Jan 12, 2021 Dallas College Spring Kickoff (Ready. Set. Go!) Day 1

[00:00:23]

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND I WAS IN DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

I AM DALLAS COLLEGE.

WELL, GOOD MORNING. HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE AND WELCOME TO DALLAS COLLEGE'S SPRING KICKOFF FOR 2021 2021.

I'VE GOT TO KEEP REPEATING THAT JUST TO GET USED TO SAYING IT.

YOU KNOW, THIS IS A TIME THAT WE FORMALLY CALL RETURN WEEK.

OF COURSE, NOW IS WE'RE KICKING OFF THE NEW YEAR.

I REALLY AM EXCITED TO HAVE EVERY ONE BACK.

AND I JUST AS A REMINDER, I'M JOE MAY, CHANCELLOR OF DALLAS COLLEGE, AND IT REALLY IS A PLEASURE TO BE WITH YOU AS WE START THIS UNPRECEDENTED YEAR AS DALLAS COLLEGE.

YOU KNOW, I ALWAYS APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY FOR US TO COME TOGETHER AS A FAMILY.

AND THIS OCCASION IS ESPECIALLY MEANINGFUL, I THINK, AS WE'RE TOGETHER, EVEN THOUGH THIS YEAR WE'RE TOGETHER IN A VIRTUAL SENSE, I STILL FEEL THE ENERGY THE SENSE OF EVERYONE WORKING TOGETHER FOR THE COMMON CAUSE, FOR THE STUDENTS THAT WE CARE ABOUT TO STRENGTHEN OUR COMMUNITY AND TO HELP OUR EMPLOYERS MEET THEIR NEEDS.

YOU KNOW, NOW THAT WE ARE DALLAS COLLEGE, WE'VE ALREADY HAD MANY INAUGURAL MILESTONES.

SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THOSE.

THIS YEAR'S SPRING KICKOFF MARKS OUR FIRST SPRING SEMESTER AS DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND IT'S ALREADY BEEN QUITE A JOURNEY, AS I SAID IN A RECENT MESSAGE TO EVERYONE ALREADY, THE FIRST WEEK HAS FELT LIKE AN ENTIRE YEAR AND CERTAINLY LAST YEAR HAS FELT LIKE A DECADE AS WE NOT ONLY MADE THE TRANSITION TO DALLAS COLLEGE, BUT DEALT WITH SO MANY ISSUES THAT AFFECTED US INDIVIDUALLY AND COLLECTIVELY AND CERTAINLY IMPACTED OUR STUDENTS. I WAS REMINDED RECENTLY THAT IT WAS ALMOST EXACTLY ONE YEAR AGO THAT WE BEGAN THE INITIAL PLANNING PHASE OF HOW WE WOULD RESTRUCTURE THE NEW DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND ALTHOUGH AT THAT POINT WE'D NOT EVEN DECIDED ON A NAME, IN FACT, THAT CAME SOME TIME LATER. I CANNOT HELP BUT BE AMAZED WHEN I COMPARE WHERE WE STARTED AND WHERE WE ARE NOW.

BUT AS YOU KNOW, IT TAKES A LOT OF US WORKING TOGETHER TO REACH THIS POINT IN TIME.

AND IT REQUIRED A LOT OF HARD WORK FOR ALL OF YOU.

AND FOR THAT, I WILL ALWAYS BE GRATEFUL.

AND I'M SO THANKFUL FOR THE ENORMOUS EFFORT THAT YOU HAVE PUT IN TO BRINGING US TO THIS POINT AS WE ROLL INTO THE FIRST SPRING TERM AS DALLAS COLLEGE.

OUR STUDENTS ARE APPRECIATIVE AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, THERE ARE SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS THAT LOOK BACK AND ARE REALLY APPRECIATIVE OF THE FOUNDATION THEY RECEIVED AT DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND AS I LOOK BACK ON 2020, I LIKE A LOT OF YOU, I WAS EAGER TO GET THAT IN MY REARVIEW MIRROR. I JUST RECALL THE PLETHORA OF VERY EVENTS AND EMOTIONS AND THINGS THAT OCCURRED, NOT ONLY WITH DALLAS COLLEGE, BUT OUR ENTIRE SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW, 2020 WAS A YEAR OF ENORMOUS INNOVATION ON ONE HAND AS WE SAW HUGE PROBLEMS, HARDSHIP ON ANOTHER, FAMILY BONDING, UNCERTAINTY, UNREST, AS WE WERE REMINDED OF JUST IN THE LAST FEW DAYS.

AND THEN ULTIMATELY, THOUGH, I LEFT BELIEVING THAT DEMOCRACY PREVAILS OVER ALL OTHERS IN TIMES OF UNREST, OF STRIFE AND THE CHALLENGES THAT WE FACE AS A NATION AND AS A SOCIETY.

YOU KNOW, IN ORDER FOR US TO KNOW WHERE WE'RE GOING AS AN INSTITUTION, I FEEL LIKE IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO TAKE A FEW MINUTES AND LOOK AT WHERE WE'VE BEEN.

AND THERE HAVE BEEN SO MANY EVENTS OVER THE PAST 12 MONTHS OR SO THAT HAVE SHAPED AND INFLUENCED WHO WE ARE TODAY, BOTH AS AN INSTITUTION BUT CERTAINLY AS EACH OF US WORKING

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AS MANY OF YOU KNOW, WE HAVE BEEN EMBROILED IN A LEGAL CHALLENGE OVER THE ONE POINT ONE BILLION DOLLAR BOND PACKAGE THAT WAS OVERWHELMINGLY APPROVED BY DALLAS COUNTY VOTERS.

AND JUST A REMINDER, THAT WAS IN 2019 WHEN SEVENTY ONE PERCENT OF THE VOTERS SAID, WE SUPPORT DALLAS COLLEGE AND THE NEED FOR THE RESOURCES TO BUILD FOR BOTH THE PRESENT AND THE FUTURE. NOW, THE GROUP AT THE FOREFRONT OF THIS LAWSUIT IDENTIFIED WHAT THEY SAID WERE, QUOTE, IRREGULARITIES WITHIN THE VOTING PROCESS, IN OTHER WORDS, THEIR CHALLENGE WASN'T THE BOND, IT WAS TO THE VOTING PROCESS.

AND THE LAWSUIT DIDN'T DISCREDIT DALLAS COLLEGE, BUT IT DID SEEK TO INTENTIONALLY CREATE MAJOR DELAYS AND IMPACT OUR EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION. NOW, THE APPROVAL OF THE BOND PAVED THE WAY FOR US TO BUILD NEW FACILITIES, TO PROVIDE RESOURCES AND TECHNOLOGY TO SUPPORT STUDENTS SUCCESS, TO HELP THE NEEDS OF OUR COMMUNITY AND OUR BUSINESSES, AS WELL AS BUILD A STRONG WORKFORCE.

ALL THESE WERE CRUCIAL IN THE EYES OF THE VOTERS WHEN THEY WENT TO THE POLLS THAT DAY.

AND TAKE JUST A SECOND TO IMAGINE THE TREMENDOUS GOOD WHICH DID COME FROM THIS PACKAGE, MOST NOTABLY OUR VISION FOR A DALLAS EDUCATION AND INNOVATION HUB, A NEW DOWNTOWN DALLAS LOCATION FOR OUR CENTRAL CAMPUS.

THOSE WERE CENTRAL TO THE EFFORT, BUT ALSO MEETING THE NEEDS OF OUR CAMPUSES AND SUPPORTING ALL OF THE COMMUNITIES IN DALLAS COUNTY.

AND ALL OF THESE PROJECTS, MANY OF THEM CUTTING EDGE AND FORWARD THINKING ON THEIR OWN RIGHT WOULD HAVE BEEN WELL WITHIN THE DEVELOPMENTAL STAGES BY THIS POINT.

AND IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULD HAVE BEEN DOWN THE ROAD TO MAKING THEM A REALITY.

AND WHILE WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PROCEED ON SOME SMALLER PROJECTS, WHICH WE HAVE SELF FUNDED FOR THE LAST 18 MONTHS OR SO, OUR HANDS HAVE BEEN INITIALLY TIED FOR OUR MORE COMPLEX AND LARGER PROJECTS.

BUT HERE'S THE THING, THAT'S DELAYED US, BUT WHAT REALLY HAS BOTHERED ME MORE THAN EVEN THE DELAYING OF THE PROJECT IS THE FACT THAT 70 PERCENT OF THE VOTERS WHO SUPPORTED THIS HAVE EFFECTIVELY HAD THEIR VOICES SILENCED.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY WENT TO THE POLLS TO MAKE SOMETHING HAPPEN AND A FEW PEOPLE SAID, NO, WE DON'T WANT THAT TO HAPPEN.

THEREFORE, WE'RE GOING TO OVERRIDE.

WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO UNDERMINE YOUR VOTE THAT YOU CAST.

AND THESE ARE VOTES OF FRIENDS OF MINE, NEIGHBORS, FRIENDS OF YOURS, FAMILY MEMBERS, OTHERS IN OUR COMMUNITY WHO REALLY BELIEVE IN THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU DO EVERY SINGLE DAY. AND ALL OF THESE PEOPLE HAVE PLACED TRUST IN US IN OUR ABILITY TO EDUCATE STUDENTS.

I TRUST THAT OUR INSTITUTION HAS WORKED HARD TO BUILD OVER THE LAST FIFTY FIVE YEARS.

NOW, THIS POLITICAL STALL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH OUR ROLE AND MISSION, BUT IT REALLY IS AN ATTEMPT TO DISCREDIT THE ELECTION ITSELF AND ULTIMATELY DISENFRANCHISE VOTERS IN DALLAS COUNTY. SO I SAID PEOPLE LIKE YOU AND ME.

BUT BEYOND THAT, IT WAS A SCHEME DESIGNED TO DISRUPT THE PROGRESS THAT WE WERE TRYING TO MAKE ON BEHALF OF THE STUDENTS THAT WE SERVE.

IF YOU CAN SENSE MY FRUSTRATION, YOU CAN UNDERSTAND PERHAPS WHY THIS HAS BEEN PARTICULARLY STRESSFUL, BOTHERSOME, BUT IT'S NOT JUST THE DELAY, IT'S THE FACT THAT THEY WERE CHALLENGING THE VERY IMPORTANT TENETS OF DEMOCRACY ITSELF.

NOW, I WAS TROUBLED BY THAT BEFORE THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK, BUT IT'S EVEN BROUGHT IT INTO GREATER CLARITY FOR ME THOSE WHO WISH TO UNDERMINE THE PROCESS BY WHICH WE GO TO THE POLLS, BY WHICH WE CAST OUR VOTE AND MAKE OUR VOICES HEARD ON BEHALF OF OUR STUDENTS, OUR COMMUNITY AND THE FUTURE THAT WE BELIEVE IN AS INDIVIDUALS AND COLLECTIVELY AS WELL.

NOW, OVER THE WINTER BREAK, WE WILL SEE THE WELCOME NEWS THAT THE COURT HAS OFFICIALLY SETTLED THE LAWSUIT AND DENIED THE REQUEST OF THOSE WHO WISH TO CHALLENGE IT.

NOW, THIS FAVORABLE JUDGMENT ALLOWS US TO MOVE FORWARD WITH OUR EFFORTS TO PROVIDE THE RESOURCES AND INSTRUCTION TO ENSURE OUR STUDENTS RECEIVE THE BEST POSSIBLE EDUCATION THAT ALIGNS WITH OUR EVER CHANGING ECONOMY.

UNFORTUNATELY, AS I JUST MENTIONED, THIS BOND UNDERSCORES A LARGER ISSUE THAT WE'RE SEEING

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AT ITS CORE, WAS THIS.

WE HAD POLICY MAKERS IN CONTROL TRYING THEIR HARDEST TO MAINTAIN THAT CONTROL AT ALL COSTS, EVEN IF IT MEANS THREATENING LIBERTIES AND RIGHTS THAT WE ALL ENJOY.

I CAN GO INTO GREAT DETAIL OF HOW THIS ALSO CAME INTO PLAY WITH THE RECENT DISD BOND ELECTION, BUT I DON'T THINK I NEED TO, AS WE REFLECT BACK ON THE PAST WEEK OF THE HORRIFYING IMAGES OF INSURRECTION ON THE GROUNDS OF OUR US CAPITOL.

YOU KNOW, FOR MANY OF US, IT WAS LIKE LOOKING AT PHOTOS AND PICTURES AND VIDEO CLIPS FROM ANOTHER COUNTRY. I COULDN'T IMAGINE SEEING THIS TYPE OF ASSAULT COME DOWN IN OUR NATION'S CAPITAL, ALL IN THE NAME OF DISRUPTING SUCH A SACRED PROCESS, PROTECTED UNDER THE CONSTITUTION. IT GETS DOWN TO THE RIGHT TO VOTE AND THE RIGHT FOR THOSE VOTES TO BE HEARD AND COUNTED. YOU KNOW, REGARDLESS OF POLITICAL AFFILIATION, WE HAVE TO ACKNOWLEDGE THE ACT FOR WHAT IT WAS.

AND THAT WAS AN ACT OF DOMESTIC TERRORISM.

AND THOSE INVOLVED SHOULD BE PROSECUTED TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THE LAW.

IT'S UNCALLED FOR AND UNNECESSARY IN A DEMOCRACY THAT WAS CREATED TO ENSURE THE PEACEFUL TRANSITION OF POWER.

AND TO WITNESS SUCH DISRUPTION AND DISCORD ON OUR OWN SOIL WAS BOTH HEARTBREAKING AND PATHETIC. I MEAN, LIKE MANY OF YOU AND SOME OF YOU HAVE TOLD ME THIS, ON ONE HAND, YOU COULDN'T TURN AWAY FROM THE IMAGES COMING THROUGH OUR TELEVISION ABOUT WHAT WAS TRANSPIRING. AND ON THE OTHER HAND, YOU COULDN'T BEAR TO LOOK BECAUSE IT WAS HEARTBREAKING TO YOU.

AND EVEN MORE INFURIATING, MUCH OF THE BLAME FOR THE VIOLENCE ALSO LIES AT THE FEET OF THOSE VERY POLICY MAKERS SWORN TO REPRESENT US, ELECTED BY US TO SERVE US, THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.

NOW, THESE ACTS WERE PERPETRATED AS A MEANS OF BENDING POLITICAL FRUSTRATION, AND I UNDERSTAND THAT. THEY UNFORTUNATELY, HOWEVER, UNDERSCORE OUR NATION'S GROWING EROSION OF CIVILITY, EMPATHY AND RESPECT FOR ONE ANOTHER, AND THIS HAS OCCURRED NOT JUST IN THIS SHORT WINDOW OF TIME, BUT IT'S GRADUALLY HAPPENED OVER THE YEARS AS SUCH THINGS OCCUR.

