Week of November 6, 2023

Hello to my Clovis Fam,

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend and that everyone came back relaxed and ready for a short week. You are getting my Reflections and Activities this week on Thursday since we are off Friday in recognition of Veteran’s Day.

I finished last week by James Sewell informing me that our Women’s and Men’s teams snatched the North California Regional Title Championships. Congrats and well done. It’s always nice to be told such great news while in a District meeting after hearing FCC announce how great their season was. Note, we didn’t brag or boast, we just are that good.

Saturday was my birthday. I usually spend the day of my birth in reflection and gratitude. I disconnect and spend time with nature and God reviewing my past year and asking for guidance on the year to come. This year, being my first year celebrating my birth in California, I altered it a little. I started my day as I always do by talking to my daughters. They know to call well before 7am because after that is when I disconnect. They sang to me the birthday song that I made up for my sister and that I sang to them every birthday when they were little. My oldest butchered the song as she laughed all the way through it. My younger daughter put a jazzy Harlem influence on it. She moved to Brooklyn for her 27th birthday, so at 4 am, so it was an amazing rendition with runs and all. She is a soprano, and my older daughter is an alto. They did not get my singing skills or lack there of LOL.

I then went to a prescheduled viewing party of the Virtual Women’s Conference where I was a keynote speaker back in August. It was a wonderful way to spend my birthday at my pastor’s home with other women having brunch and fellowshipping together. This was also a touching way to experience the conference as when we first recorded it. Dr. Francine Oputa was on the program with me. She passed away two weeks after the recording. We dedicated the conference in honor of her memory. It was a beautiful celebration of her life and legacy, and we hoped and prayed that as her daughters were watching they were proud, pleased, and comforted. I had several people from the different viewing parties send me real time birthday wishes.
I left my pastor’s home and went into reflection and my quiet space. It is good. 😊

Later that night, I went to the CMAC’s Mac and Cheese First Annual Fundraiser. Cindy, her husband, and Tou Lee joined me. We ate mac and cheese, egg rolls, tamales and this incredibly good, yet weird french fries, mac and cheese, pulled pork and bar be que sauce dish. I was on carb overload; but it was sooo sooo good. I listened to live music. The guitarist and bass were really good. The bass player was Phil Howard from the District. I did a podcast and discovered that the equipment is not as expensive as I thought. Just saying hmmmm to the possibilities. Dr. Goldsmith and her wife and Board member Robert Fuentes were there also. When I got home, I took my dog for a wonderful night walk. It was a good day.

On Sunday morning my dog and I were up and out to go watch the sun rise. That is one of the things I like most about the time change; for us morning people, the sun comes up early and I am out and about enjoying the quiet morning. I went to church and was thankful that Taylor reminded me not to come to the campus due to the Twin Cities Marathon. I was excited to hear that our very own CJ won.

On Monday morning, I had the best start of the day EVER!!!!! Derek and Erin Lane came by my office and they surprised me by bringing a Madagascar hissing cockroach. He was magnificent. His name is Fred. I played with him and got all kinds of ideas about tunnels and mazes and Halloween pranks. I then began to think about mating them. Erin said they came early, and some have already mated. This is an exceptional opportunity for our students, and I am so very proud of the level of instruction that is being offered at Clovis.

I found out that our Debate Club did very well this weekend. One of our students took silver. He was invited to compete in the gold level; however, due to travel issues with the return bus trip and the competition running over time, he had to forfeit in order to not miss the bus home. Although I am sad that issues outside of talent and ability were factors interfering with the outcome of the competition, I am so very proud of the talent and sportsmanship of this year’s Debate Club members. Great job to our students and to their coaches. We will work with FCC to help remove transportation barriers.

