this issue

Laney 2010-11 Goals P.1

Honoring Ancestors & Veterans P.2, 3

The President’s Gratitude P.2, 3

Successful & Upcoming Events P.4

LANEY COLLEGE

Ensuring a Rewarding & Productive Academic Year

Laney College is unwavering in its commitment to meet the diverse learning needs of students. This reflects its work to address the priorities revealed in the Laney College Educational Master Plan. Also, it is consistent with its day-to-day operational efforts to achieve the goals established for this fiscal year (see list to the left). Already, we are making significant progress in achieving related benchmarks i.e., enrollment management (8125 FTES), addressing facilities, technology and resource needs, and completing performance evaluations. Each of these efforts is essential to advancing the educational agenda to increase the:

Transfers to 4-year baccalaureate institutions;

Achievement of certificates and Associate Degrees;

Career placements in businesses and industries;

And Partnerships with educational institutions i.e., universities and within the school district.

Improved rates of success among all Laney students in earning certificates, degrees, career roles and transferring to 4-year higher educational institutions is the priority as the College strategically implements its Educational Master Plan. Laney will strive to achieve a 90% student success rate (90% of student will actualize their educational goals).

Laney College

2010-11 Goals

1. Assessment: Initiate the full pro-

gram level assessment cycle by

the end of the year consistent

with our accreditation require-

ments. This consists of develop-

ing all SLOs for courses by Fall

2010, and for programs by Spring

2011.

2. Accreditation: Provide leadership

support to the District to assure

re-affirmation of Laney College’s

accreditation on unconditional

(non-probationary) status.

3. Student Performance: Increase

the performance rates (i.e., re-

tention, persistence, successful

course and certificate comple-

tion, graduation and transfer)

among all students in ways that

demonstrate student equity. This

includes ensuring that students

transition efficiently and effec-

tively from foundation skills to

college level skills courses.

4. Resource Management: Ensure

fiscal solvency that supports

securing at minimum $5 million

from alternative funding sources

to support the educational

priorities of Laney College.

The Learning Assessment Committee and the Student Learning Outcomes Assessment (SLO/A) Coordinator Ka-rolyn van Putten, Ph.D. are carefully working with teams across the college - including department chairs, class-room and counseling faculty, student services and business services staff, and all administrators - to ensure that we complete full cycles of assessment of Laney courses and programs. This is required by 2012 by the ACCJC, which accredits Laney College. It is also essential to validate the efficacy of the College’s efforts, ensuring internal integrity as we work earnestly to achieve student performance benchmarks.

ASSESSMENT

STUDENT PERFORMANCE

Grant Awards! Kudos to us for working diligently to secure $5 million in grants this year. Already, we have exceeded the half-way point by being awarded the AANAPISI ($1.67 million) and the TRIO grants ($1.1 million) from the United States Department of Education. Yes, we still have much to do. Yet these efforts led by Deans Newin Oranté and Lilia Celhay have assured our progress. Thank you to the many faculty and classified staff as well as other admin-istrators who were instrumental in these efforts.

RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT

Monthly Update to the Laney College Community & The Peralta Community College District Chancellor & Board of Trustees

ISSUE 03 NOVEMBER 2010

PROGRESS IN ACHIEVING 2010-11 Laney Goals

Accreditation Laney supported the visit of the ACCJC Visiting Team in October, ensuring that the productive work of the District recovery team was understood. President Webb conveyed how Laney professionals are working in sync with colleagues from across the District to help resolve the District-level Accrediting Commissions’ recommendations, the reason for the College’s probationary status.

SPECIAL HIGHLIGHTS & GRATITUTE

VETERANS DAY

Honoring Those Who Served

Special thank you to Board President

Abél Guillén for your support of this

important event, and great gratitude

to leaders among the Laney

International Students who organized

this important honoring of veterans

of the United States of America.

Sincere appreciation to Trustee

William “Bill” Withrow (Captain),

Instructional Assistant James Menifee

(Lieutenant) and Student Ernie

Rocker (Sergeant) for setting the

context for greater understanding

about the importance of service in

the United States armed forces.

You remind us that freedom is not

free. We must all work earnestly to

share healthy values and envision a

greater society that cares without

conditions to support the greater

good that serves all. Thank you for

your historical notes, emotional

expressions of memories, as well as

initial insights about the importance

of constructing practical solutions to

what challenges us.