AND I'M JUST CONTINUALLY REMINDED OF OUR INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY TO UPHOLD THESE VALUES OF CIVILITY, OF EMPATHY AND OF RESPECT FOR EACH OTHER.

YOU KNOW, THE EYES OF THE WORLD ARE ON US TODAY, AND THIS EVENT WILL FOREVER SERVE AS A DEEP STAIN ON OUR NATION'S HISTORY.

IT WILL BE REPORTED FOR GENERATIONS TO COME IN OUR TEXTBOOKS.

BUT, YOU KNOW, THIS IS NOT THE ONLY ISSUE THAT WE HAVE WRESTLED WITH OVER THE LAST SEVERAL YEARS AND THAT WE HAVE SEEN COME TO BEAR WITHIN JUST THE LAST FEW WEEKS.

IN TWENTY SEVENTEEN, WE WERE RECEIVED AN ANNOUNCEMENT THAT DACA WAS GOING TO BE DISCONTINUED. AND LET ME JUST TALK JUST A MINUTE ABOUT THE IMPACT OF THAT DECISION.

THIS PROGRAM HAS ALLOWED MORE THAN FOUR HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND UNDOCUMENTED STUDENTS, SIXTY SIX THOUSAND OF THOSE IN TEXAS AND SOME TWENTY SIX HUNDRED ENROLLED RIGHT HERE AT DALLAS COLLEGE THE CHANCE TO PURSUE HIGHER EDUCATION.

AND FORTUNATELY, WITH THIS DECISION WAS REVERSED AND THE YET THE LONG TERM FUTURE OF THESE STUDENTS IS YET TO BE DETERMINED.

AND I SAY THAT AND THAT WE HAVE COMMITTED OURSELVES AS DALLAS COLLEGE TO NOT WAVER IN OUR SUPPORT FOR THESE STUDENTS BECAUSE WE KNOW THE LIFE CHANGING ACCESS TO A COLLEGE EDUCATION AND HOW POWERFUL THIS CAN BE.

AND THAT'S TRUE FOR ALL IN OUR COMMUNITY.

YOU KNOW, THE RACIAL AND EQUITY AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT HAS DISENFRANCHISED MEMBERS OF OUR BROWN AND BLACK COMMUNITY IS NOT ONLY DISHEARTENING, IT'S INTOLERABLE, BUT IT'S ALSO NOTHING NEW.

YOU KNOW, FOR TOO LONG, THESE GROUPS OF PEOPLE HAVE BEEN MARGINALIZED AND DEEMED NOT WORTHY OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION, AND NOW WE KNOW THAT WITHOUT EDUCATION, THERE IS VERY LITTLE FUTURE FOR ANY IN OUR SOCIETY AND I CAN GO INTO GREAT DETAIL ABOUT THE IMPLICATIONS OF A LACK OF A COLLEGE EDUCATION.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT INCOME.

IT'S ABOUT THE LIFESPAN OF INDIVIDUALS.

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IT'S ABOUT THE MEANS TO GROW A THRIVING COMMUNITY AND CREATED A GREAT PLACE FOR IT, FOR ALL TO LIVE AND TO WORK.

AND SADLY, THE RACIAL INEQUITY AND SOCIAL INJUSTICE THAT SO MANY ARE FACING WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY REPRESENTS A MINDSET THAT AND PART OF IT IS REALLY PROMOTED BY A SENSELESS AND INHUMANE HIERARCHY, WHICH WE AT DALLAS COLLEGE HAVE SAID THAT WE WILL NOT TOLERATE.

WE HAVE A LONG STANDING COMMITMENT TO CREATING AND PROMOTING A DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT WHICH SUPPORTS ALL EMPLOYEES AND STUDENTS.

HOWEVER, EARLY ON DURING OUR TRANSITION TO DALLAS COLLEGE, WE IDENTIFIED THE NEED TO EXPAND AWARENESS AND APPRECIATION FOR THE CULTURAL, ETHNIC AND SOCIAL ASPECTS THAT MAKE OUR COMMUNITY TALKING ABOUT OUR DALLAS COLLEGE COMMUNITY UNIQUE.

AND WE WANT TO EXPAND THIS EVEN FURTHER THAN WE HAVE IN THE PAST.

IN OUR EVENTS ACROSS OUR COUNTRY LAST SUMMER CONFIRMED OUR EFFORTS AND RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE NEED TO DO MORE.

AND THERE IS AN UNDENIABLE NEED FOR THE INCREASED INCLUSION OF ALL VOICES IN ALL PERSPECTIVES. IT'S WHY WE ANNOUNCED OUR NEW OFFICE OF DIVERSITY, EQUALITY AND INCLUSION, A DIRECT RESPONSE TO OUR COMMITMENT TO MAKE SUBSTANTIVE CHANGES TO COMBAT THE SOMETIMES TRAGIC CONSEQUENCES OF RACIAL AND SOCIAL INEQUITY.

ADDITIONALLY, OUR BOARD OF TRUSTEES RECOGNIZES THE IMPORTANCE OF FOSTERING AN EQUITABLE, DIVERSE AND INCLUSIVE ENVIRONMENT FOR DALLAS COLLEGE EMPLOYEES.

NOW TO FURTHER THIS CAUSE, WE ARE DEVELOPING A NEW DIVERSITY EQUITY AND INCLUSION COMMITTEE, TALKING ABOUT A BOARD COMMITTEE COMPRISED OF ALL SEVEN BOARD MEMBERS.

NOW, WHILE THESE CHANGES WILL NOT SERVE AS A MAGIC WAND OR A MAGIC BULLET TO ERADICATE SUCH ISSUES OVERNIGHT, THEY WILL WORK TO ENSURE ALL ASPECTS OF DALLAS COLLEGE EMBRACE AND CELEBRATE OUR COMMON HUMANITY AND SUPPORT OPPORTUNITIES FOR EQUITABLE STUDENT AND EMPLOYEE SUCCESS.

YOU KNOW, I'M HEARTENED BY THE PROGRESS WE'VE MADE OVER THE PAST YEAR, INCLUDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF OUR NEW EMPLOYEE RESOURCE GROUPS.

WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO, BUT THESE CRITICAL STEPS WILL GUIDE US TOWARD BECOMING A STRONGER, MORE EQUITABLE AND INCLUSIVE INSTITUTION.

YOU KNOW, IN THE MIDST OF CONTENDING WITH THESE RACIAL AND SOCIAL BARRIERS, WE WERE ALL BLINDSIDED BY PERHAPS THE BIGGEST DISRUPTER IN MODERN US HISTORY, FRANKLY, ONE THAT COULD HAVE SEEN COMING AND SHOULD HAVE BEEN BETTER PREPARED FOR.

AND OF COURSE, I'M TALKING ABOUT THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC.

NATIONWIDE, OVER THREE HUNDRED AND FIFTY THOUSAND PEOPLE HAVE DIED.

SOME TWENTY FOUR MILLION JOBS HAVE BEEN LOST AND COUNTLESS OTHER CASUALTIES HAVE OCCURRED, ALL AT THE HANDS OF THIS RUTHLESS VIRUS AND FOR SOME OF US IS CLOSE TO HOME WITH FAMILY MEMBERS.

YOU KNOW, I'VE DEALT WITH THAT PERSONALLY, AS I KNOW MANY OF YOU HAVE.

AND THEN THERE'S A TRICKLE DOWN EFFECT WHICH RUNS MUCH DEEPER, EVEN THREATENING THE VERY WORK WE DO WITHIN THIS INSTITUTION, EDUCATING STUDENTS.

YOU KNOW, I CAME ACROSS A STARTLING REPORT THAT SHOULD TRULY HIT HOME FOR EACH OF US.

ACCORDING TO NEW DATA FROM THE NATIONAL STUDENT CLEARINGHOUSE, UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT FOR FALL 2020 DECLINED BY THREE POINT SIX PERCENT FROM THE FALL OF 2019.

THAT'S OVERALL.

BUT OVERWHELMINGLY IT WAS COMMUNITY COLLEGES THAT SAW THE GREATER DROP WITH OVER NINE PERCENT NATIONALLY OF AN ENROLLMENT DROP AT COMMUNITY COLLEGES.

THAT'S MORE THAN FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND STUDENTS THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN IN COLLEGE THAT WEREN'T IN COLLEGE.

FIVE HUNDRED AND SIXTY THOUSAND PEOPLE THAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN PREPARING FOR THEIR FUTURE BUT WEREN'T DOING SO AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC.

NOW, THESE FIGURES REPRESENT A DANGEROUS POINT IN TIME AND FUTURE TRAJECTORY, FEW STUDENTS ATTENDING COLLEGE AND EARNING A CREDIT TOWARD DEGREES AND TO NEGATIVELY.

THE ARE GOING TO BE NEGATIVELY AFFECTED NOT ONLY BY THEMSELVES, BUT THEIR FAMILIES AS WELL . OUR COMMUNITIES ARE IMPACTED IN A NEGATIVE WAY AND ULTIMATELY OUR ECONOMY IS AS WELL.

NOW, WE'RE NOT SEEING AS MUCH IN THE ECONOMY BECAUSE OF THE STIMULUS PACKAGES COMING TO EACH OF US AND INTO OUR COMMUNITIES.

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WE KNOW THAT EDUCATION CAN HAVE A DRAMATIC IMPACT ON OUR STUDENTS LIVES.

AN IMPACT WHICH CAN AFFECT POSITIVELY FUTURE GENERATIONS.

AND WE'VE SEEN FIRSTHAND THE POSITIVE RIPPLE EFFECT AN EDUCATION CAN HAVE.

YOU KNOW, A GOOD EDUCATION CAN LEAD TO A WELL-PAYING JOB WHICH CAN HELP UPLIFT THE FAMILY, SUSTAIN THE COMMUNITY AND AID IN REBUILDING OUR LOCAL ECONOMY.

THIS IS WHY WE ABSOLUTELY MUST DO MORE DURING THIS VOLATILE TIME TO MEET THE NEEDS OF TODAY'S STUDENTS.

FRANKLY, THE OLD WAY OF SERVING STUDENTS IS NO LONGER SUFFICIENT.

NOW, THIS IS BEING DOCUMENTED ACROSS THE COUNTRY AS HEADLINES AND NEWSPAPERS AND MAGAZINES, BUT WE MUST ADOPT NEW WAYS AND ACCELERATE OUR PRACTICES OF SERVING STUDENTS WHO HAVE BEEN CHALLENGED BY COVID-19.

THESE STUDENTS WHO ARE STRUGGLING TO OVERCOME THE REALITIES OF THEIR DAILY LIVES, REALITIES THAT OFTEN SERVE AS BARRIERS TO THEIR SUCCESS IN COLLEGE AND BEYOND.

THE FACT IS THE CURRENT EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED FOR A COVID-19 REALITY.

THEREFORE, WE MUST CONTINUE TO FOCUS OUR ENERGY ON DISCOVERING NEW WAYS TO GET STUDENTS TO COLLEGE. NOT AID THE BARRIERS WHICH OFTEN TURN THEM AWAY.

NOW, ONE THING ABOUT COVID-19, IT DIDN'T CREATE A LOT OF THESE CHALLENGES, BUT IT HAS SHOWN A SPOTLIGHT ON THEM AND BROUGHT THEM TO OUR ATTENTION WITH GREATER CLARITY THAN WE HAVE EVER SEEN. NOW, THIS WAS AS WE LOOK AT OUR PREVIOUS STRUCTURE, WE WERE INADVERTENTLY CREATING BARRIERS.

AS WE OPERATED AS SEVEN SEPARATE INSTITUTIONS UNDER THE DALLAS COUNTY COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT, THE REALITY IS THAT OUR STUDENTS STOPPED VIEWING US AS A SEPARATE COLLEGES Y EARS AGO.

THERE WERE LITERALLY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS EACH YEAR GOING TO MULTIPLE COLLEGES ALL AT THE SAME TIME. NOW, THIS IS A GOOD THING, EXCEPT WHEN IT CAME TIME FOR THEM TO RECEIVE THEIR DEGREE.

AND HERE THEY HAD MET ALL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE, THEY HAD TAKEN ALL THE COURSES FOR THE YEAR, THEY'VE DONE EVERYTHING THEY BELIEVE, RIGHT.

ONLY TO BE TOLD SORRY, YOU MISS ONE LITTLE CRITERIA THAT PROBABLY YOU DIDN'T UNDERSTAND, THAT YOU HAD TO HAVE TWENTY FIVE PERCENT OF YOUR COURSES FROM A SINGLE INSTITUTION.

OUR PEOPLE WERE DEVASTATED.

AND THE SOLUTION WAS TO SPEND MORE MONEY AND TAKE MORE COURSES, WHICH, OF COURSE, OUR STUDENTS REALLY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO THAT, AND TOO MANY OF THEM DIDN'T GET THE DEGREES THAT THEY HAD RIGHTFULLY EARNED.

AND THAT'S REALLY, UNFORTUNATELY, WHAT WAS HAPPENING TO OUR STUDENTS UNDER THE PREVIOUS [INAUDIBLE] STRUCTURE. YOU KNOW, WE DIDN'T OFFER THE SAME PROGRAMS AT ALL OUR LOCATIONS, WHICH IS ALSO A GOOD THING, BUT THAT EXACERBATED THE PROBLEM, MEANING THAT OUR STUDENTS TAKING A PROGRAM AND A DEGREE OFFERED AT ONE CAMPUS BUT LIVING IN ANOTHER PART OF DALLAS COUNTY WANTED TO MINIMIZE THE AMOUNT OF TRAVEL THAT THEY NEEDED TO DO.

SO ALMOST BY DESIGN WE REQUIRED STUDENTS TO TAKE COURSES AT MULTIPLE COLLEGES AND THEY DID SO TO THE TUNE OF ALMOST TWENTY FIVE THOUSAND A SEMESTER.

NOW WE'RE GLAD THAT WE HAD PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WHERE WE'RE SUPPORTED PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION WITHIN THE DISTRICT BY PROVIDING THAT AT NO COST.

BUT THAT, IN ITS OWN WAY, ACTUALLY HELPED FEED PART OF THE PROBLEM.

IT CREATED MORE ACCESS, BUT ALSO CREATED THE NECESSITY OF TAKING COURSES AT MORE THAN ONE LOCATION. SO NOW IS DALLAS COLLEGE, WE HAVE NOT ONLY EFFECTIVELY REMOVED A BARRIER BETWEEN OUR STUDENTS AND A DEGREE OR CREDENTIAL, WE HAVE ALSO REMOVED MANY OF THE SELF-IMPOSED BARRIERS THAT BECAME THE NORM OF HOW WE OPERATED ON THE DAY TO DAY BASIS.

AND THOSE ARE TOO NUMEROUS TO GO INTO.

HOWEVER, OUR TRANSITION TO A SINGLE INSTITUTION HAS ALLOWED US TO REPOSITION OURSELVES AS A UNITED TEAM, WORKING TOGETHER TO OVERCOME BOUNDARIES.

