REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the
Multicultural and Diversity Committee
Of the Academic Senate
Eureka: 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, CA100
Crescent City: 883 W. Washington Blvd.
Arcata: 435 Crestwood Drive
Bayside: 1501 Irene Street
Eureka: 3841 D Street; 1314 E Street, Unit B
Point Arena: 41341 Harris Ranch Road
Friday, May 10, 2013
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Agenda
1. Call to Order
2. Introductions and Public Comments: Members of the audience are invited to make
comments regarding any subject appropriate to the Multicultural and Diversity
Committee.
3. Approve the April 26, 2013 Meeting Minutes
4. Action Items
4.1 Nominations for the Annual Diversity Award (Attachments)
5. Discussion Items
5.1 Accomplishments of the MDC 2012-13 (Attachment)
5.2 MDC Membership 2013-14
6. Reports
7. Announcements/Open Forum
8. Adjournment
Public Notice—Nondiscrimination:
College of the Redwoods does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, age, gender,
sexual orientation, color or disability in any of its programs or activities. College of the Redwoods
is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Upon request
this publication will be made available in alternate formats. Please contact College of the
Redwoods Academic Senate, 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, Eureka, CA 95501, (707) 476-4259, 8:30
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday—Friday.
Next Meeting:
Friday September 13, 2013
REDWOODS COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Meeting of the
Multicultural and Diversity Committee
Of the Academic Senate
Eureka: 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, CA100
Crescent City: 883 W. Washington Blvd.
Arcata: 435 Crestwood Drive
Bayside: 1501 Irene Street
Eureka: 3841 D Street; 1314 E Street, Unit B
Point Arena: 41341 Harris Ranch Road
Friday, April 26, 2013
11:15 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Minutes
1. Call to Order
Quorum was attained and the meeting was called to order at 11:28 am
2. Introductions and Public Comments: Members of the audience are invited to make
comments regarding any subject appropriate to the Multicultural and Diversity
Committee.
Michelle Haggerty, faculty advisor for the Queer Student Union, shared with the MDC that the
QSU was involved in the process for determining the structure and function of a Student
Multicultural and Diversity Center. She invited input from faculty on how to advise QSU
through this process.
Julie Raich, associate faculty in Foreign Languages, updated the MDC on the current operational
status of the Latino Film Festival and requested that the MDC consider what role it can play in
supporting the festival.
3. Approve the March April 12, 2013 Meeting Minutes
Minutes were approved as written without objection.
4. Action Items
There are no action items at this time.
5. Discussion Items
5.1 Annual Diversity Award (3 Attachments)
The chair announced that the call for an annual diversity award would go out immediately after
the meeting and requested that individuals make nominations. Official discussion was interrupted
because quorum was lost at 11:38.
5.2 Diversity Speaker for Fall 2013
5.3 2013-14 Membership (Attachment)
5.4 Accomplishments of the MDC 2012-13 (Attachment)
6. Reports
6.1 ASCR Update, Cody Hale
6.2 Equal Employment Opportunity Committee Update, Deanna Herrera-Thomas
6.3 Student Equity Committee Update, Michael Dennis
7. Announcements/Open Forum
8. Adjournment
Public Notice—Nondiscrimination:
College of the Redwoods does not discriminate on the basis of ethnicity, religion, age, gender,
sexual orientation, color or disability in any of its programs or activities. College of the Redwoods
is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities. Upon request
this publication will be made available in alternate formats. Please contact College of the
Redwoods Academic Senate, 7351 Tompkins Hill Road, Eureka, CA 95501, (707) 476-4259, 8:30
a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday—Friday.
Next Meeting:
Friday May 10, 2013
MULTICULTURAL AND DIVERSITY AWARD
NOMINEE SUPPORT FORM
Please return this completed form to Debbie Williams (Debbie-Williams@Redwoods.edu) in the
Academic Senate Office (via email or campus mail) by Monday, May 6, 2013.
Name of Nominee: Crystal Morse
Submitted by: Lynn Thiesen
1) What contributions has this individual made to multiculturalism and diversity at the
college, within the district, or in the community?
Crystal has invested a great deal of time, energy and enthusiasm in establishing the
Veterans Resource Center (VRC) on campus. The VRC provides a welcoming, nonthreatening environment for this important population of student-veterans. Through
workshops, invitations to the VRC Open-House and other activities, Crystal has
informed the campus community of the issues that veterans face on a college campus.
2) How has this individual shown leadership in multiculturalism and diversity through
campus programs?
Crystal has shown leadership through campus programs by being involved in several
committees that help to ensure diversity; for example, the Student Equity Plan Task
Force and Behavioral Intervention Team.
3) How has this individual increased awareness and communication of diversity and
multiculturalism throughout the district?
