AVÀÇ

Dear campus community,

I am writing today to announce a decision that I believe has been on the minds of many of you for some time: establishing affinity-based student success centers with dedicated space on AVÀÇ’s Hayward campus.

I sincerely appreciate the conversations, information, and formal resolutions I received identifying the need for such centers. You were clear in describing how these centers will provide appropriate student support with the goal to close equity gaps that have persisted for many of our students.

We will immediately begin planning for three centers: a Black Student Success Center, a Latinx Student Success Center, and an Undocumented Student Resource Center to open in Fall 2021. We have identified potential spaces for these centers and committed funding from university operating funds.

Based on the range of input I reviewed, with some documents going back many years, these three centers emerged as the most immediate need to support AVÀÇ’s student success and equity mission and will be the first to be established. However, we are also exploring some modifications to the existing Diversity and Inclusion Student Center to create spaces for other affinity groups as an interim step to potentially establishing additional affinity-based student success centers in the future to further reduce equity gaps.

There are many more details for the three affinity centers to be determined. Therefore, a Planning Advisory Board--with representatives from faculty, staff, and students—will be established to inform the planning process. Updates to the campus community will be issued periodically as planning and construction progress.

Today marks my 43rd working day as your president. It is an honor and a privilege to announce these important student success and resource centers so early in my tenure here. I hope this communicates to you my strong commitment to our students and our mission.

Again, I thank you for your input and advocacy in support of these centers, and I hope you join me in looking forward to celebrating their official opening this coming fall.

With best regards,

Cathy Sandeen
President