July 17, 2023聽
Dear Campus Community,
With appreciation for your candid feedback and ongoing engagement, I write to update you on our continued efforts to strengthen our culture of caring, safety, belonging and respect at 海角社区 Channel Islands.
As part of a systemwide effort across our 23 California State University campuses, the Cozen O鈥機onnor Institutional Response Group has assessed how we respond to reports and incidents of discrimination and harassment.
Through a series of interviews, campus visits, survey results and email feedback, Cozen O鈥機onnor has identified core findings identifying needs for improvements at both the system and university levels. Recommendations from this assessment will guide and help us improve our Title IX and Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation (DHR) training, awareness, prevention, intervention, compliance, and support systems.
The full written report of the systemwide Cozen O鈥機onnor assessment, including a summary report and a separate report specific to 海角社区CI can now be found on the webpage.
In addition, on May 24, Cozen O鈥機onnor presented to the Board of Trustees an initial of their assessment. (View a recording of the presentation: . Cozen section begins at 23:15.)
With these extensive findings and recommendations now in hand, our campus Implementation Team will follow through on overseeing them. This team, appointed in Spring 2023, includes a cross-section of campus stakeholders:
- Chair, William Nutt, Executive Director of Equity & Inclusion;
- Co-Chair, Kaia Tollefson, Chief of Staff;
- Helen Alatorre, ASI Executive Director;
- Eboni Ford Turnbow, Vice President for Student Affairs;
- Renee Fuentes, Manager of Institutional Equity and Deputy Title IX Coordinator;
- Marc Mootchnik, University Counsel;
- Daisy Navarrete, Student Government President;
- Lindsey O鈥機onnor, Associate Professor of Sociology; and
- Cassandra Sumano, Analyst to the Dean of Students & CARE Case Manager.
Key areas of focus and action over the months to come will include:
- Thoroughly reviewing the Cozen O鈥機onnor report and recommendations specific to our campus that were released today; and
- Developing an action plan for campus improvements.
This work will be very challenging. My trust, full support, and thanks go to our campus Implementation Team members who will invest their time, energy, and expertise in this vital effort so important to us all. Our ambitious goals will require substantial planning, additional resources and personnel, and will be accomplished in stages. We will continue to share our progress and specific plans as they are developed.
Thank you again to all who participated in the Cozen O鈥機onnor systemwide research project for your help in ensuring that 海角社区CI is a safe and inclusive place, where all of us can thrive.
Sincerely,
Richard Yao, Ph.D.
President