Celebrating Black History Month at BCC

On February 1st, Berkeley City College marked the beginning of Black History Month with an opening ceremony titled “Black History is American History, Black History is World History,” organized by EOPS/CARE Coordinator Ramona Butler and BCC’s Black Student Union. Students, faculty, and staff gathered in the Student Lounge and via Zoom to take part in the festivities. Butler and President Angélica Garcia welcomed attendants with opening remarks. Butler and Dean Brenda Johnson continued with the presentation of the Ancestral Altar and Libation ceremony. Rhonda Benin then performed a selection of Spiritual Songs and educated the audience on the historical significance of these songs. Berkeley City College is set to host several events this month to commemorate Black History Month. We are blessed to have such remarkable and diverse members in our community centering on Black beauty and brilliance.

Return to Campus Updates

Berkeley City College is happy to report the safe and smooth return of students and staff to campus during the first week of school. We understood there would be an adjustment period with the new policies and procedures in place to enter campus, but our students, faculty, and staff were prepared to meet the task. We want to extend our gratitude for the inspiring teamwork to execute this project. Special thanks to the Berkeley City College custodial staff, Marina Security officers, Bright Star staff members, student ambassadors, and the administration team for organizing this effort. We also would like to thank the students, faculty, and staff for showing patience and understanding that these procedures are in place for their safety, along with the safety of the college community. We will continue to adjust and streamline the Return to Campus policies and procedures as the Spring semester progresses.

Chancellor Jackson Visits BCC

Berkeley City College was pleased to host a visit from Interim Chancellor Dr. Jannett Jackson on Wednesday, January 26th. Dr. Jackson met with students, faculty, and staff and was able to witness BCC’s efforts to execute a safe Return to Campus. She fielded questions and concerns from staff members about returning to campus and shared her personal experiences in education with students. She was also able to visit a couple of classes in session to see classroom learning back in action. Berkeley City College thanks Dr. Jackson for her time and leadership as we transition back to in-person teaching and learning.

Welcome Week 2022: Stepping into Spring, Shining Bright Together 

Welcoming students back to campus, Berkeley City College held a two-week program to support students, familiarize them with campus and provide services to help them get on the right track to start the spring semester. This year’s Welcome Week theme, “Stepping into Spring, Shining Bright Together” was kicked off by an opening celebration and included multiple sessions of Express Registration, a Virtual Campus Resource Fair, the “Bienvenida de BCC”, as well as a Game Day and Scavenger Hunt where students earned prizes. On Monday, January 31st students were treated to free pastries and drinks and heard Welcome remarks from President Garcia, ASBCC President Harry Mapodile, members of the Administration team, as well as key support services such as Janine Greer’s presentation on health and wellness.

“The ASBCC encourages you to be proactive in shaping your Berkeley City College experience, dive into every club and organization that speaks to you,” said Mapodile. “Curate your own journey, but always know that you never have to undertake it alone. Welcome back to campus.” 

ACCJC Upgrades Peralta CCD’s Accreditation Status

On Friday, January 27, President Angélica Garcia shared the welcome news that the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) removed Berkeley City College from the Probation status, upgrading it to Warning status. The move is a testament to the collective effort at the district level and college level. We recognize the commitment to excellence from Berkeley City College's classified professional staff, faculty, administration, students, and Board of Trustees in making this progress possible. We also recognize the collaborative work with our 3 sister colleges at Laney College, Merritt College, and College of Alameda to achieve this accomplishment.

While Berkeley City College is excited with the progress, we recognize there is more work to be done to regain the stability that students and community members expect in BCC’s commitment and ability to provide students with high-quality, equitable educational pathways that promote success and completion. We look forward to continuing to audit the financial practices for the College. Berkeley City College is required to submit a Follow-Up Report to address the remaining compliance requirements and deficiencies identified through fiscal monitoring by October 1, 2022. We look forward to working with District colleagues, colleagues at our sister colleges, and within our own college community to submit that report, with a goal of progress towards full accreditation.

Happy Lunar New Year - The Year of the Tiger!

Berkeley City College welcomes all celebrating the Lunar New Year. It is a special moment recognizing the alignment of the stars, marking the beginning of the year of the Tiger. The Tiger is associated with courage, strength, and hope. We embrace these traits as our community continues to face challenges in the ongoing pandemic.

As we welcome the year of the Tiger, I express my sincerest wishes to you all that we come together as a community to see each other’s humanity, beauty, and strength. We hope by re-opening our campus you may build bonds with those joining you on your academic journey, and foster connections that will last a lifetime. To those who continue to study, teach, and provide services in a virtual setting, please know that we see you uplifting our community. Your BCC family is here providing strength and courage for each other as we transition from the isolation of the past two years to a place of hope and inspiration.

Director of Student Activities and Campus Life, John Nguyen, shared his personal weekend of celebration with family and loved ones for the Lunar New Year during the Welcome Week Kick-off yesterday. He reminded us that while we seek to celebrate the Lunar New Year, we also acknowledge the members of our Asian American & Pacific Islander community who continue to be targets of violence or hate. We acknowledge this so we may provide empathy and support for those in our community who may feel vulnerable. Let us all embrace the inner Tiger within and stand in solidarity with our AAPI family. 

Chúc mừng năm mới! (John Nguyen shared this wish in his home language, Vietnamese). 

We wish you good health, security, and prosperity.

This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. Angélica Garcia, Berkeley City College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, February 8, 2022. To read this report as a pdf click here.