Dear SDCCE Community,

May marks the start of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. The San Diego College of Continuing Education has served a large population that includes Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) students and employees since our founding more than 109 years ago in 1914. We are proud of the rich culture, heritage, and traditions the AAPI community brings to our college.

May is also National Foster Care Awareness Month! SDCCE is proud to have been awarded funds from Promises2Kids to expand our Gateway to College and Career Program for former foster youth. These funds will allow us to provide more foster youth with wrap-around services that include individualized case management, one-on-one and group mentoring, financial assistance, and more to help youth on their journey to independence, whether it be directly into a career, vocational training, or a postsecondary track. Having seen the numbers of foster youth enrolling in community colleges dwindle, we are now prioritizing a more formal partnership with various institutions to support outreach, enrollment, persistence, and internship/career stability after completion for all San Diego County foster youth. The award amount is $1.4 million to serve students over two years.

We also hope AB 634 (Ward) Community Colleges: Career Development and College Preparation Courses will pass. The bill would change student accounting practices for Managed Enrollment (ME) Career Development and College Preparation Courses (CDCP) (certain noncredit courses) by allowing attendance to be counted using a census date model. This is the third time this bill is coming forward, led by our district. We are hopeful and optimistic. Stay tuned.

Enrollment Updates

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for spring stands at 29,222 (22% greater than this time last year and a 0.1% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 71%, which is greater compared to last spring’s (70%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 15,299, an increase of 28% compared to this time last spring (11,923) and a 0.5% increase to last week (15,228). FTEF scheduled for the spring semester is 11% higher than last spring (185.40 to 167.02). Enrollment management efforts continue, with 3% of scheduled sections starting 05/02/2023 or later (23 out of 907).

Enrollment Process Updates

A new student-centered application and enrollment process will pilot this summer and fully launch for the fall 2023 semester.

