Activity 1:  Diversity within the Community and Technical Colleges System – Recovering and Eliminating Systemic Racism and Implicit Bias

The State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) new vision statement,

“Leading with racial equity, our colleges maximize student potential and transform lives within a culture of belonging that advances racial, social, and economic justice in the service to our diverse communities.”

Working w/the CoE Advisory Board our career pathway program will lead with racial equity and recruit diverse individuals to help change our current culture:

  • Complete and publish a Board Statement about the importance of diversity and support for people of color.
  • Establish implicit bias workshops for educators.
  • Identify and implement additional outreach activities that support enrollment of people of color and diversity into our career field.
  • Assess and report on progress.

 

Activity 2:  Pathways to Partnerships: Collaboration Among Centers of Excellence

In the age of COVID-19, the Center is reminded of the importance of Continuity of Operations planning, and is looking at news way to collaborate with the eleven (11) Centers that will expand and enhance CoE goals across the state.

The Center directors and staff will hold bi-weekly meetings to collaborate on development of virtual sessions.  We will be partnering on events, workshops, and trainings, and working together on business operations and sharing resources and skill sets.

Our first collaboration is a virtual workshop in July addressing, “Recovery and Resilience in the Era of COVID-19: The Interconnectedness of Agriculture, Public Health, Supply Chain, Clean Energy, and Emergency Management.”

There will be several follow-up activities with Agriculture & Natural Resources, Allied Health, Clean Energy, and Supply Chain Management Centers to host virtual sessions that will identify lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic and address needed changes to curriculum and training. Participants will discuss what needs to be done now and for the future to ensure recovery and resilience for our economy.

Future sessions focus on the interconnectedness of the other career pathways and follow the same template established in the first virtual session.  Speakers and participants will share perspectives and concerns, which will help create a framework for solving these complicated challenges in the future Sessions will be free for attendees.

Activity 3:  Career Connected Pathways – HSEM Institute

The Center is expanding the training and education activities available through the HSEM Institute. These trainings will provide professional development opportunities for faculty, industry professionals, and students. Trainings will be in the All-Hazards Emergency Management fields of Criminal Justice, HSEM, Occupational Health and Safety, EMT/EMS, Fire Command/Fire Services and Cybersecurity.

The Center will continue its collaboration with Pierce College’s Continuing Education Department in establishing credit and non-credit courses. The HSEM Institute will debut its first course in Crisis Disaster Communication this summer. While the Course will explore disaster well beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic.  This pandemic was the final trigger for the development of this course as so many issues are being discussed in forums online, in the media and in homes related to public information. This is an important field of study, reflecting the impact of developments in evolving media practices, social media, mass communication and organizational communication upon communities affected by disaster.

In addition, Business Continuity Planning, Resilience and Recovery, FEMA fundamentals, and Mental Health in Disaster Management have been identified as priority training.  These courses will help students, faculty, and industry professionals gain awareness of industry needs, while staying current, and leveraging existing strengths and partnerships. Instructors will be industry experts who will provide well-developed courses and/or trainings that will benefit to those participating.

The Center’s “Showcase Series” will be made available through video presentations and trainings through the HSEM Institute. The Center has a large training library of videos on its website from many of workshops and forums. These will be highlighted in our “Showcase Series” for ongoing professional development for students, faculty, and staff.

We will also continue to support the Jayme Wisecup Scholarship. The scholarship focuses on Emergency Management/Disaster Preparedness and will provide funds for students to attend the Homeland Security Emergency Management Certificate or Associates Degree Program, which is offered at Peninsula College.  There are seven (7) other “Collaborating Colleges” across the state that offer this degree program as well. This scholarship will be for students getting a certificate or associate degree at Peninsular College.

Activity 4:  Public Safety Training and Education – Re-Imagining the Criminal Justice Field

 The CoE will focus on fully evaluating and assessing the implications of the impact of COVID-19, communicate the commitment by colleges to uphold social justice and racial equality, and measure and reimaging the outcomes law enforcement can deliver to its communities. Techniques and training to deliver outcomes will be evaluated when it comes to policing. Community-police relationships are more important now than ever before.

The Center will continue its work with the 20 Criminal Justice (CJ) Programs and employers to implement the model core curriculum in the Community and Technical Colleges (CTC) CJ Programs.  Any barriers will be identified and addressed with the appropriate administrative unites (e.g., specific colleges or State Board for Community and Technical College policy and CJTC associates).

The goal of a core curriculum is to assist with marketability and common assessment of CJ programs in WA State.   The colleges will continue to work through college-specific barriers to curriculum change and will work as a team to overcome State level barriers to implementation of a core curriculum. Curriculum has been aligned to use common course numbering and course naming along w/building curriculum crosswalk from each program to an agreed upon model.

Activity 5:  Expand and Enhance Our Webinars, Video Interviews and Lectures for Confluence

The Center will be expanding its multimedia section on its new website. This will include podcasts, webinars, video interviews and lectures for our audience to view and participate.

With webinars, our participants will be able to watch presentations while also participating by making comments or asking questions regardless of their location in this world.  Center will establish its own “media station” to facilitate the delivery of communications through interviews and podcasts. We will expand our outreach efforts and with the new website will have a new design and up-to-date information on our pathway programs.