[DEOC] Concerns about FSOCC 2024

Thu Apr 4 12:15:02 PDT 2024

Good afternoon, all-

I appreciate this question/concern being brought up. I am going to be working with admin at my institution on our communication/response/support plan during election time as well. (Although, to be honest, I hadn’t seen/heard of any updated info on FSOCC ’24, so I didn’t know what the dates were for this year. 😉)

In solidarity,

Tenya Moravec (she, her, ella), M.Ed
Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
Yakima Valley College
(509) 494-7958

We would like to take a moment and reflect on the lands which we reside, the ancestral homelands and traditional territories of the people of the Yakama Nation. We acknowledge and honor the Yakama People. We offer gratitude for the land itself, for those who have stewarded it for generations, and for the opportunity to study, learn, work and be in community on this land. We acknowledge that our college's history, like many others, is fundamentally tied to the first colonial developments in the Yakima Valley.

From: DEOC <deoc-bounces at lists.ctc.edu> On Behalf Of Valencia, Iesha via DEOC
Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2024 12:05 PM
To: Diversity and Equity Officers Commission (DEOC) <deoc at lists.ctc.edu>; Michelle Strange <m.strange at bellevuecollege.edu>
Cc: Valencia, Iesha <Iesha.Valencia at cptc.edu>
Subject: Re: [DEOC] Concerns about FSOCC 2024

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Thank you Consuelo for your proactive engagement with this. I too have similar concerns and will need more information prior to supporting attendance. For my team specifically (who report directly to me) I have a placed a ‘no travel’ hold for 3 weeks (the week prior to elections, election week, and the week after) so that we can be on campus during this contentious time. That being said, I have already made the decision to not send anyone from my team, however I need to explore more information to see how that will impact my decision to fund and support other faculty and staff of color who request to go.

In Community,

Iesha Valencia (she,her,hers), M.Ed.
Associate Vice President for Equity, Diversity & Inclusion
Clover Park Technical College

From: DEOC <deoc-bounces at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:deoc-bounces at lists.ctc.edu>> On Behalf Of Consuelo Grier via DEOC
Sent: Thursday, April 4, 2024 11:43 AM
To: DEOC at lists.ctc.edu<mailto:DEOC at lists.ctc.edu>; Michelle Strange <m.strange at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:m.strange at bellevuecollege.edu>>
Cc: Consuelo Grier <consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu>>
Subject: [DEOC] Fw: Concerns about FSOCC 2024

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DEO Fam:

I am beginning to transition some things off of my plate as I prepare to be away for a season. I want to highlight some concerns I, along with my team, have about this Fall's FSOCC plans...

Holding FSOCC the day after a highly contentious, and potentially unsafe, election is concerning. Many of us, as DEOs, need to be on our campuses during this time to be responsive and supportive of our communities no matter the results of the election. I know that for me, I'm unwilling to be a plane ride away at that point in time and I have serious concerns about sending anyone from our college into a potentially harmful area in that specific moment.

You can see from the email below that I sent a message to Gum-Lai who was chair previously, but I have not heard back from her. Beabe from my team is out on leave until at least mid-August, and Judy from BC has not been included in any planning meetings thus far. I'm working without any other information from the planners and I have less than two working weeks before I'm away for 4 months.

I share this with you all for consideration and coordination. As a college we will make a decision with or without input from the planners before I go on leave beginning 4/24. Michelle Strange from my team will serve as Acting VP DEI in my absence and is copied on this message should you all want to continue conversations about this.

Would love to hear what others are thinking and how we might be able to provide some guidance and support to the planners.

In community,
Consuelo

________________________________
From: Consuelo Grier <consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu>>
Sent: Monday, March 25, 2024 4:16 PM
To: Ross, Gum-Lai <glross at highline.edu<mailto:glross at highline.edu>>; Judith Hernandez Chapar <j.hernandezchapar at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:j.hernandezchapar at bellevuecollege.edu>>
Cc: Abner Pagunuran <abner.pagunuran at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:abner.pagunuran at bellevuecollege.edu>>; Jewell Evans <jewell.evans at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:jewell.evans at bellevuecollege.edu>>
Subject: Concerns about FSOCC 2024

Gum-Lai and Judith,

Good afternoon friends! Reaching out to both of you since I know Gum-Lai has been co-chair and Judith has been part of planning for FSOCC. We have some concerns about safety and need for presence on our campuses given the political volatility of this upcoming election. Specifically, safety concerns for faculty and staff of color the day following this election as well as the days leading up to this election.

We are wondering a few things:

  *   Who is currently planning FSOCC 2024? As in who are the current planning committee?
  *   Was there a consideration of the upcoming election when this was planned?
  *   Is there an opportunity for adjustments for this year’s FSOCC?

We would like to find time in the next couple weeks to have a quick conversation with the two of you and any other members of the planning committee as we plan ahead for the next academic year, the budget for next AY, and determine the level of safety and support available for this conference as that will determine how and what we communicate with our community.

-Consuelo

Consuelo A. Grier, Ed.D. (she/her)

Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

Bellevue College

Consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu<mailto:Consuelo.grier at bellevuecollege.edu>

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