CE Board of Trustees Presentation
by Richard Weinroth
On March 24, 2016, The SDCCD Board of Trustees, Annual CE Campus Meeting was held at the new CE Chávez Campus. The theme of the program was Building on Success through Transition. The campus presentation is an opportunity for the board to visit CE and see firsthand what we do well and to meet the faculty and staff that work hard to make it possible. In addition to the Chancellor, the Chancellor’s Cabinet, and Board Members, the room was packed with community guests, faculty and staff from across CE, and many of our students!
President Cortez opened the presentation by announcing that CE had been awarded a Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Youth Grant of $2 million over the next 5 years to begin July 1 per board approval. The youth grant will allow CE to expand its community services and outreach to serve: Out of school youth, unemployed youth with HS diploma, ex-offenders ages 18-24, and Foster youth.
Vickie Taylor, the Healthcare Careers Program Chair, noted that CE is one of the only non-credit Nurse Assistant Training Programs in California and that students who have completed the CE program have a high success rate passing the State Certification Nursing Assistant Exam. Students shared how completing the certificate program opened doors to employment and bridging to further education. Vickie announced, the newest addition, the Nurse Assistant Acute Care program. After completing this course the students will be able to work in medical/surgical, oncology units, orthopedics, and much more.
Instructor Matthew Rivaldi talked about his two new Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management Programs: Small Business Planning and Small Business Growth, which are made up of highly focused 6-week classes. Matt noted that the Independent Workforce is growing at 5 times the rate of the overall workforce. Over half the students in the class reported this was their first course with CE and 2/3 reported living and working more than 5 miles from the Chavez Campus. This is a major game changer or as Carlos called it, a disruptive innovation; capturing an entirely new audience that has never connected with CE.
Mechelle Perrott presented the Citizenship Class program. Highlights included a brand new hybrid class half online half on campus and a special outreach class to students over 55 including the success of a 90-year old student! Mechelle overviewed changes to the Citizenship Application process, which in 1990 cost $95 and was 4 pages and now in 2016 costs $680 and is 21 pages. She evidenced the program’s success by the 3 rows of students who have passed their US Citizenship Interview, and proudly stood up to the cheers of the room!
César E. Chávez, a champion of workers’ rights, worked tirelessly to provide quality health care to all workers and their families. How appropriate that the Campus with his name, is the Campus of Excellence for Healthcare Careers. It is the combined effort, commitment, and expertise of the CE staff and instructors across all disciplines which positions CE to do what we do best; serve a diversified population of students from a multitude of backgrounds to achieve success!