Berkeley City College President's Report

Flex Day at Berkeley City College

Berkeley City College held its Flex Day virtual event titled “Transforming our Institution to Transform Student Scholar Lives” on Friday, January 21st. Some of the highlights included a student panel on “Life and Learning in a Pandemic,” which included breakout sessions to reflect on changes to student life during the pandemic.

 The college community then engaged in an interactive degree sorting activity to explore the future of academic career pathways at Berkeley City College. During lunch, brown bag mini-sessions were held introducing a new virtual teaching tool called Padlet to help streamline online learning. The program resumed with a presentation on racial equity to identify trends and pathways to better achieve our commitment to equitable student success and completion. We then held hourlong sessions at the division level, before breaking out into departmental meetings. Flex-Day wrapped up with a Zoom happy hour to say hello to our Berkeley City College community and prepare for the start of the semester.

BCC Scholarships to Support Students!

Berkeley City College is known for providing students with access to quality teaching and learning programs and student support services. During these challenging times of the COVID pandemic, students have shared how hard it is to focus on pursuing their education. As a way to support students in their academic and career goals, BCC is offering the chance for students to receive a $1,000 scholarship. We invite students who are enrolled in one course to consider enrolling in one more towards their completing their academic goal. For students who enrolled in Fall 2021 but have not yet registered for Spring 2022, we invite YOU!

Getting started at BCC

Enroll now and you will have the chance to receive one of 30 $1,000 scholarships! For additional support, please attend the upcoming Express Registration events on Jan. 25-26 and on Zoom on Jan. 27.

Upload your Vax Campaign

Berkeley City College is committed to a safe return to campus this Spring 2022 and is working to support students in the vaccination process. BCC students have been offered a $50 gift card incentive to upload their proof of vaccination through Campus Solutions by January 17th, to coincide with the PCCD’s deadline to upload vaccination information. The “Upload Your Vax” campaign opened on December 21st and will continue through January 17th. BCC students who upload their vaccination information during this timeframe are eligible to receive the $50 gift card to be given at the close of the campaign. Campaign outreach efforts include using a three-pronged approach of social media outreach, email, and text messaging to inform students about the gift card and upload deadline. The campaign has also continued to highlight the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics that are being held on BCC’s campus with the next clinic scheduled for Tuesday, January 18th from 11:30 to 6:30 pm. All are welcome and vaccines are free, so drop in. Between 12/21 - 1/18, we had a total of 2,025 students upload their full vaccination.

Safe and Smooth Return to Campus

It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly two years since we could see students and faculty engaging in learning activities on campus! We are so happy to welcome everyone back. Berkeley City College is following district, state, and federal guidelines by developing systems to ensure a smooth and safe return to campus. Air circulation and purification were prioritized over winter break to help mitigate Covid-19 transmission. We have created a system of entering campus at our only entrance to help resolve any bottlenecks. Clear signage and student ambassadors will address questions about Company Nurse and Campus Shield screening procedures. Bright Star Care certified health professionals are now on campus to verify students’ vaccination requirements as well assist with screening activities for faculty and staff. We’re also promoting weekly on-campus Covid-19 testing clinics using social media and email campaigns to help keep our community safe.

Weekly Covid-19 Testing at Berkeley City College

Berkeley City College is committed to a safe return to campus this Spring 2022 and is working to support students in the vaccination process. BCC students have been offered a $50 gift card incentive to upload their proof of vaccination through Campus Solutions by January 17th, to coincide with the PCCD’s deadline to upload vaccination information. The “Upload Your Vax” campaign opened on December 21st and will continue through January 17th. BCC students who upload their vaccination information during this timeframe are eligible to receive the $50 gift card to be given at the close of the campaign. Campaign outreach efforts include using a three-pronged approach of social media outreach, email, and text messaging to inform students about the gift card and upload deadline. The campaign has also continued to highlight the COVID-19 Vaccination Clinics that are being held on BCC’s campus with the next clinic scheduled for Tuesday, January 18th from 11:30 to 6:30 pm. All are welcome and vaccines are free, so drop in. Between 12/21 - 1/18, we had a total of 2,025 students upload their full vaccination.

President’s New Year Message

One of my greatest joys is spending time with my loved ones and community. My hope for the Berkeley City College community is that the time away from campus at the end of 2021 and, for some, the beginning of 2022 was a time of recovery and rejuvenation. During our college holiday celebration event, I shared that while the winter holiday season can be a time of joy, it can also be a time of pain with reminders of the realities of difficult relationships, financial hardships, and the constraints of societal norms dictating how we should spend (time and money) on the holiday season. However your break treated you, welcome back, colleagues, students, and friends.

I am excited for the New Year and semester because with it comes the opportunity for continued progress. Whether you make a new year resolution or not, many students see a new semester as a “fresh start.” It’s a time for putting into action the goals and aspirations they have for their future. And we are privileged to be a part of their progress both inside and outside of the classroom.

We have put tremendous effort into ensuring the return of in-person learning is safe, equitable, and fulfilling for everyone who walks through our doors. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent variants continue to present challenges for our College, but I believe we can meet these challenges with humility, strength, and the empathy that defines Berkeley City College’s mission to serve our community.

I hope the new year brings new opportunities for all of us, and I’m excited to see students continue to make progress and thrive into the future.

BCC Welcome Week Events:

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, January 25, 2022. To read this report as a pdf click here.