Social Justice Action Committee

The general charge of the Social Justice Action Committee is to examine past and present processes, procedures, and everyday interactions impacting students. Through this examination the committee is responsible for identifying and addressing current and historical injustices with the end goal of developing the institutional culture.

FUNCTION

1. Examine internal policies, procedures, and practices to identify bias throughout the college that may disproportionately disadvantage historically marginalized peoples.
2. Recommend specific actions for consideration of immediate, medium, and long-term implementation to eliminate the identified bias and to advance social justice and equity for historically marginalized peoples at the college.
3. Promote cultural competence in faculty, staff, and students
4. Encourage faculty to include diversity and social justice elements in syllabi as they relate to accreditation
5. Facilitate involvement with internal and external agencies which promote diversity and social justice
6. Develop students to consider diversity in initial planning/treatment rather than as an afterthought
7. Help develop students who recognize and embrace diversity and help others to do so as well

OBJECTIVE

1. Support policies that lead to the hiring and retention of diverse faculty and staff.
2. Student access and success.
3. Intercultural education and training, i.e., the development of educational experiences/training around issues of implicit bias in hiring and retention, race and racism, and other issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI).
4. Ensure students and staff are in a safe and inclusive campus climate, which will continue to turn the results of the Campus Climate Survey into substantive change. College DEI initiatives, which will include college-wide projects, initiatives and other efforts that impact both the campus and larger community of which we are a part.
5. Organize and promote lectures and other professional development activities on diversity and social justice, including English Language Learners.
6. Serve as a resource to faculty

SPECIFIC TASKS

1. Conduct research annually related to the equitable mindsets and practices of Porterville College employees and the perceptions of students as it relates to social justice.
2. Create professional development opportunities for all college employees related to identifying issues, understanding, and enhancing efforts related to social justice.
3. Identify and evaluate the policies and procedures of the college and make recommendations geared toward enhancing social justice.

QUORUM

1. All agenda items must come to the chair of the committee and co-chair.
2. All agenda items on which action is taken are forwarded to the College Council.
3. The deadline for submitting agenda items is one week prior to the scheduled meeting.
4. If a decision needs to be made at a regularly scheduled meeting, the majority vote will be the final recommendation to the College Council. If an unscheduled special meeting is called, a minimum of 50% plus 1- committee members must be present.

MEETINGS

1. Meetings are to be held twice per month.
2. Regular and special meetings shall be called or canceled by the chair.
3. The chairs should include one administrator (appointed by the President) and one Faculty member (appointed by the Senate President).
4. Any additional committee members beyond those appointed will be voted on by the committee.
5. We must at all times respect each other’s opinions and not personalize, e.g., use specific names of staff members.