April 12, 2024
Greetings, West Valley College!
I hope everyone is having a great week back and that your spring break respite included quality time enjoying personal interests, hobbies, and other activities that bring you peace and joy.
This time of year, as we prepare to celebrate West Valley College students at commencement, I am always reminded of the seventh inning stretch. We all need to take a deep breath, acknowledge each other in community, take a pause to reflect on the semester, and look toward a successful conclusion. Commencement itself is a milestone, a celebration of new beginnings for our students. Springtime is a happy season for me as I reflect on memories of my mother, a diehard baseball fan, following inning after inning, game after game—watching a game on TV or driving my sisters and I around town in the heat of Los Angeles, with the windows down, and not a chance we could listen to our music on the radio.
As a Jackie Robinson fan, I look forward each year to Major League Baseball’s tribute to his legacy and accomplishments on April 15, Jackie Robinson Day. Furthermore, some people may not be aware that Robinson was a community college alum who attended the then Pasadena Junior College before transferring to UCLA. Robinson once said, “A life is not important except for the impact it has on other lives,” which I am sure resonates with all of us as educators. We will come together at commencement to acknowledge students’ achievements in community with their families and supporters. As individuals and as a college, we serve students in many ways, guiding, nurturing, and sometimes outright directing as advisors, coaches, mentors, familia, teachers, tribe, biggest fans, and advocates. And so, in the commencement celebration, I also celebrate you and your lasting impact on students. Let’s take a stretch and get our heads into the game and finish this winning semester for our students.
Here are a few timely college updates.
Hispanic Serving Institution Status
Good news! West Valley College is now designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI). Our institution is now eligible to apply for federal Title III and Title V grants. This positions the college, for the first time, to compete for large grants such as the Developing Hispanic Serving Institution grant (DHSI, Title V), the HSI-STEM grant (Title III, part F), and Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution grant (AANAPISI, Title III, part A). A special thanks to Dr. Shusaku Horibe, Virginia Marquez, Alison McGann, and Jasmine Torres for their work throughout the application process. The college is developing a grant strategy not just for these grants but also for future grants.
Early Admission Orientations
Next week, West Valley College begins welcoming hundreds of graduating high school students through our Early Admissions (EA) Orientations. During these five-hour onboarding workshops, students will learn key aspects of becoming a Viking, gain an understanding for selecting courses for their transfer and career goals, and conduct a scavenger hunt through Student Services to familiarize themselves with student supports. Between April and August, students have 18 different EA Orientation options from which to choose. Students will walk away from the day with Viking swag and having met with a counselor for an abbreviated educational plan. They will be registered full-time in classes and know their initial financial aid status.
BRAC Process and Organizational Updates
Thank you for your time, interest, and care in communicating the needs of our college through the annual BRAC process and organizational structure listening sessions. We are in a shared process of continually improving our service to West Valley College students and the community. As we approach our 60th anniversary, I have thoroughly enjoyed and appreciated learning about the institution while reviewing the many requests. In considering requests, we have carefully reviewed the Education Master Plan, Mission Statement, College Priorities, and WVMCCD’s Goals. Adherence to state, federal, and accreditation mandates has also informed our evaluation. Organizational updates and BRAC-approved requests will be shared in May.
Climate Survey
The Office of Institutional Research is preparing a presentation for upcoming constituency meetings. The presentation will start with Academic Senate on April 23 and conclude with College Council on May 9. At the conclusion of these presentations, reports that include the summarized data will be made available to all employees. We will then head into the summer leadership retreat in June when we will engage in deeper discussions about the results, potential areas of improvement, and action steps.
2024-2025 Hiring and Comprehensive Onboarding
We have been busy this year. I appreciate the time and commitment it takes to serve on search committees. Thank you to our classified professionals, faculty, administrators, and students for ensuring that we are selecting the best candidates to join our West Valley College family. Go Vikings!
Faculty hiring is making progress, and one of the eight searches has already completed successfully. The committees are working diligently to recruit high-caliber and student-centered faculty members. There are also four administrative searches currently underway, and West Valley College is eager to welcome talented individuals to the community. New Faculty Orientation planning is in progress; Meg Farrell, Michelle Francis, and Dr. Joshua Moon-Johnson are excited to provide a robust onboarding process to ensure all new faculty are welcomed, oriented, and supported. Additionally, new administrators will also engage in a comprehensive onboarding process come fall.
Lastly, we have begun the recruitment process for the Vice President of Student Affairs. Please reach out to your senate leader if you are interested in serving on the search committee.
Year-End Celebrations
There are many exciting events ahead of us as we look forward to our May 23 commencement. Please plan to attend our Tenure Reception on Monday, April 15 from 2:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. as we honor newly tenured faculty. On Thursday, April 18, 12:30 p.m., join us in celebrating our State Championship-winning men’s basketball team. They not only won the 2024 CCCAA State Title but also went undefeated for the season!
Please save the date for our annual Open House event on Saturday, April 20, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Many prospective students, community members, and families will be on campus to learn about the college and the great programs, educational pathways, and offerings we provide.
Other major events include the Scholarship Ceremony on Friday, May 10, and the Transfer Celebration on Tuesday, May 14 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. in the Campus Center.
May 16-18, plan to attend the STEAM’D Fest which is a collaboration between the Cilker School of Art & Design and the School of Science & Math. This event also brings many prospective students and community members to campus!
Full details of these events and more (too numerous to list) can be found in the Viking Weekly!
Shoutout to Classified Professionals
Our classified staff are essential to every aspect of our college operations and ultimately student achievement. Their hard work and dedication inspire me, especially when I hear regular stories about staff going above and beyond to serve our students. The President’s Office is currently partnering with Classified Senate to host a spring social and celebrate Classified Appreciation Week, April 22-26. Please mark your calendars!
Let’s get excited about celebrating commencement in May and then 60 years of instruction and service in September!
In unity and success,
Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Ph.D.