I AM SO EXCITED TO SEE [INAUDIBLE] FALLING AND PEOPLE TEAMING UP FROM ACROSS ORGANIZATIONAL BOUNDARIES TO BETTER SERVE OUR INSTITUTION.

YES, BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, BETTER SERVE OUR STUDENTS AND OUR COMMUNITY.

[00:25:07]

AND WHILE WINTER BREAK SERVED AS A TIME OFF FOR MANY OF US, THERE WERE A NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES, DALLAS COLLEGE EMPLOYEES WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK, EXPLORING AND IMPLEMENTING NEW METHODS TO ATTRACT AND RETAIN STUDENTS FOR THE UPCOMING SPRING SEMESTER.

FOR EXAMPLE, SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE I.T.

SUPPORT STAFF DEDICATED HOURS OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK TO PROVIDE ASSISTANCE FOR STUDENTS TECHNOLOGY NEEDS, HELPING THEM OUT ALL HOURS OF THE DAY AND NIGHT.

AND STUDENT SERVICES SELF-PROCLAIMED HOLIDAY HELPERS ALSO WORK THROUGHOUT THE BREAK TO ENSURE NO EMAIL OR VOICE MESSAGE FROM OUR STUDENTS WENT UNANSWERED.

NOW GET THAT.

NO EMAIL OR VOICE MESSAGE WENT UNANSWERED.

AND I HEARD WITH GREAT PRIDE FROM OUR FOLKS AS THEY SHARE THE FACT THAT WE CAME BACK IN JANUARY, EVERYONE WAS CALLED UP.

IN TOTAL, OUR EMPLOYEES HANDLED ONE THOUSAND SIX HUNDRED AND TWENTY TWO CALLS OVER THE HOLIDAY BREAK.

PROCESSED TWO HUNDRED AND NINETEEN ADMISSIONS APPLICATIONS, FOUR HUNDRED AND EIGHTEEN TRANSCRIPTS AND TWO HUNDRED AND FORTY SEVEN FINANCIAL AID AWARDS.

ADDITIONALLY, THE TEAM ENSURED THAT THIRTY FIVE STUDENTS RECEIVED THE CRUCIAL SUPPORT OFFERED BY OUR TWENTY FOUR HOUR CRISIS SERVICE, MEANING THAT THEY NEEDED PERHAPS MENTAL HEALTH SUPPORT AND OTHER SERVICES TO DEAL WITH THE REALITIES OF THEIR SITUATION.

THESE ARE NOT JUST RANDOM FIGURES, BUT REAL RESULTS OF OUR EFFORTS TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES. AND WHILE THE ACTS ARE EFFORTS MADE IN THEM THEMSELVES SEEM SMALL, THE OUTCOME OF THIS IS MIGHTY IS POWERFUL.

IT'S SIGNIFICANT.

IMAGINE A STUDENT ON THE VERGE OF DROPPING OUT OF COLLEGE DECIDES TO REACH OUT FOR HELP IN A FINAL ATTEMPT TO CONTINUE HIS OR HER EDUCATION.

NOW. SO THAT ATTEMPT, WHETHER IT BE A PHONE CALL, A TEXT OR A FACEBOOK MESSAGE, GO UNANSWERED. MORE THAN LIKELY WE HAVE JUST LOST A STUDENT.

AND NOT ONLY THAT, THAT STUDENT HAS JUST LOST THE OPPORTUNITY FOR AN EDUCATION.

FAR TOO OFTEN, I HEAR FROM STUDENTS WHO FEEL THAT THE PROSPECT OF ATTENDING COLLEGE IS DAUNTING AND OUT OF REACH, IT JUST SEEMS LIKE A FAR FETCHED DREAM THAT'S FOR SOMEBODY ELSE AND NOT FOR THEMSELVES.

AND THAT WAS THE EXACT PROBLEM FOR JESSE, A STUDENT WHO ADMITS TO HAVING FACED ISSUE AFTER ISSUE WHEN TRYING TO COMPLETE SCHOOL DUE TO UNFORESEEN EVENTS THROUGHOUT LIFE.

UPON DECIDING NOW WAS THE RIGHT TIME TO CONTINUE PURSUING AN EDUCATION, JESSE ENCOUNTERED MANY OF OUR FANTASTIC EMPLOYERS WHO OFFERED EXCEPTIONAL SUPPORT.

SHE ADMITS THE WORST PART OF RETURNING TO SCHOOL IS NOT KNOWING WHAT TO DO OR WHEN TO DO IT. BUT THANKS TO OUR EFFORTS, SHE NOW FEELS MOTIVATED AND CONFIDENT TO TAKE ON THE SPRING SEMESTER. SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS BEING AVAILABLE TO ANSWER QUESTIONS CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE DURING SUCH A PERIOD OF TIME FOR OUR STUDENTS, WHO ARE OFTEN UNCERTAIN ABOUT WHAT THEY WANT TO DO NEXT.

AND THE SAME IS TRUE FOR STUDENTS WHO CONTINUE TO TURN TO US FOR ASSISTANCE WITH THEIR EMERGENCY AID NEEDS.

BETWEEN APRIL AND DECEMBER OF LAST YEAR, WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE NEARLY SEVENTY FIVE THOUSAND DOLLARS IN GIFT CARDS ALONE FOR OUR STUDENTS TO PURCHASE GROCERIES TO SURVIVE DURING THE PANDEMIC.

ADDITIONALLY, DURING THE SAME TIME FRAME, WE DISTRIBUTED OVER TWO POINT ONE MILLION POUNDS OF FOOD TO OVER TWENTY THOUSAND FAMILIES WITH THE SUPPORT OF THE NORTH TEXAS FOOD BANK AND THEIR MOBILE FOOD PANTRY.

AND I WANT TO TAKE JUST A MOMENT TO HELP US REALLY UNDERSTAND THE REALITY FOR THOSE FAMILIES, THE WORRY, THE ANXIETY, THE FRUSTRATION, FEAR AND OTHER EMOTIONS THAT CREEP UP ON US THE MOMENT WE REALIZE THAT WE DON'T KNOW WHERE OUR NEXT MEAL IS COMING FROM.

IT'S A REAL CHALLENGE THAT SO MANY OF OUR STUDENTS FACE ON A DAILY BASIS.

BUT OUR EFFORTS HELP TO ALLEVIATE THESE FEELINGS.

IF ONLY FOR A BRIEF PERIOD OF TIME, AT LEAST WE CAN GET THEM THROUGH THIS MOMENT SO THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPORT AND HELP THEM WHILE THEY PURSUE THEIR EDUCATION.

THIS IS REALLY OUR MISSION PERSONIFIED.

IT'S A TRUE EXAMPLE OF WHAT IT MEANS TO TRANSFORM LIVES AND COMMUNITIES NOT ONLY THROUGH HIGHER EDUCATION, BUT THROUGH ALL THE AVENUES AT OUR DISPOSAL, NORMALLY IN AREAS WHERE

[00:30:05]

WE KNOW THAT FOR MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, RECEIVING EMERGENCY AID CAN MAKE ALL THE DIFFERENCE. CONSIDER THAT ONE OF OUR STUDENTS WAS FACING THE EFFECTS OF THE PANDEMIC ON TWO FRONTS, HAVING TO PAY FOR HEALTH INSURANCE PREMIUMS FOR HER AND HER DAUGHTER WHILE ALSO HAVING TO TAKE ON COSTLY CAR REPAIRS.

AND, OF COURSE, MANAGE HER COURSEWORK.

THE FUNDS SHE RECEIVED FROM DALLAS COLLEGE BY THE CARES ACT PROVIDED HER WITH THE RESOURCES SHE NEEDED TO CONTINUE HER JOURNEY.

SHE GOT THIS JUST WHEN SHE NEEDED IT.

THE PANDEMIC, COMBINED WITH OUR NEW STRUCTURE, HAVE BOTH FORCED ENABLED US TO EXPLORE NEW WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY SERVE STUDENTS.

WHEN WE ANNOUNCED THE DECISION TO AGAIN OFFER COURSES PRIMARILY ONLINE THIS SPRING, OUR ACADEMIC SCHEDULING TEAM QUICKLY JUMPED INTO ACTION.

THEIR TASK WAS TO SHIFT OUR SPRING 2021 ACADEMIC SCHEDULE BUILT WITH A HEAVY FOCUS ON FACE TO FACE. WE'RE HOPING WE'D BE BACK IN THAT FORMAT, BUT WE HAD TO GO TO A MODEL WHICH WAS PRIMARILY SUPPORTED AND SUPPORTS ONLINE LEARNING.

NOW THEY'RE PROACTIVE AND COLLABORATIVE EFFORTS WILL TRANSLATE INTO AN ENHANCED EXPERIENCE FOR STUDENTS WITH FEWER DISRUPTIONS AS THEY BEGIN COURSE REGISTRATION.

AND I REALLY APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK THAT WENT INTO THIS EFFORT.

THIS IS THE LEVEL OF COHESION BEING DISPLAYED ACROSS OUR ORGANIZATION.

GONE ARE THE DAYS OF WORKING SOLELY IN SILOS OF OUR INDIVIDUAL CAMPUSES OR DEPARTMENTS.

WE'RE COLLABORATING WITH EACH OTHER AND ACTIVELY LISTENING TO OUR STUDENTS.

THIS KIND OF TRANSFORMATION IS ESPECIALLY EVIDENT IN THE DESIGN AND UPCOMING IMPLEMENTATION OF OUR NEW STUDENT SUCCESS COACH MODEL.

OUR STUDENT SUCCESS TEAM TOOK THE LEAD IN CREATING SUCH A MODEL, IT GIVES STUDENTS ONE CLEAR POINT OF CONTACT TO HELP ADDRESS THEIR ADVERTISING ISSUES OR NEEDS.

WE ARE CONFIDENT THIS NEW MODEL WILL REMOVE FRICTION FOR OUR STUDENTS WHO HAVE A PROBLEM BUT DO NOT KNOW WHERE TO TURN.

NOW, THESE CHANGES HAVEN'T BEEN LOST ON OUR STUDENTS.

AS A RECENT EXAMPLE, OUR STUDENT HECTOR, INQUIRED OVER THE BREAK ABOUT POSSIBLE OPTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE NECESSARY FOUR COURSES FOR HIS DEGREE BY THE FALL.

HE MADE IT CLEAR HE WANTED TO TRANSFER TO UNT.

AND HE WANTED TO DO SO IN THE FALL TERM.

HE ACKNOWLEDGED THAT HE'S CHALLENGED BY ONLINE COURSES, BUT HE ALSO HAS A FULL TIME JOB.

HAVING WORKED WITH A DEDICATED ADVISER, HE WAS GRATEFUL FOR SOMEONE WHO WAS ALREADY FAMILIAR WITH HIM AND HIS CHALLENGES.

AND WE WERE ABLE TO PROVIDE HIM WITH SEVERAL OPTIONS FOR COMPLETING HIS DEGREE BY THE FALL, INCLUDING A RECOMMENDATION FOR SUMMER SEMESTER CLASSES TO LIGHTEN HIS BURDEN.

NOW, BEING ABLE TO TELL HIM IN ADVANCE WHICH CLASSES ARE GOING TO BE OFFERED AND WHAT TERM IS CRITICAL FOR MAKING THIS HAPPEN.

AND HE ACKNOWLEDGED HOW MUCH HE APPRECIATED THE GUIDANCE OF OUR ADVISORS, ESPECIALLY GIVEN HOW HE'S BEEN STRESSED BY WORK AND SCHOOL DURING THE PANDEMIC.

BUT OUR ADVISERS RELY ON THOSE MAKING THE SCHEDULES TO ENSURE THAT THAT'S AVAILABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS. SO I WANT TO THANK BOTH OUR ADVISERS AND OUR SCHEDULERS FOR THE WORK YOU DO AND OTHERS ARE DOING TO GUIDE OUR STUDENTS WITH OPTIONS THAT WORK FOR THEM.

ADDITIONALLY, WE ARE ALREADY SEEING THE REAL TIME RESULTS OF SOME OF OUR OTHER EFFORTS PAY OFF FOR STUDENTS.

THIS SUMMER, THIS PAST SUMMER WE AWARDED A STAGGERING TWO THOUSAND SIXTY SIX COLLEGE CERTIFICATES AND DEGREES TO STUDENTS ENROLLED IN OUR DUAL CREDIT PROGRAMS. THAT'S RIGHT, THE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.

AN INCREDIBLE FEAT WHEN WE WOULD HAVE PREDICTED THAT ONLY TWENTY THREE OF THOSE STUDENTS WOULD HAVE EVER EARNED A CREDENTIAL OR DEGREE IN THEIR LIFETIME.

TWO THOUSAND SIXTY SIX VERSUS TWENTY THREE.

TALK ABOUT CHANGING LIVES.

THERE WERE ALSO SIXTEEN HUNDRED NINETEEN GRADUATES ALONE FROM OUR EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS AND [INAUDIBLE] HIGH SCHOOLS THROUGH PARTNERSHIPS WITH THE CARROLLTON FARMERS BRANCH ISD, CEDAR HILL ISD, DALLAS, DESOTO, GARLAND AND GRAND PRAIRIE INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICTS. THESE PROGRAMS OFFER QUALIFIED STUDENTS THE OPPORTUNITY TO EARN COLLEGE CREDIT, NOT JUST COLLEGE CREDIT, BUT DEGREES WHILE COMPLETING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL REQUIREMENTS. THERE IS A TREMENDOUS BENEFIT TO STUDENTS BEGINNING THEIR COLLEGIATE CAREERS LONG BEFORE SETTING FOOT ON A COLLEGE CAMPUS.

THESE ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE THE CULMINATION OF MONUMENTAL EFFORT BY OUR TEAM MEMBERS THAT ARE HELPING STUDENTS IN REAL TIME.

BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY, THIS SERVES AS A CONFIRMATION THAT WHEN GIVEN THE RIGHT TOOLS, STUDENTS NOT ONLY CAN ACHIEVE, BUT HAVE THE WILL AND DESIRE TO DO SO.

[00:35:01]

NOW, I REALIZE THAT OUR ONGOING REORGANIZATION HAS BEEN TOUGH AND CHALLENGING, AND I PERSONALLY FEEL THE WEIGHT OF THIS AND THE ANXIETY, AND I KNOW MANY OF YOU DO AS WELL.

YOU KNOW, WE'VE EXPERIENCED AN IMMENSE AMOUNT OF CHANGE AND DISRUPTION.

AND WE'VE LOST SOME FANTASTIC FRIENDS AND COLLEAGUES IN THE PROCESS.

THIS IS NOT LOST ON ME.

AND WE SHARE IN THIS SENSE OF LOSS TOGETHER.

