Colleagues,
I want to share a few thoughts and updates on the efforts to achieve equity at the college, and
especially the role of faculty in promoting those efforts.
State Background – Governor Brown is increasing the amount of dedicated (categorical)
funding that colleges can use to address specific equity issues in CA community colleges.
Cabrillo’s funding will increase from about $600,000 (the original amount to be spent in 201415) to about $1,000,000 for the 2015-16 academic year. The INTENT for these funds is to be
ongoing every year. Cabrillo’s three-year Equity Plan was written last semester and approved by
the Governing Board in January, 2015.
Cabrillo Steering Committee – This semester the college has formed a Student Equity and
Success Committee to oversee the implementation, evaluation, and possible revisions to the
Equity Plan. The four faculty members are Joseph Carter (who was recently named co-chair of
the committee, Jennifer Cass, Barbara Schultz-Perez, and Nancy Phillips. You can find more
information on SESC at http://www.cabrillo.edu/services/studserv/StudentEquitySuccess.html
Faculty are welcome to attend these meetings. The next scheduled meetings are April 13 and
May 11 in SAC 202.
Student Focus Groups and Convening - One of the working groups of the SESC is focusing on
gathering more information about the needs of our students at Cabrillo. This will help inform
and improve the initiatives that we commit to. Next month we will begin gathering data from six
groups of students in focus group sessions. We will also be soliciting input from classified staff
and faculty at a half-day convening in the coming weeks. Stay tuned for specific dates.
Definition of Equity – The visual below says a lot. It’s a good start, but we still need to have a
rich, college-wide dialog about our definition and understanding of equity. For me, equity has a
political agenda – making sure that all students have access to the same opportunities – and
really I’m OK with that. The Faculty Senate has started our dialog process. I’ve attached their
brainstormed list of definitions and characteristics of equity for your inspiration and
consideration.
Equity Programs in Progress – Cabrillo’s Equity Plan targets eight groups and commits to improving their
success rates in specific metrics. The eight groups of targeted students are: Latinos/as, AfricanAmericans, Native Americans, Foster Youth, Veterans, low-income, and students with accessibility
needs.
Equity Initiatives in Progress at Cabrillo – Cabrillo’s Equity Plan targets eight groups and
commits to improving their success rates in specific metrics. The eight groups of targeted
students are: Latinos/as, African-Americans, Native Americans, Foster Youth, Veterans, lowincome students, and students with accessibility needs.
The five state-mandated success indicators – access, course completion, basic skills, certificate
and degree completion, and transfer – will be measured by our Planning and Research Office and
tracked on an annual basis.
The plan contains descriptions of many of the current efforts, and many initiatives continue to
take shape. Some steps already taken:

Math Plus (intensive math review to improve placement results)

Mentorship Program (contact Matt Halter in Biology to volunteer)

Supplemental Instruction

New curricular planning and pathways within the Math program

Tutoring and support in MESA, ESL and Writing Labs, and Math Lab…and

Pedagogy and Pathways – An initiative to support the design and implementation of new
approaches and pedagogy in the Basic Skills programs- Reading, ESL, English, and Math. Part
of this will involve faculty training faculty and staff in a Summer 2015 Institute to support the
development of these new approaches.
What can faculty members do to help our students succeed and promote a culture of
equity?


Participate in the dialog whenever you have an opportunity.
Review the three attached two-page publications from the RP Group
o “What is Student Support (Re)defined? (Discusses the six success factors for
student success: students who are directed, focused, nurtured, engaged,
connected, and valued.
o “Ten Ways Faculty Can Support Students’ Success”
o “Ten Ways Everyone Can Help Support Student Success”
Directions - Creating a culture of equity and refocusing our efforts to improve student success
will involve a lot of work - work that’s never really finished. In many, many areas it’s simply a
matter of better highlighting what we already do so well here at Cabrillo in our offices and
classes. I said in my All College Day remarks in August that our goal should be to have every
student able to answer a resounding “YES” to these two questions:
1.
Do I belong here?
2.
Can I succeed here?
Those goals have not changed. I think the first step is creating a culture where all employees at
the college, that’s a lot, share a positive approach to our interactions with our students. We have
a chance to change our students’ mindsets from “I cannot do it,” to “I cannot do it YET.” There
are many colleges that have institutionalized that commitment – and organized professional
development around specific professional development programs that lead to this sort of result.
(Some of these are Habits of Mind, Hope Theory, Growth Mindset, and On Course.) These
approaches have been discussed at our new Professional Engagement and Transformational
Learning committee (PETL), the Staff Development/FLEX committee, the faculty working
group O2, and many formal and informal dialogues. Part of our immediate challenge is to
embrace a shared understanding of and commitment to the kind of professional development
organizing framework that can help us to create the college we want to be in 5-10 years. This is
one of the salient features of the college’s Strategic Plan.
I invite you to join the conversation – in your departments and divisions, on the sidewalks
between classes, at FLEX workshops and ongoing professional development activities, during
SLO and AUO assessments, and, of course, at the Faculty Senate.
Have a great weekend.
Michael Mangin
Faculty Senate President