Statement On Vote Of No Confidence Resolution

Dear Members of the Academic Senate and Columbia College Community,

As President of Columbia College, my top priority is to not merely fill the position but to lead change which benefits our students, staff, faculty, and community. When I arrived on campus, there were many challenges including declining enrollment, weakened community partnerships, and a great need for workforce-centric initiatives. And over the last two and a half years, we have collectively achieved tremendous milestones driven by the collective efforts of the faculty, staff, and my administration.

I recognize dialogue is the foundation of shared governance and system change. I respect and welcome different opinions because through constructive conversations, we are able to develop solutions that align with the college’s core educational mission while understanding we each bring different perspectives to that mission. Diversity of opinion is invaluable.

While I understand that some faculty have concerns – and that alone weighs heavy on me – open, respectful and meaningful dialogue is a reasonable expectation in academia as we work toward understanding and resolving those concerns. We are currently working with a former community college chancellor to support our efforts in strategic communication.

I’ve reached out on several occasions to the Academic Senate leadership which have unfortunately not been reciprocated, and as we can see in the resolution, very few tangible concerns have been identified. The approach taken here doesn’t seem solution oriented, and poses risk to our institutional reputation over challenges that are certainly solvable.

Let me highlight a short list of key accomplishment we’ve made together including:
● Successfully completing the Accreditation Focused Site Visit with no major findings. A recognition for our robust CTE (Career Technical Education) Programs.
● Restoring enrollment levels to their pre-pandemic numbers.
● Increasing the relationships and presence of Columbia College within the surrounding community, and particularly
aligning our education with job pathways and needs in healthcare, forestry, and fire protection.
● Building a strong dual enrollment program with our high school partners, approximately 800 students enrolled in our classes.
● Securing over $20 million in grants, which funded free healthcare training for over 100 students, many of whom
secured employment upon completion.
● Serving as the fiscal agent for K-16 Sierra Collaborative, overseeing an estimate of $18.3 million grant to support seven counties in a regional approach to education.
● Providing professional development opportunities to industry leaders such as Tesla, Apple, and LinkedIn for faculty, staff, and students to stay relevant with industry needs.
● Voted for “Best College” 2024 by Union Democrat Readers’ Choice.
● Completed a partnership with Cal Fire to station an engine on campus, strengthening our Fire Science Program into one of the top in the state.
● Earned national recognition, ranking 28th out of 118 California Community Colleges, 34th for Best Culinary Program out of 140 community colleges in the USA, and 129th overall out of 965 community colleges in the country.

These accomplishments are a testament to the positive cultural shift at Columbia College and what we can achieve working together, and I believe they will continue to benefit the college now and for the long term.

I am again proposing an open dialogue between myself and the Academic Senate to foster more transparent and collaborative communication because effective governance is important, it is critical we are able to resolve any issues professionally, efficiently, and collaboratively. This will be how we continue to strengthen our institution of higher education. However, that will first require the Academic Senate being willing to dialogue, be specific, and constructively engage.

My mission continues to be the same. Supporting our student success, meeting the challenges of tomorrow, and ensuring we are a resilient and effective institution.

Sincerely,
Dr. Lena Tran
President, Columbia College