Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 31.93
Liaison Irena Lambrou
Submission Date Nov. 3, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Whatcom Community College
PA-4: Diversity and Equity Coordination

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.33 / 2.00 Anita Harker
Faculty
Social Sciences
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have a diversity and equity committee, office, and/or officer tasked to advise on and implement policies, programs, and trainings related to diversity, equity, inclusion and human rights on campus?:
Yes

Does the committee, office and/or officer focus on students, employees, or both?:
Both students and employees

A brief description of the diversity and equity committee, office and/or officer, including purview and activities:
About the Intercultural Center, what we do, and how to find us The Intercultural Center supports educational equity and academic achievement for diverse student populations by providing access to resources and a safe place to connect through a culture of inclusion and respect. Our connections with each other are important! Many of us learn better when we study together. In the Intercultural Center, we consider community building to be an invaluable component of academic support as well as an important way to work toward social justice. Our location is in Syre Student Center 217. Please come visit us! We encourage you to drop by if you have any questions, need personal or academic support, want to talk, or even simply want a safe and welcoming place to hang out or eat lunch. We offer drop-in tutoring hours in conjunction with the Learning Center (currently offering German, French, and math tutoring), laptops to check out for use in the Intercultural Center, offer workshops, and have a social justice library and videos for use in the Intercultural Center. We are now offering Stone Soup Nights, on Tuesday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. What do you bring to the pot? These evenings are opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to meet in an informal space to connect, talk, enjoy food together, and build a stronger community! Please bring your own food! This was in response to students who told us how much they valued any time spent getting to know faculty informally outside of the classroom. Our relationships with each other are important! Please come get to know each other! Tell your story! Listen to other folks' stories! Build community! So please come and spread the word! Student Groups The Intercultural Center supports several student groups on campus. Student groups are a fantastic way to get connected on campus whether you’re a brand new or a returning student. Additionally, student groups and clubs offer a great way to develop leadership skills and build your resume. Ethnic Student Association (ESA) – Ethnic Student Association (ESA) is a student group on campus where students from different heritages and backgrounds come together to celebrate diversity in our community at Whatcom Community College. Through fun and thought-provoking activities we explore identity development, social justice issues, and build alliances across identities. We also love food, games, and films! Meets Thursdays, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Intercultural Center (Syre 217). Afro-American Association (AAA)- Afro American Association is one of the student groups under ESA. AAA is by and for African-American and/or Black students on Whatcom Community College's campus determined to building a safe, solid, and empowering environment for students to succeed and thrive in the College setting. This organization is not exclusively for Black Students and is welcoming of anyone to come and learn about supporting students of Whatcom Community College and the greater Black Community. AAA meets Fridays from 3-4pm in Syre 217 (Intercultural center).

Estimated proportion of students that has participated in cultural competence trainings and activities (All, Most, Some, or None):
Some

Estimated proportion of staff (including administrators) that has participated in cultural competence trainings and activities (All, Most, Some, or None):
Some

Estimated proportion of faculty that has participated in cultural competence trainings and activities (All, Most, Some, or None):
Some

A brief description of the institution’s cultural competence trainings and activities for each of the groups identified above:
About the Intercultural Center, what we do, and how to find us The Intercultural Center supports educational equity and academic achievement for diverse student populations by providing access to resources and a safe place to connect through a culture of inclusion and respect. Our connections with each other are important! Many of us learn better when we study together. In the Intercultural Center, we consider community building to be an invaluable component of academic support as well as an important way to work toward social justice. Our location is in Syre Student Center 217. Please come visit us! We encourage you to drop by if you have any questions, need personal or academic support, want to talk, or even simply want a safe and welcoming place to hang out or eat lunch. We offer drop-in tutoring hours in conjunction with the Learning Center (currently offering German, French, and math tutoring), laptops to check out for use in the Intercultural Center, offer workshops, and have a social justice library and videos for use in the Intercultural Center. We are now offering Stone Soup Nights, on Tuesday evenings from 5 to 7 p.m. What do you bring to the pot? These evenings are opportunities for students, faculty, and staff to meet in an informal space to connect, talk, enjoy food together, and build a stronger community! Please bring your own food! This was in response to students who told us how much they valued any time spent getting to know faculty informally outside of the classroom. Our relationships with each other are important! Please come get to know each other! Tell your story! Listen to other folks' stories! Build community! So please come and spread the word! Student Groups The Intercultural Center supports several student groups on campus. Student groups are a fantastic way to get connected on campus whether you’re a brand new or a returning student. Additionally, student groups and clubs offer a great way to develop leadership skills and build your resume. Ethnic Student Association (ESA) – Ethnic Student Association (ESA) is a student group on campus where students from different heritages and backgrounds come together to celebrate diversity in our community at Whatcom Community College. Through fun and thought-provoking activities we explore identity development, social justice issues, and build alliances across identities. We also love food, games, and films! Meets Thursdays, 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. in the Intercultural Center (Syre 217). Afro-American Association (AAA)- Afro American Association is one of the student groups under ESA. AAA is by and for African-American and/or Black students on Whatcom Community College's campus determined to building a safe, solid, and empowering environment for students to succeed and thrive in the College setting. This organization is not exclusively for Black Students and is welcoming of anyone to come and learn about supporting students of Whatcom Community College and the greater Black Community. AAA meets Fridays from 3-4pm in Syre 217 (Intercultural center).

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Whatcom Community College has both an Intercultural Center as well as a Diversity Committee comprised of 10 members (2 students, 4 exempt, 2 classified, and 2 faculty members).

The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.