BUT IT'S ALSO TOGETHER, UNITED BY OUR PURPOSE AS AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING THAT WE'RE OVERCOMING THIS AND THAT WE ARE PERSEVERING AND THAT WE'RE MOVING FORWARD.

YOU KNOW, THE CHANGE THAT WE'RE EXPERIENCING RIGHT NOW IS UNFORTUNATELY PAINFUL, BUT YET IT'S PART OF THE REALITY OF BECOMING AN INNOVATIVE AND COLLABORATIVE ORGANIZATION.

I WISH I COULD SAY WE WERE THROUGH A CHANGE, BUT CHANGE WILL ALWAYS BE NECESSARY AND WE'RE GOING TO SEE IT MORE FREQUENTLY AND FASTER IN THE FUTURE AS THE PACE OF CHANGE IN OUR SOCIETY ACCELERATES.

I FIRMLY BELIEVE THAT WE MUST GET COMFORTABLE WITH BEING A BIT UNCOMFORTABLE ABOUT CHANGE. BECAUSE THIS IS WHERE WE'RE GOING TO BECOME, I BELIEVE, A GREAT INSTITUTION AND WHERE OUR POTENTIAL FOR GROWTH LIES.

LET ME BE CLEAR, THERE'S A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF WORK TO BE DONE AND WE NEED EACH OF YOU TO BE A PART OF IT. AS I'VE SAID BEFORE, OUR SUCCESS AS AN INSTITUTION WILL TAKE THE COLLECTIVE WORK OF US ALL.

I DON'T TAKE THAT FOR GRANTED.

YES, THERE WILL BE NEW CHALLENGES WHICH WILL GROW OUT OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT PRESENT THEMSELVES TO US, BUT WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO BOTH EXCEL AND GROW DURING A TIME OF CHANGE.

YOU KNOW, AS WE'VE DEALT WITH CHANGE OVER THE LAST FIFTY FIVE YEARS, OUR INSTITUTION CONTINUES TO PROVIDE A PATH FORWARD FOR ALL.

AND ALL MEANS ALL, ESPECIALLY FOR THOSE WHO OTHERWISE MIGHT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND IF WE DIDN'T EXIST.

AND OUR WORK IS MORE THAN SIMPLY OFFERING COURSES AND DEGREES.

WE'RE ON THE FRONT LINES OF IMPACTING AND TRANSFORMING LIVES.

IT IS A RESPONSIBILITY THAT WE CANNOT AFFORD TO TAKE LIGHTLY.

JUST REMEMBER THE EVENTS OF THE PAST WEEK AND THAT EDUCATION IS THE ONLY WAY TO ENSURE THAT EVERYONE UNDERSTANDS THEIR RESPONSIBILITY AS A CITIZEN OF THIS GREAT COUNTRY AND OUR COMMUNITY. THE IMPACT OF OUR EFFORT IS LIFELONG, EXTENDING WELL BEYOND THE END OF THE SEMESTER OR EVEN A GRADUATION CEREMONY.

PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS IS OUR DEFINING MOMENT AS AN INSTITUTION OF HIGHER LEARNING.

FROM EVERY DECISION TO EVERY INTERACTION WITH A STUDENT AND AN EMPLOYER, A MEMBER OF A COMMUNITY, IT ALL SERVES AS A BRICK ON OUR STUDENTS PATH TOWARDS SUCCESS.

NOW, THIS TASK IS MIGHTY.

BUT I COULD NOT BE MORE CONFIDENT THAT THIS TEAM IS BEST POSITIONED TO ACHIEVE EXCELLENCE. YOU KNOW, IT'S TRULY A NEW DAY AT DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND COLLECTIVELY, WE WILL CHAMPION A NEW DAY FOR HIGHER EDUCATION.

YOU KNOW, WITH THESE COMMENTS, OUR SPRING KICKOFF CONTINUES WITH A FULL SCHEDULE OF EVENTS OVER THE NEXT TWO AND A HALF DAYS.

AND I WANT TO ENCOURAGE EACH OF YOU TO ATTEND EACH SESSION AND TO EMBRACE THIS OPPORTUNITY, THIS IMPORTANT TIME, TO GAIN INSIGHT AND PERSPECTIVE AND PROVIDE YOUR THOUGHTS AND IDEAS TO HELP EACH AND ALL OF OUR FUNCTIONAL AREAS WITHIN DALLAS COLLEGE BE SUCCESSFUL. HERE'S TO A SUCCESSFUL SPRING, A SUCCESSFUL SPRING KICKOFF AND A DYNAMIC SPRING SEMESTER.

THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, DALLAS COLLEGE.

AND WELCOME TO THE SPRING TWENTY TWENTY ONE.

[Student Services Update - Dr. Beatriz Joseph]

[00:40:06]

MAY, THAT WAS SOME SPEECH.

I AM DELIGHTED THAT WE HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO LISTEN TO HIS VISION AND PERSPECTIVE ON WHERE WE'RE GOING AND WHERE WE'VE COME FROM.

AS YOU KNOW, TWENTY TWENTY HAS BEEN A VERY DIFFICULT YEAR FOR ALL OF US.

BUT IN STUDENT SUCCESS, WE'VE BEEN GOING NONSTOP TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS DURING SOME VERY, VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.

THE TRANSITION TO DALLAS COLLEGE HAS ALSO BEEN CHALLENGING, BUT I HAVE BEEN DELIGHTED TO WITNESS PEOPLE WORKING TOGETHER TO COME UP WITH CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS IN SOME VERY CHALLENGING TIMES.

YOU KNOW, DOING IN THE WHIRLWIND OF ANSWERING CALLS AND ADVISING SESSIONS AND ANSWERING EMAILS AND TRYING TO DO ALL THE THINGS THAT WE ARE DOING TO SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS SOMETIMES WE FORGET OUR WHY.

WE FORGET WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

SO THIS MORNING, I WOULD LIKE US TO START BY REMINDING US PRECISELY WHY WE'RE HERE TODAY.

SO IF YOU COULD SHOW THE VIDEO, PLEASE.

THE IMPACT THAT I RECEIVED FROM THE SERVICES REMINDED ME THAT IT WAS LIKE AN EXTENSION OF MY OWN FAMILY. I WAS KIND OF LOST AND WAS AT THE POINT OF GIVING UP, BUT SOMEBODY ELSE STEPPED IN AND IT WAS SO QUICK AND SO EASY THAT I THOUGHT IT WAS MADE UP.

AND I'LL NEVER FORGET THAT.

THIS IS THE REASON WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO.

THE LONG HOURS SPENT.

WORKING TIRELESSLY.

IT ALL BECOMES WORTH IT WHEN WE SEE THE FACE OF SOMEONE WHO BREAKS THROUGH.

THERE WERE SO MANY UPS AND DOWNS IN MY LIFE AND THERE WAS ALWAYS A PERSON THERE FOR ME HELPING ME OUT THROUGHOUT MY CAREER, I STILL STAYED IN CONTACT WITH SEVERAL PEOPLE STAFF HERE. I WAS AFRAID I DIDN'T REALLY KNOW IF I FIT IN.

ADVISORS WAS AWESOME.

THEY REALLY, REALLY HELPED OUT A LOT AND THEY REALLY GAVE ME A HELPING HAND.

THE ATMOSPHERE IS FRIENDLY, IS VERY DIVERSE.

IT HAS CHANGED MY LIFE TREMENDOUSLY.

IT REALLY HAS THE PEOPLE, THE STAFF.

AND JUST OVERALL, I'M GLAD I MADE A DECISION TO COME HERE.

THOSE WHO THOUGHT THEY DIDN'T HAVE A CHANCE.

WE SHOW THEM THAT THEY REALLY DO.

EVERY DAY WE COME TO WORK.

WE USE THE GIFT WE WERE GIVEN FOR GOOD.

AND IT'S ALL FOR THEM.

SO THAT'S JUST A LITTLE BIT OF A REMINDER OF WHY WE DO THE WORK WE DO.

SOMETIMES WE, YOU KNOW, GET INTO THE EVERY DAY AND FORGET THE REASON WHY WE'RE HERE AND WE'RE ALL HERE TO SUPPORT THE STUDENTS AS DR.

MAY MENTIONED EARLIER, AT THE CENTER OF ALL THAT WE DO IS STUDENT SUCCESS.

AND IT IS ALL ABOUT REMOVING BARRIERS SO STUDENTS CAN COMPLETE.

IT IS ABOUT PROVIDING THEM WITH THE RIGHT SKILLS AND ACCESS TO OPPORTUNITY SO THEY CAN ACHIEVE ECONOMIC MOBILITY.

IT IS ALL ABOUT PROVIDING THEM WITH CONNECTIONS TO EMPLOYERS, BUT ALSO KNOWING WHAT EMPLOYERS ARE MEETING FROM OUR STUDENTS SO WE CAN ENSURE THAT OUR CURRICULUM ALIGNS WITH THE NEEDS OF NOT ONLY THE JOBS OF TODAY, BUT THE JOBS OF THE FUTURE.

WE ARE ALSO TALKING ABOUT ENSURING THAT OUR OFFERINGS ARE RELEVANT.

ARE THERE ARE JOBS OUT THERE? ARE THERE THINGS THAT WE MIGHT BE MISSING? BUT AS DALLAS COLLEGE, WE'RE WORKING TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT THOSE THINGS DON'T HAPPEN AND ALSO LEVERAGING OUR SIZE.

WE ARE A LARGE INSTITUTION.

HOW DO WE WORK TOGETHER TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN GET SOME OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME OFFERINGS THAT ARE AFFORDABLE AND THAT THERE IS A JOB AT THE END OF THE DAY? BECAUSE ULTIMATELY, AS DR.

MAY ALWAYS SAYS, STUDENTS COME TO US BECAUSE THEY WANT A JOB AT THE END OF THIS JOURNEY.

SO IF YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO I JUST WANT TO SHARE WITH YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT STUDENT SUCCESS AND THE WAY WE'RE STRUCTURED. THIS PARTICULAR SLIDE TALKS ABOUT OR ILLUSTRATES THE ENTIRE LOOK AT DALLAS COLLEGE AND THE PIECE THAT IS STUDENT SUCCESS.

SO I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU AN OVERALL CONTEXT FOR WHO WE ARE AND WHAT WE DO.

[00:45:03]

SO THESE ARE THE POSITIONS THAT ARE UNDERSTOOD IN SUCCESS.

AS YOU KNOW, WE HAVE FILLED THE ASSOCIATE VICE CHANCELLOR POSITIONS AND THE DEAN'S POSITIONS HAVE BEEN POSTED.

THE DEAN'S POSITIONS CLOSED ON DECEMBER THE TWENTY FOURTH.

THE EXTERNAL CONSULTANT IS REVIEWING THE APPLICATIONS AND WE SHOULD GET THE LIST OF THOSE WHO ARE QUALIFIED BY THE END OF THE WEEK.

AT THAT POINT, WE WILL CONTINUE THE NEXT STEPS OF THE PROCESS.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THERE IS ANXIETY AND I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT WE HAVE URGENCY TO MOVE FORWARD. SO REST ASSURED THAT WE WILL BE MOVING AS EXPEDITIOUSLY AS POSSIBLE.

WE WILL ALSO HAVE A MINI POOL OF POSITIONS THAT ARE RIGHT BELOW THE DEANS THAT WILL BE POSTED NEXT WEEK.

SO BE ON THE LOOKOUT FOR THOSE.

YOU CAN MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO I JUST WANTED TO SHARE WITH YOU WHAT IS THE REASON THAT WE MOVED AWAY FROM OUR OLD STRUCTURE AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE PAIN POINTS THAT THE NEW DALLAS COLLEGE DESIGN ADDRESSES IN ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT.

EVERY LOCATION DID THINGS DIFFERENTLY.

THE RECRUITMENT DIFFERENTLY.

AND IT WAS NOT VERY EFFICIENT.

IN THE WAY WE'RE DOING IT NOW WE ARE ENGAGING, COMMUNICATING AND TRACKING STUDENTS IN A CONSISTENT WAY. WE WILL BE HAVING COLLEGE COACHES THAT WILL BE ASSIGNED TO EIGHTH GRADERS. SO WE ARE STARTING THE COLLEGE GOING CULTURE EARLY ON.

SO WE ARE TRYING TO SCRAMBLE AT THE END AND NOT ALLOWING STUDENTS TO RECOGNIZE OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM.

THAT WILL MAKE A DIFFERENCE FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR FAMILIES IN THE LONG RUN.

ON THE STUDENT SUCCESS SIDE, YOU ALL KNOW THAT OUR STUDENTS HAVE NOT BEEN DECLARING PATHWAYS EARLY ON THAT WILL ALLOW US TO ASSIST THEM AS THEY MOVE ALONG THE WAY.

SO WE ARE USING THE SUCCESS COACH MODEL.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT DR.

MAY MENTIONED IN HIS PRESENTATION, AND THAT WILL BE A CONCIERGE STYLE SERVICE THAT WILL ALLOW A STUDENT TO HAVE ONE INDIVIDUAL THAT THEY WILL GO TO THAT WILL GUIDE THEM THROUGH THEIR JOURNEY WITH US.

IN THE STUDENT WELLNESS AREA THAT IS AN AREA THAT THERE WAS SOME VERY INEQUITABLE EXPERIENCES IN THAT SPACE.

SOME LOCATIONS HAD A WELL-DEVELOPED SUPPORT SYSTEM AND SOME OTHERS DID NOT.

IN OUR NEW DALLAS COLLEGE DESIGN, WE HAVE A HOLISTIC AND INTEGRATED APPROACH THAT WILL COVER ALL STUDENTS AND DEAL WITH THE ISSUES THAT THEY HAVE WHEN THEY HAVE THEM AND AVOID THE NECESSITY FOR INDIVIDUALS TO DROP OUT OF SCHOOL BECAUSE THEY DON'T FEEL SUPPORTED.

THEN WE HAVE THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE AND STRATEGIC ANALYTICS.

THE RESEARCH INSTITUTE IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVEN'T HAD IN THE PAST, THAT IT IS AN EFFORT TO ENSURE THAT WE COLLECT THE RESEARCH THAT WE CAN GENERATE BASED ON THE INNOVATIONS AND THE INITIATIVES THAT WE PUT IN PLACE.

SO THAT WILL BE COMING ALONG FAIRLY SOON.

AND OUR STRATEGIC ANALYTIC EFFORTS.

WE'VE HAD SENT SEVEN DIFFERENT OFFICES ON SEVEN DIFFERENT WAYS OF COLLECTING DATA, PRESENTING DATA, ANALYZING DATA.

WE WILL HAVE ONE WAY OF DOING IT, ONE SOURCE OF TRUTH THAT WILL ALLOW US ALL TO MOVE FORWARD IN A MORE CONCISE AND INTENTIONAL WAY.

THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

I JUST WANTED TO GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF BACKGROUND REGARDING THE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES THAT WERE UTILIZED TO DEVELOP THE STUDENT SUCCESS LEARNER CARE MODEL.

