Photo courtesy of UCSB Office of Educational Partnerships
SANTA BARBARA — The University of California at Santa Barbara has been officially recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities. UCSB joins Riverside, Santa Cruz and Merced campuses as Hispanic-Serving Institutions. With six Nobel Laureates on its faculty and a ranking among the top 10 public universities in the nation, UCSB is the only HSI that is also a member of the prestigious Association of American Universities, the institution reported in a media release.
HSIs are defined as colleges or universities in which Hispanic enrollment comprises a minimum of 25 percent of the total enrollment. Total enrollment includes undergraduate and graduate students, both full- and part-time.
As an HSI, UCSB may compete for grants and funding for a variety of initiatives, including support services for all students, faculty development and the acquisition of scientific or laboratory equipment for teaching.
“I am extremely proud that UC Santa Barbara has been recognized as a Hispanic-Serving Institution by the Hispanic Association of Colleges & Universities,” said UCSB Chancellor Henry T. Yang. “This milestone achievement reflects our vision and decades of collaborative effort and commitment to enhance excellence and diversity at UC Santa Barbara and to provide the best possible educational opportunities for all of our students.
“During this journey, I have had the privilege of seeing our Hispanic student population grow from 11 percent to 27 percent today, along with many other splendid achievements. For example, our highly regarded Department of Chicana and Chicano Studies became the first to establish a doctoral program in the field. Our faculty, staff, students and alumni work tirelessly to make UC Santa Barbara a place that welcomes individuals of all backgrounds, and with this designation, we celebrate our shared commitment.”
“We’re proud that UC Santa Barbara has joined our Riverside, Santa Cruz and Merced campuses as Hispanic-Serving Institutions, and we look forward to other University of California campuses achieving that distinction,” said UC President Janet Napolitano. “It’s vitally important to the university and state that we provide the same level of access and quality to current and future generations of California high school graduates that past generations have enjoyed.”
VENTURA COUNTY — A recent Human Resources survey has shown that the County of Ventura now has women filling 43 percent of its 106 at-will executive positions. These positions are all non-elected agency or department directors or deputy directors and serve as the core of the county’s leadership team because they have the highest levels of responsibility.
“Diversity in our workforce and our leadership roles is a priority for our county and our board,” County Executive Officer Mike Powers stated in a media release. “Ensuring that top-qualified women are provided the opportunity to play strong leadership roles throughout our many county departments is vitally important to us. We strive to promote this goal through an objective recruitment process that includes active outreach to many segments of our community, including women, and also includes women in the hiring and selection process. This has enabled women to play a critical role in the success of the county.”
Women hold four of the dozen highest-paying at-will positions. The highest-ranking woman in the survey is the assistant county executive officer-director of labor relations, with a base salary of $218,784.
“Our county has a proud history and culture of supporting women leaders,” Supervisor and Board Chair Kathy Long stated in the release. “As women advance in the highest-paying at-will positions in county government, we need to continue to acknowledge ways we can improve the pipeline for top qualified women.”
Lance Orozco. Courtesy photo
THOUSAND OAKS — National Public Radio station KCLU won five Golden Mikes for excellence in broadcast news coverage at the Radio & Television News Association of Southern California’s 65th annual awards ceremony on Jan. 24. News director Lance Orozco received the Best News Reporting award for a story about concern over oil and gas pipelines on a Ventura County school campus. He was honored for Best Entertainment Reporting for “The Fifth Beatle,” a story on Sir George Martin that marked the 50th anniversary of the Beatles’ first visit to Southern California, and Best Sports Reporting for coverage of the joint practice between the Dallas Cowboys and Oakland Raiders in Ventura County. Orozco also received the Best Use Of Sound award for “Musical Visionary,” a story about a Ventura County woman who hasn’t let her lack of sight impede her musical creativity. Jim Rondeau, KCLU’s former director of operations and programming, who is now the director of college broadcast services at Saddleback College, was honored for Best Newscast Under 15 Minutes.
