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January 29, 2021
Dear Berkeley City College Community,
Congratulations to each and every one of you for completing the first week classes for the Spring
2021 semester! I had the chance to connect with many of you this week in governance meetings,
“Meet and Greet” events, department meetings, and many email exchanges. There was much
excitement with the distribution of laptops for students, students adding courses throughout the
week, and faculty and staff alike working hard to respond to the needs of students. My
communication this evening will be shorter than usual, and will aim to provide you with high
level updates in key areas of the College.
Enrollment Summary
As of today, a total of 6,892 students are enrolled in 12,390 courses, which results in 1,330 FTES
(91% of Target= 1,461.9). During this time last year, we had slightly fewer students but they
were enrolled in more courses (14,358) which resulted in 1,491 FTES. It should come to no
surprise that for many students, enrolling in more courses is proving challenging given the
COVID-19 health pandemic and the distance learning modality. My sincerest appreciation goes
out to the deans, department chairs, faculty, and the instructional leadership of VPI Kuni Hay for
their work to develop a schedule of classes that supports student success and completion.
Additionally, I would like to acknowledge the comprehensive efforts of the Student Services and
Instruction staff and faculty in supporting student enrollment with Express Registration events,
Welcome Week, laptop distributions, and the many zooms, live chats, and phone calls.
COVID-19 Update
The California Department of Public Health reports that as of January 29, 2021, there are 3,205,947 COVID-19 cases with 39,578 fatalities. Please refer to my January 27th communication for additional information with county and state resources. The Berkeley City
College campus will continue to be open for faculty, staff, and administrators who need to
perform essential function on Tuesdays and Thursdays, between 10:00 am – 2:00pm. Please
continue to submit your Building Access Form to gain access to offices and classrooms. It is
imperative that you continue to practice health and safety protocols while on campus, such as
wearing a face covering, washing your hands, and maintaining 6 feet of social distancing.
Accreditation
Berkeley City College successfully submitted its Institutional Self Evaluation Report on
December 18, 2020. Our next milestone is to welcome our Visiting Team virtually during
March 1 – 4, 2021. On January 27, 2021, we hosted a meeting for the Team Chair, Dr. Keith
Curry and ACCJC President, Dr. Droker to meet with various college leadership stakeholders,
including administration, faculty, classified professionals, and students. This pre-visit planning
meeting provided the opportunity to learn more about preparing for the March site visit. VPI
Hay and BCC Accreditation Steering Committee will lead the College to ensure that every part
of our community will be ready for this visit. Please visit the Accreditation website to access
information regarding our ISER and other related information.
Closing Comments
As I close my message for this week, I am aware of how much each and every one of you is
brining your very best for students, especially considering the wind storms and power outages.
Please be kind to yourself and your colleagues, as we all continue to navigate the stressors of
working from home. It is amazing how you support one another with sharing your ideas,
practices, and solutions to those challenges that present themselves each week.
During the Umoja “Meet and Greet” this week, I witnessed returning and new students coming
together to share symbols of their culture as a practice of building community, while also
providing students with the information for resources available to them at BCC and throughout
the community. During the UCRC’s workshop on DACA Updates, I witnessed how students
and their families availed themselves of the resources brought in to support their navigation of
the immigration process. And, I had the privilege of connecting with colleagues this week about
how to have difficult dialogues as we continue our work to promote equity and racial justice
throughout the college. At every step, you show up.
The work is hard, meaningful, and necessary. Thank you for the many ways, both public and
private, in which you support building a BCC community that is committed to success and
completion.
I wish you and you loved ones a weekend of recovery. As for me, I hope to tend to my indoor
plants , finally clear out that “one part” of the garage, and make fresh pancakes tomorrow with
my girls, from the “zombie sourdough starter” that I revived in the early days of Shelter in Place
last year.
In Community,