AS YOU CAN SEE, THERE WERE THREE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES EQUITY MINDED CULTURAL CARE DATA, INFORMED DECISIONS AND TRANSFORMATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

THIS IS LIKE BUILDING A HOME WITHOUT GOOD FOUNDATION NOTHING THAT YOU BUILD IS LONG LASTING. AND WE TOOK OUR TIME.

WE WERE DELIBERATE.

WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT.

WE WENT BACK AGAIN.

WE TALKED ABOUT IT AGAIN.

YOU HAVE WITNESSED THE FACT THAT WE THOUGHT ABOUT IT ONE WAY.

THEN WE STOPPED.

WE THOUGHT, BECAUSE WE WERE VERY COGNIZANT OF THE NEED TO BE DELIBERATE AND TO MAKE SURE THAT WE GOT IT RIGHT.

THOSE THREE FOUNDATIONAL PIECES SUPPORT THE FIVE PILLARS THAT WE BELIEVE ARE ESSENTIAL TO ENSURE THAT OUR STUDENTS CAN HAVE BETTER ACCESS FOR ASSISTANCE, COMPLETION, TRANSFER, UNEMPLOYMENT, WHICH ARE THE ULTIMATE GOALS OF OUR CARE MODEL.

SO THOSE PILLARS ARE HIGH IMPACT ENGAGEMENT.

STUDENT CENTER SERVICES.

[00:50:02]

STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS.

AND TECHNOLOGY AND INNOVATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO THIS SLIDE TELLS YOU A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT ENROLLMENT MANAGEMENT DIRECTION IS MOVING INTO. SO IF YOU LOOK AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SLIDE, IT TALKS ABOUT THE COLLEGE COACH THAT I MENTIONED EARLIER. THE COLLEGE COACH WILL BE THE STUDENT FROM THE EIGHTH GRADE ALL THE WAY TO THE TIME THAT THEY'RE REGISTERED WITH US.

AND THE ENROLLMENT TEAM WILL BE THERE WITH THE STUDENT FROM THE APPLICATION TO CONVERSION. NOW, THERE ARE A COUPLE OF THINGS THAT ARE DIFFERENT FROM WHAT WE'VE DONE IN THE PAST. ONE OF THEM IS OBVIOUSLY THE COLLEGE COACH THAT WILL BE REACHING OUT TO STUDENTS ALL THE WAY FROM THE EIGHTH GRADE FORWARD AND ALSO THE CONVERSION FUNCTION.

WE HAVE A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT APPLY AND DON'T REGISTER, AND WE DON'T HAVE AN INTENTIONAL GROUP OF PEOPLE THAT WILL WORK WITH THAT POPULATION TO ENSURE THAT WE HELP THEM OUT AND FIGURE OUT WHY IS IT THAT THEY GET STUCK IN THE PROCESS.

AND ALSO STUDENTS WHO EXIT EARLY.

WE KNOW A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT ARE WITH US ONE TERM, BUT THEY DON'T RETURN.

SO THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION WILL BE DEDICATED TO THAT WORK.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

NOW, THIS IS THE SUCCESS COACH MODEL THAT DR.

MAY REFERENCED IN HIS REMARKS EARLIER.

I WOULD LIKE TO USE THE ANALOGY OF PRIMARY HEALTH DOCTOR.

SO WE ALL HAVE A PRIMARY HEALTH PROVIDER, AND THAT'S THE INDIVIDUAL THAT WE GO TO FOR MOST OF OUR THINGS. NOW, THAT PROVIDER WILL REACH OUT AND BRING IN OTHER RESOURCES AS WE NEED THEM. THAT'S EXACTLY THE INTENT BEHIND THIS MODEL.

A SUCCESS COACH IS GOING TO BE THE ACCESS OF ALL THE WORK AND ALL THE THINGS THAT WE TRY TO PROVIDE THE STUDENT TO SUPPORT THEM ALONG THE WAY.

SO IN THIS CASE, YOU CAN SEE THIS ILLUSTRATION OF THE SUCCESS COACH BRINGING IN SPECIALISTS ALONG THE WAY DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS THAT THE STUDENTS HAVE.

WE ARE GOING TO DEDICATE SUCCESS COACHES TO DUAL CREDIT AND EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS, TO OUR TRADITIONAL STUDENTS, TO OUR SPECIAL POPULATIONS.

WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT THAT DIFFERENT POPULATIONS HAVE DIFFERENT NEEDS AND THIS MODEL IS GOING TO ENSURE THAT THOSE NEEDS ARE ADDRESSED.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

IN THE STUDENT WELLNESS AND SUPPORT AREA, THIS IS AN AREA THAT, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS VERY CHALLENGING TIMES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED WITH THAT PANDEMIC, THEY HAVE STEPPED UP AND DONE SUCH AN AMAZING, AMAZING JOB.

THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION TALKS ABOUT ENGAGING THE STUDENT, PROVIDING THEM WITH SUPPORT.

WHAT IS IT THAT THEY NEED TO ENSURE THAT THEY'RE SUCCESSFUL? WE HAVE LOTS AND LOTS OF PARTNERSHIPS WITH OUTSIDE ORGANIZATIONS THAT WE WORK WITH INTENTLY FOR VERY MANY MONTHS AND YEARS, IN SOME INSTANCES AT THIS PARTICULAR FUNCTION WILL ENSURE THAT WE CONTINUE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, WE ENHANCE THOSE PARTNERSHIPS, AND THAT WE ARE INTENTIONAL IN THE WAY WE SUPPORT OUR STUDENTS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

SO WHAT ARE SOME INTERNATIONAL STUDENT FOCUSED INITIATIVES THAT WE'VE HAD DURING THESE PAST FEW MONTHS? DR. MAY MENTIONED HOLIDAY HELPERS.

NOW, THIS IS THE FIRST TIME EVER THAT DALLAS COLLEGE HAS BEEN OPEN DURING THE WINTER BREAK. THIS STATISTICS THAT YOU SEE ON THE SLIDE WERE ACHIEVED BY A GROUP OF INDIVIDUALS THAT WORKED THREE AND A HALF DAYS, THE TWENTY EIGHTEEN, THE 29TH, THE 30TH, AND HALF DAY OF THE 31ST OF DECEMBER.

SO THEY WERE ALL FULL ON, VERY ENTHUSIASTIC.

YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THEM. THEY WERE EXTREMELY ENTHUSIASTIC.

THEY WERE WORKING IN TEAMS. AND IF YOU LOOK AT THE RESULTS OF THE SURVEY THAT THEY DID FOR THOSE WHO PARTICIPATED, THOSE EMPLOYEES WHO PARTICIPATED IN THIS INITIATIVE, 90 PERCENT OF THEM BELIEVE THAT THE INITIATIVE MADE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS.

AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THEY WANT IS MORE STAFF.

THEY NEED MORE STAFF BECAUSE THERE WAS MORE DEMAND THAN WE ANTICIPATED.

WE REALLY DID NOT KNOW HOW MANY PEOPLE WERE GOING TO BE CALLING IN AND NOW WE KNOW.

SO WE WILL BE BETTER PREPARED NEXT TIME.

AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT THEY LIKED THE MOST WERE SERVING STUDENTS AND WORKING AS A TEAM. SO I AM VERY GRATEFUL FOR THE DEDICATION AND THE INNOVATION OF THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO DID NOT THINK ABOUT IT TWICE AND SAID, HEY, ME, WE YOU KNOW, THERE'S A NEED, I CAN HELP, PUT ME IN.

[00:55:03]

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS RIGHT NOW, RIGHT NOW WHEN WE'RE DOING THIS THAT ARE HELPING STUDENTS IN BLACKBOARD OPEN ADVISING SESSIONS.

STUDENTS DO NOT NEED AN APPOINTMENT.

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT ARE HELPING STUDENTS ALL THE WAY UNTIL MIDNIGHT.

SO A STUDENT CAN HAVE ASSISTANCE FROM 8:00 A.M.

TO MIDNIGHT, MONDAY TO FRIDAY.

THAT IS SOMETHING THAT WE HAVE NEVER DONE BEFORE.

AND THE INFORMATION THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM STUDENTS, THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM STUDENTS IS THAT THEY'RE EXTREMELY GRATEFUL TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO REACH OUT TO SOMEBODY THAT CAN HELP THEM AT WHENEVER THEY HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO CALL IN AND TO LOG IN. WE HAD A SATURDAY WAS OUR ADVISING SATURDAY THIS PAST SATURDAY, AND WE HAD A LOT OF STUDENTS CALLING IN, A LOT OF STUDENTS THAT PARTICIPATED IN THOSE BLACKBOARD ADVISING SESSIONS.

ONE OF THE THINGS THAT THAT WE'VE DISCOVERED IS THAT THERE'S A HECK OF A LOT MORE DEMAND THAN WE EVER ENVISIONED.

AND OUR STUDENTS NEED A LOT OF SUPPORT AND HANDHOLDING IN THE PROCESS.

SO WE ARE COGNIZANT OF THAT AND WE ARE ADDRESSING THEIR NEEDS AS WE GO.

BUT I WILL BE REMISS NOT TO THANK PUBLICLY IN THIS FORUM TO ALL THE EMPLOYEES THAT HAVE WORKED TIRELESSLY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY SINGLE STUDENT IS SERVED.

YES. WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO SERVE EVERYBODY.

YES, THERE ARE OPPORTUNITIES FOR IMPROVEMENT.

BUT I CAN ASSURE YOU THAT THERE IS NOT ONE INDIVIDUAL IN STUDENT SUCCESS THAT CAN SAY, HEY, I YOU KNOW, I LEFT IT OVER THERE AND I DIDN'T CARE.

NO. EVERY SINGLE STUDENT WAS HELPED.

COULD WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? IN SPITE OF ALL OUR EFFORTS AND DR.

MAY MENTIONED THIS EARLIER, OUR ENROLLMENT IS DOWN.

THERE ARE THINGS THAT WE, YOU KNOW, WE JUST CAN'T CONTROL.

WE HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT NEED TO WORK.

THERE ARE INDIVIDUALS THAT REALLY, QUITE FRANKLY, THE ONLINE ENVIRONMENT IS NOT THEIR PREFERRED WAY OF GOING TO SCHOOL.

SO A LOT OF THEM THAT THE FEEDBACK THAT WE'RE GETTING FROM A LOT OF OUR STUDENTS IS THEY DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE ONLINE.

THEY'RE ASKING US, HEY, WHEN LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU'RE GOING TO BE OFFERING FACE TO FACE.

SO WE WILL BE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THOSE STUDENTS AS WE MOVE ALONG AND HAVE MORE CLARITY IN TERMS OF HOW WE WILL BE OFFERING INSTRUCTION IN THE FUTURE.

BUT ALSO, STUDENTS HAVE STRUGGLED IN THE FALL TERM WITH GOING TO SCHOOL ONLINE, SO THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO BE AS SUCCESSFUL AS WE WISH THEY WOULD HAVE BEEN.

SO NOW THEY HAVE NOT BEEN ABLE TO CONTINUE THEIR STUDIES, BUT WE ARE CONTINUOUSLY S UPPORTING THEM, BEING ENCOURAGING AND UNDERSTANDING THAT WE ARE IN A SPACE IN A MOMENT IN TIME IN WHICH IS UNPRECEDENTED AND PEOPLE HAVE JUST SO MANY DIFFERENT THINGS THAT ARE CHALLENGING TO THEM.

CAN WE GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE? YOU CAN SEE THE SAME TYPE OF SITUATION IN, YOU KNOW, THE THE FIRST EIGHT WEEKS THAT WE ARE ALSO DOWN IN ENROLLMENT.

HOWEVER, YOU CAN SEE THAT FOR THE SECOND EIGHT WEEKS, WE ARE SHOWING AT THE MOMENT A SEVEN PERCENT INCREASE IN ENROLLMENTS FROM THIS TIME LAST YEAR.

I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU ALL KNOW THAT ALL EFFORTS ARE BEING MADE.

WE HAVE ADDED A THOUSAND STUDENTS FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY.

THE DATA THAT WE'RE SHOWING IN THE SLIDES IS FROM JUNE 11TH.

BUT FROM YESTERDAY TO TODAY, WE'VE ENROLLED AN EXTRA THOUSAND STUDENTS.

WE HAVE CUT IN HALF THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS WHO HAD NOT PAID THEIR TUITION.

SO WE KEEP GOING AT IT.

WE KEEP ON SUPPORTING OUR STUDENTS.

WE KNOW THESE ARE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES AND WE DO UNDERSTAND ALL OF STUDENT SUCCESS UNDERSTANDS THAT AN INDIVIDUAL NOT GOING TO COLLEGE CAN HAVE AN ENORMOUS IMPACT ON THEMSELVES, THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR COMMUNITY, AN ENTIRE GENERATION.

SO WE ARE VERY COGNIZANT OF THAT.

AND THE REALITY IS THAT WE WILL CONTINUE TO SUPPORT, WE WILL CONTINUE TO WORK WITH ANYBODY AND EVERYBODY THAT WANTS NEEDS TO GO TO COLLEGE.

AND WE ARE COMING UP WITH AS MANY CREATIVE SOLUTIONS TO ENSURE THAT WE PROVIDE ACCESS TO

[01:00:03]

ALL WE DO IS FOR THEM.

WE KEEP ON DOING THE GREAT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING FOR OUR STUDENTS, FOR OUR COMMUNITY AND FOR OUR NATION BECAUSE IT'S WELL, WELL DESERVED.

SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH AND HAVE A WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL SPRING TERM.

[Provost Update - Dr. Shawnda Floyd]

I'M PLEASED YOU WERE ABLE TO JOIN ME FOR THIS INAUGURAL ADDRESS AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING 2021.

I THINK MOST OF YOU KNOW WHO I AM BY NOW.

BUT FOR THOSE OF YOU WHO DON'T KNOW ME, I'M SHAWNDA FLOYD, PROVOST AND CHIEF ACADEMIC OFFICER OF DALLAS COLLEGE.

I HAVE SPENT ALMOST TWO DECADES IN HIGHER EDUCATION AS A FACULTY MEMBER AND LEADER IN ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.

SOME SAY IT'S THE LAWYER IN ME, BUT REALLY I THINK IT'S THE TEACHER IN ME THAT'S EVER POISED WITH THE QUESTION.

THE QUESTION I HAVE WRESTLED WITH SINCE I BEGAN MY TENURE AS PROVOST IN JULY OF LAST YEAR IS A SIMPLE ONE.

HOW DO WE HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED? LIKE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, I WAS A FIRST GENERATION COLLEGE STUDENT FOR WHOM COLLEGE WAS A LIFE CHANGING EXPERIENCE.