Crystal has developed and presented multiple workshops through Staff Development on
issues facing our student-veterans. Crystal also works closely with local agencies that
support veterans.
4) What strategies has this individual designed and/or implemented that promote
inclusiveness in his/her campus environment?
Crystal continues to serve on committees that work toward inclusiveness and also has
made a commitment to continue to present workshops in coordination with the Staff
Development Committee
MULTICULTURAL AND DIVERSITY AWARD
NOMINEE SUPPORT FORM
Please return this completed form to Debbie Williams (Debbie-Williams@Redwoods.edu) in the
Academic Senate Office (via email or campus mail) by Monday, May 6, 2013.
Name of Nominee: Ruthe Rhodes, English Professor
Submitted by: Becky Blatnick, Counselor
1) What contributions has this individual made to multiculturalism and diversity at the
college, within the district, or in the community?
Ruthe Rhodes has written a musical entitled This is Crescent City. The play’s main
premise involves young people exploring the diverse roots of their community, building
ties with one another, and collectively working towards change. Her play features
fictional characters behind the backdrop of actual local history—and its issues and
themes include genocide, slavery, modern racism and cultural silencing, as well as
immigration.
2) How has this individual shown leadership in multiculturalism and diversity through
campus programs?
Ruthe shared a preview of this play with us at the 2012-1213 Portugal Lecturer.
3) How has this individual increased awareness and communication of diversity and
multiculturalism throughout the district?
In addition to visiting Del Norte, Eureka, and Mendocino as the Portugal Lecturer, Ruthe
partnered locally with Building Healthy Communities-Del Norte for a small grant to
create high school workshops of her play. Over sixty students and teachers from two
different high schools did a read-through of the entire play and offered comments and
suggestions for the writer to make it more true to their lives. They also commented on
how much they’d learned about their area’s history just from the reading.
Ruthe was interviewed on KHSU’s Home Page with Katie Whiteside and locally on KPOD and K-CRE to talk about her play, and Lighthouse Repertory Theatre’s
performances of the play is scheduled for November, 2013. It reached an expected
audience of over 2000.
4) What strategies has this individual designed and/or implemented that promote
inclusiveness in his/her campus environment?
As she researched her play, Ruthe worked with various community members (many
who were CR professors, staff, students, and alumni) to ensure the play felt “true” to the
people who were its focus. This is rather unusual for an artist to do, but given the
sensitive nature of the material and the fact that the play would be presented locally,
she felt it was important.
She did both formal and informal interviews with Tolowa and Yurok Tribe members, the
children of Hmong refugees, loggers, former prison inmates, and even surfers. She also
held several read-throughs and a sing-a-long in her home as well as in area high
schools. Her overall strategy has been asking questions, listening to the answers, and
developing a creative project that reflects the diverse voices of her community.
MULTICULTURAL AND DIVERSITY AWARD
NOMINEE SUPPORT FORM
Please return this completed form to Debbie Williams (Debbie-Williams@Redwoods.edu) in the
Academic Senate Office (via email or campus mail) by Monday, May 6, 2013.
Name of Nominee: Dr. Deanna Herrera-Thomas
Submitted by: David Bazard
1) What contributions has this individual made to multiculturalism and diversity at the
college, within the district, or in the community?
Dr. Deanna Herrera-Thomas brought multicultural awareness to CR when she
began teaching at the college in the early 2000s. In addition to her course work,
one of her initial actions was to propose and help initiate the Academic Senate’s
Multicultural and Diversity Committee as well as an associated web site. She was
the first chair of this committee. Deanna was also the principle author of the
District’s 2005 Student Equity Plan. She worked with the administration and
Academic Senate to get this plan written and ultimately approved by the Board of
Trustees. Her work on these and other diversity-related efforts was the basis for
her being the 2005 recipient of the California State Academic Senate “Regina
Stanback-Stroud Diversity Award”.
More recently Deanna was the primary author of the revised, 79 page, 2012
Student Equity Plan. This was an entire rewrite of the previous plan. The new plan
includes data analysis, planning goals, actions, and the functions of the SEP
monitoring committee. This report was cited as evidence of the college’s
commitment to multiculturalism and diversity in the Show-Cause report to the
ACCJC.
Deanna also helped draft the Strategic Equity in Hiring Plan that was in response to
ACCJC Recommendation #6 and she consulted with Human Resources on the
writing of the Equal Employment Opportunity Plan (EEO Plan).
2) How has this individual shown leadership in multiculturalism and diversity through
campus programs?
Dr. Herrera-Thomas has been a leader in writing and promoting critical reports,
plans, and policy to help promote and monitor multiculturalism and diversity at the
college. She works within the faculty and administrative spheres to help ensure
that curricula, policies, and procedures include deference to the cause of diversity.
