President's Office

January 6, 2025

Dear Colleagues,

As we start 2025, I wanted to reflect on the fantastic work taking place across our campus. While the new year will bring no doubt present fresh challenges, it is important to note that our college's work in 2024 to better serve our students is transforming the work we do and will inform a culture of growth for many years to come.

Sustaining Cultures of Growth

We started the academic year focused on supporting cultures of growth at Foothill College. As we move from one quarter to the next, it’s a good time to review how so many of you have meaningfully engaged systems of reflection that support an exceptional learning environment and experience for our students. Here are some highlights from the Fall Quarter.

Campus-wide Cultures of Growth

The accreditation process was a time of comprehensive and purposeful reflection. Dozens of colleagues interacted with the peer review team at the beginning of the fall quarter during our Focused Site Visit. An outgrowth of those discussions was clear direction on the need for systems that support deep discussions on the learning occurring across the campus. The Academic Senate has provided incredible organizational leadership to ensure reflections on learning are used to close opportunity gaps.
On the heels of the accreditation visit, campus leaders working with those in the Strategic Enrollment Management Academy met with peer experts at the end of October to reflect on how we can better support students with Foothill Connect and program maps. Again, wonderful growth continues with Guided Pathway tools–all used to nurture our connection and guidance to students
Finally, the Educational Master Plan, the 3rd component of our Foothill 2030 efforts is underway. During the last weeks of the fall quarter, institutional planning experts from the Collaborative Brain Trust were on campus meeting with and listening to campus constituents and attending our Mission Informed Planning Council. The emergent themes will help organize an ambitious schedule of feedback sessions in the winter quarter so that a comprehensive and integrated educational master plan steers our equity centered work.

Instructional Cultures of Growth

The growth minded efforts in regular and substantive interaction (RSI) professional development are noteworthy. At the end of the fall quarter: 143 people completed RSI professional development Part I during District Opening Days. 160 people completed Part I asynchronously this Fall
Also, many leaned into the development of culture pods, defined by our Opening Day speaker as “small, intentional groups that focus on shared goals, mutual support, and collective growth.”

• 111 people engaged in Culture Pods (Part II) this Fall
• 148 people have signed up for Culture Pods (Part II) for Winter 25

A huge bouquet of flowers to Helen Graves, Jordana Griffiths, Amber La Piana, and Kimberly Escamilla. The completion rate for the Part 1 asynchronous course was 94%!

Equity-Advancing Cultures of Growth

The Office of Equity has been supporting Culturally Responsive Pedagogy & Innovative Best Practices through a state awarded grant. The engagement and professional development continues! I saw the completion documentation for more than a dozen faculty pass my desk at the end of Fall.

Student Services Cultures of growth

The student services team reflected on the gathered data for registration events, both improving and institutionalizing those student supports. While there are many factors contributing to our enrollment growth (up again over last Winter), the feedback demonstrates that the high touch efforts positively impact students.
And, if you haven’t been by the new Wellness Lounge lately, be sure to stop by and see the new furniture and completed murals that make the center a cozy, inviting, and fully functional mental health spa. Now all of the main campus “sense of belonging” centers (Owl's Nest, BIPOC Center, PRIDE Center, and Wellness Lounge) are open and supporting students.

Other Cultures of Growth

Around the main campus you may have seen the sign that read, “Dear Students, How are we doing. . .?” With a QR Code, students can let us know what barriers they are experiencing. The Senior Leadership Team has been reviewing the responses monthly and working to address gaps in our service to students. This is The Way of the Owl in action.
As we start 2025, I look forward to asking and hearing how YOU are doing. The answer is probably not easy. The new year often brings a sense of renewal and promise but this year, for so many, uncertainty and worry--if not outright anguish. As I have been reading program reviews and other communication on how your needs can be better met, I know that I don't always have an easy answer, or the available immediate resource, but I do stand with you—committed--to doing better in 2025.

Yours in service,
Kristina

Dr. Kristina Whalen
President