The campus Institutional Effectiveness Committee held a feedback session via Zoom on Wednesday to discuss the Strategic Plan Area 3: Teaching and Learning.
Interim Dean of Research and Equity Sabrina Sencil said the committee values and embraces anti-racism and social justice for the communities they serve.
“We’re calling out that we recognize, address and eliminate all forms of racism, discrimination and oppression,” Sencil said. “We are empowering both employees and students to achieve their goals.”
During the feedback session, a poll was launched to determine which strategies in Area 3’s previous plan should be altered to support the goal of the IE Committee.
One of the strategies had to do with enhancing professional development for all employees.
Tyler Rollins, who is the director of academic and student support projects at Cosumnes River College, said he selected that strategy because it seemed “productivity-oriented.”
Rollins said it doesn’t get to the heart of what they’re trying to do with professional development or with the areas they’re trying to become more “fluent” in.
Another strategy listed was advancing a culture of innovation, reflection and collaboration among students and employees.
Teresa Lopez, who is account clerk II, said she voted for this approach, but stressed the importance of adopting good policies.
“If we’re not connecting with the students and making sure that this is actually coming out in how we serve them and if it’s meeting their needs or not, we can get stuck patting ourselves on the back,” Lopez said.
Lopez said the more avenues we have to make sure employees are hearing from and connecting with students, the more motivated people will be to involve themselves in professional development.
More work has to be done since it’s been difficult to get students to attend these meetings, said Sencil.
Vice President of Institutional Equity, Research and Planning Claire Oliveros said participatory governance shared meetings and open campus forums are open to the public and that this feedback session was important because it drives the committee’s ability to demonstrate that they care about students.
“For us too, as folks that were students, are students and are passionate about supporting students’ learning and completion, this is the heart of our college,” Oliveros said.
IE Committee meetings are held on the second and fourth Friday of each month from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Click here for more information about the IE committee.