LEAD California Executive Board Selects Two New Members

LEAD California (formerly California Campus Compact) announced today that its Executive Board has selected Dominican University of California President Nicola Pitchford and California State University, Fresno President Saúl Jiménez-Sandoval to join the 2022-2023 Executive Board. These two presidents are committed to fulfilling the civic purposes of higher education and join a distinguished group of leaders from across California representing all sectors of higher education.

“LEAD California is grateful to have Presidents Pitchford and Jiménez-Sandoval join our Executive Board. As we leverage our 34-year history as a newly re-launched organization, their expertise, knowledge and leadership are perfect complements to steward our organization forward. I couldn’t be more excited to work with them and look forward to meaningful and productive years ahead!”

Dr. Elaine K. Ikeda, Executive Director of LEAD California

 

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2022 RICHARD E. CONE AWARD FOR EMERGING LEADERS RECIPIENT

LEAD California selected Rochelle Smarr, Director, Department of Service Learning and Civic Engagement, CSU San Marcos, as the recipient of the LEAD California 2022 Richard E. Cone Award for Emerging Leaders in Community Engagement. The Richard E. Cone Award recognizes an exemplary early-career individual who is an emerging leader in the field of community engagement, whose work has had a positive impact on campus and in the community, and who is guided by the best practices of community-campus partnerships.

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Compact 21 Midwest West: Resilience & Responsibility for Racial & Environmental Justice

Western Region Campus Compact, a partnership of Western Campus Compact institutions and state offices, is pleased to announce that on March 17, 2021 we will host our Continuums of Service as a one-day virtual re-envision conference. The conference will focus on resilience and responsibility for racial and environmental justice, two components of the systemic injustice that result in the unkept promise of full and equitable participation in education, employment, health care and environmental quality.

Register here.

Conference participants will explore how to partner in renewing the promise of full participation in higher education, a flourishing democracy, and productive, meaningful and gainful careers. In keeping these promises, we will support the development of student, community and campus resilience by achieving and defining a civic consensus on our collective boundary-spanning responsibilities for racial and environmental justice. We are excited to welcome University of Denver’s Dr. Tom Romero II as our keynote. Dr. Romero’s remarks will be followed by a panel conversation with administrators, partners, faculty, and students from the western U.S. 

Continuums of Service is part of a two-part series of virtual conferences, the second of which being the Midwest Campus Compact Conference on May 25. These virtual conferences have no cost for current Campus Compact affiliates in good standing. More information on the conference can be found on the Continuums of Service website. See you in March!

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Building a Healthy, Just and Democratic Society

On January 6, 2021, insurgents attacked the US Capitol in an attempt to disrupt the ratification of a fair and legitimate presidential election. While their motivations were many and varied, it is clear that their violent actions were fueled by a president (and those that enabled him) who spewed lies and falsehoods and fomented distrust in our election and our democracy. It is also apparent that the response to the attacks on the Capitol is yet another example of the deep-rooted white supremacy and privilege that exists in our nation. The predominately white rioters were met with far less resistance and violent aggression than the people of color peacefully protesting the murders of George Floyd and others this past year.

Academic leaders across the country have made statements condemning the rioters’ actions and articulating the important role higher education plays in educating the populace to participate in and to uphold our democracy. President Tracy Fitsimmons (Shenandoah University) made an urgent call to action “to all who value democracy”. She calls on faculty and academic leaders to ensure that students’ curricular and co-curricular experiences connect them to the real world: “Our students need to know how to participate in society, how to listen and how to present their own ideas when they encounter lots of disagreement. Groupthink does not prepare anyone well for life outside our campuses and classrooms. As faculty and administrators, we should remember that nearly all foundational and disciplinary skills and knowledge that students develop in college can play a key role in supporting democracy — or in tearing it down.”

For more than 30 years, LEAD California (formerly known as California Campus Compact), has led a coalition of higher education institutions committed to preparing the next generation of educated citizens to contribute to a healthy, just and democratic society. LEAD California promotes community engagement in higher education – educating students to develop the knowledge, skills, values, and motivations to both make a difference in the civic life of our communities and address issues of social, economic, and racial injustice in our society. Community members, in partnership with higher education faculty and staff create sustained community-based experiences that develop the personal and intellectual development of our students.  Through community engagement, students develop skills such as critical thinking, collaborative learning and problem-solving, and relationship building and conflict resolution.