BUT LIKE MANY OF OUR STUDENTS, I ALSO JUGGLED CLASSES, MULTIPLE JOBS AND THE CONSTANT SELF-DOUBT THAT COLLEGE WASN'T A PLACE FOR ME.

THIS IS A COMMON STORY.

IT'S A STORY I SHARE NOT ONLY WITH OUR STUDENTS, BUT I BELIEVE WITH MANY OF YOU.

MANY FACULTY AND MANY STAFF I HAVE BEEN PRIVILEGED TO WORK WITH THROUGH THE YEARS AND MANY OF YOU EVEN LISTENING TO THIS ADDRESS WILL IDENTIFY AS BEING AMONG THE FIRST FROM YOUR FAMILIES TO GO TO COLLEGE.

I COMMEND YOUR GRIT, DETERMINATION AND HARD WORK.

WE ARE THE LUCKY ONES.

BUT THE TRAGEDY IS THAT THERE ARE FAR TOO FEW OF US, FAR TOO FEW OF US THAT SHARED THIS STORY. MANY TRY, BUT THE REALITY IS THAT [INAUDIBLE] SUCCEED.

IT'S ALSO TRUE THAT TOO FEW OF OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.

SO TO ME, THAT QUESTION HOW DO WE HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED? IT'S NOT SOME RHETORICAL EXERCISE.

FOR ME IT'S A QUESTION I'M CONSTANTLY REMINDED OF COMING FROM A FAMILY AND A COMMUNITY WHERE I AM STILL IN 2021, CONSIDERED ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES.

WHEN YOU MAKE IT, YOU'RE COMPELLED TO TURN AROUND AND HELP THOSE BEHIND YOU.

I SAY ALL THIS BECAUSE IN THIS ADDRESS I INTEND TO REVIEW HOW ACADEMICS HAS BEEN SHAPED AND TRANSFORMED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS OR SO WHEN I AND OTHER LEADERS BEGAN OUR NEW ROLES. THESE CHANGES ARE BEING IMPLEMENTED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.

CHANGE IS NEVER EASY, AND I'M THE FIRST TO ADMIT THAT THE CHANGES OF THE LAST SIX MONTHS HAVE NOT BEEN EASY ON ANY OF US.

THEY HAVE BEEN HARD.

I COULD SAY THAT AGAIN, THEY'VE BEEN HARD.

BUT THESE CHANGES ARE NECESSARY.

ONE OF THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHANGES THAT WE'VE EXPERIENCED OVER THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS THE REDESIGN OF ACADEMIC AFFAIRS.

IF YOU COULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

ACADEMICS IS A VIBRANT SPACE THAT HAS BEEN TRANSFORMED INTENTIONALLY AROUND SEVEN SCHOOLS THAT ALIGN WITH THE LOCAL REGION'S WORKFORCE AND INDUSTRY NEEDS.

BEYOND THE SEVEN SCHOOLS, ACADEMICS ALSO INCLUDES ACADEMIC SERVICES, EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS AND E-LEARNING.

THESE AREAS ARE DESIGNED TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUCCESS OF STUDENTS AND SUPPORT INNOVATION IN THE ACADEMIC SPACE.

I CONTINUE TO BE IMPRESSED BY THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN SCHOOLS AND SUPPORT AREAS AND THE DEVELOPING PARTNERSHIPS WITH OTHER OPERATIONAL AREAS LIKE WORKFORCE, STUDENTS SUCCESS, TECHNOLOGY AND MARKETING.

LIKE DR. MAY STATED EARLIER, I'M EXTREMELY IMPRESSED WITH THE COLLABORATION OF ALL TEAMS COMING TOGETHER IN THE INTERESTS OF OUR STUDENTS.

EFFECTIVE, STRONG LEADERSHIP OF SCHOOLS IN ACADEMIC AREAS IS CRITICAL.

AN IMMEDIATE. PRIORITY FOR ME IS FILLING THE VACANCY THAT WE STILL HAVE FOR THE VICE PROVOST OF THE SCHOOL OF LAW AND PUBLIC SERVICE.

[01:05:04]

WE LAUNCHED A RIGOROUS SEARCH TO FILL SOME 60 DEANS AND DEPARTMENT CHAIRS FOR THE SEVEN SCHOOLS.

ACROSS TWO TALENT POOLS, WE IDENTIFIED EXCEPTIONAL AND COMMITTED LEADERS WITHIN DALLAS COLLEGE TO FILL MANY OF THESE ROLES.

THOSE ANNOUNCEMENTS WILL BE FORTHCOMING.

UNFORTUNATELY, WE WEREN'T ABLE TO FILL ALL OF THOSE ROLES.

SO IN COMING MONTHS WE WILL STRIVE TO FILL THE REMAINING OPEN ROLES WITH AN EQUALLY RIGOROUS NATIONAL SEARCH, VICE PROVOSTS, DEANS AND CHAIRS ARE CRITICAL STRATEGIC LEADERS IN EACH OF THE SCHOOLS.

THESE ROLES IN DALLAS COLLEGE ARE A DEPARTURE FROM FORMER COLLEGE ROLES AND THEIR ASSOCIATED RESPONSIBILITIES.

VICE PROVOSTS LEAD THE PLANNING, IMPLEMENTATION AND EVALUATION OF PROGRAMS IN THEIR RESPECTIVE SCHOOLS.

THEY SERVE AS ADVOCATES FOR STUDENTS, FACULTY, COMMUNITY MEMBERS, LOCAL BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY. EACH VICE PROVOST IS EXPECTED TO ACTIVELY ENGAGE WITH COMMUNITY AND EMPLOYEE PARTNERS FOR THE PURPOSE OF CREATING NEW PARTNERSHIPS, RESPONSIVE PROGRAMS AND REVENUE OPPORTUNITIES. DEANS REPORT DIRECTLY TO THEIR SCHOOL'S VICE PROVOST AND OVERSEE DISCIPLINES AND CURRICULUM AREAS WITHIN SCHOOLS.

THEY ARE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE STRATEGIC VISION AND OPERATIONAL LEADERSHIP.

THEIR ROLE FOCUSES ON THE INTERNAL QUALITY AND INTEGRITY OF CURRICULUM AND ASSOCIATED PROCESSES. AT THE SAME TIME, THE DEANS ARE EXPECTED TO FORGE EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY, AS WELL AS COMMUNITY BASED ORGANIZATIONS AND GROUPS.

THIS IS A HUGE DEPARTURE FROM WHAT WE USED TO DO AS A COLLEGE, AND IT'S WHY I FELT IT WAS IMPORTANT TO GO INTO A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL TODAY.

DEPARTMENT CHAIRS, A NEW ROLE AT DALLAS COLLEGE, WILL REPORT TO A DEAN.

AND THIS IS THE ONLY ROLE AT DALLAS COLLEGE THAT DIRECTLY SUPERVISES FACULTY MEMBERS.

CHAIRS WILL BE EXPECTED TO OVERSEE THE DELIVERY OF HIGH QUALITY INSTRUCTION, SUPPORT FACULTY DEVELOPMENT AND TAKE ON THE PRIMARY FUNCTIONS OF PROGRAM COORDINATION WITHIN THEIR GIVEN DEPARTMENT.

AS THESE LEADERS AND STRUCTURES BECOME EMBEDDED, YOU NOTICE IT'S NOT FULLY COMPLETE PROCESS, BUT AS THEY BECOME EMBEDDED INTO THE SCHOOLS IN THE SPRING, WE WILL BEGIN PLANNING IN EACH SCHOOL AND TURN TO STRATEGIC PRIORITIES.

STUDENT SUCCESS AND THE NEEDS OF INDUSTRY AND LOCAL EMPLOYERS WILL DRIVE FUTURE VISIONING AND PLANNING WITHIN EACH SCHOOL.

TURNING TO OTHER AREAS OF ACADEMICS, I WANT TO SHARE A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THEIR ACHIEVEMENTS AND PLANS FOR 2021.

YOU COULD ADVANCE TO THE NEXT SLIDE.

LED BY OUR SENIOR VICE PROVOST, DR.

GREG MORRIS, ACADEMIC SERVICES IS A HUB OF SUPPORT AND INNOVATION FOR ACADEMICS ACROSS A RANGE OF DIFFERENT AREAS AND EVOLVING TEAMS. MUCH HAS BEEN ACCOMPLISHED BY THE LEADERS AND THEIR TEAMS ACROSS ACADEMIC SERVICES SINCE THE START OF THE NEW ACADEMIC YEAR.

SOME HIGHLIGHTS FOR ME INCLUDE WORK IN THE ACADEMIC INCUBATOR, WHICH WILL SEE US PARTNER WITH SALESFORCE TO OFFER THE FIRST COMMUNITY COLLEGE SALESFORCE ADMINISTRATOR CERTIFICATION THIS SPRING.

WE WILL OFFER IT IN PARTNERSHIP WITH UT SOUTHWESTERN, BUT WHAT A GREAT ACCOMPLISHMENT FOR THIS NEW DEPARTMENT.

THE INCUBATOR TEAM IS ALSO WORKING ON A NEW TELEMEDICINE PROGRAM TO MEET THE REGION'S GROWING VIRTUAL HEALTH CARE DEMANDS.

BOTH OF THESE PROGRAMS I'M PARTICULARLY EXCITED ABOUT BECAUSE THEY ARE RESPONSIVE AND JUST IN TIME TO WORKFORCE DEMANDS THAT WE ARE CURRENTLY FACING.

CAPM, OUR CURRICULUM ASSESSMENT AND PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT TEAM IS FOCUSING PRIMARY RESOURCES TOWARDS IMPLEMENTING NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND PROCESSES THAT WILL STREAMLINE THE CURRICULUM REVIEW AND APPROVAL PROCESS.

I KNOW WE'RE ALL HAPPY ABOUT THAT AND I'M REALLY PLEASED ABOUT THE WORK FROM THIS TEAM.

AT THE SAME TIME, THIS GROUP HAS A CRITICAL ROLE TO PLAY AS WE CONTINUE TO WORK WITH FACULTY TO REVIEW AND UPDATE OUR PORTFOLIO OF PROGRAM OFFERINGS.

WE HAD A GREAT KICKOFF THAT WENT INTO THIS AND A LITTLE BIT MORE DETAIL YESTERDAY.

SO IF YOU WEREN'T ABLE TO ATTEND THAT SESSION, PLEASE DO WATCH IT ON DEMAND.

LEARNING COMMONS, WHICH IS HOME TO TUTORING, INSTRUCTIONAL COMPUTING AND LIBRARIES, CONTINUES TO INNOVATE IN WAYS TO SUPPORT STUDENTS AND LOCATIONS REMOTELY.

SINCE MARCH, THE LEARNING COMMONS TEAM HAS CONDUCTED MORE THAN 19000 ONLINE TUTORING

[01:10:07]

19000. THAT'S PHENOMENAL.

WHILE ALSO SERVING STUDENTS WHO NEED FACE TO FACE SUPPORT.

IN COLLABORATION WITH IT, THE LIBRARIES ARE ALSO COORDINATING THE COLLEGE'S HOTSPOT TABLET LOANER PROGRAM, ENSURING THAT STUDENTS TECHNOLOGY NEEDS ARE MET.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

FINALLY, THE CENTER FOR EXCELLENCE IN TEACHING AND LEARNING HAS QUICKLY BECOME A GO TO PLACE FOR FACULTY SUPPORT.

IN FALL ALONE, THE TEAM RESOLVED OVER 2500 FACULTY REQUESTS FOR SUPPORT WITH TECHNOLOGY AND PEDAGOGY.

THEY DELIVERED CLOSE TO HUNDRED AND FIFTY VIRTUAL FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND INFORMATION SESSIONS.

AND AS IF THAT WASN'T ENOUGH, THE TEAM ALSO LAUNCHED THEIR NEW WEBSITE, WHICH IS RICH WITH FACULTY PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TOOLS.

I'VE PERSONALLY BOOKMARKED THE [INAUDIBLE] PAGE AND I WOULD STRONGLY ENCOURAGE ALL FACULTY, ACADEMIC LEADERS AND LEADERS COLLEGE WIDE TO DO THE SAME.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

E-LEARNING, ONLINE LEARNING AND DIGITAL TOOLS HAVE BECOME A PART OF THE PANDEMIC'S NEW NORMAL.

MANY OF OUR STUDENTS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT LEARNING ONLINE, IS NOT EASIER THAN LEARNING BY ATTENDING TRADITIONAL CLASSES ON A CAMPUS.

AND TRUST ME, FROM PERSONAL EXPERIENCE, I CAN TELL YOU TEACHING ONLINE IS NOT EASIER THAN TEACHING IN A TRADITIONAL CLASSROOM.

WHILE SITUATED IN ACADEMICS, THE OFFICE OF E-LEARNING IS DEDICATED TO PARTNERSHIPS ACROSS DALLAS COLLEGE.

BEYOND COLLABORATION WITH THE SCHOOLS AND ACADEMIC SUPPORT AREAS, E-LEARNING IS QUICKLY BECOMING A CRITICAL PARTNER FOR OTHER AREAS, INCLUDING WORKFORCE, STUDENT SUCCESS, MARKETING AND, OF COURSE, TECHNOLOGY.

WORKING CLOSELY WITH ACADEMIC SERVICES, E-LEARNING STRATEGY IS TAKING FORM AROUND THE DEVELOPMENT OF ONLINE PROGRAMS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH SCHOOLS, ENHANCEMENT OF THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE ONLINE AND EFFECTIVE ONLINE LEARNING AND TEACHING.

E-LEARNING IS NOT JUST ABOUT WHAT HAPPENS IN AN ONLINE CLASS.

IT'S A BROADER DALLAS COLLEGE WIDE ENTERPRISE.

E-LEARNING HAS BEGUN TO EXPLORE FACULTY NEEDS IN TERMS OF TOOLS AND WITH A RECENT LMS SURVEY, ESTABLISH STRONG LINKS WITH SETTLE IN THE ACADEMIC INCUBATOR.

E-LEARNING HAS ALSO OVERSEEN THE PRODUCTION AND LAUNCH OF A NEEDED STUDENT RESOURCE READY FOR DAY ONE. THIS NEW SET OF PUBLIC WEB PAGES DEVELOPED FOR SPRING TWENTY TWENTY ONE, ARE INTENDED TO PREPARE STUDENTS WHO HAVE APPLIED FOR THEIR FIRST CLASS.

THE RESOURCE INTRODUCES THEM TO TECHNOLOGY, KEY ASPECTS OF THE INSTRUCTIONAL EXPERIENCE.

AND THE GOAL OF THE ENTIRE WEBSITE IS TO HELP THE STUDENTS BE SUCCESSFUL IN THEIR COURSEWORK FROM DAY ONE.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

AT DALLAS COLLEGE, EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS WORKS WITH OVER TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY HIGH SCHOOLS TO OFFER DUAL CREDIT, [INAUDIBLE] AND EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS.

