Organizational Framework of the Umoja Community

1
Organizational Framework of the Umoja Community

• Mission, Recruitment, Training
• And Funding Strategies

2
Mission Statement

• Umoja is a community and critical resource
  dedicated to enhancing the cultural and
  educational experiences of
• California Community College students.
• We believe that when student voices and histories
  are deliberately and intentionally recognized,
  the opportunity for self-efficacy emerges and a
  foundation is formed
• for academic success.
• Umoja actively serves and promotes student
  success through a curriculum and pedagogy
• reflecting the legacy of the African Diaspora.

3
Organizing Principles

• Our Umoja Community
• Shares a name with a core set of pedagogies and
  promising practices
• Supports the academic success of all students
• Supports the persistence and retention of all
  students toward defined educational goals
  transfer, certificate, associate degree
• Integrates both instructional and student
  services

4
Organizing Principles

• Our Umoja Community
• Integrates sound assessment strategies and a set
  of core benchmark measures
• 6. Includes recruitment and regular training of
  students, staff and faculty through seminars,
  conferences and other professional development
• 7. Facilitates the sharing of resources
  financial, curriculum, methodolgies, pedagogies,
  materials and contacts
• 8. Commits to collaborating with campuses at a
  local level so that there is integration of the
  core Umoja community with the particular college
  mission, goals, strategic plan and student equity
  efforts.

5
Educational Philosophy

• Umoja is a community of educators and learners
  committed to the academic success, personal
  growth and self-actualization of African American
  and other students.
• The Umoja Community seeks to educate the whole
  student body, mind and spirit. Informed by an
  ethic of love and its vital power, the Umoja
  Community will deliberately engage students as
  full participants in the construction of
  knowledge and critical thought.
• The Umoja Community seeks to help students
  experience themselves as valuable
• and worthy of an education.

6
Pedagogical Practices

• The Umoja Community addresses effective practices
  highlighted in the California Community College
  document
• 2007 Basic Skills as a Foundation for Students
  Success in the California Community Colleges.

7
Community Recruitment
U M O J A
Co munity
8
Community Recruitment

• Promotional Materials
• Use the statewide Umoja Community logo and
• marketing materials as models to work with
• College or District PR/Marketing Dept. to create
• Flyers
• PowerPoint Presentation
• Business cards
• Web pages on CCCCO, district and college sites
• Create Myspace and Facebook pages
• Posters

9
Community Recruitment

• Statewide Marketing
• December -- Present at Board of Governors meeting
• November -- Academic Senate Plenary participating
  in a panel related to equity strand of the
  statewide strategic plan and facilitating a
  breakout session
• Facilitate a breakout session at National
  Conference of Race Ethnicity in Higher
  Education (NCORE)
• Develop articulation agreements with HBCUs
• Present updates at local Board of Trustee
  Meetings
• Advertisements PSAs on local campus radio
  stations
• Advertise in campus Newspapers
• Submit news releases and advertisements to Black
  news outlets
• Include program information in college catalogs
  and schedules of classes

10
Community Recruitment

• Student Recruitment
• High School
• Establish strategic relationships with school
  district personnel
• Present to high school counselors and instructors
  at annual feeder day events (breakfast, luncheon,
  etc.)
• Hire and train Student Ambassadors to talk to
  high school students about program
• Provide transportation for high school students
  to college campus for Spring Umoja Community
  event
• Schedule admission/Umoja Community application
  workshops at the high school site
• Make presentations to student organizations in
  the high schools
• Develop and conduct parent informational session
  
• Collaborate with other campus programs when
  recruiting at high schools
• Umoja participation in existing High School
  Enrollment Day admission application,
  assessment, orientation, registration

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Community Recruitment

• Student Recruitment
• Campus-based
• Presentation to counselors at department meetings
• Presentation to students at the Orientation
  Sessions
• Post flyers and posters around campus
• Presentation to faculty at division/department
  meetings
• Staff information table at Career and Job Fairs
• Informational Presentation at Campus Convocation
• Presentation to students at Student Development
  Office/Student Organizations (e.g. BSU)

12
Community Recruitment

• Recruitment of Umoja Community Instructors and
  Mentors
• Attend faculty and staff meetings
• Present at Staff Development Workshops
• Create calendar of Open Community Brown Bag
  lunches
• Present at Faculty Senate and Classified Senate
  meetings

13
Community Recruitment

• Community Recruitment
• Hire and train student ambassadors to walk the
  feeder neighborhoods
• Purchase booths at various community events
  (Black Expo, Black College Fair, Job Fair, Health
  Fair, etc.)
• Presentations at Community Based Organizations
  (Boys Girls Club, etc.)
• Presentations at Educational Ministry, Youth
  Ministry, Sunday School, Church Convocations

14
Training

• Initial Training 5 days immersion (Summer 08)
• Mission, Educational Philosophy Pedagogy of
  Umoja Community Perspective
• Curriculum Development, shared best practices
• Organizational Framework Administration
• Campus Implementation
• Assessment Inquiry Annual Report

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Ongoing Training

• Annual Umoja Community Conference
• Day 1 - established programs attend and conduct
  workshops for Instructors, Counselors,
  Coordinators
• Day 2 all programs attend showcasing program
  and students professional development
• Established local programs are encouraged to
  coordinate annual regional retreats, inviting
  steering committee members
• Ongoing Inquiry, assessment (qualitative,
  quantitative) and training
• Website includes resources and highlights a
  variety of curriculum

16
Funding Strategies

• Funding Goals
• To become a line item on the California Community
  College budget
• To work with foundations and Black organizations
• To have the financial support of a consortium of
  colleges pledging 1,000 each (six colleges so
  far)

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Call to Action!

• Additional consortium members needed!
• We need additional, big names for the Advisory
  Board!
• Ask your district to provide start-up release
  time for steering committee leadership
• Join us and support Umoja