In the photo from left to right: ASLC Senator Huy La, Board President Abél Guillén, Trustee & Captain William Withrow, Staffer Algeria Kirven, ASLC Senator Anton Bosneaga, President Elñora Webb, Instructional Assistant & Lieutenant James Menifee, Student/Sergeant Ernie Rocker, Student Brandy Smith, Student Cashmere Walker, and Student Organizer Hai Hguyen

President Obama’s Community College Initiative - Laney College and our Power Pathway program partnership with PG&E were highlighted by President Obama as part of the new White House initiative, Skills for America’s Future, which is intended to foster more public-private retraining partnerships. Thanks goes to the excellent work by PG&E Director Van Ton-Quinlivan and her team and Laney’s own Dean Peter Crabtree and his leadership team of faculty and staff.

The Laney Tower, a 58 year-old publication, established in 1952, and ran by Laney students, never ceases to amaze me as a remarkably fact-driven, sensitive, timely and informative newspaper. In Peralta, we are lucky to have such a resource and to have been able to maintain it even during budgetary hardships, political pressures and limited student enrollment in journalism courses that provide the foundation skills to help prompt students’ journalistic engagement. Graduates of Laney via the Journalism department have gone on to assume many influential roles including as the current Oakland Tribune editor, Mr. Martin Reynolds. Yearly, we can see evidence of continued brilliance and likely career trajectories given the prominence of the work of current and recent Laney Tower student staffers, some highlighted on the cover of the November 10, 2010 Issue. Thank you many alums and current Laney students! Special gratitude goes to faculty and staff, and to Burt Dragin in particular for his exceptional professional services span-ning over 25 years as Chair of the Journalism Department.

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SOFTWARE

Monthly Picks

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Special Gratitude to the leadership among…

Colleagues. Hopefully, as a Laney professional you received my missive sent November 9, 2010 wherein I communicated my deep gratitude for the work you do daily in support of Laney students and the greater community. I remain impressed by your dedica-tion and proactive efforts to ensure excellence even given the challenges with which we must deal. Likewise, I ask all faculty, classified staff, and administrators who may require special assistance to address work-related demands, to request assistance from your immediate supervisors, college peers, and others with the prerequisite knowledge and skills as well as forward-thinking motivations, to help you. Remember, as individuals (and small groups), we only know what we know, and we do not know all that could help us immensely in carrying out all of our responsibilities. As we leverage more of our resources, let’s also remember that we’re in this educational leadership endeavor together.

Students, especially those in the Associated Students of Laney College: You remain impressive. Always proactive, Laney student leaders—the ASLC President Dawna Williams, Vice President Brian Nelson, other officers and senators—are remarkable. Between July 2010 and now, they have completely refurbished their offices; investigated the nature of all positions and related documents to clarify and improve operations and leadership capacity; ushered in a rigorous review of their charge and ensured that their function-ing is consistent with their charter; held regular and open meetings consistent with the Brown Act; developed standards and priorities; and launched a comprehensive set of initiatives that urge student engagement and advocacy, key to student persis-tence and achievement. In addition, they have supported stu-dents’ efforts to ensure a clean campus and participate in college governance while proactively supporting club/quad events, ath-letic programs and academic scholarship. They illuminate the best in leadership characteristics. Actively, they seek divergent views, critically debate ideas, and continue the legacy of welcoming increasing numbers of students who represent the rich diversity of the College to engage in educational, operational and other lead-ership efforts. Clearly, they care about Laney, Peralta, and the State of Education Statewide given their active participation be-yond the boundaries of the College. Thank you sincerely!

In the Programa en Carpinteria Fina, Wood Technology program. Colleagues and students were honored at the !Excelencia in Edu-cation! ceremony on September 29, 2010, held at the U.S. Capitol Visitor Center in Washington, D.C.. They were honored because as educators, they use a contextualized and integrated ESL/Wood Technology approach to prepare students efficiently and effectively for high demand woodworking careers; they evidenced what works for Latino students in Higher Education. www.EdExcelencia.org. Thank you Sonja Franeta, Ron Mackrodt, Myron Franklin, Saul Gonzalez and key others!