On Monday afternoon, I had the honor of being invited to join Cindy Walker and her Psychology class as they went to the Food Pantry. I am thankful that Cindy invited me so that I can help to remove the perceived sigma of going to the food pantry. The new location for the food pantry is beautiful, the staff are kind, and the variety and assortment of foods and personal items was outstanding. Students were told that they could take up to twenty items a day. We talked to students about using the bus with their IDs and other Basic Needs resources available. While I was waiting for the students to finish shopping, a nontraditional male student, here taking calculus, stopped me because he wanted me to know that he had been looking for me to tell me that he feels welcome here. He is made to feel that he belongs, and that the teacher makes calculus easy to understand. He is working on his second master’s and needed a few classes. He is glad that he came here. As we were leaving, I saw another new faculty member looking for the food pantry so that she could help her students.

I also saw the professional signs recognizing and celebrating each and every one of our of our veteran-students beautifully displayed across campus. Nice job to Natalie, Stephanie, and everyone in both the Veterans Center and PR for doing such a great job in recognizing our veteran students. I am so very proud and thankful for the caring, integrated, and holistic approach to our learning environment. It continues to make my very soul dance when I see the giving spirit of each of you. This is the Clovis Spirit. You go out of your way to make opportunities for our students to be successful, to have their needs met and to feel valued…one student at a time. I see the signs of our veteran-students beautifully displayed across campus. And students stopped just to say “HI”. You have made them feel at home here. Thank you.

I then had the Chancellor’s Cabinet meeting. We reviewed enrollment, and we are currently 26% above where we were last year; yet, we are down 14% from this time Spring 2020. We are still confident that we will see an increase in this number due to the fact that dual enrollment numbers are not included in this data. We reviewed the new District Tableau and dashboard. We will be able to have real-time, day-to-day enrollment trends. The new look will make it easier for us to review this data. It is not current, but it will have college level in addition to districtwide data displayed. This was our first look, and we will have more opportunities to build out the dashboard. We had a discussion about Customer Relations Management (CRM) taskforce. This is a District Wide Guided Pathways workgroup. Emilee Slater and Dr. Monica Chahal are the Clovis reps on the taskforce. The goal is to have a data management plan where we develop a plan and have it completed by Spring 2024. We also reviewed Ellucian Performance Issues, and we discussed the issues with Self-Service that need to be corrected by Spring 2024. The goal is to make the process more efficient. Enterprise Support System (EMS) Help Desk services to improve the following processes: help desk ticketing, work order process, project management, asset management and event management. The goal is to have processes in place by the end of Spring 2024. Updates to the single sign on process to reduce the number of MFA pushes to once per 12 hours by February 2/1/24 to implement this new process for students. By the end of Spring 2024, all students will have to have MFA access. Currently, students are not required to have MFA; only employees are required to use MFA. The District is working with Rob and Robin on messaging this information to students. The goal is to initiate communication in January, send out further communication again in February, then again send out additional communication 5 days before the launch.

Later that day, I attended the Ag Tech Leadership Team meeting. We talked about the CBE conference that occurred in Florida last month. We talked about the importance of addressing the following issues load, contract, financial aid, transcript and records and the importance of bringing the VPSA aboard sooner than later to work through the operations side of the Ag Tech grant. The next steps for the grant are State Chancellor’s approval for the local certificate as a way to strengthen buy in at that level; discuss Title V changes and barriers, create new work streams around curriculum development; work on core competencies (have 1-2 faculty across 14 competencies). On November 17, 2023 the curriculum will go to industry vote.

I ended my day by attending the Clovis City Council meeting. The City Council is looking to produce a children’s book on the history of Clovis. They have some Foundation funds to help offset the cost. I think it may be a nice idea if some of our history faculty and students as well as some of our art faculty and students could provide assistance with the story and illustrations. I made no promises but want to let you know that this project is coming up in the Spring 2024 and that if you like we can provide assistance.

