FIRST WEDNESDAY REPORT/SEPTEMBER 2013
I hope you had a wonderful Labor Day weekend. The fruits of some of our collective labors are
evident around the College this fall. Chabot’s participation in the Hayward Promise Neighborhood
grant work continues to evolve and we have welcomed a new HPN Coordinator, Marie DeLeon to
this important enterprise. Likewise the major consortium grant in which we participate with other East
Bay colleges, the Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training Grant
(TAACCCT) to retrain workers displaced by the recession and globalization moves forward with a
variety of projects.
The Facilities and Sustainability Committee is forging new directions under the able leadership of
Scott Hildreth. Work to mitigate the problems identified in the anatomy lab area is underway, as are
plans for the renovation of Building 100, and the identification of resources for a new Biology/Allied
Health facility (as well as myriad projects large and small.) Not least among these is the formation of
a committee working on the campus signage issue, and I have no doubt that we will see new interior
and exterior signage this academic year. Please look up at the arch as you enter campus from Lot A
the deteriorating plastic banner is gone and has been replaced with brushed steel letters.
New Staff Development Chair Christine Warda and her committee put on a fine Convocation, and we
heard some straight talk and inspiration from the new Chancellor. Student government is blossoming
under the able leadership of President Erika Cortez and the support of Dr. Sara Parker. Josue
Hernandez has been doing some great things, along with an able crew of students in Student Life
and we will soon be hiring a permanent Student Life Operations Coordinator.
The Law and Democracy Program will be hosting its third yearly lecture on Thursday, September
19th at 1 p.m., which this year will feature Tirien Steinbach of Berkeley’s East Bay Community Law
Center. For a second year the Faculty Senate et al is sponsoring a Speakers Series featuring the
notable work and accomplishments of members of our community starting with Zac Walsh on
Thursday, September 5th at 6:30 p.m. in the Event Center.
After a two-year hiatus we have a new Foundation called “Friends of Chabot College” which will be
up and running this academic year, and we will soon be hiring an Executive Director. The permanent
Vice President of Instructional Services position is in the paper screening process and interviews will
commence this month. We will be posting the permanent Student Services Vice President position
this semester as well, and then posting dean’s positions for permanent status in several areas.
The District’s newly-adopted allocation model is in pilot phase with a number of key elements yet to
be worked through. This Friday’s (September 6) District Budget Study Group will be interesting as
the group grapples with some of the yet unanswered questions about the models implementation.
The resolution of some as yet unanswered questions will be key to the economic health of the
Colleges and District as a whole.
Several learning community pilots are under construction and discussions of their implications will
commence next week at the first Learning Communities Task Force meeting, which will bring
together both Student and Academic Service faculty and staff in collaboration around these
important efforts.
More to follow soon, and I hope to see you at our first College Forum that will soon be announced.
Here’s to a great semester!
Susan
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