Santa Rosa Junior College
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The Sonoma County Junior College District does not discriminate on the basis of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, ethnic group identification, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic condition, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, genetic information or sexual orientation in any of its policies, procedures or practices; nor does the District discriminate against any employees or applicants for employment on the basis of their age. This non-discrimination policy covers admission, access and treatment in District programs and activities--including but not limited to academic admissions, financial aid, educational services and athletics--and application for District employment.

The Sonoma County Junior College District is an equal opportunity employer.

https://admissions.santarosa.edu/content/non-discrimination-policy

A complaint may be filed with the Vice President of Human Resources & Title IX Coordinator by an individual, including a student, who believes he/she has been unlawfully discriminated against or subjected to sexual misconduct (sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence, stalking) in violation of District policy in any program or activity of the District or by an individual, who learns of such alleged discrimination or harassment in his or her official capacity as an administrator or faculty member. Complaints related to Title IX (sexual misconduct) may be filed in-person with a Title IX Officer or online at https://titleix.santarosa.edu.

The Vice President of Human Resources & Title IX Coordinator or designee will explain reporting options for addressing the issue and the individual’s rights and responsibilities, including filing a report with law enforcement. Both during an investigation and upon a finding of unlawful discrimination or sexual misconduct, the District may offer remedies to the individual or individuals harmed by the misconduct consistent with applicable complaint resolution and grievance procedures. Remedies may include counseling, an opportunity to repeat course work without penalty, change in class section, District-initiated employee transfer, a no-contact order between the parties, or other appropriate interventions.

Any employee of the District who is found to have engaged in unlawful discrimination or sexual misconduct is subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal in accordance with the applicable District disciplinary procedures, and collective bargaining agreements. Any student of the District who is found to have engaged in unlawful discrimination or sexual misconduct is subject to disciplinary action up to and including expulsion in accordance with the applicable Student Conduct and Discipline Due Process policy and procedure.

SRJC has a robust diversity and inclusion outreach program that includes targetted partnerships with high schools that have a high percentage of participation in free and reduced lunch, high target populations, and are considered to provide support services for "at-risk students". We also have two English Language Learner Outreach specialists that provide targeted outreach for diverse students. We have a Middle School Early Success program for low income, Latinx students in middle school that brings them to our campus and fosters a college-bound mindset and allows them to shadow current students for the day.

Our learning communities also provide targeted outreach to their local populations. We currently have four learning communities. https://learningcommunities.santarosa.edu/

Our school also has one of the largest noncredit, adult learner programs in the state and we have a campus site located in the most underserved area of our county (Southwest Santa Rosa Center). https://southwest.santarosa.edu/

We have a special Student Equity allocation designated to augment an already sizable effort to provide marketing in Spanish and other languages. Last year we spent over $40,000 to develop a more diverse photo bank for marketing, outreach and departmental communications. This photo bank improves the inventory of photos that represents students from all walks of life.

“Equal Employment Opportunity Programs” means all the various methods by which equal employment opportunity is ensured. Such methods include, but are not limited to, using nondiscriminatory employment practices, actively recruiting, monitoring and taking additional steps consistent with the requirements of section 53006 of Title 5.

SRJC efforts to recruit staff or faculty from underrepresented groups include the following:
1. Strategic Advertising:
DiverseEducation.com - This source targets the following groups:
- African Americans
- Asian/Pacific Islanders
- Latinos
- LGBT
- Military
- Native Americans
- Women
INSIGHT Into Diversity - This source targets the following groups:
- African American
- Age
- Asian American
- First Generation
- Hispanic/Latino
- LGBTQIA+
- Medical condition or history
- Native American
- Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
- Neurodiversity
- People with disabilities
- Political affiliation or worldview
- Religion
- Veterans
- Women

