Another great South County weekend. It was good to get home after driving down Hwy 395. The Lisa Maloff University Center Groundbreaking a was a wonderful reminder of how important access to higher education is to our communities. Southwestern College and the City of Chula Vista will have a joint meeting tomorrow night at 5 p.m. to hear a presentation on the Dr. Dianne Van Hook University Center in Santa Clarita, and then will discuss our own facilities and the priorities of the Governing Board.
Link to the Governing Board Agenda
I hope you received my email on Friday with the announcement of the reaffirmed accreditation status for Southwestern College. Our next steps will be to talk with the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges regarding our Follow-up Report due in 18 months.
As I was reading through my Twitter yesterday afternoon this blog on leadership captured by attention, because it noted many of the qualities we need in community college today. Lolly noted the following important points about courage:
- Go out on a limb – taking initiative and taking risks.
- Give credit to others – “it is amazing what can be accomplished if you do not care who gets the credit”
- Have confidence in others – while sometimes hard to do, trusting first can reap many rewards
- Speak their mind – speaking up when no one else will…
- Provide feedback – providing helpful, positive feedback, while also saying what needs to be said
- Stand up for others – being fearless in pursuit of fairness
- Create a trusting culture – “Sound workplace ethics improve an organization’s impact by changing the way people speak to each other and work with each other.”
- Lead from within – I am a strong believer we must know our own heart, our strengths, weaknesses, and what we believe, in other words Authentic Leadership
Link to the Truth About Courageous Leadership
There are many news stories regarding colleges and universities and our current political environment. I share the following link with you, because it is not a difficult read, and gives and overview of some of the incidents that are impacting Academic Freedom, freedom of speech, and the importance of the collegiate environment. These are tough issues, and will require our efforts to move these times in a way that supports the mission of Southwestern College. We are building the future leaders of our region.
Link to Higher Education Story on Old Criticisms, New Threats
Link to AAUP Statement on Academic Freedom
Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today. Malcolm X
Have a great week,
