Message from the Provost

Welcome to the 2008-09 academic year! The start of the fall semester, also marks my second month as Provost. Welcome back to those who were gone for the summer; and welcome aboard to our new faculty, staff and administrators who are joining our college community.

As we prepare for students to return to campus, I take this opportunity to reconfirm our goals and update you on what has taken place during my first month on campus. From the first day I walked onto our campus, I have embraced three primary goals:

• Increase enrollment • Build capacity • Restore credibility

Toward that effort, here are some of the activities that have taken place during the past 30 days. We are building and enhancing our processes and systems to ensure student access and success. We

have refined our counseling processes to more efficiently and effectively serve our students; we have streamlined financial aid programs; enhanced maintenance and operations systems in order to be more responsive to facilities needs; and we are utilizing the Educational Master Plan to ensure the best possible opportunities for our students. During my first 30 days on campus, I have participated in 137 meetings with individuals and groups

both on and off-campus. As the semester progresses, I plan to continue to meet with faculty, staff and students although my time will be more limited than it was during the summer months.

Students Awarded Scholarships! Three Compton Center students were awarded $1,000 scholarships each from the Los Angeles

Sentinel on Saturday, August 16. The scholarship recipients include: Mr. Jimmy McKinney, El Camino College Compton Center Currently participating in the El Camino College Compton Center Transfer Institute at UC Irvine Major: Pre Law Studies Mr. Larshay Sellers, El Camino College Compton Center Currently participating in the El Camino College Compton Center Transfer Institute at UC Irvine Major: Theater Arts Ms. Linda Wright, El Camino College Compton Center Spring 2008 Graduate Will be attending California State University, Dominguez Hills in the fall 2008 Major: Human Services

A U G U S T 2 0 0 8

Board of Trustees Meeting The next Board of Trustees meeting is scheduled for September 16 in the Board Room. Board

meetings begin at 4:00 p.m. for anyone wishing to address the Board on Closed Session agenda items. The Open Session will resume at 6:00 p.m. Agendas are posted 72 hours prior to the meeting at

district.compton.edu and www.compton.edu.

New Student Trustee Student Trustee Ryan King attended his first official Board of Trustees meeting this summer. Ryan

has attended El Camino College Compton Center for the past two semesters and is majoring in Business Management. He began his involvement in the Associated Student Body (ASB) in December of 2007 and became secretary in February of 2008. One of the first campus events Ryan helped to plan was the celebration of Black History Month. Ryan believes he was selected to be the student trustee because of his dedication as a member of the

ASB. He says he wants to work with everyone in the community and have campus-wide involvement in the decision making process as issues and concerns are addressed.

Congratulations Class of 2008!

Provost in the Community Our provost has been busy during the summer months meeting with and addressing community

members throughout the district. He has also met with the city councils of Compton and Paramount, several church groups and the Concerned Citizens of Compton. The Provost has also been interviewed by area cable show hosts, with the interviews airing on local

access cable channels.

2008-2009 Academic Senate Officers The Academic Senate officers for 2008-09 include: President--Saul J. Panski; Vice President--Estina Pratt; Secretary--Thomas Norton; Curriculum Representative--Saul J. Panski; Faculty Representative to the Board of Trustees--Jerome Evans. Congratulations Dr. Hoffman! August Hoffman, professor of psychology, has been selected to receive the 2008 Psi Beta Ann E.

Garrett Robinson College Life Award for founding the Compton College Gardening Program more than nine years ago. Psi Beta, part of the American Psychology Association, is devoted to recognizing community college programs in the area of psychology. Dr. Hoffman, whose hobby is gardening, began bringing plants to his classroom. It gained popularity

with his students, and plants began literally taking root along an entire stretch of buildings. Today, two acres of Compton Center’s campus are devoted to gardening. On the northwest side, a stone fruit orchard has approximately 50 peach, plum or apple trees. On the northwest, a vegetable garden is thriving. Another part of campus is home to 60 citrus trees. According to Dr. Hoffman, students feel a sense of pride and this give them a connection to the

campus, as well as providing the opportunity to develop relationships with other students. Dr. Hoffman is a full-time professor and teaches introduction to psychology, sports psychology and

statistics courses. Funding for the program comes from grants from the participating universities, personal donations,

in-kind donations from gardening stores and from the students themselves who have brought in plants and even donated a lawnmower to the program. The gardening program is open to all students, staff, faculty, family members and the community.

Come by and help it grow!