IN 2015, DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS MADE UP 20 PERCENT OF OUR STUDENT BODY.

SO THAT WAS ABOUT ONE IN FIVE STUDENTS.

JUST FIVE YEARS LATER, IN TWENTY TWENTY, DUAL CREDIT MADE UP ONE IN FOUR STUDENTS AT DALLAS COLLEGE. AT THE START OF THIS ACADEMIC YEAR, 15 SCHOOL DISTRICTS PARTNERED WITH US ON 77 EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS, [INAUDIBLE] AND T STEM ACADEMIES.

NEARLY 40 PERCENT OF OUR TOTAL DUAL ENROLLMENTS ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THESE STRUCTURED PATHWAYS TO CERTIFICATES AND DEGREE PROGRAMS WITHIN OUR COLLEGE.

ACROSS DUAL ENROLLMENT, WE'VE SEEN A CONSISTENT TREND EVEN DURING THIS PANDEMIC, DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENTS FLOURISH IN COLLEGE CLASSES WITH ON AVERAGE 80 PERCENT OF STUDENTS WHO COMPLETE THE COURSE BEING AWARDED A PASSING GRADE.

THAT'S SOMETHING TO CELEBRATE.

THE SUCCESS OF THESE STUDENTS IS A TESTAMENT TO THE COLLABORATION BETWEEN OUR CAMPUSES, ACADEMIC LEADERS, FACULTY, ISDS AND SCHOOLS.

A COLLABORATION THAT IS SUPPORTED ENTIRELY AND CULTIVATED BY OUR ACADEMIC LEADERSHIP IN EDUCATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS.

A GROWING BODY OF RESEARCH SHOWS THAT STUDENTS PARTICIPATING IN DUAL CREDIT IN EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOL ARE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE LIKELY TO EARN A COLLEGE DEGREE WITHIN SIX YEARS OF GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL.

AS DR. MAY MENTIONED EARLIER, HE HAD SOME STATISTICS AS WELL, HISTORICALLY, LESS THAN 20

[01:15:03]

LAST SUMMER, IN THE SUMMER OF TWENTY TWENTY, SEVENTY 72 PERCENT OF STUDENTS FROM DALLAS ISD ENROLLED IN [INAUDIBLE] AND EARLY COLLEGE HIGH SCHOOLS GRADUATED WITH A COLLEGE DEGREE. THAT'S SOMETHING TO PAUSE ABOUT AND CELEBRATE.

HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA AND COLLEGE DEGREE FOR 72 PERCENT OF THOSE STUDENTS LAST SUMMER.

OVERALL IN TWENTY TWENTY, AND DR.

MAY ALSO TALKED ABOUT THIS EARLIER, OVER 2000, I THINK HE NOTED TWO THOUSAND SIXTY SIX COLLEGE CERTIFICATES AND ASSOCIATE DEGREES WERE AWARDED TO NEARLY FIFTEEN HUNDRED DUAL CREDIT STUDENTS WHO GRADUATED FROM HIGH SCHOOL.

THESE OUTCOMES ARE NOT JUST TREMENDOUS FOR OUR STUDENTS, BUT THEY ALSO HAVE A POSITIVE IMPACT ON STATE FUNDING FOR OUR COLLEGE AND PUBLIC HIGH SCHOOLS.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

IT'S EVIDENT THAT MUCH HAS CHANGED IN ACADEMICS.

AT THE SAME TIME, THERE IS STILL A GREAT DEAL OF WORK THAT WE NEED TO ACCOMPLISH IN A SHORT PERIOD OF TIME.

IN THE COMING MONTHS, WE WILL CONTINUE TO SEE ACADEMICS GROW AND EVOLVE AS AN AREA OF DALLAS COLLEGE.

IN THE COMING WEEKS AND MONTHS WITH LEADERSHIP SITUATED, THE CONVERSATION IN SCHOOLS WILL TURN TO STRATEGY, PLANNING AND PRIORITIES.

MY TEAM AND I ARE ALREADY BEGINNING TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE OF ACADEMICS POST PANDEMIC.

WHAT DOES IT MEAN FOR THE WAY STUDENTS WILL WANT TO LEARN? HOW WILL THEY ACCESS OUR SERVICES? AND OF COURSE, THE REFRAMING OF THE FACULTY CONTRACTUAL LOAD AND MORE BROADLY, THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE POLICY INITIATIVE OUTCOMES WILL BE A CENTRAL FOCUS FOR US THIS SEMESTER. DALLAS COLLEGE CONTINUES TO BE TRANSFORMED BASED ON A MISSION OF BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND CHANCELLOR.

SERVE OUR COMMUNITY, SERVE OUR STUDENTS, BECOME MORE EFFECTIVE AND EFFICIENT AS AN INSTITUTION. THE CONVERSATION WITHIN ACADEMIC AFFAIRS IS ALWAYS A RICH, VIBRANT AND, DARE I SAY, ENERGIZED CONVERSATION, AND IT'S AS IT SHOULD BE, FOR WE ARE A COLLECTIVE BODY OF INDIVIDUALS THAT VALUE KNOWLEDGE AND A RICH DEBATE.

AND WE CAN CONTINUE TO TALK ABOUT THE PANDEMIC.

WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE HARDSHIP OF CHANGE AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON PEOPLE, OUR STUDENTS, US. WE CAN TALK ABOUT THE RACIAL AND POLITICAL TURMOIL IN THIS NATION, THE TRAVESTY THAT IT CONTINUES INTO 2021 AND THE IMPACT IT HAS ON OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STUDENTS.

THESE ARE ALL IMPORTANT CONVERSATIONS TO HAVE.

BUT WHAT IS EQUALLY IMPORTANT, WHAT ARE WE DOING? WHAT ARE WE DOING TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF OUR STUDENTS? NOW, MORE THAN EVER, I AM CONVINCED THAT NOTHING IS GOING TO CHANGE IF WE JUST KEEP DOING WHAT WE DID FOR THE LAST 20 YEARS.

WE MUST BE INTENTIONAL.

INTENTIONAL ABOUT SERVING OUR STUDENTS, INTENTIONAL ABOUT HELPING THEM BE SUCCESSFUL.

I AM INCREDIBLY PROUD OF ALL THAT WE HAVE ACCOMPLISHED IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS.

I AM PROUD THAT EVERY DAY WE ARE DRIVEN TO HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.

AND NOW, AS I THINK BEING SAID, IT'S READY, SET, GO.

THAT MEANS TIME FOR US TO DO.

TIME FOR US TO BE REFRESHED, BE COMMITTED, BE DETERMINED TO HELP OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED.

THANK YOU FOR WATCHING.

AND WITH THAT, I HOPE YOU HAVE A FANTASTIC SPRING SEMESTER.

GOOD AFTERNOON AND THANK YOU FOR COMING BACK AFTER LUNCH.

[Workforce & Advancement Update - Dr. Pyeper Wilkins]

CONVOCATION DAY AND LUNCH IN THE PANDEMIC IS VERY DIFFERENT.

SO LIKE YOU, MY LUNCH BREAK TODAY WAS WALKING INTO MY KITCHEN EATING SOME LEFTOVERS WHILE TALKING TO MY DOGS WHO WEREN'T VERY EXCITED ABOUT THE NEW SEMESTER AT DALLAS COLLEGE.

BUT AS A LIFELONG EDUCATOR, I'M ALWAYS EXCITED ABOUT THE START OF THE NEW YEAR AND A NEW SEMESTER, AND THE PANDEMIC DOESN'T CHANGE THAT EXCITEMENT FOR ME.

OUR WORK TO BECOME DALLAS COLLEGE CONTINUES TO BE EXCITING TO ME AS WELL.

AND WHILE IT HASN'T BEEN EASY, THIS WORK OVER THE PAST FEW MONTHS HAS RESULTED IN A COLLEGE THAT WILL BE ABLE TO SERVE OUR STUDENTS, OUR EMPLOYERS AND OUR COMMUNITY SO MUCH BETTER FOR MANY YEARS TO COME.

[01:20:02]

AND WHILE WE ARE FAR FROM FINISHED, WE'VE MADE GREAT PROGRESS IN PUTTING OUR TEAMS TOGETHER AND INTEGRATING OUR WORK WITH ACADEMICS AND STUDENT SUCCESS.

DR. MAY TALKED THIS MORNING ABOUT HOW OUR PREVIOUS STRUCTURE CREATED BARRIERS UNINTENTIONALLY FOR STUDENTS.

OUR PREVIOUS STRUCTURE ALSO CREATED BARRIERS AND CHALLENGES FOR EMPLOYERS AND PARTNERS TO WORK WITH US. AND THOSE OF YOU WHO HAVE WORKED WITH THESE EXTERNAL PARTNERS AND EMPLOYERS OVER THE YEARS, NO DOUBT HAVE HEARD THEM SAY IT'S DIFFICULT TO FIGURE OUT WHO TO CONTACT.

WHY DOES YOUR COLLEGE DO X WHILE ANOTHER COLLEGE DOES Y? WHY CAN'T WE SEND OUR EMPLOYEES TO YOUR COLLEGE INSTEAD OF 30 MILES ACROSS DALLAS COUNTY? AND WHY CAN'T YOU JUST SERVE US THE WAY WE WANT YOU TO? SO THAT'S SOMETHING WE'VE ALL HEARD OVER THE YEARS FROM OUR EMPLOYER PARTNERS.

BEING SEVEN COLLEGES ALSO MADE IT IMPOSSIBLE TO KEEP UP WITH OUR EXTERNAL RELATIONSHIPS.

WE WOULD FREQUENTLY HAVE WELL-MEANING STAFF AND ADMINISTRATORS WORKING WITH THE SAME COMPANY OR THE SAME PARTNER, TOTALLY UNBEKNOWNST TO EACH OTHER.

WE WOULD BE ASKING EMPLOYERS TO PROVIDE INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES TO WORK WITH US ON ADVISORY COMMITTEES, TO PARTNER UP GRANTS OR SPONSOR EVENTS OR PROVIDE SCHOLARSHIPS.

AND ALL OF THAT IS GREAT WORK.

BUT IT WAS IMPOSSIBLE TO COORDINATE THAT WORK VERY WELL AND PRESENT OURSELVES CONSISTENTLY WHEN WE WERE DOING THE WORK SEVEN DIFFERENT WAYS.

SO IF YOU MOVE TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

THE WORKFORCE AND ADVANCEMENT DIVISION HAS BEEN DESIGNED TO BE THE CONNECTOR FOR ALL OF DALLAS COLLEGE TO OUR EXTERNAL COMMUNITY.

WE ARE BUILDING TEAMS AND EACH OF THESE AREAS IN BLUE ON THIS SLIDE, AND EACH OF THESE TEAMS WILL BE FOCUSED ON BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS OUTSIDE OF DALLAS COLLEGE TO BENEFIT OUR STUDENTS IN OUR PROGRAMS. SO I'LL START WITH CAREER CONNECTED LEARNING AND TALK ABOUT THAT TEAM JUST A LITTLE BIT.

IT'S REALLY JUST WHAT THE NAME SAYS.

IT'S CONNECTING STUDENTS TO CAREERS.

THIS TEAM WILL BE CONTINUING TO BUILD OUR VERY SUCCESSFUL WORK READY PROGRAM WHILE ALSO FOCUSING ON CONNECTING STUDENTS WITH EXPERIENTIAL LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES LIKE INTERNSHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS.

WE KNOW STUDENTS ARE MORE SUCCESSFUL WHEN THEY CAN APPLY WHAT THEY LEARN IN OUR CLASSROOMS ON THE JOB AND JUST THE OPPOSITE WHEN THEY CAN COME BACK TO THE CLASSROOM WITH SOME EXPERIENCE AT WORK THAT HELPS THEM MAKE BETTER SENSE OF WHAT THEY'RE LEARNING.

WE ALSO WANT OUR STUDENTS TO HAVE THE CHANCE TO LEARN WHILE THEY EARN.

AND CAREER AND CONNECTED LEARNING TEAM WILL BE LEADING THE EFFORTS TO CREATE MORE AND MORE OPPORTUNITIES LIKE THIS FOR OUR STUDENTS.

AGAIN, WE'VE HAD THESE OPPORTUNITIES FOR MANY YEARS.

EACH OF OUR SEVEN LOCATIONS HAS SOME INTERNSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AND SOME APPRENTICESHIP OPPORTUNITIES, BUT WE'VE NOT BEEN ABLE TO COORDINATE THOSE WELL AND REALLY EXPAND THAT AND TAKE IT TO SCALE SO THAT IT'S AVAILABLE FOR ALL STUDENTS.

THE INNOVATION AND BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM IS NEXT.

THIS IS A GROUP THAT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON WORKING WITH OUR EMPLOYER PARTNERS WHO NEED TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR THEIR EMPLOYEES AND THEIR BUSINESSES.

WE HAVE A STRONG HISTORY HERE AS WELL, HELPING BUSINESSES WITH THEIR INCUMBENT WORKER TRAINING NEEDS.

WE'VE ALSO HELPED HUNDREDS OF BUSINESSES FIND AND TRAIN THEIR WORKFORCE WHEN THEY INITIALLY LOCATE IN DALLAS COUNTY OR EXPAND IN DALLAS COUNTY.

THEY COME TO US FOR WORKFORCE, HELP US FIND EMPLOYEES AND HELP US TRAIN THEM.

MANY TIMES WE ARE ALSO ABLE TO HELP THESE BUSINESS PARTNERS REDUCE THEIR COSTS FOR TRAINING THROUGH VARIOUS GRANTS, LIKE THE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND, OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH THE TEXAS WORKFORCE COMMISSION AND VARIOUS DEPARTMENT OF LABOR PROGRAMS. AS DALLAS COLLEGE, WE ARE REALLY ONE OF THE BIGGEST PROVIDERS OF SKILLS DEVELOPMENT FUND GRANT OPPORTUNITIES FOR OUR EMPLOYER PARTNERS IN THE WHOLE STATE.

THE INNOVATION AND BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM WILL BE WORKING WITH OUR PRESIDENTS AND OTHER LEADERS TO EXPAND OUR EMPLOYER OUTREACH EFFORTS.

WE REALLY WANT TO TALK TO MORE EMPLOYERS.

WE WANT TO HELP MORE EMPLOYERS.

AND USING THIS TEAM TO SUPPORT OUR PRESIDENTS AND OUR VICE PROVOSTS MAKE THOSE CONNECTIONS IS WHAT WE ARE WORKING ON NOW.

WE WANT TO BE EVEN MORE INTENTIONAL ABOUT HELPING GROW THE ECONOMY IN DALLAS COUNTY BY HELPING OUR BUSINESS PARTNERS BE MORE SUCCESSFUL.

THIS GROUP WILL ALSO WORK TO MANAGE THE EMPLOYER SIDE OF OUR LARGE WORKFORCE AND APPRENTICESHIP GRANTS, WHICH IS A VERY COMPLICATED JOB.

