Clean and disinfect shared surfaces and objects that are touched frequently.
6. If possible, avoid close contact with anyone with cold or flu-like symptoms.
7. We should stay home when we are sick. Stay home, rest, and stay hydrated.

This is a rapidly evolving situation. I will update over the weekend if conditions change.

Budget process

Thank you to all who have attended the budget forums this past week as coordinated by the Budget Committee.

I want to thank the Budget Committee—which includes faculty, staff, and students—for their work on this. To do their work, they need your help. They are asking you to submit ideas you have to help Clark College close a projected $5.4 million gap in the 2020-2021 budget. All budget proposals must be submitted via an online form by March 11.

The committee again acknowledges that this is a tight timeline, but hopes you will take advantage of this opportunity to share your thoughts on the important budget decisions that need to be made. We appreciate the many proposals (more than 200 to date) that have already been submitted. 

We’ve also heard that faculty and staff would like a place to share ideas for generating revenue. Feel free to use the existing online budget proposal form and simply note that you are submitting a recommendation to increase revenue and not a recommendation to cut the budget.

The committee has developed budget priorities to be used in reviewing the recommendations it receives. It is posted on ClarkNet under “Budget Process (2020-2021)”. If you need an alternate format or an accessible version of the Budget Priorities document, please contact Bob Williamson at bwilliamson@clark.edu or at 360-992-2123.

Who is your representative on the Budget Committee? Here is the linkto the budget committee members with their contact information. When you see them, please thank them for their work.

The committee will be submitting a prioritized list of budget proposals to Executive Cabinet on March 20.

Clark College Climate Improvement Task Force

I’m pleased to share updates from the Climate Improvement Task Force. In their first three meetings, they’ve had wide-ranging conversations about our college community and their approach to this work. The task force is committed to a grassroots approach to guide their recommendations in addressing themes identified in the Fall 2019 Climate Survey. They will invite conversation and solicit your feedback throughout the process. 

To date, they have:

1. established group norms and agreements 
2. determined how they will work together as a task force, with constituencies, and with the college as a whole 
3. dedicated themselves to modeling shared governance and open communication as a task force 
4. committed themselves to using feedback from our climate survey and other avenues to guide their recommendations 

Here are the Members of Climate Improvement Taskforce:

• Justin Allen
• Traneesa Frazier
• Shanda Haluapo
• Heather Leasure 
• Dalila Paredes
• Jenny Shadley
• David Sims
• Arwen Spicer
• Erin Staples
• Sarah Thorsen
• Robert Weston
• Rashida Willard
• Bryton Williams
• Melissa Williams
• Feddie Young

We understand there is no simple fix to our college environment and that a task force cannot resolve all the challenges that employees face. However, I am grateful to the members of the task force who are rolling up their sleeves in this effort toward systemic change for a healthier and more inclusive college culture. I fully support their process and their work.

Accessibility

I encourage all of us to check out Accessibility Made Easy, a Canvas resource to support staff in creating accessible content.  

The content is easy to follow, providing steps and resources for creating accessible documents. The topics cover tools commonly used at Clark College: Microsoft Outlook 2016, Microsoft Word 2016, Microsoft PPT 2016, and Adobe Acrobat DC for PDFs. This content was put together by Instructional Accessibility Specialist Tre Sandlin and Director of Disability Support Services Megan Jasurda. Thank you, Tre and Megan!

Upcoming ODEI Trainings

On a related note, I wanted to pass along to you the upcoming opportunity for Disability Justice 101 training.This course qualifies for both B.U.I.L.D. and PPI credit.

During this training, participants learn about the intricacies of the disability community, including affirming and non-affirming language, types of disabilities and learn about neurodiversity. Participants will also learn what these concepts mean and how to put the tools into practice in the Clark College community. This course will take place on March 18 from 5:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. in GHL 213. Sign up here.

Preventing violence and harassment

Clark College received a three-year grant from the Office of Violence Against Women to reduce and prevent sexual assault, dating and domestic violence and stalking. One of the main goals of the grant was to embed training, information and supports into our existing structures. I’m pleased to report that since July 2018, more than 3,000 Clark students have received Bystander Intervention and Consent training in their College 101 classes. Kudos to Cath Busha, who helped write the grant; Tavish Bell, who served as the first project coordinator; Flyn Alexander, who is overseeing the grant until it ends this October; Heather Adams, who worked with Tavish to develop the training curriculum; and Kristin Sherwood, who included this important information in her College 101 curriculum. To learn more about resources available to help students and employees report and recover from sexual misconduct, visit www.clark.edu/cc/survivors.

Congratulations, Susan!

Please congratulate Susan Maxwell. Thankfully she’s not leaving Clark College but she is taking on new responsibilities with SBCTC to help our fellow colleges implement ctcLink. Starting March 16, she will become an SBCTC employee. She’ll maintain her office here four days a week and will spend 20 percent of her time working on ctcLink for Clark College.

Thank you, Susan, for your work and your leadership at Clark. You’ll be a great asset in helping other community colleges make the leap.

Congratulations, Andy!

Great news from our student led Indy Newspaper. Former Indy photo editor Andy Bao, who’s now at UCLA, just won Student Photographer of the Year from the National Press Photographers Association. Also, the Indy won third place out of 9 for best community-college newspaper at the Associated Collegiate Press’s mid-winter conference in San Francisco on Feb. 29. Kudos!

Upcoming events

I am looking forward to some fun upcoming events next week at Clark College – here are a few reminders:

• Treble Ensemble Concert is Thursday, March 12 at 7:30 p.m. The location is 401 E 33rd Street at the Vancouver First United Methodist Church. Free admission for everyone.
• The Winter Choral Concert is Saturday, March 14 at 7:30 p.m. The location is 401 E 33rd Street at the Vancouver First United Methodist Church. Free admission for everyone.
• Clark College Automotive Open House is Wednesday, March 18 at 6:00 p.m. The location is the Auto Shop in AA1 on the main campus. This is open to students, their families, and anyone interested in our Dealer Ready Automotive Technology programs. Our partnerships with dealerships include Toyota, Honda, Dick Hannah, and Audi.

I am also looking forward to attending the Nursing Pinning Ceremony, Dr. Chris Hill’s visit with the Guided Pathways Team, a lecture at the Port of Vancouver on Doing Business with the World, Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance Springfest at Pearson Field Education Center, and the Vancouver School District Foundation Luncheon with the Clark Foundation staff.

Great things continue to happen every day here at Penguin Nation as we wrap up Winter Quarter. As I was waiting in the Decker Theatre Lobby last night for the doors to open for the musical Bare I overheard a community member say, “This theatre adds so much to the culture of our city. Thanks for being here.”

Thank you for all you do to make Clark College a great place to work and to learn.

This week

This past week I enjoyed
celebrating with our community 30 years of research and community collaboration
at WSUV. And, the Business and Health Sciences Unit invited me for some
Q&A. Thanks to the BHS faculty and staff for sharing your thoughts and
concerns with me. I especially enjoyed hearing about learning in action in a
Professional Selling Class. A student developed a sales pitch as his final
project to propose to another student in the class. And, she said, “Yes!”
Thanks James Ron Powers, Adjunct Professor, for sharing the adorable pictures.

At the L.E.A.D. meeting on Friday
we got a sneak preview of what will be presented at the upcoming budget forums.
VP Bob Williamson and Director of Business Services, Sabra Sand, did an
outstanding job of describing a very complex topic in an open and transparent
way.

Budget

The Budget Committee is
finalizing instructions for the college to assist in the development of the
2020-21 budget. This process will allow all members of the college community to
contribute proposals.  Input is vital as the college anticipates a $5.4
million shortfall in the 2020-21 budget, which will result in an approximate 8%
cut.

It is important for all of us to
see the projections, the numbers and have a chance to ask questions as we move
forward through this process. The budget committee will be loading budget
documents onto our intranet for your ongoing review. It’s at https://clarknet.clark.edu/governance/budget.

