Don Dorsey appointed Foothill VP

Black Caucus Advisor begins new post Sept. 1

By Charles Perkins
BUSINESS EDITOR

Don Dorsey, advisor for the Black Caucus of the California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC) has been appointed Interim Vice-President for Student Development and Instruction at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.
Dorsey, who currently serves as Dean of Student Affairs and Activities, will serve September 1, 2008 to July 1, 2009.
“I’m honored to have the opportunity to continue my work at Foothill College,” said Dorsey, who takes over at a time when his knowledge will provide a much needed continuity.
Dorsey began at Foothill in 1972 serving as a coordinator for math and science tutoring and soon after joined the caculty as associate coordinator for the campus’ multicultural Program. In 1982 he was hired as a counselor, and in 1986 he became the campus’ director of student Activities. Dorsey has served as a dean since 2000.
His leadership and “work in creating new programs at Foothill to promote a broader understanding of cultural perspectives, diversity and student equity earned him the John W. Rice Diversity Award from the California Community College Chancellor’s Office in 2006,” said Foothill College President Judy Miner. The prestigious Rice Award program honors the memory of the late John W. Rice, who served on the CCC Board of Governors from 1995 to 2000.
Under Dorsey’s leadership, the college recently completed a [enter dollar amount] renovation of it’s student center.
Some of his other achievements at Foothill include coordinating the Foothill Bridge Program that targets students who are under-prepared academically; he co-founded the Footihll De Anza minority Staff Associaiotn and served on its executive board from 1984 to 1988 and president in 1985-1986; co-founded the Foothill African American Networker; and led the development of a Black studies degree at the college.
While he has served as advisor of the Black Caucus since its’ inception, he is also a former President of the California Community College Student Affairs Association (CCCSAA), a professional association for student/life activies advisors.
“Don is an asset to any organization,” said Black Caucus Advisor Harold Tyler, who serves as Student Activities Advisor at El Camino College. Dorsey, an Emeryville resident is also very active in the community. Besides serving as a former trustee for the Emeyville Unified School District, he is also a local business owner, providing employment opportunities.
As President of Dorsey & Associates, Dorsey led the reclaiming of “Dorsey’s Locker,” a soul food restaurant and lounge in North Oakland. The restaurant has been an Oakland insitution since 1941.
Former Black Caucus Northern Region Chair President L. Davis, who has hosted a weekly open mic called Blue Candle said that Dorsey’s appointment is a “great victory for the Black community.”
“They have somebody who has a good spirit,” said Davis. "He is very disciplined and focused but will keep an ear to young people.” Davis commended Dorsey for his efforts to mentor young people. “Blue Candle has made me believe I can achieve anything.” •H•

Black Caucus transitions

By Jacquinn Scales
HARAMBEE STAFF WRITER

While some students took off summer to vacation, members of the Black Caucus of the California Student Association of Community Colleges (CalSACC) were hard at work.
Over the summer, the Executive Board met to transition officers and keep moving the organizations agenda forward, despite a number of obstacles.
Black Caucus President Marlene C. Hurd was hospitalized after being hit by an airport shuttle bus while riding her bicycle in Oakland. She suffered a broken ankle, but not a broken spirit.
When the July 26 retreat was rescheduled when locked out of Berkeley City College, the organization regrouped.
The group has met via teleconference and is hard at work planning activities for next year.
The Board voted to create Harambeenews.com and continue to publish Harambee. The Board also will be presenting workshops at the UMOJA IV conference in San Diego.
For the fourth year in a row, the Caucus will also be presenting at the CCCSAA Student Leadership Conference. This year’s theme is “America’s Next Top Leaders.” Both events are in San Diego.
The Board also voted to hold it’s 11th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference (ABCLC) at Foothill College. Foothill was the site of the 6th annual conference.
For more info, subscribe to the listserv at groups.yahoo.com/group/calsaccblackcaucus

