Governing Board Goals

Commitment

The Southwestern College Board of Governors is deeply committed to the development and success of all students. We value the diversity of the district’s students, faculty, staff, and campus community. We believe in the importance of honoring our history, our designation as a Hispanic-Serving Institution (HSI), and the rich diversity of our community while working towards creating an equity-focused inclusive college.

The board affirms that the district shall provide an education and work environment that is welcoming and supportive of all members of the college community, regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, disability, sexual orientation, age or religion. The environment shall be such that students and employees can learn and work together in an atmosphere that is productive and not only free from discrimination, harassment, exploitation, and hate crimes, but affirmatively empowers people of all backgrounds. We expand on this commitment in our SWC Student Access, Equity, Success and Completion Commitment Statement.

The Board will uphold the values expressed in our college mission statement ensuring that we embody and promote them as we carry out our responsibilities, hold ourselves and the Superintendent/President accountable and engage in ongoing learning opportunities to strengthen our policies and practices.

Guiding Principles

As a way to guide our policy development and decision-making process, the Board has identified the following principles as critical to upholding our institutional values:

  • Student-Centered
  • Equity-Focused
  • Data-Informed
  • Community Connected

2022-2025 Governing Board Goals

Goal 1: Student Centered Approach

Objectives

  • Support the implementation and institutionalizing ofJaguar Pathways to increase access and utilization of academic and personal support for students.
  • Advocate for and support the implementation of ethnic studies (i.e. African American studies, Chicano studies, Asian Pacific Islander (API) studies, Indigenous studies, LGBTQIA studies, Women’s studies, and others).
  • Support college programs that leverage student workforce opportunities, which may include service-learning, internships, and apprentice program.

Goal 2: Inclusive Equity-Focused, Anti-Racism Campus Culture - Emphasis on Leadership

Objectives

  • Adopt board policies that support the development of administrative procedures requiring anti-racism and implicit bias training as a requirement for all new hires, hiring committees, Associated Student Organization (ASO) and board members.
  • Ensure the Board conducts business and communication from an inclusive, equity-focused, and anti-racist practices. The Board will serve as a model of unity and cohesive leadership for the college.
  • Support the strengthening of institutional accountability and implementation of tools to address racism or violations of the discrimination policy.
  • Support the Superintendent/President in developing the college’s 2021-2025 Strategic Plan that includes diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racist practices.

Goal 3: Faculty, Staff and Leadership Representation Through Hiring, Onboarding, Retention, Mentoring and Leadership Development

Objectives

  • Adopt policies that require diverse hiring committees and support recruitment strategies that ensure a diverse candidate pool for all open positions.
  • Adopt board policies that support the development of administrative procedures promoting the hiring and retention of a diverse workforce at all levels.
  • Support equitable retention strategies in support of programs tools, training, mentoring and other opportunities for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC) faculty and staff.

Goal 4: Leverage Financial Power to Dismantle White Supremacy & Institutional Racism

Objectives

  • Adopt an equitable budget that aligns with board goals and the college’s strategic plan.
  • Assess and revise current business and financial affairs governing board policies through an equity-minded, race conscious and anti-racism lens. 
  • Support district strategies to partner with district BIPOC-led/owned businesses and organizations.

Goal 5: Community Connectedness

Objectives

  • Support the strengthening of communication with surrounding neighborhoods and community to highlight programs and services of the college.
  • Support strategies to increase participation and college presence in the community while creating opportunities for engagement with students, faculty, and staff to serve as ambassadors through the sharing of their stories and work at the college.

Governing Board Approved, January 10, 2022