President’s Report to the PCCD Board of Trustees February 27, 2018 Timothy Karas, Ed.D., President

The Bay Area’s Economy Is Booming, but What Does that Mean for Educators?

I was invited by Bank of Marin’s branch to attend their annual “Outlook 2018” program the morning of February 13. One of the speakers was economist Dr. Micah Weinberg, President of the Bay Area Council Economic Institute, a think tank focused on the most critical economic and policy issues facing the nine-county Silicon Valley/ region. Among the data that he presented, one factoid stood out for me: the region is the 19th largest economy in the world. This ranks our greater Bay Area higher in terms of GDP than many countries, including Switzerland, Saudi Arabia, and Taiwan. Of course, this region’s phenomenal economic growth in recent years also comes with challenges. Housing, land use, jobs, homelessness, and workforce training are just a few examples, and there are more. In light of the great prospects and significant challenges that co-exist in this dynamic environment, we have our own opportunities every day to make a difference in the lives of our students. We have unique tools and resources to help them overcome some of their challenges and become productive participants in the Silicon Valley/San Francisco Bay Area region’s thriving economy.

CoA Is Implementing Phase Three of the Guided Pathways

The State of California’s $150 million one-time investment in the Guided Pathways Award Program gives each of our 114 colleges the opportunity to begin implementation of the Guided Pathways framework. This investment supports an intensive five-year planning and implementation process at each participating college, including CoA. Using the Guided Pathways framework, colleges will be better able to rethink and redesign programs and services into cohesive, campus-wide strategies and so achieve the outcomes expected by the state, our system, and our students. We are about to embark on the third phase of Guided Pathways work. CoA has attended the mandatory training and submitted a self-assessment. It’s now time to develop our Guided Pathways Plan. The State has set a deadline of March 31, 2018, for plan submittal.

Our steering group will form to develop the draft CoA Guided Pathways Plan by March 2018. The group will meet over approximately six weeks to complete the project. Weekly multi-hour meetings will be held to complete the project. There should be minimal work outside the scheduled meeting times for participating faculty. Our team consists of:

• 2 Faculty Leads (instruction), • 2 Faculty Leads (student services), • Administrative Lead (instruction), • Administrative Lead (student services), • 2 Staff Leads, and a • Facilitator (researcher). More information about CoA’s Guided Pathways planning process is available online: http://alameda.peralta.edu/office-of-research-planning-and-institutional-effectiveness/guided-pathways/

MESA (Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement) Students Are Invited to Apply for Special Grant

Through the generous support of the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation (Facebook Local Community Fund) our MESA students have the opportunity to apply for a grant to assist with college expenses.

Grants of up to $500 will be awarded to MESA students to help with costs for critical necessities that do not fall under other student financial aid programs. Examples of these expenditures include: eye glasses, computer software, textbooks, supplies needed for coursework, transportation expenses, and limited dental care. CoA is the only Peralta College offering the MESA program. MESA programs at colleges like ours are changing the face of science, technology, engineering, and math by creating and developing a new generation of STEM leaders. Each year thousands of underserved students nationally benefit from MESA’s award winning model. Most MESA students are the first in their families to go to college. CoA’s MESA program fulfills a critical need by providing resources and support for a diverse cohort of students who are cultivating their essential academic skills, developing leadership qualities, and achieving success in school, career, life, and STEM-related fields. Further information about the Philanthropic Ventures Foundation grant program can be found at: http://www.venturesfoundation.org/programs/community-initiatives/somerton-educational-grants/

North Cities (One-Stop) Career Center Job Fair at COA Was a Great Success!

North Cities Alameda One-Stop Career Center hosted a job fair in the Student Activities and Campus Life Building at on February 8, 2018. It was a successful event with over 25 employers connecting to over 150 job seekers, including current students, during a two-hour midday session. Employers emphatically indicated that the event was “very well organized with an impressive group of recruiters.” They also said that they “met a ton of qualified individuals”, received many potential candidates, and that the set up was great. They were so pleased with the results that they stated that they “will definitely participate again” in a future event. A special thanks to the supporting staff and volunteers who pulled together to arrange signage, technology, supplies, etc. and showed such flexibility and teamwork. Everyone did a fabulous job and we are excited to follow up on the outcomes and plan our next event. CoA’s Annual Community Partner Breakfast: Building Bridges, Not Walls!