Three budget forums will be held:

• February
  27, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., PUB 258
• February
  28, 8:00 – 9:30 a.m., PUB 258
• March
  3, 1:30 – 3:00 p.m., FHL 126

I want to thank the budget
committee, which includes faculty, classified, staff, and students. I want to
encourage all of us to participate in this process. The committee will develop
a list of ideas on how we can close the gap. They will prioritize and submit to
the Executive Cabinet. The EC will give weight to the recommendations in making
budget decisions and reporting back to the committee. This is difficult work
and it is important we do it with respectful communication, discourse and
transparency.

Legislative Update

The 2020 legislative session
passed its halfway mark Tuesday as fiscal committees reached their deadline for
passing bills out of committee. The House and Senate used the remainder of the
week for floor action debating and voting bills ahead of the Feb. 19 floor
cutoff date. The Senate confirmed several community college trustees this week
including Reekah Strong.

A bill to fix the funding
structure behind the Workforce Education Investment Act is headed for the
Governor’s desk. Once he signs, it will put into place a funding structure
supporting the 2019 act, which includes the Washington College Grant and Guided
Pathways.

President Search

The Board of Trustees has narrowed
the field of presidential candidates to two: Dr Karin Edwards and Dr. Sara
Thompson Tweedy. Their bios cans be reviewed on the Clark College Presidential Search Page.

The Board has identified a few
key follow up questions for the two finalists. They have asked them to provide
additional information that will be used to help make a final decision expected
next Friday, February 21^st.

The College began this work a year ago and I want to thank each
of you who have contributed along our collective journey. Engagement has been
key to a transparent, equitable and inclusive process and we are grateful for
everyone who has played a part in preparing for this important moment in Clark
College history.  

Sad news at Concordia University

As many of you already know,
Concordia University Portland announced this week that they will be closing at
the end of this spring term.

This heartbreaking news has
brought up questions. One set of questions is around what we are doing for
Concordia students. Earlier this week, I reached out to Concordia’s president to
offer any assistance we can provide in supporting their students. Student
Affairs is planning on attending a transfer fair at Concordia next week. And
I’ve asked HR to reach out to their HR department to connect with employees who
may be eligible to fill open positions here.

The other set of questions
revolve around whether what happened at Concordia could happen at Clark. It’s
important to understand that we are two very different institutions: Concordia
is a private university with a large online graduate-degree program, while
Clark is a public community college. Accreditors were concerned enough about
Concordia’s finances to require additional monitoring; Clark just received a
very complimentary financial audit with no findings. This informative article in
Inside Higher Ed explains in greater depth how Concordia’s troubles developed.

Nevertheless, this news has impact
on our community. Some Clark students were planning on transferring there; some
Clark employees are midway through graduate programs at Concordia, or have
children who are attending there, or are alumni themselves; and many of us know
people working at the university. I want to extend my sympathy to everyone
affected.

Kudos to Team

Thank you Cath Busha, Dean of Student Engagement, who has agreed
to serve as Interim Title IX Coordinator pending hiring of the Director of
Compliance position. Genevieve Howard, Associate Vice President of
Instruction, and Mike See, Director of Safety and Security, will serve as
Deputy Title IX Coordinators. I appreciate all the ways our staff pitch in
during times of challenge.

Clark survey of students on food and housing insecurity

This week, The Hope
Center for College, Community, and Justice released its #RealCollege
2020 National Report.  330,000 students at more than 400 colleges and
universities were surveyed about food and housing insecurity.

Here is the data specific to Clark College:

• 36% of respondents experienced food insecurity in the prior 30 days
• 46% of respondents experienced housing insecurity in the previous year
• 17% of respondents experienced homelessness in the previous year
• 55% of students at Clark College experienced at least one of these forms of basic needs insecurity in the past year
• 28% of food-insecure students utilize SNAP benefits
• 11% of homeless students utilize housing benefits

Invitations to complete the questionnaire were sent by email to
approximately 7,600 students from Clark College and 1,156 students
participated. Thus, the estimated response rate is 15.2%.  To read the
full report for Clark College:
https://gallery.mailchimp.com/5bed243399f122edd399e7728/files/7a9598e1-ba5f-4be3-a523-69f5e8ad1074/RC2019_InstRpt_ClarkCollege.01.pdf

It affirms the importance of our wrap-around services for students to help them stay on the path, acknowledging the barriers that they face in their pursuit of a certificate or degree.

Faculty
Honors

The Faculty Excellence Award
Committee encourages all of us to nominate an outstanding instructor,
librarian, counselor, or department head for the Exceptional Faculty Award.

This award is professional
recognition of the highest order, as it spotlights the instructor’s teaching
excellence and positive impact for all to see. Faculty members can nominate
their peers as well.

For more information and to
nominate your favorite instructor or an outstanding peer, please go to http://www.clark.edu/cc/efa.  The
deadline for making your submission is March 13, 2020.

Next week

I hope you all
enjoy the three-day holiday weekend. I will be attending the Association of
College Trustees (ACT) new trustees orientation and legislative advocacy
conference with our trustees.

Next week the
college is hosting the inaugural NW
Regional Equity in Higher Education Conference organized by our amazing DEI team (Rashida Willard, Dee Harris,
Alyssa Voyles, Melissa Williams and Rosalba Pitkin.) Speakers from, Washington
(including Clark College), Oregon and Idaho are presenting on Creating
Inclusive Systems Beyond Diversity: Equity in Practice.

We are also
hosting the Columbia River Economic Development Council Education Committee at
CTC. I am looking forward to presenting an overview of our programs and
Francois Wevers, Director of Economic Partnerships and Customized Learning,
will be providing a tour of the CTC Building. And, I am honored to serve on a
panel of regional community colleges at the Greater Portland Inc. Economic
Summit to share the great work we are doing.

Great things
continue to happen every day here at Penguin Nation. Thanks to our wonderful
Grounds Crew (and some sunshine) the crocuses and daffodils are blooming, and
the campus looks beautiful!

Thank you for
all you do to make Clark College a great place to work and to learn.

This week

Kudos to the Facilities Services
staff and Safety and Security officers at Columbia Tech Center for responding
so quickly to the water damage due to flooding from a broken water pipe over
the weekend. We recovered quickly thanks to the Facilities team and the Office
of Instruction’s Joanne Savage, who figured out room moves for the remainder of
the week and made the changes in 25Live. The restoration phase will be
rebuilding the damaged systems and bringing the building back to completed
form. This might take a month or two, depending on class schedules,
contractor/staff availability, and the extent of the repairs needed after the
recovery phase. Thanks to all for the quick response in getting classes back up
and running.

I enjoyed a delicious,
four-course Mardi Gras lunch in the McClaskey Culinary Institute this past week
and also stopped in to see beautiful Japanese calligraphy created by students.
As an ex officio member of the Foundation Board, I shared an update on the
progress of the 10 board priorities for this year. At the Board of Trustees
work session, it was inspiring to listen to the 11 tenure-track candidates
share their passion for teaching. Kudos to the Tenure Office and all of the
support Danielle Plesser and Quincy Berkompas have provided to the candidates
and the tenure committees to make this a well-organized and supportive process.

At the Board of Trustees meeting
we heard heartfelt student testimonials on the impact that the college
navigators and the MESA program have had on students’ lives. In describing his
experience at Clark College, student Jovan Merceron shared, “I feel like a
person, and the faculty always care. Clark is a place where you can become
somebody and become the best version of yourself.”

It was my honor to welcome the
statewide Council for Unions and Student Programs to Clark College for their
Winter Quarter meeting, which was hosted by Sarah Gruhler, Director of Student
Life. It was made even more special to reconnect with a former student life
director I had previously worked with at Everett Community College. I also
enjoyed celebrating birthdays and getting to know some of our amazing faculty
and staff.

Budget

In my earlier budget message sent today I let the college know
the Budget Committee has recommended going with a conservative option in
projecting 2020-21 enrollment. This option anticipates fewer state-support,
Running Start, and International students than we built into the current year’s
budget.

