17³Ô¹Ï

Welcome to Week 2

October 2, 2023

Welcome to week 2. This newsletter is a playful take on our unique address. Each week I highlight 5 messages, initiatives, and/or events where I hope we can partner–in thought, spirit, or location–to advance connection and community.

(1) Flag flying at half-mast.

In honor of California Senator, Dianne Feinstein, the campus flags outside the 1900 building and at Veterans Plaza will be flown at half mast this week.

(2) Accreditation.

At tonight’s Board of Trustees meeting, an on the Institutional Self Evaluation Report (ISER) submitted to the ACCJC for reaffirmation of accreditation will be given. As shared on opening day and for those on shared governance committees, this penultimate document will be agendized for final readings before its submission in December. The ISER is one of the largest coordinated undertakings of any college.  It is a catalyst for institutional reflection. While it is most certainly a matter of compliance, it is also a time to make known our commitment to continuous improvement.

(3) Art on Campus and Art on Campus workgroup.

17³Ô¹Ï Photography Department is happy to announce the re-opening of Gallery 6100! As a companion show to the exhibition in the KCI gallery, a selection of Judy Walgren’s visual stories will be on display in Gallery 6100 located in the Photography Building (6100). Gallery 6100 Hours: Tuesday–Wednesday: 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Thursdays: 10–11:30 am. Walgren is an award-winning photojournalist, editorial director, visual communication specialist, and new tenure track faculty member at 17³Ô¹Ï.
In a very early retreat with my team, I shared a Ted Talk from Ingrid Fetell Lee on the aesthetics of joy. . If you don’t have time, its central message is that feelings of joy are often associated with rounded shapes and vibrant colors, and institutions of learning and other facilities, most often those serving the underserved, frequently exist without this aesthetics. As part of my work with the Foundation, I requested that Dean of Fine Arts and Communication, Ron Herman, put together an exploratory workgroup that could, well, artfully explore how vibrant inclusive art could cohabitate on a campus with a strong commitment to an architectural style. The first meeting of that group is this week.

(4) MIPC meets this week.

The first meeting of the Mission Informed Planning Council. We will meet this Friday from 1:00 - 3:00 pm in the President’s Conference Room (1901). These open meetings occur on the 1st and 3rd Friday of each month. A Zoom option is available for those that would like to attend virtually.  The agenda will be posted here on Tuesday.

(5) Opening Day Information.

The slide deck of information shared on Opening Day, including The Way of the Owl, President’s Goals, and updates on Instruction, Accreditation, Finance, and Equity may be found here. If you would like to review the student service updates, rewatch the video . If you were inspired by 17³Ô¹Ï staff sharing where they have seen magic, this is sure to confirm the student-centered nature of 17³Ô¹Ï. 

Yours in service,

Kristina