Dear Students,
Today, we learned the outcome of Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd - guilty on all three counts against him. Justice has been served through this process, but to quote former President Obama, “true justice requires much more.”
This is a very emotional day, and we are experiencing very challenging times. I would like to restate our support for our African-American and Black community. I know you are hurting, and it saddens me to know the trauma this case, and others like it, have caused you.
Clovis Community College’s core values include a dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We must continue to maintain our focus on student equity and anti-racism by supporting the State Center Community College District’s anti-racist resolution and participating in activities such as staff professional development, Black Student Success Week, advocacy work, and Student Justice and Healing Circles.
It is important now, more than ever, to work together to disrupt and change actions or events that support systemic racism. As a college, we will continue to promote racial justice through our actions, our teaching, and our inclusive support for all our students. As students, I ask you to join us in learning more, standing together, and speaking out for racial justice and equitable change. I also ask for your help in creating and maintaining a campus culture of inclusion and support for every student who chooses to attend this college.
Together, we can make a difference on our campus and in our community.
Following are free college resources available to students:
In Solidarity,
Lori Bennett, Ed.D.
President Clovis Community College
Dear Colleagues,
Today, we learned the outcome of Derek Chauvin’s trial for the murder of George Floyd - guilty on all three counts against him. Justice has been served through this process, but to quote former President Obama, “true, justice requires much more.”
This is a very emotional day, and we are experiencing very challenging times. I would like to restate our support for our African-American and Black community. I know you are hurting, and it saddens me to know the trauma this case, and others like it, have caused you.
Clovis Community College’s core values include a dedication to diversity, equity, and inclusion.
We must continue to maintain our focus on student equity and anti-racism by supporting the State Center Community College District’s anti-racist resolution and participating in activities such as the USC Equity Leadership Alliance, Lasana Hotep workshops, and Justice and Healing Circles. Activities like these are helping us become leaders, advocates, and allies as we work together to make significant changes – both at the college and in the community.
As educators, we play a critical role in promoting racial justice through our actions, our teaching, and our inclusive support for all our students and each other. We decide what we teach. Our actions model for our students. We must continue to analyze our policies, our procedures, our class content, our services, and our student completion outcomes through an equity-minded lens so that we can disrupt and change activities that support or create systemic racism.
I want to offer my sincere thanks for the work that you do to create a culture that values and supports every employee and student at this college. Some of this work is hard and will continue to be hard, but if we work together and focus on our core values, we can make changes that will benefit our students for a lifetime.
Please know that faculty, staff, and administrators can contact Halcyon at 1-888-HAL-4800 or Halcyoneap.com. You may find additional mental health support through The Fresno Center, and Fresno County Behavioral Health.
In Solidarity,
Lori Bennett, Ed.D.
President
Clovis Community College
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California Community Colleges Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley issued the following statement following guilty verdicts in the Derek Chauvin murder trial:
“Today, some measure of justice has been rendered in the murder of George Floyd. While the jury’s work, in this case, has concluded, the work ahead of us as a nation and in the California Community Colleges must move forward with the urgency and moral clarity that our students demand and deserve. Over the past year, our system has made extraordinary strides to advance anti-racist practices and promote equity for students of color. This work requires the authentic partnership and support of state and federal leaders, administrators, students, faculty, and staff, and it will be guided by justice, peace, and respect. Our work is not finished, and history will be our judge.”