Given our recent enrollment history, I accepted the committee’s
recommendation to plan very conservatively for next year’s budget. But the net
result of serving fewer students, coupled with increases in must-fund items
such as wages and benefits increases for all faculty and staff, leaves us with
a $5.4 million deficit to close in 2020-21.

To put this deficit in perspective, last year’s 5% budget cut
saved $3 million. To close next year’s projected shortfall we will have to find
cuts of 7 to 8%. 

We are faced with a significant budget challenge, and solving it
will require everyone’s participation. The Budget Committee will soon be
announcing the process for engaging the entire college community in developing
next year’s budget. In the meantime, please feel free to share your thoughts
with your Budget Committee representatives. A current committee roster is
attached to the earlier budget message.

President Search

Thank you everyone who took time to provide feedback on the
finalists for the position of Clark College President. All feedback provided
online is confidential and anonymous. The Board of Trustees extends their
appreciation to you for the thought and time you have put into helping them
select the next leader of the college. You can remind yourself of the three
candidates by going to the Presidential
Search Finalists web page.

The Board of Trustees is on schedule to make a hiring decision
as early as Friday, February 14. The decision would be made during the open
session of the Board of Trustees meeting. We’ll be quick to update you by email
and with news alerts as soon as we hear the news. All three of our candidates
are excited at the prospect of leading Clark College and working with all of
you.

New MESA Director

Please join me in welcoming Dalila Paredes to her new role at
Clark College as MESA Program Director! Dalila highlighted two of her students
and presented at Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting. It is so encouraging to
hear from students who are thriving at Clark College.

Margaret Tolmacheva is studying to be a mechanical engineer, and
she’s currently President of the NERD Girls Club. Derek Ferguson is studying to
be a nurse practitioner. They both say MESA’s tutoring, textbook supports, and
personalized attention are all important resources helping them succeed. Dalila
has taught college STEM classes for a decade. She previously opened a STEM
tutoring center at Amarillo College in Texas.

The Clark College MESA program currently has 95 students enrolled
who are pursuing degrees in science, technology, mathematics and engineering.
It provides added supports for low-income students of color who are
underrepresented in STEM-related careers. The current group of students has an
average 3.08 GPA and a 79% retention rate. Dalila says she hopes to create more
internship opportunities for MESA students. If you have ideas or want more
information, she can be reached at dparedes@clark.edu.

Clark/Vigor agreement signed

This is exciting!  Clark
College has signed an MOU with Vigor for what will be a very positive
partnership benefiting our students. I mentioned this a few weeks ago. Vigor has
a new $1 billion contract to build next-generation landing craft for the U.S.
military and needs skilled welders.

Caleb White and his team are
creating curriculum that will ensure students have the skills that Vigor needs.
Vigor will offer interviews to our students that will 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.

So many people to thank, let’s
start with Caleb White, Welding Department Head and his team of expert welding
faculty. Also Vice President of Instruction Sachi Horback and Interim Dean of
WPTE Armetta Burney for making this a high priority and negotiating the newly
signed MOU. This is a big win for our students, our college and our employers.
Congratulations to our Welding Program and Office of Instruction!

Faculty Kudos

Congratulations to Bruce Elgort, Computer Technology Instructor.
He has been recognized by IBM as an IBM 2020 Champion. The international
program recognizes innovative thought leaders in the technical community. It
provides training opportunities to its recognized champions. 1,400 individuals
were nominated from 44 countries. IBM announced its 600 champions this week.
Bruce is one of approximately 250 recipients from the United States. Bruce is a
great example of an innovator bringing the very latest in a rapidly changing
world to our students.

Clark College Grants

Clark College has been awarded more than $2 million in grants
this past year. I want to thank everyone, especially Julie Robertson, Director
of Planning & Grant Development, who have obtained these additional
resources that benefit our students in direct and meaningful ways. Over the
next several weeks, I’ll be highlighting some of the grants and how they’re
being used.

On the foundation side, Clark College’s Veterans Resource Center
was recently named the recipient of a $245,700 grant thanks to the Cowlitz
Indian Tribe. This is a tremendous investment in our veterans and we are
grateful for the support.

On the college side, you may remember the Career Connects grants
awarded in September. This comes from a dedicated fund identified in the
Governor’s budget; one-time money to help bolster and expand college programs
in high-demand industry.  Clark College received $1.3 million earmarked
for the Mechatronics program. It provides capital equipment funding and
instruction funding to support more FTE’s.

SBCTC provided Clark with $100,000 for Guided Pathways –
specifically for the student emergency assistance grant.

I like to highlight these grants because it requires substantial
work to apply for, and then manage, the grant. These are valuable additional
resources to the college that help us fund high-demand services and programs.

Alpha Sigma Phi Honors       

The Alpha Sigma Phi Chapter at Clark College has been recognized
nationally as a 2020 REACH Chapter. REACH stands for Recognizing Excellence
in Acceptance and Completion with Honors. PTK members will receive special
graduation stoles to wear in honor of their achievement. Clark College is
grateful for their many contributions to our community.

Honoring our students

Because we place so much emphasis
on supporting, our students I wanted help spread the word.

Each year, the ASCC Officers host
the OSWALD Awards (Outstanding Students With Academic
Leadership and Development skills) to recognize Clark College
students for their outstanding achievements. You can submit the names of
current students you would like to be recognized at the 2020 OSWALD Awards.
Award categories and submission forms can be found by visiting the OSWALD
website. The deadline is Friday, March 20.

Next week

I am looking forward to attending the women’s and men’s
basketball games this weekend and honoring former athletes and teams who are
being inducted at the ninth annual Clark College Athletics Hall of Fame. Next
week I’m hosting the Clark Equity Advisory Committee, an event I look forward
to each month. This group of dedicated community leaders have provided great
insight and feedback on improving college culture for systemically non-dominant
students.

I also look forward to attended WSUV’s 30-year celebration of
research and community partnerships and representing Clark College on the WSUV
Advisory Council. And finally, as we all excitedly anticipate the announcement
of the next president, I have convened an onboarding committee to support their
success.

Great things continue to happen every day here at Clark College.
Thank you for all you do.

This week

I kicked off this week
with welcoming our new employees to the Penguin Nation at their orientation
session. Thank you to Vanessa Neal for organizing this engaging event, and to
each of the program presenters as well. I appreciated hearing from classified
staff at the WPEA Membership meeting as they shared concerns about college
climate with me. I joined the foundation for a “Conversation” with community
leaders hosted by Patrick Ginn, CEO of the Ginn Group, at his office. It was an
informative evening of making connections with Clark College and updating the
group on some of the exciting things happening here, including the new applied
baccalaureate programs. Thanks to Nursing faculty member Nick Luisi for sharing
his inspiring keynote presentation at the Office of Diversity, Equity and
Inclusion and Multicultural Peer Mentors’ Winter 2020 Queer Student Luncheon. I
also stopped in at the Transfer Fair in the Student Center and delighted to see
so many of our students exploring what’s next for them on their path to
success.

Presidential finalist feedback is due Feb. 4

If you haven’t already, remember to submit your feedback online for our three finalist presidential candidates. Employees can do so online from the ClarkNet home page (login required). All feedback must be received by 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, February 4. All feedback will be anonymous and confidential.

BASHS recognition

The Washington State Department of Health recently issued a report titled “Evaluating the Need for Creation of a Bachelor’s Level Behavioral Health Credential.” Clark College’s own Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Services degree program was singled out as an example of the kind of degree path that combines training in both addiction and mental health to create behavioral health care professionals that meet new guidelines set out by the Affordable Care Act. Kudos to Dr. Marcia Roi and the rest of the team behind our BASHS program for being forward-thinking about how best to prepare students for the future of health care careers.

