CR's March 7, 2025 Times Standard Article - Del Norte Blueprint for the Future

Mar 3 2025

There is no doubt that the College of the Redwoods Del Norte Education Center is an excellent learning environment, dedicated to the community. But we are at an unprecedented time in our history where providing an excellent learning environment is not enough. In the years since the pandemic, we have seen significant changes in student expectations. They now require more flexibility in scheduling. More and more students want the option of both in-person classroom experiences and remote learning or online classes. There is also a stronger demand for education that leads directly to employment. 

Additionally, the Del Norte region is facing an almost overwhelming mixture of high poverty (14.3%), a high rate of disability (15%), limited healthcare access, and a projected 18% population decline. They are also expecting a 15% drop in K-12 enrollment by 2045, and labor force participation remains low, especially among men and those with lower educational attainment. All of this means that we have an obligation to transform the Del Norte Education Center from an excellent campus to an extraordinary one. 

This past fall semester, I asked some Del Norte Campus staff, faculty, and community members to come together as a task force to conduct a high-level review of our Del Norte Campus operations. Guided by our Education Master Plan – particularly our goal of creating a more nimble and adaptable campus and expanding and prioritizing offerings that prepare students for living-wage jobs—I asked the task force to discuss ways we can expand student learning opportunities that support career transition, respond to the evolving needs of our students and community, and ensure that our fiscal and human resources are allocated is a way that strengthens our ability to deliver quality education to our current and future students. 

Based on employment, fiscal, and course scheduling data, and considering the unique needs of Del Norte County, the task force recommended several strategic directions to serve as the foundation for a long-term plan for our Del Norte Campus: Strengthen Strategic Planning and Visioning, Enhance Student Pathways, Invest in Facilities and Programs, Create a Targeted Marketing and Community Engagement Strategy (this is both and long and a short term plan), Expand Student Support Services, and Achieve Financial Sustainability.

The task force also recommended several immediate actionable items that would help us expand educational access to our Del Norte community and address regional workforce shortages in healthcare, skilled trades, and education. Those actions include: 

·         Working closely with Del Norte High School to expand dual enrollment opportunities for students.

·         Reducing non-mission critical spending. 

·         Accelerating Measure I planning for the Del Norte Healthcare Education Training Center.

·         Developing a Credit for Prior Learning program. 

·         Pursuing external funding sources and community partnerships. 

·         Ensuring that we have a sufficient number of advising staff to serve all of Del Norte Campus students. 

I agreed to immediately move forward with these actions while simultaneously working towards a long-term plan.

I want to thank Dr. Amy Moffat and Professor Levi Gill for leading the task force and Dr. Darius Kalvaitis and Bernadette Johnson, as our CR faculty and Senate representatives.

I also want to thank our regional partners and stakeholders who generously shared their insights during focus groups and discussions, ensuring that this strategic review reflects the broader needs of Del Norte County. Special thanks to Lupe Gutierrez (CR Foundation Board Member), Brian Millett (Tolowa Dee-ni' Nation Tribal Employment Ordinance Officer), Cindy Vosburg (Executive Director, Del Norte Chamber of Commerce), Eric Wier (City Manager, Crescent City), and Gina Zottola (Vice President, Humboldt Area Foundation / Wild Rivers Community Foundation). 

I am also immensely grateful for every faculty and staff member of the Del Norte Campus for their commitment to the community and to their dedication to our students. Their help in executing an aspirational and measurable long-term plan is crucial. I am confident that the plan will strengthen academic excellence, expand further opportunities for innovation, enhance the student experience, and deepen the connection between the campus and the community.

As we have repeatedly demonstrated, together, as a united campus community, we can embrace change with optimism, build on our strengths, and draw on the immense talents in our institution to chart a course for the future.