Community Partners show off their raffle prizes at the Annual Community Partner Breakfast at College of Alameda. On Tuesday, February 6, 2018, the Outreach Department hosted the annual Community Partner Breakfast, previously known as the High School Counselor Breakfast. The theme was, “Building Bridges, Not Walls!” This year CoA welcomed 51 participants, representing more than 25 schools and community-based organizations. The program included an overview of the College, a student panel with a rotation of expert panelists, and an optional campus tour. Guests had the opportunity to learn about updates and improvements in our Math and Assessment Departments from SSSP Counselor and Coordinator Julie Saechao and Mathematics Department Chair Vanson Nguyen. They also had the chance to learn about the College of Alameda as an UndocAlly, and the importance of bringing Mobile CoA (mobile enrollment services) to their campuses and organizations. The student panel was composed of MESA Student Merissa Bridgeman, EOPS Student Rebecca Galicia, and Peer Outreach Advisors Erik Zavala and Ilse Gonzalez. Next, our community partners had the opportunity to hear directly from a team of experts regarding Counseling, Health Services, DSPS, MESA, EOPS/Calworks, and NextUp/CAFYES. Julie Saechao, Evan Schloss, Rachel Goodwin, Nila Adina, Charles Washington, and Lydell Willis spoke about these programs and answered questions during the rotation of panelists. Other participating Student Services experts included: Student Personnel Support Specialist Minerva Perez, Financial Aid Supervisor Jackie Vo, and Admissions and Records Specialist Marcean Bryant. Several College Administrators attended the breakfast too, including Dean Toni Cook, Dean Eva Jennings, Dean Paula Armstead, and Vice President of Instruction Don Miller. Community partners praised the event. From the follow up survey, we learned that the rotation of expert panelists was one of the most helpful parts of the program. One participant shared this feedback via the anonymous survey, “Thank you for the invitation, COA is definitely a college we want to partner up with!”

Participating Community Partners Alameda Science & Technology Institute, Charter Lao Family Community Development Inc. School LPS Oakland, Charter School Alameda Unified School District (AUSD) Montera Middle School, OUSD Alternatives in Action, Charter School Oakland Adult & Career Education Beyond Emancipation Oakland High School, OUSD , OUSD Oakland International High School, OUSD Consulate General of Mexico in San Francisco Oakland Technical High School, OUSD Destination College Advising Corps (DCAC) Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) Dewey Academy, OUSD Ralph J. Bunche, OUSD East Bay College Fund Rudsdale High School, OUSD , AUSD Skyline High School, OUSD Fashion, Art & Design Academy at Oakland Sojourner Truth Independent Study, OUSD Technical High School, OUSD The Unity Council Fremont High School, OUSD UC Berkeley Upward Bound , AUSD

Past CoA Outreach Events: February 3, 2018 Education Summit at CSU East Bay February 6, 2018 Community Partner Breakfast February 7, 2018 Campus Tour with Alameda Adult School February 7, 2018 College Fair at Roosevelt Middle School February 8, 2018 Campus Tour with February 9, 2018 Presentation at Nea Community Learning Center February 15, 2018 Presentation at Alameda Community Learning Center February 17, 2018 Black College Expo February 21, 2018 Summer Options Fair at Oakland High School

Upcoming CoA Outreach Events: March 7, 2018 Community College Fair at San Leandro High School March 8, 2018 Presentation at Castlemont High School

Don’t Miss CoA’s Free Produce Market!

College of Alameda’s Free Produce Market will take place every second and fourth Tuesday, when classes are in session, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m., at the F-Building. The market is open to students and community members. High quality and nutritious fruits, vegetables, bread, and other good things to eat will be available. Participants are encouraged to bring their own shopping bags.