Governance:
President Rita Cepeda talks “Of Bond and Bounty”
Academic Senate: President Carl Luna “Falling Forward…”
Classified Senate: President Joyce Skaryak Recounts "Community Service" Efforts and Events
Of Bond and Bounty
"For those to whom much is given, much is required,"
John Kennedy, 1961
While I know that this quote did not originate with John Kennedy, I found it among my list of favorites and decided that it was highly appropriate for Mesa at this time in our history. Who would have thought, even one year ago, that we would find ourselves in one of the most favorable budget climates in the history of the California community colleges and that we would be pondering the next steps in the planning processes, which would permit us to build all of the facilities within our district with combined bond resources totaling $1.6 billion? Even more gratifying is the fact that voters in our service area supported our bond measure, providing us with the largest margin of victory of any community college bond measure in the state. Indeed, this prompts me to think of the maxim, "For those to whom much is given, much is required." The requirement for accountability linked to the availability of these resources is a tremendous responsibility, but I, for one, feel confident that we have in place the right procedures, the right planning process, and, most importantly, the right values to do justice to the task before us.
Mesa College is an amazing institution. It is a place of learning that is sustained by a healthy participatory governance structure that continues to evolve at a steady pace, despite any surrounding events, crises, or urgent developments. In the past year and the beginning of this academic year, we continue to struggle with enrollment concerns, compressed schedules, the need for classroom space, and the perennial shortage of parking. Nevertheless, we look with satisfaction at an evolving culture of evidence under girded by research, the growing awareness of linkages and bridges in our planning efforts, and the satisfactory progress we continue to make in the implementation of program review across the campus. Our students, faculty, and staff members continue to distinguish themselves nationally, amassing honors and accolades. Our college goals advance on a steady track and we have become a model institution for the implementation of Student Learning Outcomes (SLOs).
I am inspired and buoyed by Mesa's spirit of excellence and the energy I see evidenced daily as we forge ahead. Yes, much work is required of us today and even more will be required tomorrow, but we are up to the challenge because we recognize the great opportunities ahead, and always, always, our greatest treasure continues to be our students!
Rita M. Cepeda, President
Academic Senate: "Falling Forward..."
While it may be true that, during the fall, we set our clocks back an hour, it always feels to me that we are actually falling forward. When I was young the months between summer's end and Christmas break always seemed to last for a year. Now, as middle age rolls by, falls too seem to race by. And, already, the first half of another year is heading towards the history books.
Yet we've accomplished much on campus since spring and we plan to accomplish a lot more before the year is out. Our shared governance process remains robust and collegial. Last year, working cooperatively with Administration and Classified Staff, the Senate spearheaded a comprehensive review of campus hiring screening committee practices, establishing a college consensus on how this process should work under current rules. This year the new permanent Senate committee on Hiring Screening Committee practices looks towards investigating ways to make the generally sterile (deep, dark space having more life in it than does our District's hiring process) manner in which we invite new, motivated, and talented individuals to join our teaching community more human and humane.
We have also enjoyed the presence of new faces on campus, having hired several dozen new full time faculty and staff since spring, adding to the revitalization and even reinvention of Mesa as a center of community-based learning. We can also look forward to welcoming a new permanent Vice President of Student Services to our leadership team sometime this fall or spring. And, soon we will welcome more new visitors as the refugees from the District Office retrofit take up temporary residence in our newly acquired "Z" building - the old Muir school.
The creation of a new, President's Cabinet Budget Subcommittee this fall with strong faculty Senate representation is another strong step forward in improving collegial transparency in all aspects for campus planning. Likewise the ongoing work by the Campus Educational Master Planning committee responds, in part, to Accreditation and, in even larger part, to the College's need to provide a central framework to our already extensive participatory planning processes by creating a five year vision of the College as it moves towards its second half century of mission.
Last spring the College finalized its facilities master plan. This fall the Campus Facilities committee, which has been dormant for some time now, has been revitalized and reconstituted to provide for more robust and active faculty participation in the task of shepherding our Master Plan from dream to reality. While things have been quiet on the construction front recently, behind the scenes, campus and district leadership have been actively working to secure community and city support for the corner stone project of the next wave of construction, the new Mesa College parking structure and the reorientation and reconfiguration of the Mesa College Drive entrance. Soon the sound of construction equipment (and inevitable griping about related traffic tie ups and parking problems, there being no gain without pain) will resonate around the campus again -- sounds which hopefully won't go away for the better part of a decade as Mesa College reinvents itself physically for its next stage of life.
So, enjoy your fall forward to the end of the first half of the year as we continue making our plans to spring forward into the second half. Accept the fact that we'll always get done half of what we want to, but, if we do so, we will still be twice as good as we have been.
Carl Luna, President
Classified Senate: "Community Service"
Time is going by so quickly; the holidays are already upon us! It is a busy time for Classified Senate fundraisers, and also a time for us to put the dollars raised throughout the year to good use. This year, the Classified Senate has raised over $4,000; thanks especially to the cafeteria staff for keeping the Koins for Kids jars at the cash registers. The funds raised will go to the San Diego Center for Children on Armstrong Street. They have sent us their wish list, and this year we will be purchasing something for their main kitchen.
We are again doing the Holiday Bazaar with the children. It will be held December 20, from 12:30 to 4:00 pm. Michelle West is our wonderful shopper for this event. I encourage you to become involved with the bazaar and to help wrap gifts.
Also, don't miss the SDCCD Holiday Craft Fair, which will be held Friday, Dec. 1, in H117/118. The Classified Senate is hosting an opportunity drawing for huge gift baskets full of goodies with tickets at $1each. Come by and check out the vendors and various items for sale. I will be at the table with Terri Miracle from California Coast Credit Union, sponsor of the event.
And finally, we will hold another book sale Dec. 7 in front of LRC.
This coming spring the Classified Senate will be awarding at least one $1,000 scholarship. If you are enrolled in an accreditation institution, please apply for our scholarship. All we ask is that you are somehow involved with the Senate and do some form of community service.
At this time of year, I want to thank everyone who helps the Senate by being on committees or helping with our fundraisers. We look forward to working with you throughout the rest of the year. If you are interested in helping the Senate or being on any committees please let me know either by e-mail or calling me at ext. 2799.
Joyce Skaryak, President
