California Higher Education Leaders Convene Second Black Student Success Week, April 26-30, 2021
SACRAMENTO, CA – A coalition of California higher education leaders are working together to host a California Community College Black Student Success Week, April 26-30, 2021. Black Student Success Week will share research insights and innovative approaches for improving student success among Black and African American students at California’s community colleges.
“The Board of Governors is proud to support Black Student Success Week as we continue to work to improve supports for Black students, foster Black leadership in our system, diversify our faculty and staff ranks and root out systemic racism and barriers holding back students’ potential,” said Pam Haynes, California Community Colleges Board of Governors President. “The activities planned for this week will raise consciousness and help make our system stronger.”
Daily webinars will be held throughout the week from 12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. and are open to California Community College administrators, staff, faculty, practitioners and students. The week will kick off with a discussion that explores this year’s theme Follow the Money: Unapologetically Supporting Black Students and a new report that examines how Black students are systematically underinvested in by the state when it comes to higher education funding. Speakers will include Eloy Ortiz Oakley, Chancellor of the California Community Colleges; Pam Haynes, President of the California Community Colleges Board of Governors; Dr. John King, 10th U.S. Secretary of Education and President/CEO of The Education Trust; Dr. Edward Bush, President of Cosumnes River College; Dr. Darla Cooper, Executive Director of The RP Group; and Dr. Frank Harris, Professor of Postsecondary Education and Co-Director of Community College Equity Assessment Lab (CCEAL) at San Diego State University.
Webinar registration for the daily webinar series called The Black Hour, will open on Thursday, April 1st. The following topics will be addressed throughout the week:
Monday, April 26 – Follow the Money: Unapologetically Supporting Black Students
Tuesday, April 27 – The ADT Journey for African American Students
Wednesday, April 28 – Black Leadership in Higher Education
Thursday, April 29 – Legislative Briefing and Advocacy Day
Friday, April 30 – Faculty Diversity
The week will also include a virtual advocacy day on Thursday, April 29th. Community college leadership is encouraged to meet via video conferencing with state legislators to advocate for further funding and support for Black student success. Additional materials and talking points will be provided to support administrators and students meeting with their representatives.
For updates regarding the week follow @cablackstudents on Twitter and Instagram.
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Black Student Success Week is organized in collaboration with the following partners: A2MEND, Umoja Community Education Foundation, the Campaign for College Opportunity, California Competes, The Education Trust-West, the Equity Avengers, The RP Group, the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges, the Student Senate for California Community Colleges, the Community College League of California, the Foundation for California Community Colleges, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and The Western Region Council on Black American Affairs.