On Tuesday, I had VPC meeting in addition to going over things from Chancellor’s Cabinet. We also talked about the goal of communication and the importance of looking at it through a DEIA lens especially as it applies to different learning and communication styles. We talked about the importance of being adaptable and flexible in our communication delivery and although the responsibility of understanding is on all parties, it does fall on the one presenting the information. We reviewed issues addressed in Chancellor’s Cabinet and I impressed upon them the importance of completing all past due evaluations and making sure that everyone in their areas has completed the required cyber security training.

In the afternoon, I enjoyed hearing wonderful singing at the #GivingTuesday event. Karaoke was an engaging event for students, faculty, and classified professionals alike as several people joined in and sang their favorite songs while others looked and cheered them on.

I then had the opportunity to spend time with the students from the Diamond Learning Center as they were our guests for today’s men’s soccer game. We honored Jami De La Cerda and her students by unveiling the new scoreboard with the name of SCCCD Foundation and the name of Diamond Learning Center. The soccer team joined us as we made the unveiling. To hear the chats and screams of her students was heartwarming. They truly love our Crush team. Thank you to the coaches and players for giving themselves to these students at the Learning Center. This is what makes a community college special. When our students give back to our communities. Athletics is certainly leading the way. We then had the honor of congratulating the sophomore men’s soccer team as this is their last home game. I had the privilege to be asked to go onto the field with James Ortez, James Sewell, the Coaches and trainers to shake hands with each young man and tell them thank you and wish them well.

I was shown an ultrasound today!!!! I’m gonna be a Grand President!!!!! I am so very happy for the parents and this little life. This baby will be loved beyond measure and will be the newest addition to the Crush Family. Congrats to momma and pappa!

Before I went to the Board meeting, I discovered this delectable dish called Berrock. It smelled really good, and Derek was explaining to me about its origin as being German. I will be going to get this dish from the Berrock Shop as I love foods from all over the world. Thanks for telling me all about this dish that I had never heard of.

On Wednesday morning, when I got into my car, I found a note on my windshield that had the handwritten lyrics to the song that I sang to my first born daughter (granted she would cry until I stopped lol) It was the state song of Louisiana written by the governor. Does anyone know the song?

After I got to work, I had the pleasure to walk in with Erin Lane. She told me that she was bringing in a female cockroach and that she thinks she pregnant!!!!! I am so excited. I’m going to be a Grand Cockroach Momma! I hope to be there when she gives birth. I wonder how many she will have. Spiders have double digits of baby spider. This is what you get when you have a scientist for a president. “I’m so excited, I just can’t hide it. I’m about to lose control and I think I like it!!! (Name that song and the artist).

I was talking to Erin about how we can apply an interdisciplinary experiential learning opportunity to tie Art, English and Science around her cockroaches. This idea has been strengthened by what I saw with the interdisciplinary approach to the Lost Trees Found exhibit by Dawn Hart.

After I got to my office, Clark-Lauren came by to tell me that one of the tickets that we had from the Fresno Black Chamber of Commerce 10th Anniversary Women’s Conference won a special inspiring edition doll. She brought me the doll…. Madam CJ Walker. She is one of my most favorite people. What is she known for? What is her significance?

Look ya’ll I am adding history and arts into our learning culture.

On Wednesday afternoon, I was thrown a ‘Celebrate Kim Birthday Party’. Thank you all for coming over and celebrating with me. Thanks to Bonnie for preparing the most wonderful charcuterie board. Since I’m diabetic it was nice to have all of the proteins and cheeses and nuts and green grapes. I loved having you sing “Happy Birthday,” and the guys, James O, Ruben, and Jake came through and later sang with full harmony. I wore the birthday tiara proudly. And yes, I did remember to take it off before I went to the post office.