Advising takes their show on the road

You may have seen staff from Advising Services around campus recently talking with students as part of a new “Pop-Up Advising” initiative. They are reaching out to students to promote the importance of making connections with academic advisors early. This is a great example of putting Guided Pathways goals into action by making this key service more accessible to students who might not come into their offices. Academic Advisors will be visiting CTC and CCW this term as well. If you have an area of the college you think would benefit from a Pop-Up Advising session, contact advising@clark.edu.

Go Penguins!

Congratulations to our women’s basketball team, who beat Portland Community College 71-43 on Wednesday. Find out about scores and upcoming games at www.clarkpenguins.com.

Gaydena Thompson

Finally, I want to take a moment to recognize the passing of an important figure in Clark College’s history. Gaydena Thompson, who taught physical education at Clark College for more than three decades and served as our Athletic Director for five years, died on December 31 at the age of 84. Gaydena was a truly remarkable person: Not only was she Clark Collge’s first female athletic director, but she was the first female athletic director at any Washington State community or technical college. Our Thompson Fitness Center is named after her. A celebration of Gaydena’s life will be held at 2 p.m. on February 1 in Gaiser Student Center. Those who wish to do so can donate to Clark College Foundation in Gaydena’s name by visiting www.clarkcollegefoundation.org/campaign/give, selecting “Other” in the drop down menu and specifying the “Gaydena Thompson Fund.”

Next Week

I am looking forward to enjoying a Mardi Gras-inspired menu in
the MCI Student Restaurant next week. I’ll be sharing an update on the college
at the Foundation Board meeting, attending the Columbia River Economic
Development Annual Investor Event, meeting the first- and second-year tenure
probationers at the Board of Trustees Work Session, hosting birthdays with the president,
and attending the STEM Seminar Series on February 7 (“Worthwhile Challenges of
Fieldwork in Congo Basin” by Clark College anthropology faculty member Jay
Fancher). And I’ll be ending the week by celebrating our new inductees into the
Clark
College Athletic Hall of Fame. This year’s honorees include:
1968 Men’s Golf Team; 1995 Men’s Basketball Team; Dan Johnson, Men’s Basketball
1966-68; Michele (Westmorland) Brown, Women’s Softball 2012; and Marc
Hadenfeld, Men’s Track & Field 1969-70.

Great things continue to happen every day here at Clark College. Thank you for all you do.

Presidential Finalists

This week we all have one last chance to participate in the search process for Clark College’s next president. Our three finalists have now completed their interviews on campus, which included an open public forum and a student forum. Those forums were recorded, have been close-captioned and have now been posted at http://www.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/forums.php.

I encourage you to take some time, watch the forums, and click on the link to provide feedback on each candidate. The comment sections will remain open until 5:00pm Tuesday, February 4^th. The Board of Trustees will take all feedback from the forums and panels into consideration as it begins its deliberations on naming the next president for Clark College.

You can also review the resumes and biographies for each candidate at http://www.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/forums.php. Thank you to everyone who participated in the process leading up to this moment. Our three finalists are:

• Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement, and success at SUNY Westchester Community College
• Dr. Karin Edwards, president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College
• Dr. Lamata D. Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community College

The Board of Trustees is on schedule to make a hiring decision within the next few weeks. I want to thank the Board for its excellent work in creating an inclusive and engaging process. As a result, Clark College has three highly qualified finalists who are all excited about coming to Clark College as your next President.

Important student events – Winter Transfer Fair

Student retention is so critical to our success as a community college. Most of our staff have some contact with students. It is important for us to know about important events for students to help them along their path. The Winter Transfer Fair is one of those events. It is going to be held Thursday, January 30, 2020 from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m. in Gaiser Hall Student Center.  The transfer fair gives students a chance to connect with representatives from dozens of schools offering bachelor’s degrees for transfer students. They can ask questions about:

• admissions requirements, deadlines, and next steps to take
• cost, scholarships, and other options for covering your expenses
• what degrees, majors, and minors are offered
• what the campus and community offer to students

Questions? Contact Joe Jenkins, Academic Advisor at extension 2459.

Building Cultural Competency

Clark College leadership recently participated in a daylong training to build our competencies in working with our regional tribal governments. The Governor’s office sponsors the “Government to Government” training to help better understand and strengthen our relationship with Washington State’s 29 tribes, especially the Cowlitz Tribe. The Executive Cabinet, deans, Foundation staff, facilities, and student support staff participated. We covered many topics during the day, including tribal historical perspectives, legal issues, tribal sovereignty and tribal government. We appreciate the Cowlitz Tribal leaders who participated and hosted the training. It helped deepen our understanding of Tribes, their history, their culture, and how to build on our relationship moving forward. Here’s a link to the Governor’s Office of Indian Affairs for more information about the program and resources: www.goia.wa.gov/.

New Employee Resource Group

Next week, a group of employees will launch a new Employee Resource Group to support social equity and inclusion at Clark College. The White Allies will focus on professional development related to white-identified employees at Clark College engaging in dialogue and education to drive cultural change within Clark College. The first meeting will be February 6, from 11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. in GHL 205.

In addition to the new White Allies Resource Group, below is a list of all other approved Employee Resource Groups:

• Black Employees United
  • Contact Rashida Willard, rwillard@clark.edu
• Caring for a Mentally Ill Loved One
  • Contact Teri Miller, tmiller@clark.edu
• Indigenous Communities
  • Contact Nikki Peters, npeters@clark.edu
• STEM Lean-In Circle
  • Contact Tina Barsotti, cbarsotti@clark.edu
• Latinx Employee Resource Group
  • Contact Judith Hernandez Chapar,jhernandezchapar@clark.edu
• Clark Foster and Adoption Network
  • Contact Heather Adams, hadams@clark.edu

Additionally, the college is looking for volunteers to revive the Queer Employee Resource Group and Multicultural Employee Resource Group. For questions you may have about ERG’s, please contact Alyssa Voyles, Associate Director of Employee Equity, Outreach and Engagement at avoyles@clark.edu.

Statewide meetings

I attended the Washington Association of Community and Technical Colleges (WACTC) meetings this past week in Olympia. The college presidents and chancellors are talking about priorities at the state level. That means we are talking about funding issues and how best to articulate our case to the Legislature as to the financial pressures on community colleges statewide.

Also this past week, I welcomed representatives from community colleges statewide to Clark College for the Articulation and Transfer Council (ATC) winter meeting. The ATC reports to the Instruction Commission (IC) and consists of the deans of arts and science programs or transfer programs from each of the colleges. It is an important opportunity to share best practices in clearing the path of potential obstacles for community college students as they complete and transfer to other programs. It was great to reconnect with a Council I had previously served on for years as a dean of transfer programs at Olympic and Cascadia Colleges.

Legislative update

The State Legislature continued into its second week taking public testimony on bills addressing Workforce Education Investment Act funding. Passed last year, the act created a business and occupation tax surcharge on certain businesses to fund the act’s provisions. The Department of Revenue is having difficulty collecting the surcharge. In addition, forecasted demand for the Washington College Grant, created under the Workforce Education Investment Act, is higher than anticipated. The result is a potential funding shortage, which the Legislature is working to address with the two proposals heard this week.

Committees also took up bills on access to higher education and funding options, faculty staffing and housing, and college hiring practices related to sexual misconduct. The SBCTC has provided a full legislative recap for the week on its website atwww.sbctc.edu/blogs/legislative-news/2020/2020-01-24.aspx.

Clark hosts regional equity conference

There is an exciting conference coming up on campus February 19-20, 2020. 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 enjoyed greeting new team members at our New Employee Orientation this morning. The EC will be meeting all day for our annual budget retreat. I have the chance to attend another “Conversation” event with the Foundation about great things happening at Clark and I will be attending the Clark STEM Seminar Series speaker; “Climate Issues and Changes in Nutrient Cycling” presented by WSUV PhD student Corey Ruder. It’s Friday January 31, at noon in SBG 151.

Go Penguins!

Basketball season has begun. Check out the schedule. I’m proud of our teams, our coaches and our athletes.

