FA and AS Talks Leadership with Our Newest Colleagues

by dara, FA Vice President

Before this semester began, the Faculty Assembly and Academic Senate co-hosted A get-together to talk about leadership possibilities at the college and to encourage the newest class of full time faculty to think about how they can plan their future Collegial Governance service. FA Exec members Mary Gross, Billy Gunn, Annie Ngo, dara, and Luke Lara presented Faculty Assembly information and answered questions about our full time faculty union work and the potential for newer faculty to serve on Faculty Assembly Council in the future.

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Academic Senate President curry mitchell, Joyful Teacher in Residence and capybara enthusiast Jim Sullivan, PDP Coordinator Aaron Roberts, and Lodestars Leslie Doig and Dominique Ingato, provided information about The “10 +1,”  Senate subcommittees, district committees, and advisory committees, with the meeting schedule and brief outline of responsibilities. The representatives of the Academic Senate and the Faculty Assembly created a welcoming and informative event.

Coming out of the dark times of COVID, it has been very important to once again meet and form community—in person—with our newest faculty members. It is heartening to not have to try to put actual faces to tiny rectangles as we had to in the past. We had a good time with “speed networking” so smaller groups could share information about specific roles and responsibilities related to governance. Attendees found the information to be fun, encouraging, useful, and important. Here's what a few people had to say.

During our faculty meeting, we had a meaningful discussion on leadership, particularly the concept (brought up by you dara) of being “reluctant leaders.” A point that really stood out to me was how leadership roles often evolve in ways we may not have envisioned, yet we can still be highly effective in them. It was a reminder that leadership isn’t just about authority, it’s about organizing, collaboration, and supporting colleagues. At the time, this was something I needed to hear. - Jose Sanchez G: AHS Mathematics Instructor, Community Learning Center

The event was incredibly informative, especially in learning about campus committees and the importance of Faculty Assembly/Academic Senate. But what stood out most was the strong sense of community—I remember looking around the room and thinking, Wow, I truly belong here. It was an amazing feeling. - Kyaw Zin Htet (pronounced Jaw Zin Tet): RAFFY/NextUp Foster Youth Counselor

It was wonderful to have unstructured time with colleagues in a relaxed atmosphere, offering valuable opportunities to learn and grow from tenured faculty. This experience really made me reflect on how I can contribute to the MiraCosta College community and in what ways I can make a meaningful impact. - Shaylah Turk: Counselor, SAS