2007-2012
The Daniels Presidency, 2007-2012
Dr. Debra Daniels became San Bernardino Valley College’s 12th permanent president in September 2007. Daniels came to Valley from Polk Community College in Winter Haven, Florida, where she was district vice president of academics and student affairs. At Polk, Daniels reorganized student services into a one-stop service, an idea that would be carried over to Valley.
A hallmark program of the Daniels presidency was Valley-Bound Commitment, which was
launched in fall 2008. Valley-Bound provides a free first year of college (including
fees, books, parking, and other expenses) to eligible students from local high schools,
with a goal of increasing student success and the region’s college-going rate. In
its first three years, the Valley-Bound class went from 36 to 150 students; each group
maintained high GPAs, stayed in college at a higher rates, and donated thousands of
hours of community service as part of their commitment to the program. The San Manuel
Band of Mission Indians provided substantial support to the Valley-Bound Commitment
Program, about $450,000 over three years. The program was also supported by campus
and community fundraisers. In 2010, Valley-Bound Commitment was the sole recipient
of the State Chancellor’s Office Student Success Program of the Year, recognizing
a college that demonstrates significant progress toward achieving student equity and
success goals.
Another student-success-focused program, Middle College High School, a collaboration
between Valley College and the San Bernardino City Unified School District, garnered
national recognition with a bronze medal from U.S. News & World Report in its first
ranking of America’s best high schools. It also received the Title I Academic Achievement
Award and was named a 2007 California Distinguished School.
Valley’s efforts as a Hispanic Serving Institution were nationally recognized during
Daniel’s tenure. Valley received a five-year cooperative STEM grant--it’s largest
ever, at a combined $5.5 million--from the U.S. Department of Education, awarded through
the Hispanic Serving Institutions program. Valley is the lead institution, with CSUSB,
to improve and expand programs to Hispanic students by increasing enrollment, graduation,
and transfer rates. Furthermore, the March 2011 issue of Hispanic Outlook in Higher
Education ranked Valley College in the top 50 of U.S. community colleges for serving
Hispanic students and faculty in the categories of Hispanic full-time enrollment,
number of associate’s degrees granted to Hispanics, and number of Hispanic faculty
members.
Valley received substantial support for program development from local and national
organizations. In 2007, SBVC received a grant to help area high school seniors pass
the California High School Exit Exam. The grant initially helped about 400 students
but created activities to help future students after the grant expires. With the Inland
Empire’s thriving logistics and freight transportation industries, the San Bernardino
County Workforce Investment Board discovered a high demand for diesel truck mechanics.
As such, the board awarded 20 students $1,000 each for tuition, books, and tools toward
finishing Valley College’s fleet maintenance program. Southern California Edison launched
a $1 million Green Jobs Education initiative, with $100,000 to 10 colleges, including
Valley, for scholarships for students in the Water Supply Technology or Geographic
Information Systems programs. In 2010, Valley was awarded a Student Support Services
grant for $1.5 million over five years from the U.S. Department of Education for reauthorization
of the STAR (Success Through Achievement and Retention) Program. This successful program
was first funded in 1993 and provides support services tailored to the needs of students
from under-represented groups.
In a broader context, Daniel’s presidency was marked by a statewide and national recession
that hit communities like San Bernardino and public educational institutions particularly
hard. The economic crisis that started in 2007 had a profound impact on Valley College.
Across the state and in the Inland Empire, people were returning to college to improve
their job skills and increase their chances of employment. At Valley College, student
enrollment increased substantially even with continually rising student fees and overcrowded
classrooms. Coping with severe state budget cuts and surging enrollment, Valley College
cut classes and programs and offered early retirements.
As the economy started to recover, so too did Valley College. On campus, services
continued to be streamlined and automated, saving students considerable time and frustration.
Admissions & Records initiated the FastPass program for student appointments, which
helped eliminate long lines for registration and other services. WebAdvisor was launched
to streamline the financial aid process, giving students round-the-clock access to
account services. The expanded Student Success Center began offering tutoring when
it opened in the new Physical Sciences Building.
The campus environment continued to change and settle, as projects initiated during
the earthquake reconstruction and retrofitting program wrapped up. The new Student
Health Center opened in 2008, and in 2009-2010, four new buildings were completed
and dedicated: Custodial, Maintenance & Operations, North Hall, and Media & Communications.
In 2011, the last of twelve new buildings opened: Physical Science, the campus’s first
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified building. The Diesel
Program moved back to campus after eight years at the former Norton Air Force Base.
Measure P was crucial to finishing this campus transformation.
During the Daniels presidency, student activists had many reasons to engage politically. In 2009, students travelled to Sacramento for the annual Rescue Education rally. On Pink Friday, all of the San Bernardino school system protested Gov. Schwarzenegger’s proposed $4.8 billion cut to the state’s education budget and the resulting pink slips given to school staff and teachers. Changes to immigration law provoked fear and uncertainty for many Valley College students. With AB 540 looming, students with undocumented status faced out-of-state instead of the promised in-state fees, a difference of $175 per unit. The MEChA Latino faculty and staff and the Arts and Lecture Committee hosted a lecture by Dolores Huerta; she encouraged students to continue working in political movements and to vote. In 2012, MEChA sponsored a Day of Action to highlight ongoing issues at Valley, such as a lack of classes, resources, and full-time faculty. To encourage participation in the 2010 Census, RTVF students wrote, produced, acted in, and edited a 30-second PSA.
There were many reasons to celebrate campus achievements. In January 2011, the campus
and community gathered for the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Breakfast, where the “Commitment
to Diversity” Dream Award is presented to individuals committed to promoting diversity,
human rights, and cultural understanding at the college and in the community. This
annual breakfast kicks off Black History Month in February, with free educational
and cultural events organized by the SBVC Black Faculty & Staff Association; the Arts,
Lectures & Diversity Committee; the Black Student Union; and the Tumaini Program.
In 2010, the women’s soccer team won its first California Community College Athletic
Association Women’s Soccer State Championship in the school’s history, and its third
straight Foothill Conference title. The team was honored by the San Bernardino City
Council. The Psychiatric Technician Program was recognized by the California Board
of Vocational Nursing as the top-ranked school in percentage of students passing their
licensing exams after completing college coursework. From the fall 2011 program,
all 22 graduates passed. This 100% pass rate is the highest of any California school.
In October 2011, Valley College celebrated is 85th anniversary with a gala at the
National Orange Show Events Center, raising more than $30,000 for the Valley-Bound
Commitment Program from sponsorships and reverse auction. The event celebrated Valley’s
rich history and recognized 86 People of Distinction--alumni and friends of the college.