State of the College – new date

Please mark your calendars: I hope you can all join me for the 2020 State of the College address. A new date has been set forWednesday, February 26, 2020 from 11:00 a.m. to noon at Gaiser Student Center.

We will have great news about our new president and we will announce the inaugural recipients of two new employee awards: the Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award and the Exceptional Administrative Exempt Award.

Congratulations to Bryton Williams, recipient of the 2019 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award! 

An Administrative Assistant 3 for Business & Health Sciences, Williams is said to be someone who greets every situation with a smile and a positive attitude and who has made many contributions to the college’s CCW location.  

True to their name, Williams says that they were born to “brighten” everyone’s day, joking, “If my mom wanted me to be negative, she would have named me Darken.” Nominators say that, puns aside, Williams’ consistent positivity and continued relationship-building is appreciated by all at CCW, including the WSUV employees there.  

Williams assists staff and faculty with submitting and using Penguin Packs from the Bookstore and helps them to stay under the yearly printing budget. They are consistently going above and beyond for all residents in the building they help manage, responding promptly to requests and providing status updates. They consistently offer suggestions that benefit not only Clark College but WSU as well. 

Bryton is managing several equity-minded projects centered on CCW and has engaged in self-education, as well as participated in several events with the Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. Recently, Bryton recently developed a new system for booking time in CCW’s new lactation room, which has allowed lactating mothers to remain focused on their studies. Bryton has also made it a point to make sure the CCW space is as welcoming as Clark’s main campus is to systemically non-dominant students. 

Others had this to say about Bryton: 

• “Bryton regularly engages in discussion and clarification around collaborative projects. Bryton is amazingly thorough, allowing others to be more focused and productive in their areas.” 
• “Bryton participates regularly in college activities and events. Most recently, Bryton was regularly reminding and encouraging everyone to participate in the Walktober Challenge. Bryton even spurred on a friendly competition between CCW and the WSU Facilities personnel. These sorts of bonds go a long way when we need to collaborate with our WSU partners.”  
• A new employee wrote, “Bryton brought me a stuffed penguin for my office, stating, ‘No Clark office is complete without a penguin, welcome to the team.’” 
• They are “generous beyond measure.” 
• “Bryton regularly is the first to offer assistance to students, staff, and faculty, regardless of the fact that the duties are not required of them.” 
• “Bryton’s commitment to collaboration and a positive college environment was evident in one of my first interactions with them. Bryton went out of their way to make three different kinds of muffins (this included vegan and gluten-free options, this illustrates the sheer thoughtfulness of Bryton in making sure everyone was included) which they brought in to share with the staff and faculty of all the programs at CCW, the students, our iTech partners, and the WSU Facilities personnel. While this already seems thoughtful, let me clarify that these muffins were not purchased, they were handmade with care and with a mindset that included every individual they come into contact during the day (this included people who they don’t come into contact with as well). Not only did Bryton make these extremely thoughtful snacks but they also hauled them on a one-hour public-transit ride to CCW. If that isn’t an example of caring above and beyond, then I don’t know what is.” 
• “Bryton is amazingly thorough, allowing others to be more focused and productive in their areas.” 

Congratulations, as well, to all nominees for the 2019 Fall Quarter Classified Staff Excellence Award: 

Brenda Shular, Procurement & Supply Spec 2, Purchasing & Central Services 

Brenda is described as someone who is a helpful resource in the Purchasing and Central Services area. A nominator wrote, “Brenda has provided me with direct training and she helped me feel like I had someone to reach out to when I needed an answer. She always maintains a positive presence, is professional, and solution-oriented. I’m sure Brenda has been integral to our switch to the new ctcLink system, taking on an inordinate amount of work. When there are issues or questions, Brenda makes herself available to investigate and explain. Brenda has answered countless questions on the spot over the phone.”  

Other comments about Brenda: 

• “[Our department] requires a lot of supplies, and a fair amount of equipment. No matter how many requisitions we send over, I have faith that Brenda will get them turned into orders.”  

Everett Yu, Equipment Technician 3 for Grounds 

Everett Yu is someone who demonstrates exemplary work performance on a daily basis. Overall, Everett is responsible for maintaining all the vehicles and riding equipment at Facilities Services used by custodial, maintenance, and grounds. He is consistently working to keep vehicles and equipment (some built the 1980s and 1990s) operating at a high level. For instance, Yu just finished installing a hydraulic lift kit into the back of the F-250 (manufacture year 1995) so that staff can dump debris with the flip of a switch and get right back to work. Yu recently utilized scrap metal to custom-build a new trailer for transporting small grounds equipment. 

A nominator wrote, “When something breaks down, we don’t panic, because we know Everett will be able to troubleshoot the problem and successfully complete the repair in a timely manner.” 

Other comments about Everett: 

• “Everett has completed many special project work orders. If a co-worker encounters a complicated problem Everett will likely have a solution and be willing to help complete the job.” 
• “Security and Events rely on Everett to maintain their vehicles regularly.” 
• “Completing the majority of work orders on time and staying under budget is a special achievement.”Page Break 

Group Nomination for Brandon Johnson, It Support Technician 2 for Information Technology Services; John Condit, Media Technician Lead for Event Services;  Mike Silva, IT Support Technician 2, Information Technology Services; Richard (Rick) Bartz, IT Support Technician 2 for Information Technology Services 

The following is the nominator’s comments about this team: 

“A recent recruitment was unusual in nature due to unforeseen circumstances. At a moment’s notice we found out that we needed media assistance for a couple f upcoming campus events. Normally, we try to be considerate and notify the media team when we need their assistance at least 48 hours prior to the event. This certain situation was less than 24 hours. I thought for sure the media team was going to tell me, ‘No way, not with that short of notice.’ 
 
“Mike Silva was contacted and was so kind and provided exceptional service in some many ways. He reassured me that the request was not impossible and that he was certain they could assist. After my repeated thank you’s and apologies, he spoke with his staff and quickly called me back and said, Okay, everything is lined up and it’s a go!’ The media team had quickly organized all that was needed of them and organized coverage for said activities. 
 
“Rick Bartz assisted in setting up one room for Skype and then quickly ran to set up the next room for the next activity, and so on until all activities were completed. 
 
“Brandon Johnson and John Condit provided back of the scene assistance to make our request successful. 

“The media team from the very beginning gave exceptional customer service! From reassuring that the request wasn’t that big of deal. Mike repeatedly stated that it was ‘no problem’ when I thanked him for his last-minute help. 
 
“Rick was sure to get each activity started via Skype and then he was on to the next location–not skipping a beat. 
 
“This isn’t the first time that this group has been phenomenal and extremely helpful! The customer service provided was appreciated by so many: HR, the hiring department, and the candidate. 
 
“Because of the customer service that the media team provided, the candidate experience was amazing and the candidate expressed his appreciation for all involved. This is what we want here at Clark. I can’t thank this team enough. Without them, this wouldn’t have happened. 

“Hands down the media team took the initiative to assist us with our request. Without their assistance, the Skype activities wouldn’t have happened, as it took multiple arrangements to make it successful. The team was helpful, super-efficient, accommodating, and so cooperative in completing the request. This was going on while the college was bearing down to the final days of ctcLink preparation… 
 
“Working with coworkers who provide exceptional customer service, positive demeanor, and have the ‘no worries’ attitude not only provides myself an example that I can learn from but also makes me proud when interacting with the candidates. When a candidate thanks me for all the organization and assistance and provides so many words of appreciation, I can’t take all the credit–and for that reason I nominate this team for acknowledgement.” 

Margaret (Peg) Estes, Program Specialist 2 for Credential Evaluations 

Peg Estes is described as someone who shows initiative, positive spirit, participation in college activities, and willingness to support not only students, but also the greater college community. She is also known as being highly knowledgeable and accurate in her work evaluating applications for program completion at Clark College. 