Dr. Uribe in Print Congratulations to Dr. Diego Uribe, adjunct professor, ESL and Foreign Language Department, who

has articles that have either been published or are in review. His article, “Hooked on Phonics,” appears in The Journal of Communication & Education (2008). Mexicans and Hispanos in Colorado schools and communities, 1930-1960 will be published in The Journal of Latinos and Education. Politicas linguisticas en los Estados Unidos: El estado de California contre el auge del Espanol y la comunidad Latina. Bordon: Revista de la Asociacion Espanola de Pedagogia is currently under review.

Campus Officers Sworn In Eight Compton police officers were sworn in as El Camino College police officers in July. Provost

Cox, Special Trustee Landsberger, along with ECC President Fallo and new El Camino College police chief, Mike Trevis participated in the ceremony. In an agreement between the El Camino and Compton Community College districts, the officers are part of the El Camino College campus police department. The highest ranking officer at Compton Center is Lt. Ramund Box, who has served with the

Compton campus police for 13 years. Sgt. Arnold Jackson, Sgt. Oscar Zuniga, Officer Darrell Miller, Officer Wendell Haynes, Officer Mateo Arguelles, Officer Clauzell Stallworth and Officer Stuart Melvin round out the officers on the Compton campus. Lt. Box described the day as “bittersweet” in that it marked both an ending and a new beginning.

Compton Center will have a modern police department with new technology, an updated crime statistic system and mutual aid between the campuses.

Badge Ceremony for Campus Police Officers

Campus Update We are happy to report that complete food service, provided by S & B Foods, will begin on our

campus at the start of the fall semester. The cafeteria will be open Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m.; Friday hours of operation will be from 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. An agreement between the El Camino Community College District and the Compton Community

College District has been reached for the operation of the Compton Center Bookstore. It is effective as of July 1, 2008 and extends through June 30, 2010. The El Camino Community College District will manage the bookstore and the Compton District will provide a liaison for the collection of textbook requisitions, as well as to serve as a contact between the ECC and the faculty at Compton Center. Bookstore hours for the week of August 18 are Monday through Thursday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.;

Friday, 10:00 am to 3:00 p.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. During the week of August 25, the bookstore will be open Monday through Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Destination - College Going to school this summer took on a new meaning for approximately 500 local middle school

students who participated in the first “Destination College” program coordinated with the Compton Center outreach program. Students, parents and teachers learned about Compton Center through informational sessions and campus tours. According to Johnny Conley, outreach specialist, “The experience gave these young students an

opportunity to see what it is like to be a college student, the demands of higher education and what is expected from them as a college student.” The middle school students take away the experience of being on a college campus and the

educational opportunities that await them. Each participant received a Compton Center t-shirt and tote – items to use with pride as they think about becoming future students!

Resource Development Office Services Compton Center’s Resource Development Office (RDO) Title V, re-initiated full operations in

October 2007 with the mission of strengthening the institution in three key areas: developing business partnerships to expand and enhance academic programs; grantsmanship training and support for faculty and staff; and strengthening the foundation’s infrastructure. In May and June, two groups of manufacturing industry and community leaders met with

administrators and managers at the Compton Center campus to discuss establishing innovative partnerships to better serve students and our communities. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Education recently announced two grant opportunities through

the College Cost Reduction and Access Act for eligible Hispanic Serving Institutions, and Primarily Black Institutions. In an effort to secure funding, RDO staff, with the support of administration and faculty leaders, submitted two proposals in June 2008. Award notifications are anticipated to be announced this fall. For information on RDO activities, contact Nelly Rodriguez, at ext. 2970.

Calling all Alumni! Did you attend Compton Center or the former Compton College? We want to hear from you! The

Resource Development Office invites all alumni of our Compton campus to register in our Alumni Database. Registered alumni will have the opportunity to be informed of events and activities at Compton

Center, receive invitations to alumni functions, participate in leadership opportunities, and much more. Many of you have attended the former Compton College or Compton Center or know someone who

has. Help us spread the word! Staff members at the Resource Development Office look forward to hearing from you! To register,

please contact Rudy Lopez at rlopez@elcamino.edu.

New Student Welcome Day Our second annual New Student Welcome Day took place on Wednesday, August 20. Students had

an opportunity to meet with academic counselors, meet faculty members, register for classes, learn about student services and financial aid; and tour our campus.

Share Your News! We want to keep you informed of the news in our campus community. We also want to hear from you!

We know there is no shortage of good news at Compton Center and we want to help get the word out. Know a student who won a scholarship? A professor who just published an article or book? A staff

member honored by a professional organization or someone recognized for work in the community? Help us spread the good news! Please e-mail your news items to Ann M. Garten, Community Relations Director,

at agarten@elcamino.edu.