NOTE: The SDCCD Mission Statement below provides needed perspective with regard to the discrepancies between what is PROFESSED versus what occurs in PRACTICE. I feel strongly that contradictions between stated goals and actual practice receive little attention within the San Diego Community College District, particularly when a "mere" student is bringing such contradictions to management's attention.
The SDCCD's Mission Statement on paper or posted on a District website may seem to suggest an adherence to loftly goals that a student might expect to be sincere. However, in filing various grievances, I saw virtually no evidence that the stated mission is any more than lip service. In fact, I was retaliated against for filing my grievances, based on so-called Mission Statement below, and the rights of students proclaimed in Policy 3100. When the District saw that I had documented repeated alleged violations by numerous District officials, the District went on the attack and tried to discredit me in every way it could. My rights according to Policy 3100 were repeatedly ignored at the highest levels once management decided to ostracize me, and deprive me of further access to the means of achieving my stated educational goals.
The San Diego Community College District is a multicultural institution with diverse colleges and continuing education sites and varied priorities. However, we are bound together as an operational unit by a philosophical base of shared values and a shared vision of the future. We share the twin ideals of access and excellence. We are an institution which responds to the unique needs of local communities and student populations. We share an important role as a builder of communities from the classroom to the campus and beyond to the larger components of society. To these ends, teaching and learning are our highest priorities. Today we share the aspirations of our community as we move toward the 21st century.
Goals
To offer instruction that provides all students with a solid foundation for science, liberal arts and vocational skills.
To provide flexible, accessible programs for adults seeking basic literacy, high school completion or lifestyle enrichment.
To coordinate programs with business, industry and other educational systems, k-12, colleges and universities.
To continuously update libraries, resource centers and computer facilities.
To ensure that students are informed about the services, programs and academic policies of the colleges and continuing education centers.
To provide matriculation services including admissions, registration, orientation, assessment and placement as well as counseling and follow-up to students.
To ensure that students with special needs receive appropriate services including financial aid, extended opportunities programs, disabled students' programs and health services.
To provide intercollegiate and intramural activities for men and women and encourage the performing arts including drama, dance and music.
To provide opportunities to enhance the physical and intellectual well-being of older students.
To ensure that students enrolled in military programs receive excellent instruction and service through effective liaison between the district and the military.
To recruit, employ and retain staff members of a high degree of competence and to provide them with the opportunities to grow personally and professionally.
To eliminate discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, age, disability, sexual orientation, ancestry or national origin in every aspect of personnel policy and practice.
To participate and share actively in the cultural, intellectual and recreational pursuits of the community, and to facilitate lifelong learning.
To encourage faculty, staff and student involvement with national, state and local arts and cultural organizations.
To work cooperatively with campus program planners in facility design and development, and to maintain and repair existing facilities and equipment.
To integrate planning and budgeting with short-term, intermediate and long-range goals.
To provide for and support our information needs through research and evaluation.
When top administrators fail to set a progressive tone of excellence in all facets of educational effort, others will tend to fail as well, and jeopardize the larger educational mission. Important matters that I have brought up are best not brushed aside, distorted, belittled or made light of by district leadership. Otherwise, such disregard and educative myopia will erode essential aspects of the foundation upon which our future education depends.— Thomas James Darling
WHY IS IT THAT SOME SDCCD ADMINISTRATORS
IGNORE REASONABLE RESPONSE PROTOCOL?
A WELL-INFORMED STUDENT BODY
IS A RESPECTED STUDENT BODY.