Her work to initiate the Multicultural and Diversity Committee and her work as chair
are examples of her leadership. She has also shown leadership in working with
faculty and administrators to encourage implementation of plans and to see that
college policy supports multiculturalism and provides a safe and welcoming learning
environment for a diverse student population.
3) How has this individual increased awareness and communication of diversity and
multiculturalism throughout the district?
Deanna Herrera-Thomas has worked to help the students, the faculty, and the
community be aware of diversity and multicultural issues and needs. Her actions
have promoted the idea that a successful and vibrant community is one that
supports and promotes a diverse population.
Deanna has reported to the Academic Senate several times about the Student
Equity Plan. Most recently, during an October 2012 meeting, she reviewed the plan
and discussed roles and responsibilities with regard to implementation of the plan.
The Senate agreed to support the plan and monitor its implementation.
Deanna also worked with the District to bolster CR’s accreditation efforts directed at
the multicultural and diversity standard. The plans that Deanna help write, as well
as the MDC and its efforts, were cited by the ACCJC as a positive aspect of our
college. The following passage is from the ACCJC visiting report in the fall of 2012:
“Through review of recently updated and adopted Board Policy 1201 Philosophy
and 1202 Institutional Objectives, the Student Equity Plan, the Equal Employment
Opportunity Plan and the Strategic Equity in Hiring Plan the team found that the
College creates an environment that support and encourage a diverse workforce.
(IIIA.4.a)”
Deanna Herrera-Thomas was the principle author of Student Equity Plan, a key
contributor to the EEO Plan, and a coauthor of the Strategic Equity in Hiring Plan.
Her work significantly contributed to the college being able to show compliance with
this Accreditation Standard.
Additionally, Deanna has promoted and helped initiate ESL courses on the Eureka
campus and she has increased awareness within the community by giving lectures
and providing consultation on topics ranging from the mental health needs of
Latinos, to violence against women, homophobia, and cultural competency.
4) What strategies has this individual designed and/or implemented that promote
inclusiveness in his/her campus environment?
Deanna employs many strategies within her courses to promote multicultural
awareness and to appeal to a diverse population of students. She serves as a
direct role model to diverse students who might feel out of place in academia, and
she has established many close mentoring relationships with such students.
Deanna’s pedagogy is shaped by multiculturalism, and her students feel supported,
engaged, and valued no matter their personal backgrounds or life experiences. For
example, she linked with an Art instructor to organize a linked-class project that
culminated in a student Dia de los Muertos exhibition at a local gallery. Other
examples include bringing transgendered speakers to class and facilitating
presentations by Yurok elders. Deanna is a constant reminder that psychology
professors can not only appreciate and respect differences, but they can also teach
about human pluralism in a supportive and insightful way. Her students learn the
historical context of categorizing social-cultural differences as "a syndrome," a
pathology," or as being "treatable" and learn how these mistaken approaches in
psychology and medicine have led to misunderstandings and oppression. In
contrast, Deanna works individually and collectively with students to promote
classroom, campus, and community multiculturalism.
In addition, Deanna has provided training for other faculty. In the fall of 2012 she
led the workshop, “Internalized Oppression and Classroom Dynamics” where
Deanna explored how myths and misinformation perpetuate discrimination that can
result in internalized oppression. The workshop allowed faculty to explore how this
dynamic can impact the classroom and how strategies can be employed to break
down barriers to provide a more successful learning environment for
underrepresented populations.
Accomplishments of the Multicultural and Diversity Committee
2012-13
1. Awarded the 2011-12 annual Multicultural and Diversity Award to Robert K. Ekholdt.
2. Elected a representative to the Equal Employment Opportunity Advisory Committee.
Guiding document: Strategic Equity in Hiring Plan
3. Redefined MDC membership and revised existing By-Laws to better include a diverse
constituency from the institution to participate in and advise committee deliberation.
4. Communicated with ASCR to inform that body about its potential role in realizing a
Student Multicultural and Diversity Center. Guiding document: Student Equity Plan
5. Updated the website of the MDC.
6. Appointed a representative to the Student Equity Committee. Guiding document: Student
Equity Plan.
7. Contributed to the Accreditation Oversight Committee’s Report and Addendum to the
ACCJC. Guiding document: Student Equity Plan
8. Made recommendations to the Enrollment Management Committee and the Faculty
regarding courses to protect in case of low enrollment or to promote in order to serve
underrepresented students. Guiding documents: Student Equity Plan, Strategic Equity in
Hiring Plan
9. Advised the Student Equity Committee on how to proceed with a Student Multicultural
and Diversity Center. Guiding document: Student Equity Plan.
10. Made recommendations for a Diversity and Common Ground requirement to the
Curriculum Committee. Guiding document: Student Equity Plan.