Reaching out to students and instilling the values of diversity starts at home in the Dallas County Community College District, where efforts are manifested in hiring practices, special faculty recruitment and retention programs, and other methods. But the practice doesn't stop there. Community outreach gives DCCCD an opportunity to be a key partner in programs that educate and strengthen communities.

A diverse work environment
DCCCD employed approximately 700 full-time faculty members in fall 2005; two-thirds of that number held at least a master's degree plus 24 additional graduate credit hours; 30 percent have earned their doctoral degrees. In addition to full-time faculty positions, almost 2,500 adjunct faculty members brought their work experiences into their classroom lectures. Salaries for DCCCD faculty ranked second in the state of Texas in 2005, according to the Texas Community College Teachers Association, and the district's Board of Trustees also approved a stipend for bilingual employees in 1997 so that they could better serve students and community members.

Equity and diversity efforts are reflected in several key efforts: the Visiting Scholars Program; Visions of Excellence; and minority hiring practices. Because students often link their experiences to the faculty who guide them—particularly minority students who connect with teachers who look like themselves—DCCCD implemented the Visiting Scholars program in 1999. By fall 2006, a total of 294 Visiting Scholars had been hired during the seven-year program; of that number, 35 percent were African American, 30 percent were Latino, 12 percent were Asian, 3 percent were American Indian and 21 percent were Anglo.

Additionally, DCCCD, with the approval of its Trustees, provides a mentoring program for new faculty members called Visions of Excellence, which seeks to help first-time faculty members learn better teaching and mentoring methods for their success and the success of their students.

DCCCD Trustee goals also include diversity among employees. District hiring from 1999 to 2006 for full-time employees included increases in the number of African Americans (66 percent), Latinos (72 percent), Asians (117 percent), American Indians (17 percent) and Anglos (64 percent).

Among faculty members, that trend continued with increases in African Americans (82 percent), Latinos (124 percent), Asians (163 percent) and Anglos (1 percent). At the top of the district's administration, DCCCD leadership includes an African-American chancellor; two Latino and three African American college presidents; and diversity at other levels as well.

Outreach in minority communities
Community development and outreach are ways in which DCCCD joins hands to develop education programs in area schools, recruit students and promote civic responsibility through service learning. In 2005-2006, for example, education-based programs included coordination of Minds in Motion and 21st Century College with the Dallas Independent School District's Majority to Minority program; involvement in local school district events; and presentations to PTAs, school assemblies and individual classes about planning for college. Community-based and corporate activities included involvement in events such as Dia de la Familia, Las Llaves del Exito, local heritage celebrations and career fairs. (DCCCD participated in more than 450 community and educational outreach events last year with more than 300 community partners.)

Also, in 2005-2006, DCCCD sponsored motivational speaker Jimmy Cabrera, who visited Dallas County intermediate, middle and high schools; his primary message, "Stay in school and go to college," was targeted especially to minority students. He visited more than 40 schools and spoke to more than 20,000 young people.

Finally, additional efforts enabled DCCCD to collaborate with minority communities, including a Head Start partnership; faith-based partnerships; Destination Graduation; Family Involvement for Latino Success in College; the Chambers of Commerce Tri-Chamber agreement; memberships and participation in ethnic chambers of commerce; and many other efforts. Service learning in the community—one of the Trustees' objectives—also contributed to the needs of others, including minority communities, through student volunteerism.

For more information, visit the DCCCD Web site at www.dcccd.edu.

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