Campus Updates

• Congratulations, Class of 2023! The SDCCE's Joint Commencement with SDUSD will take place June 7 from 5 to 7 p.m. at the Balboa Park Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Students should speak with their counselor to review eligibility and completion of requirements. Students can petition and learn more about GradFest at the commencement web page.
• The SDCCE Clothing and Textiles program has chosen the Buena Onda Project in Punta Colonet, Mexico, as our partner in this semester's manufacturing of children's clothes. Students from our Sewn Product Business 2 class are producing board shorts for children using donated, landfill-saved, and dead stock fabrics from the SDCCE Creative Reuse Center. Entrepreneur Chad Furlong, the founder of I THINK BIG, is providing entrepreneurial support for the students and coordinating the donation. Kudos to Dean Lorie Howell and Program Chair Shirley Pierson for taking the lead to make an international impact!
• Please let your students know they can apply for a San Diego Promise Scholarship! The San Diego Promise provides resources to students who would like to attend college and need financial assistance with enrollment fees. Students will need to complete an application and submit it to slewis003@sdccde.edu or their counselor by May 17. Promise students selected will be notified by May 26.
• The San Diego College of Continuing Education Foundation Employee Training Institute (ETi) is providing Arborist/Utility Line Clearance Training. Learn more about ETi here. A big shout out to Caron Lieber, ETi manager, and SDCCE ESL/Citizenship instructor, on leading a fantastic program!
• Save the Date! All are welcome to join us for Arbor Day on Wednesday, May 31, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. for a signature tree planting at the Educational Cultural Complex.
• Passport to Success hosted an April 28 workshop at North City Campus. Employees from past cohorts spoke on how instrumental the experience has been to their involvement at the SDCCE. Emeritus Assistant Program Chair Helena Wei performed piano for attendees. The Passport to Success program provides professional development training opportunities in support of institutionalized leadership and excellence.
• ICOM Academy 7 (Interactive Competency-based Online Microcredentialing Academy) is coming soon! SDCCE is excited to launch a new set of courses offered through our ICOM Academy. There will be multiple career education options in Small Business Entrepreneurship, Information Technology, and Skilled Trades. Learn more here.
• The SDCCE hosted a recent Career Technical Education Open House at Mid-City Campus! Representatives from across SDCCE were present, including ESL, WIOA II Committee, and CAEP. Thank you, Dean Jarrell and Mid City, for your hard work on a lovely event.
• SANDAG and the State Digital Equity Team at the Broadband for All held a Digital Equity BEAD (Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment) Planning Workshop on April 21 at the San Diego Central Library. The event was part of a series of 20 events being held across California to engage with the public and collect feedback on barriers preventing residents from accessing the Internet. This open meeting included approximately 75 representatives, including Kelly Henwood, SDCCE Special Projects Manager, and SDAERC Director, to learn about the State Digital Equity Plan and provide input, including for special populations served in the Adult Education system, to determine how billions of dollars in federal investments should be used to address digital inequities in the San Diego and Imperial Valley region. Having the needs of Adult Learners represented was widely valued and sought by event representatives.
• The next monthly Community Health & Resource Fair will be held on May 3 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson YMCA. May is "Mental Health Awareness Month." Free shuttle rides are provided to and from the Educational Cultural Complex for students, employees, and community members.
• The SDCCE and Be Well CE recognize May as Mental Health Awareness Month. Events will be held at SDCCE campuses. More info is coming soon. If you are a student who would like mental health support, email bewellcce@gmail.com.
• This year’s Faculty Appreciation Event is scheduled for Friday, May 12, from 2 to 4 p.m. at the ECC Campus, Outdoor Patio Area (southside of the main building). Come cross the finish line as we honor you with an Olympic-themed event titled “Our Faculty Hold the Gold.” RSVP HERE by 4 pm today, Monday, May 1.
• The "Magic of Pastels" art exhibition is now open at the San Diego Library (University Community Library). This exhibit is produced by Emeritus Professor Rochelle Bradford and Emeritus students at SDCCE. Learn more here.
• SDCCE Outreach presents Parent Night on May 3 to inform parents about free career training opportunities.
• SDCCE's Career and College Transitions is hosting a hiring event at CE Mesa Campus on Tuesday, May 9th, 9:00 am-12:30 pm. For more information, contact Bruce Reaves at breaves@sdccd.edu Or 619-388-1934.
• Food trucks are available Monday through Thursday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5 to 7 p.m. in the ECC parking lot.
• The SDCCE hosted one of 18 Get Connected Events held across the state this week to support students and residents from eligible households to sign up for the federally subsidized Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) and other Digital Equity Supports. The event was in partnership with local public agencies involved in Digital Equity initiatives, including SANDAG, City of San Diego Accessibility 4 All, San Diego Housing Commission, which was recently awarded a Federal ACP Outreach Grant, and nonprofit agencies, including Computers to Kids, San Diego Futures Foundation. Also in attendance were ACP-certified Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and state representatives s of the California Emerging Technology Fund (CETF) and the State Broadband For All. Free computers were raffled to 21 event participants, and approximately 70 families started their enrollment process at the SDCCE.
• The "Magic of Pastels" Art Exhibition produced by the SDCCE Emeritus program is now open at the San Diego Library in University City through May 7.
• The 31st Annual Spring Ceramic Fundraiser will be held at the Educational Cultural Complex foyer on May 10 from 9 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
• Clothing and Textiles will host Makers & Entrepreneurs Day at West City Campus on May 17.

President's Updates

• The SDCCE proudly hosted the SDCCD Board of Trustees Meeting on April 27 at the Educational Cultural Complex. Our students shared the impact the SDCCE has made on their lives; Marie Nyirasfari and Carmen Martinez were given a special honor; and artist Khalil Bleux performed an amazing song and spoken word piece dedicated to the historic Educational Cultural Complex.
• The SDCCE selected a team to represent at the Asian Pacific Americans in Higher Education (APAHE) conference in Oakland.

The Research Corner

This week, we invite you to check out a resource developed by our partners from the District’s Institutional Effectiveness and Research Office, the SDCCE Student Profiles 2021-2022. This dashboard provides data about the SDCCE student body, primarily focusing on demographic information. Email jrivas@sdccd.edu if you have any questions.

The Regional Consortium recently approved SDCCE for San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges to participate in the first iteration of the Counselor Institute (using funds from the Strong Workforce Program). This institute is a professional learning opportunity for counseling faculty employed at the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges. The goals of this project include fostering continuous improvement through a culture of inquiry and evidence-based decision-making. The offices of Counseling and PRIE will co-lead the Counseling Institute with activities starting this fall.

Lastly, we would like to remind you that we recently launched the 2023 SDCCE Employee Cultural Climate Survey. This survey includes questions about your work and overall experiences as an SDCCE employee. If you have not already done so, please take a couple of minutes to complete this survey (all responses will be anonymous). The results from this project will be used to understand and improve the cultural and campus climate at the institution. Participants will have an opportunity to win one of four $25 VISA gift cards.

Survey Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TCMB9K8

President's Office Hours

President's Office Hours are back! Individual Zoom meetings will be 20 minutes and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you would like to schedule a virtual appointment with me, please email sdccepresident@sdccd.edu for detailed information.

Best,

Dr. King