We have often discussed that College of the Redwoods must become more nimble, remove barriers to student success, and do everything we can to remain relevant to the communities we serve. We know that we must position the college to benefit from the prospective advanced fiber optic information corridors that will terminate in Humboldt Bay, the data centers that will connect to them, improvements and expansions of educational systems in Del Norte, and the transformation of Humboldt State University into a third polytechnic institution for the CSU system.

CR’s new Education Master Plan (EMP) was endorsed by our Academic Senate and will be submitted to the Board of Trustees for approval on January 4, 2022. It calls on us to continue to examine our spending to better allocate scarce resources on things that improve student outcomes and makes sure that our financial decisions are made after careful consideration of current trends and emerging workforce needs. The EMP also calls on us to make academic decisions that intentionally focus on developing new curricula and pedagogy that responds directly to the immediate and near-term needs of our communities and optimizes best practices relevant to emerging technology.

To realize the strategic direction set forth in the EMP, I authorized the search for twelve new fulltime faculty positions for the 2022-23 academic year. This represents the largest faculty recruiting effort in the recent history of the college, welcoming members to join our exemplary academic community. These new faculty members will bring expertise in a range of topics, add vibrancy to our college community, help increase enrollment, and strengthen our collaboration with Cal Poly Humboldt.

In Eureka, we will hire faculty in Aquaculture, Native American Studies, Library Science, Welding Technology, English Composition/Adult Education, Agriculture, Forestry Natural Resources/GIS, Physical Education/Kinesiology, and Computer Information Systems.

We are also committing resources toward hiring new English Composition, Business, and Social Work & Human Services faculty in Del Norte who will enhance our ability to ensure that students enrolled in the Pelican Bay Scholars Program can complete their degree programs.

College of the Redwoods’ Board of Trustees, administration, and faculty understand that prison education is a recognized strategy for reducing criminal recidivism and improving economic opportunities. Providing rehabilitation for people serving prison sentences benefits both the individual inmate, as well as the community that inmate will re-enter upon their release.

I am thrilled to know that in eight short months, we will be able to welcome another incredibly talented group of new faculty to College of the Redwoods. I know that, just as people have adapted and changed during the pandemic, so too has our experience of academics. This new cadre of faculty represents our commitment to emerge from the pandemic a stronger, more vibrant institution, ready to engage with students and each other in more new ways than ever before.

Thank you for your continued support of College of the Redwoods. We will always be your community’s college.