Eloy Oakley, chancellor of the California Community College system stated, “As educators, these events reinforce the need to advance work of diversity, equity and inclusion in our colleges as we help build up communities and strengthen civic life.” Our colleges and universities educate the majority of K-12 teachers in our nation and thus, impact the development of the next generation of citizens. LEAD California believes it is higher educations’ responsibility to create spaces for students to learn about our troubled history of racism and oppression, to learn to navigate conversations on race with compassion, care, and humility, and to develop a sense of agency and courage to address inequity and injustice.

LEAD California is committed to educating students for democracy and positive change. We commit to leading with generosity, integrity, empathy, kindness, and compassion. We commit to being a more clear and consistent voice for racial justice.  As we approach the Martin Luther King Jr. holiday, I’m reminded of one of my favorite quotes from him, “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that.”

We have a long road ahead to bring security, health, justice, and equity to all.  This is the time to live out our values and commitments, and to rise out of the darkness to light the way to inclusion, justice, racial equity, and peace. I hope you will join LEAD California on the road to helping higher education fulfill its promise of educating students for the public good and for the health of our democracy. 

Elaine K. Ikeda, Ph.D.
Executive Director, LEAD California
January 11, 2021

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Resilient Community of Practice for Directors

LEAD California (formerly known as California Campus Compact) is pleased to announce the LEAD California – Resilient Community of Practice for Directors. This Community of Practice (CoP) is an 8-month initiative specifically designed to support directors at LEAD California member campuses who are implementing service, service-learning and community engagement. This virtual 8-month community of practice is designed to create an intentional space for up to 12 directors from service-learning or community engagement centers to come together once a month for 90 minutes.

CoP Overview – What does CoP have to offer?

We are a resilient community! We recognize that the past couple of years have presented new and different challenges. We have witnessed your commitment, creativity, courage and resiliency as we have dealt with the ever-changing landscape of our work. 

This virtual 8-month community of practice is designed to create an intentional space for up to 12 directors from service-learning or community engagement centers to come together on a regular basis to:

  • Create and deeply engage in an inclusive learning community in which all experiences are honored and their challenging questions are explored.
  • Reflect on the gifts, passions, and identity they bring to this work.
  • Expand their leadership capacity to sustain and grow service-learning and civic and community engagement in their institutions and in the field.
  • Learn tools and strategies to strengthen their ability to foster and deepen their campus’s engagement with communities.
  • Explore the tensions and challenges inherent in the work.
  • Envision and strategize how they can help shape the future of the field in California.
  • Develop an individual action plan to support personal and professional development.
  • Rejuvenate and reflect via various contemplative and self-care practices.

Unique features of this Community of Practice (CoP) include:

  • Networking and learning in a small group setting.
  • Co-creation of a supportive and powerful learning community.
  • A team of facilitators to support, guide, and challenge the group.
  • A commitment to inclusion and equity woven throughout the program.
  • Participant input to identify compelling topics.
  • A focus on strategies for various campus and community contexts.
  • Opportunities for reflection.

For more information, contact elaine@leadcalifornia.org.

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CACC Calls and Resources for COVID-19

A NOTE FROM CALIFORNIA CAMPUS COMPACT

CACC staff are working from home, but we are accessible by phone and email. Below are various resources culled from a wide range of sources.  We hope you find these helpful. New resources are highlighted in BLUE so you can keep track of new additions if you return to this page regularly. Last updated: 11/23/2020.

GENERAL COVID-19 and HIGHER EDUCATION RESOURCES: 

HIGHER EDUCATION LEADERSHIP & MAKING THE CASE FOR COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: 

DIVERSITY, ANTI-RACISM RESOURCES:

ONLINE SERVICE & SERVICE-LEARNING RESOURCES:

SPECIFIC EXAMPLES & CASE STUDIES 

HEALTH, EMOTIONAL SUPPORT & OTHER RESOURCES

UPCOMING WEBINARS & DIALOGUES:

Campus Compact’s webinar series is back for Summer 2020 with a special series focused on the needs of campuses as they think about how to prepare for the Fall semester in light of COVID-19. Webinars touch on topics like online service-learning,  partnerships, and risk management. Each session will include a 30-minute breakout group to discuss these topics with colleagues from across the country, share insights, and ask questions. Join us.

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