This past year has marked a time of significant change for the Credential Evaluations team. In addition to new programs coming on board, a significant amount of workflow changes, changes to the graduation-application database, and the expectations around communication with students, there has also been a significant amount of work to prepare for ctcLink implementation. Estes responded positively and prioritized her work tasks to meet the needs of the department. She is said to have a positive attitude and show adaptability during times of rapid change. This has been a significant undertaking and has required substantial effort to review work tasks and provide regular and consistent feedback.  

Other comments about Peg Estes: 

• “Based on the positive impact that she has had with regard to communicating proactively, it resulted in the Credentials Department adopting and adapting Peg’s communication timeline as the departmental standard. This resulted in the department workflow being more proactive in communicating with students and within a much shorter window of time. Students are also proactively provided evaluation results, and then provided with updates each term, whereas before it was only in the term they planned to complete and subsequent terms afterwards. I appreciate Peg’s willingness to try new things in the name of supporting students to achieve their educational and career goals.”  
• “I have worked in the same office as Peg for about three years now and I am grateful to work with such an outstanding employee. Within the last three years, I have never witnessed such tireless dedication to doing a job and doing it well, such as I have seen with Peg. She has picked up other’s work without question, she has thoroughly examined policy and procedure to ensure best practice for employee and students alike, and she has done it all with a smile on her face. Her commitment and positive attitude throughout endless change and turnover in this department has been a prime example of what an ideal employee looks like. I am honored to work with her and I could not think of a more respected and deserving person to receive such an award. #teampeg”  
• “Prior to going live in the new system, Peg was given the ‘Jill of all Trades’ certificate of appreciation by Susan Maxwell to recognize her for all the hard work that she put into data validation. According to Susan, ‘Peg spent many hours in the lab, was always willing to help other staff who were validating, helped Ryan to understand where to find information in SMS, and was willing to validate data she had never seen before.’” 
• “Peg has been so helpful to our office with all of the training that she has provided not only to new staff, but helping with the training of staff in new business processes in the new People Soft environment. She is always so patient, courteous and helpful even though she is constantly interrupted with questions both from within our department, and while assisting other departments. Peg goes above and beyond to help solve problems no matter how busy she is at that time. She always has such a positive attitude even during these trying times with having to learn a new computer system, learning new business processes and dealing with staffing shortages. Our office wouldn’t be so functional without Peg’s great knowledge of the department and the willingness to help others.” 

Mitch Sott, Engineering Technician 3 for Workforce, Professional & Tech Ed 

Mitch is described as someone who is extremely conscious of the deep level of support the McClaskey Culinary Institute and its programs need. He is constantly proactive in clarifying needs and trouble-shooting issues before they become major issues. Sott applies both knowledge and creativity to fixing and maintaining the facility. One nominator said, “In my opinion, Mitch is not only an asset to this college campus, but a long-standing employee that makes our Prof Tech unit better and he is always willing to help anyway he can. He deserves to be acknowledged for his positive spirit and his service.” 

 Other comments about Mitch Sott: 

• “Mitch is a master fabricator and effortlessly creates solutions that would otherwise take major time and money if we went through equipment companies. A specific example is our steam-jacketed kettles that we make soups, sauces, etc. The factory draining system was ridiculously inefficient and was a potential cause of injury to students and staff. In a couple short hours, he fabricated an insert that completely solved the problem with minimal cost to college both in materials and time.” 
• “Mitch is a joy to work with and we enjoy seeing him in the bakery. He has fixed mixer attachments that were broken accidentally by students, put wheels on racks for easier movement, fabricated many cutters and cake frames, made a specific rack for cooling angel food cakes (which must hang upside-down while cooling), created a wall -ength hanger for the cookie cutters in the bakery, and so much more. Mitch has made our jobs smoother by all the various things he has done and continues to do for us.” 

• “Often Mitch will come to the bakery simply to check on us, say hello, and see if we have anything that needs fixing. He is always happy to help, and I honestly can’t remember a time he has said no. If Mitch does collegewide what he does for us in the baking program, I cannot imagine a better example of cooperative spirit than that of Mitch.”  

• “Mitch recognizes the importance of what we do, and that we couldn’t do it without his help. He always has anything he is fixing for us done and back to us the very next day. Mitch will always walk it back to the bakery when he could easily have us come and get it.” 

• “Mitch was directly responsible in helping solve what could have been a serious issue with our air handlers on the roof of the cuisine kitchen. Without his diligent efforts, potentially very costly issues with the equipment could have occurred, as well as the impact of the air handlers to properly filter internal kiosk and kitchen airflow.” 

• “Even when not called to help on something happening in kitchen, Mitch when available, comes to the kitchen facility and checks on equipment, with the Chefs, or items he has worked on to ensure equipment is running smoothly, that the staff isn’t in need of something, and handles minor tweaks on on-going equipment maintenance. Specifically, our smoker, which is quite old, he has maintained in working order so it is always available for our students and FSO needs.” 

Neil Fykerud, Program Specialist 2 for Transitional Studies Division 

Neil Fykerud is described as a colleague who goes above and beyond to positively impact student learning and who has served both the college and the community for decades. He is praised for his breadth of knowledge, constant professionalism, and ability to turn data into productive information. Co-workers, supervisors, community partners and the WorkFirst/BFET (Basic Food Employment and Training) state board office have appreciated Fykerud’s hard work and consistent accuracy. He is willing to take on demanding projects that others would find overwhelming and completes them in a timely, precise, and proactive way. 

Fykerud has participated on many college committees, including safety committees, the Climate Committee, and hiring committees. He makes sure the college’s community partners are informed about what is happening at Clark College and how it may affect students who are also clients of external organizations. He has made many important connections with agencies such as the Department of Social and Health Services, WorkSource, and Partners in Careers, to name a few.  

Fykerud also knows the importance of making connections within the campus community to ensure Transitional Studies students get the support and valid information they need. He strives to help the students become successful in their school lives, as well as in their family lives and in the community. He readily attends college trainings as well as WorkFirst and BFET trainings and informational sessions.  

Other comments about Neil Fykerud: 

• “He collaborates often with advising staff to provide multiple layers of connection and relationship building necessary for their success. If he is unsure how to help a student with a particular issue or resource, he connects with colleagues who can help and continues to utilize these connections with other students as relevant. His attitude is always positive and one of integrity that is infectious to students and staff.” 
• “Neil always comes to work with a smile and leaves with a smile. His positive attitude is infectious and he never waivers from this positivity, even when the work gets challenging—as it can be with students who have a lot of barriers to success and/or living in crisis. He relays this positivity to students and they leave his office feeling capable and supported.”  
   
• “Neil’s work with our ESL, HS+, CAP, and GED students is always exceptional. He will take time to make sure the student is not only advised on what is expected of them as a Clark College student, but also what is required of them as a student who is receiving support through one of our community partners. He will to go over the information as often as the student requires, find support services to help make sure the student is successful, as well as provide a contact figure that the student can rely on during their college life. He follows up with advisors within the Transitional Studies and WES (Workforce Educational Services) departments to ensure students are engaging with these supports. This is a level of support most college students do not get, but most desperately need. He recognizes that students with the types of barriers we see need a compassionate connection to the college community in order to be successful and he takes explicit and intentional steps in his work to ensure students make these connections.” 

• “In his role as a WorkFirst Program Specialist II and working with our English as a Second Language students who are on Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, he was able to find a way to provide them with translated forms that they are required to read and agree to. He has served as a Liaison for the WorkForce Education Office by attending Local Planning Agency meetings as needed. Neil is an amazing representative of any office, unit or committee he is on. He always seeks out the information needed to be present at the meetings he is attending. I honestly believe he is often overlooked for the amazing spokesperson he is, when it comes to making Clark College a better place to work and a true contributor to our community.” 

Thao Schmidt, Human Resource Consultant 2, Human Resources 

Thao Schmidt is described as someone who has won the confidence of her peers and colleagues and the college community in general. She is not only knowledgeable about her area of specialty, but shows deep connection to the work she does every day. 

Thao corresponds with many people on a daily basis and pays careful attention to the details and thoroughness in her work. She is very efficient in executing her responsibilities, including the posting of shared-leave requests, in a timely manner.  

