Our academic year has come to an end, the majority of our students and faculty are away for the summer, and our campuses have quieted down. Although administrators, managers, and staff can connect and begin summer projects, we all feel the impact of our students' absence in our college community—they are the reason why my faculty and staff colleagues and I are here! Campus feels less vibrant and alive when our student body is on summer break.

However, we all still have a lot of work to do to. In a time of rapid change, we have to make sure we offer the relevant classes to prepare our students for the jobs of the future, we know that many of our students come to College of the Redwoods seeking better jobs or to gain the necessary credits to transfer to a university. To that end, CR is continuing to improve its partnerships with industry, so that we can offer students real-world practice validated by our partners and become more agile in curriculum and program development.

Furthermore, we are dedicated to broadening our range of degree and certificate options in the coming three years, surpassing the current offerings of 20 transfer degrees, 36 Associate of Art (AA) and Associate of Science (AS) degrees, and 129 certificates. The expanded offerings will make CR a smart investment for success.

To meet the workforce needs of our healthcare partners in Humboldt, Del Norte and Trinity counties, we intend to focus on expanding our healthcare degrees and certificates offerings. Beginning in in the fall 2024 semester, we plan to provide students with the chance to pursue careers in several emerging health and business-related fields by offering new associate degrees in healthcare Navigation/Patient Care Coordination and Personal Wellness Training, among others.

Additionally, we are going through the necessary state and internal review processes to explore the viability of offering associate degrees in Respiratory Care Therapy, Surgical Technology, Radiology Technology, and Psychiatric Technology in 2025-26. We are aware that healthcare is one of the fastest growing industries this century, and we intend to stay at the forefront of industry trends and community needs and ensure that our students are well-prepared for the evolving employment opportunities in the healthcare sector.

Additionally, to meet the needs of our changing business community and to capitalize on incoming sectors and opportunities, we are also researching options for degrees in Project Management, Wind Technology, and Engineering Technology in 2025-26.

The recent policy shift in California allowing community colleges to grant bachelor's degrees marks a significant milestone in the state's higher education landscape. While CR has traditionally focused on associate degrees and certificates, with support from Cal Poly Humboldt, we hope to offer our students an opportunity to graduate with a bachelor’s degree from College of the Redwoods.

CR aims to focus on disciplines that are in high demand and critical to regional economic growth, reflect local labor needs, and do not duplicate existing degree pathways offered by our university partners. This fall we will be deeply engaging with faculty to determine which programs would be most viable to pursue, but we anticipate allied health care programs will be high on our list of priorities for baccalaureate degree development. We intend to submit applications to offer bachelor’s degrees in areas that make logical sense as an extension of some of our associate degree programs.

With a focus on affordability, accessibility, and industry collaboration, we want to expand our offerings, keep pace with industry needs, and better serve students in a rapidly changing world.