I then went to the First-Generation Celebration and saw a full on incredible out pour of support for our first-generation students. Great food, sidewalk chalk, CCC booths and music. It felt like a college today. Thank you for making our first gen students feel welcome and special. As I am not first-generation, I am proudly 4th generation, I was able to reflect and pay homage to my ancestors. As you know, I brought a little something from all three generations upon whose shoulders I stand. My great uncle Author Madison, a lawyer in Montgomery Alabama and his sister Hegalyn ( she was called Aunt Shine), an OB/GYN were part of the first generation to go to college. My Great Great Aunt Shine is who brought me into the world. My Great Great Uncle Author was run out of Alabama and threatened with lynching because he was helping negros learn to read so they could pass the literacy and constitution test. This was the requirement to be allowed to vote in Alabama as a means to suppress the negro vote. He helped Rosa Parks register to vote. I have documents from My Uncle Author in my office. He was inducted into the Alabama Lawyer Hall of Fame, posthumously on May 5, 2023.

The second generation was my grandfather and grandmother. I proudly hang my grandfather’s 1924 Morris Brown diploma in my office. My grandfather was a WWI and WWII Army Vet. He was an orphan and was adopted as a child. As a poor, first-generation college student, he worked his way through college and paid for his tuition room and board by cleaning the college. He was one of the original work study students. He is my hero and I will be thinking of him on Veteran’s Day. My newest edition of tribute to those who got an education before me and were first-generation college graduates, is a 1950 Underwood manual typewriter that both my parents typed their dissertations on. My dad, the oldest of 9, was the first in his family to go to and graduate from college. I have a deep understanding, respect and love for all of our first-generation students because I personally know the difference that going first means for the growth and promise for all future generations. Today I am proud to serve and wear the “I support first-generation” sticker and pin. Nice job, to everyone in taking care of our students today and every day. They are our future and we have not only an obligation but the responsibility to “teach them well so that they can lead the way”. Thank you to all the TRiO department, Kimra, Tuyet, and to Maricarmen for providing such a special recognition to our first generation students.

Later in the evening, I ended the day by having my quarterly President’s LGBTQIA+ Community Advisory meeting. We reviewed the Integrated 2035 data and plan. We also talked about the LGBTQIA+ grant and requirements, the newly formed committee, the Safe Zone training and the LQBTQIA+ Employee Affinity Group. We had a wonderful conversation about next steps and how to best spend the grant funds to provide the best experience for our current and future students. We also addressed the needs for faculty and Classified Professionals in terms of Safe Zone training and in providing support to them as they are a major component for providing a welcoming place for our students.

On Thursday morning, I started by celebrating the birth of Dr. Ruben Diaz. We were able to help him usher in this new year by singing “Happy Birthday,” and eating NY style cheesecake. Happy Birthday Ruben, have a great one.

I also got to celebrate Phil Johnson’s birthday by fist bumping him in the hall several times today. It’s our thing. 😊 Happy Birthday Phil and have a great Holiday weekend.

After I ate cheesecake for breakfast, I went to the President’s Small Council meeting. This meeting focused on the Integrated 2035 data focusing on Enrollment Growth and Trust and Collaboration. The data we reviewed came from the SCCCD Education Engagement Survey, Spring 2023. We had several questions about the validity of the data, timeline the survey was administered and operational definitions of some of the concepts surveyed. We also had enrollment and demographic data questions and will be asking for more specific data for CUSD not limiting our analyses to Fresno County alone.

I had an unexpected surprise as several of my other meetings got cancelled. I did end the day by meeting with the president of the CVCEO group regarding Math Bridge and opportunities with Clovis.

Finally, I have the opportunity to spend the evening at the SCCCD Heritage Gala where Jami De LA Cerda will be recognized for her giving to Clovis. I have the honor of speaking and letting her know just how thankful we are for her support of our soccer team.

Friday, I will be coming to a Soccer Game and Saturday I will be taking a student veteran to the veteran Day’s Dinner. I will update you on these and other things in my next reflection and activities update.

As we end this week early, I hope all of you take the time to reflect on why we are off tomorrow. Take the time to tell a veteran thank you. And, please enjoy your family and friends and have a safe and wonderful long weekend.

See you Monday.

As always, in service,

Kim E. Armstrong, Ph.D.