Her nominator said, “Several years ago she took a real interest to help me when I became suddenly ill, and worked with my son to clarify things and take the necessary steps within her purview. I have observed her polite manners and the friendly disposition of treating others too. Moreover, she takes initiatives to inform and remind the college community members about their benefits, deadlines, etc.” 

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.”

This past week

I can’t believe this is the last weekly news for 2019. My time
at the Penguin Nation has flown by fast. As I reflect back on the last twenty
four weeks, I count your success and the amazing work you have done in teaching
and supporting our students. I look forward to all that 2020 brings to Clark
College, including its next President.

Correction

My apologies for the oversight in listing the Presidential
search committee members in last week’s Weekly News: I accidentally omitted
Cath Keane from Career Services. I greatly appreciate Cath’s participation on
the Search Committee. Thanks, Cath.

Presidential Finalists College Forums

The four presidential candidate
finalists will be on campus in January. I encourage everyone to attend the
college forums that will be held as part of the two-day long interview process
and provide your feedback.  We are still finalizing the location on campus
but I can tell you the forums will be held 12:00-1:00pm on the following dates:

• Tuesday, January 14: Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement, and success at SUNY Westchester Community College.
• Friday, January 17: Dr. Karin Edwards, president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College
• Wednesday, January 22: Dr. Lamata D. Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community College
• Friday, January 24: Dr. Joaquín G. Martínez, district vice provost of institutional effectiveness at Miami Dade College

Biographies of all four finalists are available online atwww.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/finalists.php

Budget news from Olympia

The Governor released his 2020 Supplemental Operating and
Capital Budgets on December 18. Below is a summary of the Governor’s proposals
that impact the community and technical college system:

Operating Budget

1. $2.4 Million for the Job Skills Program – In alignment with his Career Connect Washington initiative,
   the Governor proposed to expand customized, short-term and job-specific
   training for incumbent workers through the Job Skills program. Job Skills
   co-invests with employers who need customized training due to growth and
   changes in technology, and to address skills shortages. Currently, the Job
   Skills Program has $5 million in funding to provide training to meet employers’
   specific needs. Due to the high demand, the entire $5 million has already
   been committed for this biennium. If funded by the Legislature, this would
   allow a 50 percent expansion of the program, which is highly respected by both
   business and labor.

• $1.6 Million for Increased Attorney General Services – These funds were requested by both the Attorney General and
  SBCTC to cover unanticipated legal costs.

Capital Budget

The Governor’s budget does
not include any new capital funding or local financing authorities for the CTC
system.

These are the “bigger pieces” of
his budget affecting our system. Minor changes that typically occur in a
supplemental budget (i.e., changes in pension rates and funding) are also
proposed. I will let you know if we discover anything noteworthy as we dig
into the details, as well as updates on the Legislature’s budget
decisions. 

Faculty Negotiations continue

Clark College and the AHE are meeting
today, December 27, to continue negotiations to settle a contract dispute. I
want to acknowledge the strain that this places on everyone at Clark: our
students, our staff, and our faculty. Clark College is committed to our
students to ensure they are able to start and successfully complete their
winter quarter.

Contingency planning is underway in the
event there is a strike. Communication will be critically important as we move
forward. We have created a website, easily findable from the clark.edu home
page, to help everyone stay up-to-date on events and how they affect the
college’s operations.

I am deeply concerned a strike would have
detrimental impacts on students and our college community. Please know Clark
College wants to reach a settlement, move forward, and support our students.

I want to also remind employees of our EAP resources
during these times of stress. It’s easy to say and sometimes harder to do,
practicing good self-care as stressors build up.

Washington State EAP is accessible, free and
confidential. You can call (360) 407-9490 or toll-free at (877) 313-4455. You
can also visit the EAP website for more information.

Looking ahead

There is an exciting conference coming up on campus soon. Registration is still open for the inaugural Northwest Regional Equity Conference for Higher Education. Registration Fee: $250

I’m also looking forward to attending our annual MLK event in Gaiser Student Center on Tuesday, January 21, 11:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m., and seeing the interactive, hands-on display of the history of Buffalo Soldiers/black cowboys, as well as attending the Buffalo Soldiers of the Pacific Northwest documentary screening and discussion from noon to 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 http://www.clark.edu/campus-life/arts-events/mlk/

As we say goodbye to 2019 and head into the new year, I’m getting excited about delivering the 2020 State of the College Address on January 16. 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.

Thank you to all who nominated your
colleagues for the inaugural Lora Whitfield Social Equity Award. As a reminder,
this award is given to a member of the Clark College community who has
demonstrated a sustained commitment to advancing equity. We are excited to
announce all the nominees:

• Dian Ulner
• Dr. Debra Jenkins
• Shanda Haluapo
• Connor Cantrell
• Cath Busha

For this inaugural year of the Exceptional
Administrative-Exempt Award, 19 nominations were received. The award honors an
Administrative-Exempt staff member who contributes in significant ways toward
building a positive climate, inclusive environment, and improvement in the
quality of life at Clark. The awards committee were impressed by all the
submissions, whether nominees were eligible or not. Congratulations to all the
nominees and heartfelt thanks to those who nominated them:

• Ben Cecka
• Kevin Damore
• Guisela Eberle
• Sarah Gruhler
• Shanda Haluapo
• Judith Hernandez Chapar
• Heather King
• Jennifer Lea
• Sami Lelo
• Kent Pruett
• Mirranda Saari
• Sabra Sand
• Ashley Schumacher
• Michael See
• Kevin Thomas
• Tasaday Turner
• Vanessa Watkins
• Melissa Williams
• Carley Willis

The winners of these two new awards will be announced at the 2020 State of the College Address on Thursday, January 16. A huge thank-you to all the nominees for making Clark College a better place to work and to learn.

If you have been nominated, be sure to
attend the State of the College Address to be recognized. Please join me in
honoring your colleagues at this event next month.

To all those who are off campus for the break, I wish you safe travels on your way back to us. I am off for a few days to attend my daughter’s wedding in Leavenworth, Washington. They are having an outdoor wedding in the snow on January 4. I’m hoping for clear roads to get over the pass.

This past week

Usually the week before the holidays is quiet on a college
campus. Not so at Clark College this past week.

Presidential Search
Finalists Named

I am happy to share the news that
four finalists have been selected in the search for Clark’s next college president.
The Board of Trustees approved the list as recommended by the Presidential
Search Advisory Committee.

The four finalists are: Dr. Karin Edwards, president of the Cascade Campus of Portland Community College; Dr. Joaquín G. Martínez, district vice provost of institutional effectiveness at Miami Dade College; Dr. Lamata D. Mitchell, vice president of instruction and academic operations at Pima Community College; and Dr. Sara Thompson Tweedy, vice president of student access, involvement, and success at SUNY Westchester Community College.

Full biographies of all four finalists are available online at www.clark.edu/presidential-search/search/finalists.php

Clark College received 65 qualified applications. Last week, the Presidential Selection Committee interviewed ten semifinalist candidates and made their recommendations to the Board of Trustees.

This is a milestone in the
process and I thank everyone from Clark College who served on this committee:
Danielle Plesser, Dannie Nordsiden, Donivee Randall-Jones, Dr. Siri
Wickramaratne, Evans Kaame, Heather Adams, Justin Flint, Rashida Willard,
Suzanne Southerland and Tanya Kerr. Thank you!!

The finalists will be invited to the college in January for constituent panel interviews and public forums. It is expected that the Board of Trustees will make its selection by the end of February 2020 and that the new President will begin onboarding in the summer of 2020 in preparation for the 2020-2021 academic year.

More information about the ongoing search process—including photos and complete biographies of the finalists—can be found at www.clark.edu/presidential-search. 

Faculty
Negotiations continue

Clark College and the AHE will meet Friday,
December 27 to continue negotiations to settle a contract dispute. I want to
acknowledge the strain that this places on everyone at Clark: our students, our
employees and our faculty.  Clark College is committed to our students to
ensure they are able to start and successfully complete their winter quarter.

