HARTNELL COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
DIVERSITY/EEO ADVISORY COMMITTEE
Minutes
Friday, November 14, 2014, 2:30 p.m.
D-129
UNAPPROVED
MEMBERS
Name
Representing
Present
Terri Pyer
Melissa Chin-Parker
Brenda Jones
Ann de Jesus Riley
Administration, Co-chair
Administration
Classified
Faculty
X
X
X
X
Elizabeth Estrella
Peter Calvert
Nora Torres-Zuniga
Amoldeep Bains
Faculty
At-large
At-large
Student
Absent
X
X
X
Others
Name
Alma Arriaga
HR Specialist
Title or Representing
HR Staff
CALL TO ORDER & INTRODUCTIONS
Present
X
Absent
Terri Pyer
Meeting called to order at 2:30 p.m.
ACTION ITEMS
Minutes for April 24, 2014 (Nora moved, Ann seconded) and May 22, 2014 (with one correction, Terri moved,
Nora seconded) were approved.
No action was taken on minutes for September 19, 2014 and October 17, 2014, as no actions were taken at
those meetings because there was no quorum.
INFORMATION/DISCUSSION/PRESENTATIONS
1. Committee reviewed committee handbook, which was edited to reflect new mission, vision, and values
statements. Process for committees changing their handbooks is to take them as an information item to
the College Planning Council. Terri will do that.
2. Traits of a Diverse Organization. Since Liz was not in attendance, Terri shared this document that Liz had
provided her, and the committee had a lively discussion of the document, as well as the big cultural shift it
takes for an organization to become more diverse and more welcoming, including providing opportunities
for all people to talk about these issues in a context that feels safe. Everything should be looked at:
artwork, pictures, cultural artifacts, hiring practices, and it can’t just be one committee, talking every
month; it needs to be pervasive.
1
Hartnell College Vision Statement: Hartnell College will be nationally recognized for the success of our students by developing leaders who will contribute to the
social, cultural, and economic vitality of our region and the global community.
Hartnell College Mission Statement: Focusing on the needs of the Salinas Valley, Hartnell College provides educational opportunities for students to reach
academic goals in an environment committed to student learning, achievement and success.
Melissa then shared a Youtube video with the group from The RSA Group (thersa.org) called The Power of
Empathy. Maybe we could send out monthly email messages to people with diversity messages, and
include links to videos like this. Or put up little factoids around campus, like the bullet points from the
Traits of a Diverse Organization list.
This discussion led naturally to a discussion about the Springfest Project, later in the agenda, which the
group agreed to move up.
6a. Melissa provided the group with the Wikipedia synopsis entry for Tortilla Curtain, which is on The Western
Stage’s 2015 program, and some biographical information about Dr. Matthew Spangler, an associate
professor of communication studies at San Jose State who adapted T.C. Boyle’s novel for the stage. Dr.
Spangler is willing to come here for a pre-event this spring. The group discussed some of the ways that we
might engage more people on campus with particular events and activities, and how we could get more
involvement.
Ann thought we should also learn more about local history, and we could invite someone to give a talk
about this. Diversity should be one of the topics for the January flex day, though that won’t necessarily
reach all employees. Brenda mentioned that panels, involving our students, could be a powerful way to
present different perspectives to employees.
NEXT MEETING(S)
•
December 12, 2014
ADJOURNMENT
Terri Pyer
The meeting adjourned at 4 p.m. without getting to the rest of the items on the agenda. Terri said she would
send everyone a link to the 2013 demographic data so that people could find where the committee’s webpage
is.
2
Hartnell College Vision Statement: Hartnell College will be nationally recognized for the success of our students by developing leaders who will contribute to the
social, cultural, and economic vitality of our region and the global community.
Hartnell College Mission Statement: Focusing on the needs of the Salinas Valley, Hartnell College provides educational opportunities for students to reach
academic goals in an environment committed to student learning, achievement and success.