LOTS OF MOVING PARTS WHEN YOU ARE WORKING WITH MULTIPLE PARTNERS, MULTIPLE EMPLOYERS AND FEDERAL DOLLARS. THIS GROUP ALSO INCLUDES THE SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION CENTER, WHICH IS CONTINUING TO PROVIDE TRAINING AND RESOURCES FOR SMALL BUSINESSES AND ENTREPRENEURS.

THIS IS A PART OF OUR ECONOMY RIGHT NOW THAT'S REALLY STRUGGLING AS A RESULT OF THE

[01:25:05]

OUR SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION CENTER, ALONG WITH OUR SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER, HAS BEEN INSTRUMENTAL IN HELPING GET PPP AND OTHER ECONOMIC STIMULUS RESOURCES OUT TO SMALL BUSINESSES IN DALLAS COUNTY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS.

WE'RE PARTNERED WITH THE CITY AND MANY OTHERS IN THOSE EFFORTS AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO DO THAT TO PARTNER WITH OTHER PUBLIC AND PRIVATE ENTITIES AS WE HOPEFULLY ENTER AN ECONOMIC RECOVERY IN THE NOT TOO DISTANT FUTURE.

OUR WORKFORCE OPERATIONS TEAM HAS BEEN BUILT WITHIN INNOVATION AND BUSINESS STRATEGY TO HANDLE ALL WORKFORCE AND CONTINUING EDUCATION, COURSE BUILDING AND REGISTRATIONS AND BILLING AND CONTRACTS, WHICH THEY ARE WORKING DIRECTLY WITH OUR ACADEMIC SCHEDULING TEAM, ACADEMIC SERVICES IN EACH OF OUR SCHOOLS TO DO THAT.

THE WORKFORCE SIDE SEEMS TO BE A LITTLE MORE COMPLEX JUST BECAUSE OF ALL THE EXTERNAL PARTNERS THAT WE HAVE AND ALL THE CONTRACTS AND ARRANGEMENTS.

SO THIS IS A PRETTY SIZABLE TEAM AND THEY'VE GOT A LOT OF WORK TO DO AND THEY ARE JUST GETTING STARTED. SO THAT WILL BE BUILDING MORE AS WE MOVE FORWARD.

ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING ELEMENTS FOR THE INNOVATION AND BUSINESS STRATEGY TEAM WILL BE THE DEVELOPMENT AND THE LAUNCH OF THE NEW DALLAS COLLEGE INNOVATION CENTER.

PART OF THE BOND THAT DR. MAY REFERENCED EARLIER THIS MORNING.

WE'RE EXCITED THAT WE CAN FINALLY MOVE ON WITH THE PLANNING FOR THIS CENTER, WHICH WILL FOCUS ON ALL KINDS OF INNOVATIVE PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESSES, LARGE BUSINESSES, OUR STUDENTS, OUR SCHOOLS, OUR PROGRAMS AND OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS, AND REALLY FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF WORK AND THE ECONOMY.

THE NEXT ONE ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, THAT TEAM HAS ALSO BEEN BUILT TO BE THE BACKBONE FOR JUST WHAT ITS NAME SAYS, ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, AND CREATING MORE OF THAT FOR OUR STUDENTS. THIS TEAM IS PARTNERED WHAT WE'VE KNOWN BEFORE AS THE LABOR MARKET INTELLIGENCE CENTER AND A CAREER RESOURCE CENTER, WHICH IS NOW THE EMPLOYER RESOURCE CENTER, AND PUT THOSE TOGETHER REALLY TO SUPPORT ENROLLING STUDENTS IN JOBS, FIGURING OUT WHAT JOBS ARE OUT THERE, WHERE THEY EXIST, WHAT SKILLS ARE NEEDED, WHAT THEY PAY, SPECIFIC COMPANIES WHO ARE HIRING AND THEN ACTUALLY PLACING OUR STUDENTS IN THOSE JOBS, BOTH WHILE THEIR STUDENTS AND AFTER THEY COMPLETE THEIR DEGREES AND CERTIFICATES WITH DALLAS COLLEGE.

INTERNALLY, THIS TEAM WILL CONTINUE TO WORK DIRECTLY WITH OUR SCHOOLS TO PROVIDE THE MOST UP TO DATE LABOR MARKET INFORMATION TO HELP GUIDE OUR PROGRAMS, OUR COURSE OFFERINGS AND OUR CAREER SERVICE OFFICES ON CAMPUSES TO MAKE SURE THAT THOSE JOB CONNECTIONS ARE THERE FOR STUDENTS. THIS TEAM WILL ALSO BE OVERSEEING THE TECHNICAL AND DATA ASPECTS OF OUR EXPANDED CRM SYSTEM, WHICH IS A CRITICAL PIECE OF COORDINATING ALL OF THIS EXTERNALLY FOCUSED WORK AND OUR PARTNERSHIPS AND MAKING SURE THAT THE LEFT HAND KNOWS WHAT THE RIGHT HAND IS DOING AS WE WORK IN OUR COMMUNITY.

THE NEXT ONE IS OUR ADVANCEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT TEAM.

THEY'VE BEEN BUILT TO ADVANCE THE MISSION OF DALLAS COLLEGE AND TO FIND, DEVELOP AND MANAGE THE RESOURCES WE NEED TO SUPPORT THAT MISSION.

THIS TEAM WILL BE MANAGING COMMUNITY OUTREACH, WORKING WITH OUR COMMUNITY ORGANIZATION PARTNERS TO CONNECT OUR STUDENTS WITH THE RESOURCES THEY NEED BEYOND EDUCATION AND BEYOND WHAT WE PROVIDE IN OUR PROGRAMS AND COURSES.

THEY WILL BE EXPANDING OUR ALUMNI OUTREACH EFFORTS THAT WE STARTED IN THE FOUNDATION JUST A FEW YEARS AGO. WE'VE ALSO CREATED THE SPONSORED PROGRAMS OFFICE.

THIS WAS PREVIOUSLY KNOWN AS RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT AROUND OUR COLLEGES, BUT WE'VE REALLY NOW TAKEN THAT TO A DIFFERENT LEVEL AND DESIGNED BOTH PRE AND POST AWARD PROCESSES FOR ALL OF OUR FEDERAL GRANT FEDERAL PUBLIC GRANTS TO HELP STREAMLINE THOSE COMPLEX PROCESSES AND ALL THE WORK THAT GOES ON AS YOU SEEK A GRANT AND YOU WRITE A GRANT, AND THEN ONCE YOU GET IT, HOW WE MANAGE THAT.

THIS TEAM WILL ALSO HELP LAUNCH MANY OF OUR STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS AND BUILD NEW SUPPORT STRUCTURES WITH OUR OUTSIDE PARTNERS IN AN EFFORT TO HELP OUR STUDENTS PARTNERS DO EVEN MORE ON THEIR SIDE OF DALLAS COLLEGE.

YOU ALSO SEE THE FOUNDATION AND THE REGIONAL SMALL BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT CENTER MENTIONED ON THE SLIDE, AND THEY ARE PART OF WORKFORCE ADVANCEMENT, BUT THESE TWO AREAS ARE REALLY NOT CHANGING MUCH AS A RESULT OF BECOMING DALLAS COLLEGE.

THEY ARE BOTH SEPARATE ORGANIZATIONS WITH SOME ADDITIONAL GOVERNANCE AND OPERATIONAL STRUCTURES THAT HAVE NOT BEEN IMPACTED BY OUR MOVE TO A SINGLE ACCREDITATION.

NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.

[01:30:03]

DR. MAY MENTIONED EMERGENCY AID AND THE CARES ACT THIS MORNING.

WE ARE WELL INTO PROVIDING THOSE RESOURCES FOR STUDENTS.

MOST OF THE CARES ACT DOLLARS CAME TO DALLAS COLLEGE IN APRIL AND WE HAVE UNTIL APRIL TO AWARD THOSE. BUT AS OF THIS MORNING, WE'VE AWARDED ABOUT FIVE POINT TWO DOLLARS MILLION IN EMERGENCY AID THROUGH THE CARES ACT FOR OUR STUDENTS.

WE ARE DOING THAT IN CONJUNCTION WITH SO MANY TEAMS. ALMOST EVERYBODY IN DALLAS COLLEGE IS INVOLVED SOMEHOW IN FIGURING OUT HOW TO GET THOSE DOLLARS TO OUR STUDENTS, AND THEY NEED THEM MORE THAN EVER RIGHT NOW.

SO WE ARE ALSO EXCITED AND YOU'VE PROBABLY HEARD ON THE NEWS THAT THE NEW STIMULUS PACKAGE IS GOING TO SEND SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES OUR WAY.

WE WILL HAVE MORE EMERGENCY AID DOLLARS TO HELP MORE STUDENTS.

AND SO WE ARE ANXIOUSLY AWAITING THE FIGURES THIS WEEK SO WE KNOW WHAT WE NEED TO DO THERE. WE'VE ALSO BEEN JUST COVERED UP WITH GRANT OPPORTUNITIES OVER THE PAST SIX TO NINE MONTHS. A LOT OF THAT IS STIMULUS DOLLARS THAT FLOW THROUGH THE FEDERAL AND STATE GOVERNMENT. IT'S FOR TRAINING.

IT'S FOR A VARIETY OF PURPOSES.

BUT WE HAVE REALLY BEEN BURIED IN GRANTS, DEVELOPING, WRITING THOSE WE'VE RECEIVED MILLIONS OF DOLLARS OVER THE PAST NINE MONTHS.

AND A LOT OF THOSE ARE PROPOSING INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO SOME OF OUR CHALLENGES AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC, NEW PROGRAMS, NEW SERVICES.

BUT WE'VE BEEN TRULY AMAZED AT THE INTEGRATION AND PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN OUR DIVISION AND THE ACADEMIC AND STUDENT SUCCESS DIVISIONS AS WE EMBARK UPON THESE PROPOSALS AND THESE PROJECTS. OUR LABOR MARKET INTELLIGENCE CENTER HAS PROVIDED EACH SCHOOL WITH DATA ABOUT THEIR PROGRAMS AND DISCIPLINES, AND THEY'RE WORKING TO HELP OUR K-12 PARTNERS UNDERSTAND LABOR MARKET DATA AS WELL.

SO IT'S NOT JUST INSIDE DALLAS COLLEGE, BUT WORKING ALL ALONG THE SPECTRUM OF EDUCATION SO THAT WE ARE REALLY, TRULY HELPING THE ECONOMIC RECOVERY ONCE WE BEGIN TO ENTER THAT.

WE'RE ALSO BUILDING NEW INTERNSHIP AND APPRENTICESHIP PARTNERSHIPS EVERY SINGLE DAY, AND AGAIN, WE GET CALLS WEEKLY ABOUT COMPANIES THAT WANT INTERNS, THAT WANT [INAUDIBLE], AND WE ARE WORKING WITH ALL OF DALLAS COLLEGE TO MAKE SURE THAT THESE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE AND MANAGEABLE FOR OUR STUDENTS AND OUR EMPLOYER PARTNERS.

AND OUR LAST SLIDE, PLEASE. YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD DR.

MAY AND OTHERS USE THE PHRASE LATELY THAT WE ARE ENROLLING STUDENTS IN A JOB.

AND THAT'S A CAMPAIGN THAT WE'RE BUILDING, A CAMPAIGN WITH MARKETING AND A CAMPAIGN REALLY JUST WITHIN DALLAS COLLEGE, BECAUSE WE KNOW THAT THE FOCUS COMING OUT OF THE PANDEMIC IS GOING TO BE ECONOMIC RECOVERY.

WE KNOW PEOPLE ARE STRUGGLING.

WE KNOW STUDENTS NEED JOBS.

WE KNOW WE ARE GOING TO NEED TO CONNECT THEM WITH THOSE JOBS AT SCALE AND ENROLL THEM IN COURSES AND PROGRAMS THAT HELP THEM VERY QUICKLY GET THE SKILLS THEY NEED TO GET A JOB AND GET BACK IN THE WORKFORCE EVEN AS THEY CONTINUE THEIR EDUCATION, EVEN AS THEY MAY TRANSFER EVENTUALLY FROM DALLAS COLLEGE.

SO MANY OF OUR RESIDENTS IN DALLAS COUNTY NEED WORK AND WE KNOW THAT THAT'S GOING TO BE CRITICAL. WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO BUILD BRIDGES ACROSS ALL AREAS OF DALLAS COLLEGE T O MAKE SURE OUR STUDENTS HAVE THE RESOURCES THEY NEED.

WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE WITH TECHNOLOGY AND EXPAND MUCH OF WHAT WE'VE BEEN DOING OVER THE PAST NINE MONTHS AND EVEN LONGER IN SOME CASES.

BUT TECHNOLOGY IS A BIG PART OF OUR NEW CONNECTEDNESS AT DALLAS COLLEGE.

OUR CRM SYSTEM, SALESFORCE IS HOW WE'RE GOING TO COORDINATE AND MANAGE AND KEEP UP WITH WHO IS TALKING TO WHO, WHO'S WORKING WITH WHICH EMPLOYER, WHICH BUSINESS PARTNER, WHICH COMMUNITY PARTNER.

AND GREEN LIGHT THAT MOST OF YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT, WHICH HAS STARTED OUT TO BE HOW OUR STUDENTS ACCESS AND MANAGE THEIR TRANSCRIPTS AND THEIR ACADEMIC RECORDS.

BUT IT'S ALSO GOING TO ALLOW US TO QUICKLY CONNECT EMPLOYERS WITH OUR STUDENTS FOR MANY OF THE OPPORTUNITIES THAT I TALKED ABOUT EARLIER.

SO WE'LL BE WORKING TO EXPAND A LOT OF THOSE EFFORTS AS WELL.

WE WILL CONTINUE TO FOCUS ON BUILDING THESE PARTNERSHIPS.

WE KNOW WE DON'T HAVE TO CREATE EVERYTHING OURSELVES.

WE JUST HAVE TO DO A BETTER JOB OF CONNECTING WITH OTHERS.

AND I THINK OUR NEW STRUCTURE WILL HELP US DO JUST THAT.

WE WILL ALSO BEGIN PLANNING VERY SOON NOW THAT THE BOND CAN MOVE ON WITH OUR NEW INNOVATION HUB, AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SUCH AN EXCITING TIME FOR DALLAS COLLEGE TO BE

[01:35:03]

I'M GLAD I'M HERE. I THINK WE'RE DOING AMAZING WORK AND WE WILL BE MORE NEEDED THAN EVER IN DALLAS COUNTY.

SO THANKS FOR BEING HERE THIS AFTERNOON.

AND HERE'S TO HOPING OUR NEXT CONVOCATION, WE CAN ALL BE BACK TOGETHER IN PERSON.

HAVE A GREAT AFTERNOON.

* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.