Monday, May 5, 2025
Greetings West Valley Community and Happy Cinco de Mayo!
Cinco de Mayo, or the fifth of May, commemorates the Battle of Puebla. In the United States, Cinco de Mayo is a celebration of Mexican culture and heritage, while the battle itself symbolizes a strategic victory for the Mexican government in resisting French rule—and with the support of a fledgling United States government both politically and militarily. In these current times, and despite the heightened rhetoric around immigration and even direct action being taken, it is my hope that we make space to appreciate the beauty and diversity of the Mexican people, of our students, colleagues, and community.
As we finish out the semester, I have information and updates to share.
50 Percent Law
Thank you to those who attended the Spring All-College Meeting on April 17. Anthony Djedi, Vice President of Administrative Services, led a timely discussion on the Fifty Percent Law’s history and went over our current grant status and strategy for new revenue. We engaged in a prioritization activity, aligning budget decisions with college values to ensure resources are directed towards fulfilling the institution's mission and priorities. For more information on the Fifty Percent Law, please take a look at the Oversight of the 50 Percent Law and Fact Sheet attached.
Organizational Charts
We have completed two organizational assessments as a campus community. For a refresher, please review my communication on May 10, 2024, regarding phase one of the organization updates and December 20, 2024, on phase two. As I expressed at College Council and constituent meetings, we anticipate making no further changes to the organizational structure in the immediate future, to allow time for folks to settle in and adjust. In time, we will revisit our organizational structure to gauge effectiveness. The following link includes the updated organizational charts for your information and review: Organizational Charts
Staffing Plan
In the coming academic year, I will share the college’s staffing plan for the next five years. This staffing plan outlines our operational goals to objectives, ensuring the right people with the right skills are in place at the right time. It will optimize resource allocation, address turnover, and support the college's strategic direction. The plan will specifically speak to and examine the need for classified professional, management, and faculty staffing while focusing on historical gaps and process inefficiencies.
First-in-Nation Universal Free Meals Program
I am pleased to share, if you have not already heard, West Valley-Mission Community College District is launching in Fall 2025 the first universal free meal program. This historic initiative guarantees students at both West Valley and Mission have free access to nutritious meals. In preparation, the Campus Center will be closed from the end of May to late July. The redecorated and refurnished area creates an engaging student-centered learning space—which all will experience on All-College Day. In going forward, we are actively planning to utilize a variety of entertainment and event spaces on our beautiful 143-acre campus. As the Campus Center undergoes modernization, food trucks will be available to accommodate our campus dining needs.
2025 Summer Leadership Retreat
Lastly, we will have our second annual summer leadership retreat on June 11 and 12. The retreat is structured around meaningful topics to move our institution forward. Some topics this year will include Human Centered Design and Healing and Play. If you would like to attend the summer leadership retreat, please express your interest to the appropriate representative, Meg Farrell, Andrae Wara-Macapinlac, or Lucas Vincenot.
In community and success,
Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Ph.D.