Spring break is over, and we are back sprinting toward our Commencement on May 26, 2017. This week of college closure was my first experience working at a community college that closes for spring break. So, I caught up on some reading, work, and settling into Chula Vista. What a nice way to start spring.
My notes from the CEO Symposium were of importance, because it was the first time we had an opportunity to understand the agenda of our new California Community College Chancellor, Eloy Ortiz Oakley. At our meeting, he reminded us that the “work we are doing has never been more important.” He noted that we would continue to change and then asked us if we want to be the ones who drive the change. He also reflected the California Community Colleges had a significant amount of investment in over the last few years and the pressure is on us to “deliver” on that investment. He challenged us to take that investment and create a systematic structure to support our students through using technology, breaking down silos, and building guided pathways through our colleges.
Community colleges are built on a distributed leadership model (participatory governance), requiring many of the college faculty, staff, and management to be effective leaders. As we consider restarting a leadership program at Southwestern College, I will start focusing some my writing toward some things to ponder.
Welcome back and I hope your spring break is exhilarating…
I leave you with my favorite quote:
The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark. Michelangelo
