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AUGUST Mailbag!Dear Campus Community,
As we head into the 74th academic year of Monterey Peninsula College, I want to use thismailbag to again express my deep gratitude for all the work faculty, staff, andadministrators are doing to continue providing supportive services and a HIGH-QUALITYeducation to our students. We have much to celebrate as our students have and willcontinue to learn, advance through their program of study, and reach their academic goals.
We have many collective projects that will continue to move forward this semester, such asMPC’s comprehensive reopening plan, through which we continue to progress whilecarefully navigating current and future health guidance. Our campus will also worktogether to finalize recommendations to present to the Governing Board for approvalregarding Measure V bond projects, MPC rebranding concepts, and implementationstrategies for a possible future COVID vaccination mandate. These projects, takenindividually and collectively, will impact future generations of Lobos; therefore, I know wewill continue to engage in these critical conversations through our governance groups,division meetings, and campus-wide forums.
As we embark on this academic year of continued unprecedented challenges and excitingopportunities, I want to reaffirm my support for everyone in our Lobo community andencourage you to reach out if I can help in any way.
Have a great semester, Lobos!
DavidDavid Martin, Superintendent/President
Save the date!MPC Governing Board
New this Fall: MPC’s Governing Board of Trustees has expanded its regularmeeting schedule! The Governing Board now meets on the second andfourth Wednesday of each month, except for November and December.Regular Board meetings are held by Zoom Webinar (Password: 628249).Open sessions start at 4:00 PM.
The Trustees have developed an Advance Planning Calendar for the 2021 calendar year based ontheir annual Board goals. Please take a moment to review the upcoming schedule of Boardpresentations, action items, and community connections.
Campus Forum Fridays
Please join us for Campus Forum Fridays this fall! Forums are held from 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM in theCampus Forum Friday Zoom Room (Meeting ID: 956 1483 7653, Password: 995451). The currentschedule is listed below.
● Friday, August 27th - MPC Reopening & Federal COVID Stimulus Funding● Friday, September 3rd - MPC Branding Refresh (part I) & Tagline & Accreditation (part II)● Friday, September 17th - MPC 2021-22 Final Budget Presentation
Feedback or suggestions regarding future topics or guest speakers may be emailed [email protected]. Please keep an eye out for additional Campus Forum dates and topics in futuremailbag communications.
MPC Brand Refresh
Thank you to everyone who submitted ideas through the Tagline IdeaGenerator—we had so many creative responses! The Tagline Workgroupis now going through the submissions and will meet with the MarketingCommittee on August 27th to develop a list of options that will bepresented to the campus to vote upon. A Campus Forum will be heldon September 3rd at noon to provide updates about the BrandingRefresh project, including the proposed new logo, tagline ideas, andother exciting elements. Look for a survey to cast your vote for the newtagline in late August!
Fall 2021 Superintendent/President Office Hours
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM in the President's Office Zoom Room (Passcode: 215167)
September 3rd, October 15th, November 5th and 19th, and December 10th
The President’s Office Zoom Room will be open to the campus community eachFriday listed above. Please drop in anytime during these hours for a virtual cup ofcoffee and open discussion.
Monterey County Weekly’s “Best of Monterey County” Poll
MPC is well-represented in Monterey County Weekly’s 2021 “Best ofMonterey County” poll! MPC is one of five nominees for “Best School,”and three of our esteemed faculty members, Bill Little, HenryMarchand, and Kevin Bransfield, are nominated for “Best Professor!”Voting is open through September 7, 2021. Be sure to cast your vote!
Guest Author Series
On Wednesday, September 8, from 6:00-7:00 PM, the MPC GuestAuthors Series presents novelist and short story writer Bret AnthonyJohnston, who will read from his work and discuss the writing offiction. Mr. Johnston, author of the best-selling novel Remember MeLike This and the award-winning collection Corpus Christie: Stories,was the Director of the Creative Writing Program at Harvard foreleven years and now directs the Michener Center for Writers at the
University of Texas in Austin.
The Zoom link for this online event is available by contacting Series Director Henry Marchand [email protected].
