Compton College admits it removed racial requirement from 'Faculty Prep Academy' in response to Campus Reform coverage
A spokesperson for Compton College says that the institution 'identified an error' in its 'Faculty Prep Academy' that was initially only open to graduate students of color.
A spokesperson for Compton College in California says that after reviewing a Campus Reform report, the institution “identified an error” in its “Faculty Prep Academy” that was initially only open to graduate students of color.
Compton College Director of Community Relations Heather Parnock told Campus Reform on Thursday that the program, done in partnership with the University of Southern California, is now open to all students.
”After reviewing [Campus Reform’s] initial article, Compton College identified an error in the recently launched ‘Faculty Prep Academy’ application description and contacted USC to correct it in alignment with our contract for this program. The program is open to all currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students across California who began their postsecondary education at a California Community College before transferring to a four-year university in academic fields taught at Compton College, without regard to an applicant’s race, color, ancestry, ethnic group identification, or national origin,” Parnock said.
Previously, an application for the program stated that 30 “currently enrolled master’s and doctoral students of color” who attended any community college in California would be selected for the program, which prepares students to become eventual faculty members.
After Campus Reform reported on the program at the Compton, California college, language on the program description changed to indicate it was open to all graduate students who attend community college in California.
”We will select 30 graduate students and cover their travel, lodging and meals,” the application now states.
”We encourage talented currently enrolled master’s and doctoral across California who began their postsecondary start at a California Community College before transferring to four-year universities to apply for participation in our Compton College Faculty Prep Academy – an opportunity that prepares scholars to become faculty members within the system. Students pursuing graduate degrees in academic fields that are taught at Compton College will be targeted for this initiative,” the application states.
[RELATED: Only ‘students of color’ are eligible for new USC and Compton College ‘Faculty Prep Academy’]
According to the webpage, each participant will be matched with a community college faculty member who will be their coach.
Participants will also be required to attend seven virtual sessions focused on “preparing for community college faculty work from an equity perspective.”
Topics for the seven sessions include “Culturally Responsive Teaching,” “Affirming the Identities of Students of Color,” “Designing Equity-Focused Syllabi,” “Communicating Commitment to Racial Equity,” “Critical Self-Analysis of Educational Practices,” and “Navigating Faculty Politics and Resistance to Racial Equity+ Interviewing with Presidents.”
An application for the program also asks for individual race/ethnicity, pronouns, as well as gender identity, giving several options.
Adrián Trinidad, associate director for community college partnerships at USC, told the LAist “What prompted this initiative was the recognition that there’s a lack of faculty of color.”
Campus Reform reached out to Compton College and USC for comment.
