The North Orange County Community College District Board of Trustees met with the Fullerton College Faculty, Staff, and students Monday, Nov. 25 to discuss any and all issues that needed to be addressed.
This event succeeded in providing an opportunity for many pressing issues to be unearthed. Including the hope to place a greater emphasis on coordinating efforts to assist veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder at the college, the Student Success Summit that will soon occur, a more influential Food Bank, and Fullerton’s status as the number seven in transfer from junior college.
When the subject of the struggles that underprivileged students face during the holidays arose, Chancellor Ned Doffoney answered the staffs’ hopes to do more for students. Doffoney suggested that the faculty recommend four students, in need of help, to join his family at his home for Thanksgiving dinner.
“If they’re Southern they’ll understand what I’m cooking, if not they’ll learn what i’m cooking,” said Doffoney who truly wants his Southern hospitality to resonate throughout the district.
“I would like people to know that this college and the entire district has lots of thoughtful people,” said Doffoney. “We were concerned today, not only about our individual well-being, but the wellbeing of the broad communities around the world.”
The final moments of the meeting proved to be quite somber, as Chancellor Doffoney requested a moment of silence in honor of Philippines and the underprivileged youth.
The Fall semester was filled with memorable events that celebrated the rich history of the college, however as it comes to a close the Spring semester promises to be just as exciting.
Following the meeting Bob Jensen, Dean of Fine Arts and co-coordinator of the Fullerton College Centennial, made himself available to discuss the upcoming semester.
“There are still about 25 projects that will occur during the spring,” said Jensen. “On Jan. 31st a centennial futures conference will project what Orange County, the State, the nation, and the world will look like in 15-25 years. So were preparing our students to be leaders for that world.”
The event will be filled with top-flight speakers, and serves as the perfect transition between the past that was celebrated in the Fall semester and a look towards the future in the Spring semester.
Additional events will commence with the Art Alumni Show on Feb. 1 and an integrated fundraising event between the Rotary Club of Fullerton and FC in March.
That will be followed by the acceptance of a Mural from Fullerton’s sister city in Mexico, and the Centennial Gala on April 26 which will induct six Fullerton College alumni into its Hall of Fame.
The inductees will be Pat Nixon, former first lady of the United States, Cruz Reynoso, the first Chicano Associate Justice of the California Supreme Court, Leo Fender, the famous electric guitar maker, Sarah Mcpharron, the voice instructor at Fullerton College, Luis Plummer, the first Superintendent of the college, and finally Hal Sherbeck, the well celebrated coach.
“We hope to raise the moral with our faculty by creating these events that reconnect us with our past in a positive way,” said Jensen. ”I also hope we develop a vibrant vision for the future, we don’t want to stand still.”