UPDATE: USC and Compton College 'Faculty Prep Academy' no longer only open to 'students of color'
A 'Faculty Prep Academy' run by the University of Southern California and Compton College is no longer open to exclusively "students of color" after Campus Reform reporting.
A “Faculty Prep Academy” run by the University of Southern California and Compton College is no longer open to exclusively “students of color” after Campus Reform reporting.
An application for the program previously 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, changes were made to the application, including opening up the academy to all students.
”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.
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.
