Time marches on, and so does our concerted development of the Accreditation Self Study.  Chuck Passentino, Bonnie Price, and Pamela Amor, Steering Committee Co-chairs, report that first drafts of all standard reports are completed and have undergone review by the Steering Committee.  Next, the drafts will be posted on our Accreditation website, where feedback is invited.  According to our Self-Study timeline, a campus forum for discussion of these first drafts will be held on December 1 at 1 pm in Griffin Gate.  Look for more announcements of the forum closer to that date.

This important process literally involves our entire educational community.  I especially appreciate the work of 103 employees and students who are serving on our Self-Study standard teams.  They represent a wide array of stakeholders and their contributions to the development of the draft reports for all nine standard sections is invaluable. 

The document is termed the “Self Study” because it is our own analysis of what we do, how we do it, and how well, as that all relates to the standards of good practice established by the Accrediting Commission for Community & Junior Colleges of the Western Association of Schools & Colleges.  The Self-Study also includes Planning Agenda statements to which the College commits itself for the six years following the site visit in October of 2007.  Not only is our accreditation our ‘license’ to do our educational business, but the ‘self’ part of the study means we learn more about ourselves and Grossmont College as a dynamic institution.

Kudos to the Grossmont College Foundation Gala Committee, chaired by Foundation Board member Vicki Whitmire, for producing an outstanding celebration and fundraiser!  We enjoyed the opportunity to honor our newest Walk of Fame inductees, Brian Sipe and Bernard “Buddy Blue” Seigal (honored posthumously).  Young (Terry) Hwa Kim, our student scholar, charmed us all with her heartfelt and beautifully articulated words of thanks.  Thanks to the Gala’s campus committee for their energy and efforts to make this important event so successful.

I encourage everyone to take advantage of the myriad of campus cultural events scheduled during the upcoming weeks.  Thanks to the World Arts and Culture Committee for orchestrating these events throughout the year, such as the November 17 Phi Theta Kappa presentation of Joe Morris, Sr., one of the legendary Navajo Code Talkers.  The Grossmont College Foundation and the Cross-Cultural Studies Program are event co-sponsors with PTK.

It’s time to submit nominations for the President’s Leadership Award, which is presented at the annual College Recognition Event.  Deadline to submit nominations to the President’s Office is December 4.


Dean C. Colli, Ed.D
Interim President