Merritt College Day of Appreciation

On Tuesday, March 1, Merritt held its Day of Appreciation—an event where the college provided breakfast in the morning and lunch in the afternoon to students, classified professional staff members, faculty, and administrators. It was satisfying to see so many people come out to eat and enjoy fellowship (Merritt had nearly 150 folks at each sitting...Trustee Handy and Director of Marketing, Communication & Public Relations Mark Johnson joined the event, as well). The most moving aspect of the day was the energy, enthusiasm, gratitude, and joy that were on full display. The event was an excellent reminder that despite the challenges of the past two years, Merritt is still connected, committed, and a community. The college looks forward to doing more of these events in the next several weeks, as we continue to express our gratitude for the work we are privileged to do.

Merritt College Celebrates Women’s History Month During March

As March is Women’s History Month, it's important to recognize the history (a big thanks to Doris Hankins, Director of Student Activities for sharing some of it) that lead to the commemoration. In 1978, the Education Task Force of the Sonoma County (California) Commission on the Status of Women organized a week-long celebration of all the contributions of women. The National Women's History Project (now known as the National Women's History Alliance) continued to lobby each year to have March known as Women's History Month. In 1981, Congress passed a joint resolution authorizing and requesting President Reagan to proclaim the week beginning March 7, 1982, as “Women’s History Week.” In 1987, Congress passed Pub. L. 100-9, a resolution to formally designate the month of 1987 as Women’s History Month. But as the college celebrates, it's important to recognize the work that the women of Merritt are doing. Whether it be the women leaders in our administrative ranks, the classified and academic senates, our bargaining groups (PFT/SEIU), our governance groups, or those who are doing great work in the classrooms and our student service areas—please know that you are admired and appreciated.

Merritt College Participated in Community College League of California Symposium

Merritt College (along with its sister schools) represented Peralta well at the Community College League of California 2022 CEO Symposium held from March 3-5. Some of the topics discussed included the positive impact of potential student housing projects, the importance of crafting effective strategies for advancing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and how technology can be best leveraged to address the basic needs of students.

This article is taken from the President’s Report, written by Dr. David M. Johnson, Merritt College President, that was presented to the PCCD Board of Trustees during their regular meeting on Tuesday, March 8, 2022. To view as a pdf, click here.