Posted: June 2, 2020

Dear Colleagues,

As our community and nation struggle with the overwhelming sadness and anger brought by George Floyd’s tragic and senseless death, once again the full measure of disparity is strikingly revealed. Our thoughts turn not just to this event, but to the others before, and the countless acts of racial violence that never make headlines and victims whose names will never be known.

As we struggle to understand this atrocity, we are grappling with a global pandemic and looming economic crisis. Our nation is divided and uncertainty weighs heavy, but there is much work to be done. As a member of the largest higher education system in the United States, Cuesta College recognizes the importance of actively opposing systemic racism, intolerance, and injustice.

It is important that we remain steadfast in our commitment to create an inclusive and supportive learning environment and to disrupt all acts of racism, bias, and hate whenever and wherever we encounter them. We must uphold our mission of inspiring a diverse student population to achieve their educational goals.

Our work is not complete, let’s stand united as we continue our effort on behalf of students.

In service,

Jill Stearns, Ph.D.         Superintendent/President

Jason Curtis, Ph.D.      Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Academic Affairs

Melissa Richerson       Vice President, Human Resources and Labor Relations

Mark Sanchez, Ed.D.   Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Student Services

Dan Troy                       Assistant Superintendent/Vice President, Administrative Services