The Academic Senate Meeting opened on Monday with Pierce College Librarian Mario Macias reading “American Arithmetic,” an emotional poem written by the Native American author Natalie Diaz in recognition of Native American Heritage Month.
This poem expresses her heartfelt cries not to become invisible as the percentage of Native Americans dwindle in the United States.
“We are Americans and we are less than 1 percent of Americans. We do a better job of dying by police than we do existing,” Diaz said. “In Arithmetic and in America, divisibility has rules—divide without remainder.”
Transfer Center Director Sunday Salter explained that many students are unaware of the student-initiated graduation petitioning process. Salter said this process leads many graduates back to Pierce struggling to officially get their certificates and degrees.
“Students have to initiate the graduation petition process at Pierce College and in our district and many students are not aware of this,” Salter said. “Many of our transfer students don’t understand this and finish their classes, transfer on, start at their university, and even get to the point of almost graduating when they are told they never submitted the necessary paperwork, which leads them back to Pierce College.”
Salter said that the Transfer Center is working to “clean up” the graduation petition process so that the graduating process can be easier for students.
Guided Pathways Co-coordinator Judy Lam gave an update on the three Guided Pathways goals, which are primarily Career Development, Retention/Probation, but also Curriculum Review. What they are currently doing to actualize them for the Pierce students.
“The idea behind Career Development is that we want to help our students visualize their goals,” Lam said. “We are also planning events such as the Major Fair, the UCLA trip, and the trip to the LA Auto Shop for auto students. Encourage your students to attend these events!”
Lam also dove into Guided Pathways second goal, Retention/Probation, expressing that success coaches have been hired to help the students who are “right on the cusp.” She also expressed that communication will be conducted with information counselors.
“We have some communication efforts with our success coaches,” Lam said. “The goal is to make sure that our students who are on the cusp of probation or are on probation are provided with the support that they need and to encourage them. We currently have three success coaches that have already begun work and more that will be starting soon.”