Fall 2021 Semester - Key Dates
As we collectively launch into the Fall 2021 Semester, please share with ourstudents the following important dates and deadlines:
● August 13-29 - Late registration: Students may continue to register forfull-term classes with a provided add code
● August 30 - Census day● September 6 - School Holiday: Labor Day Observance● September 11 - Last date to request pass/no pass grade option for
semester-length courses● September 24 - School Holiday: Native American Day Commemoration● November 10 - Last date to drop a semester-length course and receive a "W" grade● November 11 - School Holiday: Veterans Day Observance● November 25-27 - School Holiday: Thanksgiving● December 6-10 - Final Exams● December 10 - End of semester
Fall 2021 Lobo Day - September 15, 2021
Join the Associated Students of MPC at the campus quad on Wednesday,September 15th for Fall 2021 Lobo Day and learn more about campus clubs,services, and programs while enjoying free food and music! DownloadASMPC’s Flyer for more information about this fun-filled event.
Undocumented Student Action Week - October 18 through October 22, 2021
Undocumented Student Action Week, which is in its fifth year, is a system-wide campaign toadvocate—and provide support resources—for our undocumented student population. During thisweek, California’s community colleges are encouraged to engage in advocacy and support efforts insolidarity with undocumented students throughout the state.
Please hold the week of October 18-22 for MPC events, system-wide webinars, and opportunities toconnect with other colleagues and students throughout the system in support of ourundocumented students.
Hot News!COVID-19 Vaccination Mandate Discussion
At the August 11th meeting of the Governing Board of Trustees, the Boardreceived an informational presentation on mandating COVID vaccinationsin colleges and universities. Trustees expressed interest in updatingexisting board policy [BP 5210 - Communicable Disease (Students) and BP7330 - Communicable Disease (Employees)] to include a COVIDvaccination mandate for all employees and students as a future conditionto returning to campus.
The campus community will engage in several conversations over the coming weeks/months onhow best to implement a COVID vaccination mandate if the Governing Board utilizes its authority toinclude this mandate within district board policy. Please contact me ([email protected]) if you haveany questions and please keep an eye out for opportunities to engage in campus discussions.
In the meantime, we are collecting vaccination status information from MPC employees,contractors, students, volunteers, and others who work onsite regularly. If you haven’t already doneso, please complete the vaccination self-certification form. Please contact Kayla Valentine [email protected] if you have any questions or concerns. For more information on vaccinationsites, please visit https://myturn.ca.gov/.
PRIE Department
Dr. Robert Pacheco, formerly the Dean of PRIE, retired from the District effective July 31, 2021. Thankyou to Dr. Rosaleen Ryan for stepping into the Acting Dean of PRIE role over the summer! Dr. Ryanhas served MPC at a high level over the last several years and will do an excellent job in this new roleand as the new chair of the PRIE Committee.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me at [email protected].
Guided Pathways
Faculty Data Coaches: Eight faculty have been recruited to serve as faculty Data Coaches for theCareer and Academic Pathway (CAP) completion teams. This summer, all of the new Data Coachescompleted an intensive Data Coaching Academy facilitated by Dr. Rosaleen Ryan. The Academycovered a range of topics around equity and data analysis and provided a strong foundation for theData Coaches’ upcoming work with teams this fall. Kudos to Dr. Ryan for leading such a fantasticprogram and to our new Faculty Data Coaches: Dr. Abeje Ambaw (Anatomy/Physiology), ValoreeBatista (Ethnic Studies), Sue Hanna (Nursing), Molly Jansen (Hospitality), Pamela Keindl (Dance),Adrianne Kotecki (Psychology), Blake Rodger (English), and DJ Singh (Computer Science &Information Systems).
Career & Academic Pathways: The Guided Pathways Career and Academic Pathway (CAP) programwebsite and information sheets are now complete and were unveiled to faculty and staff at Flex thisfall. Our students will now find it easier to navigate our educational programs as they begin theirjourney at MPC! The CAP program website is easy to access from the CAP button located on theMPC home page. Please take a moment to review our reorganized website landing page for MPCCareer & Academic Pathways!
Weekly Wellness Workshops
During the Fall 2021 Semester, mental health professionals are providing free one-hour WellnessWorkshops to students via Zoom. Workshop topics are listed below.
● Introduction to Mindfulness● Coping with Stress, Anxiety, and Depression● Eating Disorders● Substance Use● Building Resiliency● Suicide Prevention Training
Request a workshop for your students by emailing the topic, potential dates, and times to StudentHealth Services at [email protected].
MPC Advisory Redistricting Commission
In July 2021, MPC’s Governing Board of Trustees established the Advisory Redistricting Commission.The Commission will review Census 2020 data pertaining to MPC’s trustee areas, evaluate trusteearea boundaries for population equality, and recommend potential redistricting changes, if any, tothe MPC Governing Board, who will retain final approval authority for trustee area boundaries.
