From the President
A Thank You on Graduation Day
June 25, 2021
Dear Colleagues,
I write you today with deep thanks for everything you did for our students this year.
I don’t need to belabor the many challenges and losses. But I want to honor the work done with so much heart and care, starting with the daily teaching and support of our students. We all learned new ways to do this -- lessons that will carry forward and improve what we do in the future.
We continue to work at De Anza to advance equity: in the classroom, in services, and in operations; through the Office of Equity and across the college, with the incredible work on Guided Pathways, on grants, and in initiatives large and small. I knew when I came to De Anza that the college had a longstanding commitment to equity, and now I’ve seen the daily attention to all aspects of this work. Through all there is left to do, I know this commitment will continue.
The Classified Senate did notable work this year on behalf of their membership, using an equity lens -- and we, as a college, have made inroads in acknowledging and supporting the work of our classified professionals. I look forward to the recommendations of the Governance Review Task Force as we rethink the governance structure on behalf of our entire community.
You have managed to build true community online with our students -- an incredible accomplishment, and one they cherish. This could not have been any more clear to me than in the many graduation celebrations I’ve attended over the past several weeks. The connections our graduates have to their instructors and to each other were apparent -- and so meaningful and moving to witness, and be a part of.
I want to add a special note of gratitude to Associate Vice President of Instruction Lorrie Ranck, whose last day with us is today. We wish her all the very best as she moves to the position of Vice President of Instruction at Mission College. Her accomplishments -- including as Acting Vice President of Instruction, and in overseeing the transition to online last year -- are far too many to enumerate here. Mission College is very fortunate to have her.
I look forward to watching the Online Graduation Celebration with all of you this evening, at 7 p.m. Each and every one of you have contributed to the successes of the students we will honor -- and I honor you for that.
With appreciation,
Lloyd