INTRODUCTION TO THE COLLEGE
On this page: College History, Organization and Demographics | College Vision, Mission & Goals
Welcome to Contra Costa College!
Our intention in preparing this handbook is to give you (our faculty) a greater sense of belonging to CCC by describing who we are, how we are organized, and some of our college history. The handbook will also provide directions for pertinent college procedures, and illustrate some suggested strategies for teaching and classroom management.
We want to ensure that you have every chance to be effective with your students. We invite you to use the support and resources available to you at the College. We have a wonderful, recently-remodeled Library that provides a wealth of resources both in the Library and online via the Library website. Additional support is available via the Staff Development Office and the College Resources Center (CRC). Please become involved with the workshops and training sessions provided by them during Flex week and throughout the semester.
Today's students are very diverse -- in culture, language, ethnicity, socio-economic needs, and skill level. Educators would be well advised to consider expanding the ways they teach by integrating new methods into their teaching. Possessing knowledge within your discipline is no longer enough. An effective teacher uses methods that challenge students and facilitate the learning process. We invite you to challenge your students by challenging yourself. Please let us know what you need in the way of resources or other support in meeting these challenges-- we will work together to find solutions.
The College appreciates your dedication, commitment, and hard work. You are essential components to the college's mission.
Contra Costa College
History and Demographics
History
The Contra Costa Community College District was established by the
Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on December 27, 1948, and
headquartered in Martinez, the county seat. The district covers almost all
of Contra Costa County, approximately 700 square miles, with a current
estimated population of 941,900 (based on 2000 census data).
Contra Costa College was the first of the district’s three colleges, officially starting life as Contra Costa Junior College-West Campus. Its first director, John H. Porterfield, was appointed by the district board on December 9,1949. The west campus opened for the spring 1950 semester with 500 students and 30 faculty and administrators. That first semester three students graduated with A.A. degrees.
The college, known locally then as “Shipyard Tech,” was located at the vacant World War II Kaiser Shipyard III (and an old Lucky store a mile away) in Point Richmond. In 1956 the college moved to its present 83-acre hillside site straddling the city limits of Richmond and San Pablo. The original three buildings have grown to the college’s full master plan complement of 28. For more information about the history and chronology of events at the College, see the College Archives website.
Organization of the District and College
The Contra Costa Community College District is composed of three
colleges:
- Contra Costa College (in San Pablo, west county)
- Diablo Valley College (in Pleasant Hill, central county), which also operates the San Ramon Valley Center
- Los Medanos College (in Pittsburgh/Antioch, east county), which also operates the Brentwood Center
The district is governed by a five-member board of trustees, elected from local awards for four-year terms. The district chancellor recommends policy to the board and supervises the administration of policy as determined by the board. The chancellor’s staff includes vice chancellors for facilities and operations, planning and resource development, human resources, information technology and business services as well as managers for marketing and community relations, research, purchasing, grants development and management, human resources and international education.
District certificated and classified personnel are represented by collective bargaining units. The president of each college serves as chief administrative officer and represents that college in its own community and, through the chancellor, to the Governing Board.
Contra Costa College is organized into divisions under the management of division deans, who report to the vice president, who in turn reports to the president.
Campus committees in the governance structure are composed of
representatives from the Academic Senate, the Classified Senate, the
Associated Students Union, and management.
The
Community/Demographics
Contra Costa County is part of the San Francisco-Oakland metropolitan
region and faces San Francisco and Marin County across the Bay. Contra
Costa College is situated geographically in the middle of its service
area, the western-most part of Contra Costa County.
The area, approximately 85 square miles, curves around the eastern end of San Francisco Bay and San Pablo Bay to the Carquinez Straits, where the Sacramento River flows into San Pablo Bay. The west county is a long, narrow corridor, paralleling Interstate 80 from Kensington in the south to Crockett in the north, and from the bay flats on the west to the hills in the east that separates this region from the rest of Contra Costa County.
Communities within this service area include:
- Crockett
- Pinole
- El Cerrito
- Rodeo
- El Sobrante
- Richmond
- Hercules
- San Pablo
- Kensington
College Vision
Contra Costa College is a leader in community college education and the
higher education institution of choice for West County area
residents.
Contra Costa College is an inspiring haven of academic excellence noted for its passion for learning among students, staff and faculty. The college community enjoys spirited interaction as serious, motivated students seek the best from excellent, dedicated faculty and staff who are committed to empowering students by teaching a current and relevant curriculum using state-of-the-art tools and resources.
The college is a leader in valuing diversity and promoting cultural awareness. Faculty emphasize the importance of critical thinking, ethics and interpersonal skills as they prepare students to succeed in the global workplace and become informed, involved and responsible citizens and leaders in the global community.
The college enjoys the collegiality of an institution where each individual is valued and respected, achievements are celebrated, planning is pro-active, and shared governance is a way of life. The college continually supports students to transition successfully into and out of the college and advocates for sufficient resources to maintain maximum accessibility and educational support for the community.
As an integral part of the greater community, Contra Costa College serves as a model of excellence, providing education to help our students fulfill their dreams for themselves, their families and their communities.
College Mission
Approved at April 11, 2007 College Council Meeting
As a public community college that serves an urban community rich in diversity, the mission of CCC is to offer instruction within a comprehensive curriculum and to provide student services to ensure opportunities for
(1) effective student learning that leads to successful achievement of educational goals through completion of developmental, certificate, degree or transfer programs;
(2) acquisition of knowledge, skills and abilities pertinent to lifelong learning and gainful employment in the global community;
(3) student success verified by a process of assessment and improvement.
The college will use informed shared decision-making to allocate resources in support of its mission.
Goals
To fulfill its mission and to be consistent with its
beliefs and values, Contra Costa College is committed to the following
goals:
-
Improve student success
-
Expand and strengthen learning and instructional opportunities for students in various venues in the community
-
Increase public awareness and understanding of the opportunities and benefits of Contra Costa College
-
Increase total revenues and contributions for college operations
-
Provide a safe, clean, secure, attractive, and ecologically-sound learning environment
-
Enhance measurement of institutional effectiveness.
For more information about the College's beliefs and values, see the Governance page of the CCC website.
|
This handbook also available as a PDF document to
download and/or print at |
Last updated: 16 September 2008
Return to