Caucus moves forward

Executive Board seeks new officers

HARAMBEE NEWS NETWORK

One of the biggest challenges of building and maintaining a state student association is recruiting and retaining strong officers.
For the first time in nearly four years, the Black Caucus had a complete Executive Board following elections at the 9th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference held at Laney College in Oakland; however, due to personal and professional reasons, a few elected officers were unable to serve their terms.
Parliamentarian Brenda Lewis of Skyline College resigned before the Board’s retreat in June to focus on her academics, while the Board voted to vacate the Central Region Chair position, then occupied by Cameron Brown of Modesto Junior College, as no officers were able to contact him.
"It’s a struggle to maintain a statewide student organization," said President Marlene C. Hurd, "especially when representing a under served population. We have difficult circumstances and face many challenges others don’t have to deal with."
But this year’s Board has not let it hinder progress. "But the struggle continues," added Hurd.
In the beginning of the fall, the Board suffered another major loss when Northern Region Chair Kathleen Madden was unable to continue her studies at the College of Alameda and was ineligible for office.
"We lost Kathleen at a crucial time, right in the beginning of the year," said Secretary Reginald James. She was the best regional chair I’ve seen; very motivated and resourceful."
In October, despite the very strong presence of the Caucus at CCCSAA, the Board was unable to identify students to serve in vacant positions.
To make matters worse, by this point, both Vice-President Phillip Austin and Southern Region Chair Jamal Harris had accumulated more than three unexcused absences. However, the group, lacking a definition of an "excused absence" gave the officers the benefit of the doubt and did not vacate their positions immediately.
"Jamal was our only officer in Southern California and since our conference is taking place there, he was our link," said James. "And Phillip was at the table with the Student Senate and sat on Consultation Council."
Eventually, the Board decided it was appropriate to vacate both positions and rebuild the Board with new officers.
"Losing Phillip was devastating, he was our connection at the state level and a source of tremendous knowledge," said President Marlene C. Hurd.
Austin had to return to the workforce full-time and was unable to fully commit to the Black Caucus or the Student Senate.
Student Senate Council Treasurer Jeff Hale said, "Phillip was not only a student of color, but he was a veteran and a member of the workforce."
"We lost a powerful voice in Consulation [Council]," he added.
The Board had to finish out the rest of 2007 with only three remaining officers.
Led by President Hurd, the Board set out to find officers to fill the void of the missing students.
By-Laws committee chairman Muja’hid Abdul-Barik accepted the appointment as Parliamentarian and was confirmed by the Board. Soon after, Madden, who began taking classes at City College of San Francisco applied to be reinstated and was also confirmed by the Board as Northern Region Chair while Lisa Martin of Los Angeles Valley College was appointed as Southern Region Chair.
The Board carefully considered who to appoint as Vice-President as they are next in line to assume the presidency if the President is unable to serve. Charles Brown, BSU President of Grossmont College had previously served as Black Caucus Vice-President in the Spring of 2007 and as an at-large Senator for the SSCCC. Brown’s appointment was unanimously confirmed.
With four appointments occurring at one January meeting, the Board is almost complete, again.
The Caucus is currently searching for a Central Region Chair and a Communications Officer.
"Once we have a complete Board, officers can focus on more specific tasks and projects and won’t be so spread thin," said Hurd. "We are going to be much more effective this spring."•H•

El Camino to host Black Caucus Conference

Hundreds of students of African Descent expected to attend

Hundreds of community college student leaders of African Descent are expected to attend the 10th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference (ABCLC) being held at El Camino College in Torrance Feb. 15-16, 2008.
This year’s conference theme is "Sankofa: Honoring our past, celebrating the present, building our future," commemorating the organization’s history and growing legacy. The Black Caucus is a statewide student run advocacy organization for community college students of African Descent, and other under served populations.
The first two conferences were held at El Camino College in 1999 and 2000 and nearly 1,500 students have experienced the conference since.
"When you look at all of the past conferences and the development of our organization, the historical significance of this conference is amazing," said Black Caucus President Marlene C. Hurd, who was elected at last year’s conference at Laney College in Oakland. "It is as if we are revisiting all our past struggles, accomplishments, and conference themes, and are in the future now–but we still have work to do."
The conference features a weekend filled with inspiring keynote speakers, enlightening entertainment and empowering presentations.
This year’s keynote speakers are Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Assembly Member Mervyn Dymally, and Board of Governors Member Rev. Dr. J. Alfred Smith.
Education sessions empower student leaders of African ancestry, feature successful models and practices that build community on campus and foster community outreach and involvement, address development issues of Afro-centric organizations at community colleges.
"The conference occurs each year during Black History Month and is scheduled during the Presidents Day weekend so students can have a substantive leadership and cultural experience without missing classes," said Black Caucus Advisor Don Dorsey, dean of students at Foothill College in Los Altos Hills.
Previous conference locations include: College of Alameda and Merritt College (2001); Fresno City College (2002); Compton College (2003); Foothill College (2004); Santa Monica College (2005); Modesto Junior College (2006); Laney College (2007. Next year’s conference will be in Central California.
"It is an amazing opportunity for our students to gain knowledge about their history and culture," said Hurd, "and it’s so powerful they’ll go back to their campuses to get involved." •H•

Black Caucus to elect officers

New Executive Board to begin term in July

HARAMBEE NEWS NETWORK

The Black Caucus will elect officers to its’ Executive Board Saturday, Feb. 16 at the afternoon General Assembly of the 10th Annual Black Caucus Leadership Conference (ABCLC) at El Camino College.
Elections will be held Saturday afternoon during the General Assembly. Positions include President, Vice-President, Secretary, Treasurer, Parliamentarian, Northern Region Chair, Central Region Chair, Southern Region Chair, and Communications Officer.
"Being an officer of the Black Caucus has given me opportunities I would not have had otherwise," said Secretary Reginald James. "I’ve learned different leadership skills, built my self-confidence, and I have developed a network with other positive people throughout the country."
"The Black Caucus saved my life," he added.
Former Black Caucus VP and Southern Region Chair, Joel Francis said, "It is an honor to be able to represent students at the state level. There is a voice that needs to be heard and you can be that voice." Francis is now the student body president at California State University L.A. and California. State Student Association (CCSA) VP of External Affairs.
Eligible students must have a minimum five units at a community college, a 2.0 G.P.A. and must attend a Caucus member school.
"If I could do it," said Hurd, "you can too." •H•