MPC is seeking volunteers to serve on this Commission. Please share the information below withany interested individuals!
● MPC Redistricting: https://www.montereycoe.org/county-board/redistricting/mpc/● Application for MPC’s Advisory Redistricting Commission (due August 27, 2021)
Spring 2021 Action Plans
A big thank you to everyone who submitted their Division andDepartment action plans. All requests were reviewed carefullyfor available funding options. Area deans will begin workingwith divisions and departments regarding requests that havebeen funded and next steps. A significant portion of the
federal stimulus funding will be used to fund the majority of action plan requests. We hope to havethis funding available for procurement in the coming weeks.
Campus KudosCareer Education Program Showcase
The Career Education team, under the leadership of Dean Judy Cutting and incollaboration with Kristin Darken and MPC’s Marketing & Communications office and local graphicdesigner and MPC alum Lorne Dokie, produced a fantastic 40-page booklet that showcased MPC’sCareer Education programs. The finished book was mailed to homes throughout the District nearthe end of summer and will be provided to departments and areas across the campus to share withstudents, industry partners, and the community.
IREPO Grant
MPC just received notification that we are 1 of only 4 colleges in California to be awarded $1.8 millionthrough the Institutional Resilience and Expanded Postsecondary Opportunity (IREPO) grant. Thisis a competitive federal grant that will help MPC continue to devote resources to keep improving ourdelivery of online education, support digital workflow and electronic processes, and expand andenhance technology support for students as we continue to reopen the campus and reduce theimpact the COVID-19 pandemic has had on our students and community. BIG Kudos to the effortsof Beccie Michael, Allison Payne, Jeffrey Sundquist, Jon Knolle, Larry Walker, and Mike Midkiff.
MPC Summer Bridge Equity Symposium
A big shout out to an amazing team of dedicated faculty, staff, and administrators for coordinating awildly successful Equity Symposium. Numerous students tuned in to listen to wonderful andrelevant guest speakers, get tips for college readiness, and connect with other incoming Lobos.Great job, SOAR: Kelly Fletes (Director), Aldair Pimentel, Elroy Gardenhire, Janelle Garcia, and ChrisRendon; FYE: Diana Baltazar, Juanita Vasquez, Yadira Moreno, Victor Gonzales, Jennifer Plancarte,Luis Garcia, Diego Espinoza, Nayeli Figueroa (Counseling), Victoria Gonzalez (Counseling), andDaniela Azuela (Counseling); and Instruction: John Cristobal (Co-Coordinator), Jackson Hsu (Math),Daniel Lopez (Math), Emily Catro (English), Michael Sonrode (English), and Karen Hayes (English).What a team!!!
MPC Classic Upward Bound (UB) and Math Science Upward Bound (MSUB) SummerAcademies
A staple during past MPC summers, the first-ever virtual UB and MSUB programs were coordinatedthroughout July and August. Young adults who aspire to become college students spent weekswith our great faculty and staff engaging in numerous educational and FUN activities, includingteam-building and critical thinking!! Thank you so much, Sandra Washington, Heather Bowers,Joshualyn Guray, Marvin Crutchfield, Eric Ogata, and Jasmine Do! Great work!
TRIO SSS Summer Bridge Program
Another staple of past MPC summers, the amazing TRIO teamcoordinated this year’s SSS Summer Bridge Program in “virtual style”!The program hosted incoming Lobo TRIO SSS students and providedthem a week's worth of support, tips, tricks, laughs, and mostimportantly, connection. Wonderful job, TRIO SSS Team! If you wouldlike an inside look into the summer fun, please feel free to scroll through the program slides andclick on the videos! Thank you, Grace Anongchanya, Jordan Fasheh, Joshualyn Guray, and StacyGrisell! TRIO WORKS! Also, big shout out to the student staff: Maritza Contreras, Alvaro Escobedo,Martin Tanseco, Nelsy Montes-Romero, Andrea Bautista, Steffiny Lange, StephanieMatias-Bernardino, and Mariana Gaytan-Salgado.