2. Adjunct Faculty Recruitment Open House: In November 2016, SRJC successfully hosted an Adjunct Faculty Recruitment Open House. The purpose of this open house was to generate a diverse pool of candidates for the adjunct faculty pools and make connections for future candidates, especially in CTE and/or hard-to-hire disciplines. 389 candidates attended the event. In Summer 2017, the District sponsored an “open house” focused on attracting instructors of Lifelong Learning, Adult Education and Older Adults programs and other hard-to-hire disciplines. 84 candidates attended the event. The event consisted of department presentations, program displays, and opportunity for the candidates to interact with SRJC Faculty and Administrators and get information from Human Resources staff. The feedback from the candidates was very positive and many were excited about the opportunity to work for SRJC.

Identity-based learning communities work to maximize each student's unique educational experience, potential, and aims. Learning communities include the Asian Pacific American Student Success (APASS), the Puente Project, and Umoja, which provide assistance and community for Asian American, Latinx, and African American students. All SRJC Learning Communities are provided with free books. https://learningcommunities.santarosa.edu/

Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) provide academic, career, and personal assistance for educationally disadvantaged full-time students. https://eops.santarosa.edu/eops-services

The Multicultural Innovation Center for Academic Success & Achievement (MI CASA), is the heart and soul of the Meta4 program. MI CASA is a dedicated space where students can drop in, receive help, use computers and printers, and form connections with other students. It is a warm and welcoming place that helps students form connections to SRJC. https://hsi.santarosa.edu/mi-casa

The Student Resource Center is another place where students can go for assistance with food, health, housing, transportation, and more. In addition to helping our students meet their basic needs the Office of Student Equity facilitates a robust technology and textbook loan program that provides students from special programs like CalWORKs and EOPS access to a semester-long laptop or calculator loan and maintains hundreds of titles in their textbook reserve program, where costly books can be checked out for up to four days. https://resources.santarosa.edu/

Our Office of Student Equity maintains several programs that are aimed at supporting underserved student populations, including the Bear Cub Scholars program for foster youth, the Second Chance program for formerly incarcerated students, Veteran's Center, Native American Summer Bridge and The District maintains a variety of programs to support newly-hired employees such as mentoring, professional development, and leadership opportunities. Professional development resources and activities, as well as grants, funding, and tuition reimbursement are available to employees and faculty.

At SRJC, we know that students are often faced with choosing between school and food. We have developed several programs aimed at ending hunger on campus. The Feed the Bears Food Pantries on the Santa Rosa and Petaluma Campuses offer shelf-stable foods for students and staff currently enrolled or employees. Pre-registration required and participants receive a specific point allotment based on household size. These pantries are open Monday through Thursday while school is in session. In addition to food, the Petaluma campus Food Pantry & Grab 'n Go features toiletries and school supplies. Each campus also hosts free farmers markets, which are open to the public and often feature produce grown and SRJC's Shone Farm.
https://resources.santarosa.edu/food-resources

Established in 1970, The Statewide California Community College MESA Program’s mission is to serve educationally and economically disadvantaged students majoring in calculus-based majors, so they can excel in math and science and attain STEM degrees from four-year institutions. The MESA Community College Program at Santa Rosa Junior Colleges serves an average of 150 STEM transfer students each year. With academic advising, professional mentoring, academic assistance, drop-in tutoring, small group study sessions and transfer counseling, MESA provides an environment that allows students to succeed and transfer to earn a STEM bachelor's degree. https://mesa.santarosa.edu/

There are many resources for SRJC's LQBTQ community. The LGBTQ Campus Climate Committee is a President's Advisory Committee and an Academic Senate Consultation Committee. It is responsible for increasing diversity and student success by creating a campus climate that is welcoming to students, faculty and staff who are part of the LGBTQ community at SRJC. We also offer LGBTQ scholarships, courses with LGBTQ content or focus, support for student clubs, and all-gender restrooms and showers at the Santa Rosa and Petaluma campuses. https://lgbtq.santarosa.edu/