One of the Special Exhibits by Laney Students Honoring Ancestors during the Dia de los Muertos Celebration, in the June Steingart

Art Gallery, Laney Tower, November 2 - 18, 2010

Celebratory & Inspiring Campus Events

(an abbreviated list)

• Polaroid Stories – Running Voices (October 14-30)

The Fabulous Fusioneros performed Polaroid Stories! This gut wrenching presentation provided an opportunity for the greater community to experience high quality acting while supporting the Laney Theatre students’ travel to

Edinburgh, Scotland during Summer 2011.

• Got Politics? (October 19-28)

The History and Political Science departments continued the fall election speaker services (I-V) with a diverse array of topics and speakers including Laney Professor Don Arnold and special guests and facilitators Mary Bergan, Peter Dunbar, James Anthony, Kara Speltz, Eugene McMullan, Michael Theno, Ira Mehlman, Margi Dunlap, and Black Respini. Topics included the ten ballot propositions, legalization of marijuana, same sex marriage and immigration.

•Oakland Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce Mixer (October 28) Joint partnership among the Chamber, restaurants and Laney College success-fully launching the Oakland Restaurant Association. Nearly 100 attendees were delighted by an exceptional presentation of dinner foods and deserts that were also beautiful works of art!

• The Night Tulsa Died: 16 Hours of Civil Disorder, 90 Years Later (November 2)

This stimulating exhibition by Dr. Leslee Stradford is a stark reminder of the Black All Street Massacre that occurred in 1921. • Dia de los Mertos (November 2 - 18)

The internationally recognized Day of the Dead, allowed us to honor while “remember[ing] loved ones that have passed to keep their memories alive” as conveyed by the club MECHA leader Roberto Alvarado.

Upcoming Events

Documentary Films, “Testing Hope” at 4 PM & “Where Do I Stand” at 5:30 PM (November 18, 2010, Laney Building D, Room 200) Featuring the appearance of filmmaker Molly Baker, these award winning films will illuminate the lives of South African youth who struggle to build a better future despite the inequities, violence and historic substandard education experienced. • Weaving through Change: Identifying Intersections between Education, Health & Economics (November 19, 2010, Laney Forum) Moderated by Aimee Allison of KPFA 94.1. Guest speakers Assemblyman Sandre’ Swanson, Dr. Anthony Iton, Dr. Antwi Akom, Dr. Joi Lewis and Mr. Victor

Corral will engage us in discourse on the critical issues of education, health and economics, and how understanding their connectedness can facilitate pathways out of poverty, ill health, and despair for vulnerable populations, leading them to personal well-being and professional success.

“Dancing on Fallon” A Celebration of 40 Years of Dance at Laney: A 40 Year Retrospective of the Laney College Dance Department 1970-2010 (November 19 & 20, 10am – 2pm, Location: D-200) Paying homage to and recognizing the extensive accomplishments and contri-butions of the art of Dance to Laney, to dance education, and to the performing arts and humanities disciplines. Black Social Dance, African-Haitian and Jazz Tap with instructors Traci Bartlow, Porsha Jefferson and Mary Vivian (11/19). West African, Hip-Hop and Salsa with instructors Naomi Washington-Diouf, Corey “Action” Harrison and Joe & Tiffany (11/20).

40TH

at Fallon Celebration

Did you know that Laney moved to its current Fallon Street location in 1970? This year, we will all learn a lot more about Laney—its historical contributions, partnerships, and priorities. In the meantime, we are asking persons who are among the 700,000 alumni, hundreds of retirees, and other persons affected by this distinguished institution, to share their stories via the employee survey at www.surveymonkey.com/s/G97THYK or send them to Lisa Watkins-Tanner, Staff Assistant to the Laney College President, at www.laney40th@peralta.edu. Likewise, we are asking the Laney student alums to complete the online alumni survey at www.laney.edu/wp/alumni/ in order to gather their stories which will inform a remarkable series of celebratory events during Spring 2010, and especially during the week of April 25-29, 2011. By December, the Laney 40th at Fallon on-line website will be available at www.laney.edu/wp/laney40/ . We encourage you to use this as a reference to remain updated on our series of wonderful events.

Laney College President’s Monthly Update

ISSUE 03 NOVEMBER 2010

900 FALLON STREET Oakland, California 94607