MPC First-Year Experience (FYE) Summer Jumpstart Program
The FYE/JumpStart Summer Bridge program concluded its two-weeksession where 100 first-year recent high school graduates received aculminating experience to support their transition to college! JumpStartis a program designed to help first-year students develop relationshipswith faculty, staff, and academic peers. One of the primary goals of theprogram is to eliminate barriers to student success in math and Englishby strengthening academic skills and cultivating a community of support
and transfer culture. Class instruction is combined with a critical counseling component to provideculturally relevant workshops, community building, and exposure to the variety of academicprograms to increase transfer to the four-year level.
Thank you, SOAR: Kelly Fletes (Director), Aldair Pimentel, Elroy Gardenhire, Janelle Garcia, and ChrisRendon; FYE: Diana Baltazar, Juanita Vasquez, Yadira Moreno, Victor Gonzales, Jennifer Plancarte,Luis Garcia, Diego Espinoza, Nayeli Figueroa (Counseling), Victoria Gonzalez (Counseling), andDaniela Azuela (Counseling); and Instruction: John Cristobal (Co-Coordinator), Jackson Hsu (Math),Daniel Lopez (Math), Emily Catro (English), Michael Sonrode (English), and Karen Hayes (English).What a team!!!
Important UpdatesOpen Administration Positions Update
● Chief Human Resources & Labor Relations Officer (CHRO): TheCHRO selection process is finishing up with reference checks. Wehope to have a tentative contract to the MPC Governing Board fortheir consideration in September. Thank you to the searchcommittee and everyone who engaged in the public forums!
● Director of Facilities (Measure V): The Director of Facilities positionwill start making its way through the participatory governanceprocess. This position will be funded with Measure V funds and will be responsible foroversight, coordination, and logistics for all Measure V projects.
● Associate Dean of Career Education: The recruitment period for MPC’s Associate Dean ofCareer Education has just ended, and the search committee is reviewing applications forfirst-round interviews.
● Dean of Library, Learning Resources, and Online Education: The search committee for theDean of Library, Learning Resources, and Online Education has been formed, and the jobannouncement is posted. The priority screening deadline is September 7th at 11:59 PM.
● Director of Fiscal Services: The search committee for the Director of Fiscal Services has beenformed, and the job announcement is posted. The priority screening deadline is August 30th
at 11:59 PM.● Director of Student Financial Services: The most recent search process for the Director of
Student Financial Services concluded without a successful candidate. The Student Servicesteam is reviewing the position and its current organizational structure to determine the bestpath forward to fulfill the responsibilities of this position.
Legislature Returns From Recess for Final Four-Week Stretch of 2021
The Legislature returned from its four-week summer recess on Monday, August 16, 2021. With fourweeks left for the 2021 legislative year, there are only two major deadlines remaining: the August 27deadline for bills to clear the second house Appropriations Committee and the September 10deadline for the Legislature to send bills to Governor Gavin Newsom’s desk. While a number ofnoteworthy education policy issues were included in the 2021–22 State Budget package, there arestill a number of significant bills that are active and pending legislative approval.
● Assembly Bill (AB) 275 (Medina, D-Riverside) - Classified Community College Employees.This bill would shorten the maximum length of a prescribed period of probation for aclassified employee to six months or 130 days of paid service, whichever is longer.
● AB 375 (Medina) - Community Colleges: Part-Time Employees. This bill would increase themaximum amount of instructional hours that a part-time community college facultymember may teach at any one community college district (CCD) from the range of 60-67% ofa full-time equivalent load to 80-85%.
● AB 1111 (Berman) - Postsecondary Education: Common Course Numbering System. This billwould require the CCCs, on or before July 1, 2023, to adopt a common course numberingsystem for all general education requirement courses and transfer pathway courses, andeach community college campus, on or before July 1, 2023, to incorporate common course
numbers from the adopted system into its course catalog. The bill would require thecommon course numbering system to be student-facing and ensure that comparablecourses across all community colleges have the same course number.
● AB 928 (Berman, D-Menlo Park) - Student Transfer Achievement Reform Act of 2021:Associate Degree for Transfer Intersegmental Implementation Committee. This bill wouldestablish the Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) Intersegmental Implementation Committeeto serve as the primary entity charged with the oversight of the ADT. The bill would requirethe committee to establish timelines and reporting deadlines relating to reviews of transfermodel curricula and to develop a comprehensive communications plan and guidance toinform students about the ADT pathway. The bill would also require the committee, on orbefore December 31, 2023, to provide the Legislature with recommendations on certainissues impeding the scaling of the ADT and streamlining transfer across segments forstudents.
Do you have news to share in the Monthly Mailbag? Send the details to [email protected].
