Modesto Junior College
PA-5: Diversity and Equity Coordination

The Modesto Junior College Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee is an Advisory Committee to the President. The DEI Committee will inform the President about the campus environment as it relates to DEI and develop strategies to support an inclusive campus where dialogue across differences can occur in a safe manner. The charter for the committee is as follows:

1. Enhancing a diverse and inclusive campus culture supportive of all employees, students, and community members.
2. Assessing and developing curriculum that promotes relevance and the needs of DEI.
3. Understanding and appreciation of Diversity through Professional Development for all.
4. Sharing student and employee experiences.

There are numerous training opportunities, but they are not part of a single, coordinated, intentional movement toward address issues of DEI. An example of the approach to DEI would be the training offered during our "Institution Day" in Fall of 2021:
Minding the Obligation Gap in Community Colleges and Beyond
Our keynote presenters are Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, a co-author of Minding the Obligation Gap in Community Colleges and Beyond: Theory and Practice in Achieving Educational Equity and Jeremiah J. Sims, author of Revolutionary STEM Education: Critical-Reality Pedagogy and Social Justice in STEM for Black Males (Peter Lang, 2018). They will contextualize MJC's equity work in terms of the theories and practices discussed in their books. A series of brown bag lunches are scheduled throughout the Fall semester where co-hosts from Academic Senate and the Office of Instruction will facilitate discussion to unpack the concepts, and make action plans to better serve our students. MJC faculty and staff members will receive a copy of Taylor-Mendoza's book for their own professional development. Help celebrate our Centennial Year as we continue our work to embrace excellence and equity at Modesto Junior College.