Cuyamaca College Mission, Vision, Values

Mission, Vision, and Values

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Mission, Vision, and Values

 

Vision

Equity, Excellence, and Social Justice through Education


Mission

Cuyamaca College advances equity and social justice through student-centered and innovative approaches to education. We strive to create unique and meaningful learning experiences that build upon the strengths and socio-cultural experiences of our diverse student population and the communities we serve by providing programs that lead to certificates, degrees, transfer, career opportunities, and ultimately social and economic mobility.

 

Values

Our students are our guides. We put students first and ensure the student experience is the foundation of our work by seeking student input and being responsive to student needs. We value and honor student involvement in institutional decision-making. We are committed to supporting student completion of educational goals and opportunities for lifelong learning while providing equitable and accessible distribution of resources.
We work intentionally to honor and validate our students' and employees’ lived experiences and cultural capital. Building upon the concepts of mutual trust, respect, and accountability, we work collaboratively to identify racial equity gaps in the context of intersectionality, and implement approaches and practices that create and sustain a welcoming, supportive, and race-conscious culture and environment.
We meet students where they are and work collaboratively to transform students’ lives through their experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Our purpose is to foster students’ continuous growth and promote economic and social mobility. We take responsibility for creating and maintaining safe, supportive, and equitable spaces where students can thrive.
We aim to break away from traditional structures and approaches in order to open up more inclusive pathways to serving and supporting our students, employees, and community. We value and promote risk-taking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creativity among students and employees in order to continuously learn, grow, and improve our practices.
We validate and support students’ and employees’ strengths, socio-cultural experiences, and perpetual thirst for learning and continuous growth. We value and honor the talents of each member of our community.
We acknowledge social injustices that impact historically marginalized communities and work together to make systemic changes to actively dismantle the racism and inequalities ingrained in the fabric of traditional institutions in order to safeguard human rights, increase access, promote participation, and further equity.
We proudly stand as a member of a larger collective and recognize that together we thrive. Cuyamaca College values relationships with the many diverse local communities that we serve, including indigenous, border, and international communities. We acknowledge our role within larger historical and economic contexts, including recognizing the responsibilities we have as an educational institution occupying unceded Kumeyaay land.
We honor and value students’ and employees’ diverse talents and cultural capital by centering kindness, empathy, and compassion in every interaction. Recognizing that our words and actions impact our community, we seek continuous growth by holding each other accountable and practice equity- minded communication. We aim to create safe, supportive, and equitable spaces to ensure all voices and perspectives, especially those from historically marginalized or excluded groups, can participate in governance and authentically share their insights, experiences, and feedback without intimidation.

 

 

Kumeyaay Land Acknowledgement

 

We stand upon a land that has been the home of the Kumeyaay people from time immemorial. This land has nourished, healed, and protected the Kumeyaay people to the present day. It is part of a world view founded in the harmony, balance, and the relationship-building between the land and the people.  

Cuyamaca College

 

As students and employees of Cuyamaca College we acknowledge this legacy from the Kumeyaay. We will take action to support and preserve the Kumeyaay way of life, the Kumeyaay people, and Kumeyaay knowledge. This is the land of the Kumeyaay.

 

Eyaay ahan 

My heart is good 

Cuyamaca College takes action to support and preserve the Kumeyaay way of life, the Kumeyaay people, and Kumeyaay knowledge in the following ways:

  • Partnership between Cuyamaca College and Kumeyaay Community College
    • Unique in higher education and in the U.S.
    • Offered classes for credit starting in 2006
  • Support Kumeyaay language recovery
    • According to the UNESCO degrees of endangerment criteria, the Kumeyaay language is critically endangered
  • Offer Kumeyaay Studies Associate's Degree and Certificate
    • Kumeyaay language, science, humanities, history, anthropology, political science, and social work courses
  • Kumeyaay Village and Garden and cultural installations
  • Kumeyaay Studies Student Support Team