Contingency planning is underway in the
event there is a strike. Communication will be critically important as we move
forward. Starting Monday, December 23, we will provide updated information on
our website on the homepage.

I am deeply concerned a strike would have
detrimental impacts on students and our college community. Please know Clark
College wants to reach a settlement, move forward and support our students.

I want to also remind employees of our EAP
resources during these times of stress. It’s easy to say and sometimes harder
to do, practicing good self-care as stressors build up.

Washington State EAP is accessible, free
and confidential. You can call (360) 407-9490 or toll-free at (877) 313-4455.
You can also Visit
the EAP website for
more information.

New campus safety tool

Clark College is launching a new safety
tool called Rave
Guardian. It’s a free mobile app that turns your smartphone into a
personal safety device and college resource center. I just downloaded it on my
phone and it was really simple.

By downloading the app on your mobile phone, you’ll have access
to safety features that directly connect you to the college’s Security and
Safety staff, as well as the ability to submit anonymous tips should you see
something suspicious. You can invite friends and family to join your network as
your “Guardians” and have one or more of them virtually walk with you on or off
campus. It’s like having a trusted friend with you at all times.

The Office of Security and Safety encourages all students,
faculty and staff to enhance their personal safety by downloading the free
app.  You can text “Guardian” to 67283 to instantly receive the download
link to register OR you go to your App Store or Google Play Store on your
mobile device and search “Rave Guardian”.

Jeff Kaliner can answer any questions you may have at jkaliner@clark.edu. I
appreciate all the work that has gone into this project, providing an extra
layer of safety on campus.

Student
Entrepreneurship

I want to give kudos to one of our Business
Professors, Nathan Webster. He’s working with students who are
entrepreneurs.  Clark College is a member of the NACCE (National
Association of Community College Entrepreneurship). Clark is hosting a
networking event on Monday January 13, from 11am-2pm. This event is open to all
students, staff and faculty.  In fact, our faculty and staff business
owners will be speakers. Nathan welcomes your questions about this event or
other activities scheduled throughout the year. You can email him at nwebster@clark.edu. Thank you Nathan for all you do.

Community Service

I want to acknowledge the service work that
you do out in our community. Clark College Director of Teaching and Learning
Center, Dr. Judith Hernandez Chapar recently spoke at the Habitat for
Humanity’s Women Build Luncheon. Her topic was the intersection between housing
and educational attainment. Judith has been a volunteer with Habitat for
Humanity and carries a strong message about the need for safe housing in our
community and the impact it has one people’s lives. Well done Judith!

This next week

To all those who are heading off campus for
the break, I wish you safe travels and good cheer shared with friends and
family.

This week

Thanks to everyone who participated in forums this past week with Dr. Chris Hill, AACC Coach, on Guided Pathways. She recognized the extraordinary work that has been done on Guided Pathways by the faculty and student services staff as well as the improvements we can make in communication and decision-making. She will be providing us with a summary of her observations and recommendations. I’ll look forward to sharing her report with you.

I stopped by the STEM building last week and was wowed by the Computer Science and Engineering students. I got to see learning in action with the students presenting ideas for their year-long projects. Walking through the lobby I chatted with students explaining their ideas for software applications, drones, robots, power systems, games, internet-of-things and online services. I can’t wait to see the results of their work later in the year.

Winter Social

You are all invited to the Winter Social Tuesday, December 10, at Gaiser Student Center. The reception begins at 2:00 p.m. and the program begins around 2:30 p.m.

As is the tradition, we will honor our Clark College employees who have retired in 2019. I am looking forward to carrying on this Penguin Nation tradition.

Supporting students during Finals Week

This will be my first Finals Week at Clark College—and the first for many of our students as well. It can be a time of stress for them. They may try to read their notes as they’re walking through the parking lots; they may show up in unconventional spaces (like an unoccupied conference room) as they try to study in peace; they may forget to eat. Let’s all offer them a little extra dose of grace and patience as they navigate this important milestone in their education.

Speaking of which, the college is offering help for their next milestone: There’s an open lab held most of this week to provide one-on-one assistance to students trying to enroll on ctcLink for next term. Located in APH 210, its hours are:

• December 9 and 10, 1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
• December 11, 9:00 a.m. – noon

Time to nominate outstanding employees

A new award for 2020 is the Clark College Administrative and Exempt Excellence Award honoring two Exempt staff members who contribute in significant ways toward building a positive climate, inclusive environment, and improving the quality of life at Clark. Submissions can be made by filling out the online submission form by 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 13.

‘Tis the season

You may have seen or heard recent news reports of this season’s first confirmed measles case in Clark County. Last January, when Clark County Public Health announced an official outbreak, college employees were asked to locate their immunization records in case a confirmed case at the college led to CCPH instituting an exclusion protocol. It’s probably a good idea to once again make sure you know where those records are—just in case. Not sure if you have your immunization records? For those of you visiting childhood homes during Winter Break, they often wind up in a back drawer or old photo album. And if you were vaccinated here in the state of Washington, chances are that your records are available online. Staff at the Counseling and Health Center have very kindly volunteered to help any student or employee find their records through the state’s online database. They are located in HSC 124. Let’s all help to keep each other healthy and safe this winter!

Lace up those sneakers!

Before coming to Clark, I knew that Penguins marched, but I had no idea how many of them ran as well! Every March, a “Clark Penguins” team participates in Portland’s Shamrock Run. To register for the event, visit the2020 Shamrock Run Registration Page; this link will automatically identify you as part of Clark Penguins when you register. To find out more about this event, contact Haley Tucker in Event Services, who is organizing this year’s team.

Progress on ctcLink

Now that ctcLink has been up and running for a month, the college is starting to leverage its functionality. One great example of this is the “academic advisement reports” being created for every certificate and degree at the college. These will take the place of the myriad program worksheets, educational plans, Degree Audits, etc. that people have used to map and track students’ program progression—creating a single source of truth for students, faculty, and staff alike. As of this week, we now have academic advisement reports created for 31 of the college’s programs—including the Big One, the Associate in Arts – DTA degree (by far the most common degree that our students earn). Kudos to everyone in Credentials, Advising and the Office of Instruction for their work on this monumental task!

Great things have been happening across the college–congratulations!

Congratulations to mechatronics professor Chris Lewis on being awarded $603,397 for equipment purchases approved in the grant application for the Semiconductor and Electronics Manufacturing Technician Career Preparation and Launch program funded by the SBCTC through a capital budget appropriation

Congratulations to the Nursing Faculty and Jennifer Obbard, Associate Dean-Health Sciences, on the approval for continuing ACEN accreditation. I received a letter from a former colleague who is now the Director of Nursing Education for the Nursing Care Quality Assurance Commission announcing the approval and thanking the program for their continued commitment to quality nursing education in Washington State.

Congratulations to Dr. Jacob Funk, Director of Choral Activities, and Shelly Williams, Program Coordinator for Music, on a very successful Choral Festival. I recently received a letter from one of the adjudicators who noted, “I was struck by several positive aspects during the festival: the careful and thorough organization of the festival; the visible good nature of all the student helpers involved; and the star quality of the lynchpin of the day, Ms. Shelly Williams, the sine qua non of the Department, who was everywhere to solve all the little things that are bound to come up at events of this kind. Clark College should be very proud of this event.”

Looking forward to next week

Next week are Final Exams and Winter Registration for new students. As students and faculty prepare for Winter Break, I know our Enrollment Services team will be working hard to get students ready for Winter Term.

I am looking forward to hosting some new members of our community from my old neighborhood with a tour of the college with the Foundation staff and introducing them to the great programs at Clark. I’m also excited about recognizing our retirees at the Holiday Retiree Reception on Tuesday. I hope I can catch a glimpse of the Christmas ships from the riverfront this week before I leave for the Washington Association of Community and Technical College Presidents meeting on Thursday.