OXNARD — Clinicas del Camino Real Inc. will present a Dental Health Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 22 at Parque del Sol, 1500 Camino del Sol, Oxnard. The event is in honor of February as National Children’s Dental Health Month.
Clinicas will offer free dental health screenings, oral health information and free toothbrushes. There will be coloring activities, games, balloon art and prizes, the organization reported in a media release.
During the Dental Health Fair, parents will learn about when children should have their first dental visit, ways to prevent early childhood caries (tooth decay), when to expect changes from primary to permanent teeth, proper brushing and flossing techniques, thumbsucking, dental sealants, choosing the right mouth protector for active children and adolescents and teaching their children to say no to tobacco. Parents will also learn about the importance of regular dental examinations.
“Children’s teeth are meant to last a lifetime and a healthy smile is important to a child’s self-esteem. With proper care, a balanced diet and regular dental visits, their teeth can remain healthy and strong,” Dr. Jaspreet Bal, dental director at Clinicas, stated in the release.
Call 805-647-6353 or visit www.clinicas.org for more information.
OXNARD — Five local charities participated in the 7th Annual Santa to the Sea Half Marathon & Relay’s 2014 Charity Challenge in December and raised more than $16,000 for their organizations, the organization reported in a media release.
At the Jan. 27 Charity Challenge awards ceremony at The Kitchen restaurant in Oxnard, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Oxnard and Port Hueneme was named Top Charity. Its five teams — helmed by BGCOP CEO Erin Antrim, Supervisor John Zaragoza, Director of Public Health Rigoberto Vargas, BGCOP board member Steve Kinney and Ventura County Senior Deputy District Attorney Rachelle Dean — raised a total of $6,300 in donations. Future Leaders of America was named the Top Team, for raising $4,124. The team was led by Eder Gaona.
Other Charity Challenge participants included FOOD Share, the Inlakech Cultural Arts Center and the Autism Society.
“The Charity Challenge offers local nonprofits a way to raise money and is another way for people to get involved in the race and support our community,” Mike Barber, race director and founder, stated in the release. “Over the years, we’ve had many different charities take part in the challenge and we look forward to working with more in the future.”
At the Dec. 14 race, Santa to the Sea hosted 3,700 runners, enabling the nonprofit event to give away nearly 3,000 toys to children in the community and award one hundred $500 scholarships this fall to local students to help them realize their dreams of a college education at Oxnard College. This is in addition to the Charity Challenge, benefiting local charities.
CAMARILLO — The Adolfo Camarillo High School Mariachi Program is seeking donations to pay for new uniforms.
“We are in the process of diversifying our music program at Camarillo to greater horizons. We need your support to make our vision a reality,” Corey Reynolds, CHS music teacher, stated in a media release. “Camarillo High School is a very ethnic, cultural, and economically diverse high school. Music is a universal language that crosses all boundaries and our music program is expanding and in need of your help. Our mariachi program is evolving and needs your support to grow to the next level. Financial contributions from the community will assist in providing the musical experience that will enrich each student’s education.
“Currently, we need funding for new uniforms, which runs into thousands of dollars. Our students and families contribute as much as they can but the money generated from these contributions does not cover our expenses. Your financial contributions will be used to purchase uniforms, which we do not have at this time, and promote a sense of professionalism, pride and positive image for the students and school,” Reynolds said.
“Please consider a financial contribution towards our very deserving program and students. Without your assistance, our goals would not be possible to achieve.”
Donations can be sent to Adolfo Camarillo High School, attention Corey Reynolds/Camarillo Band Boosters, 4660 Mission Oaks Blvd., Camarillo, CA 93012. Make checks payable to ACHS. Donations are tax deductible. Tax ID#95-600-2319. Contact Reynolds at Corey.Reynolds@ouhsd.k12.ca.us or call 805-389-6429 for more information.
Tracy Perez. Courtesy photo
CAMARILLO — Tracy Perez has been selected as chair of the Ventura County Civic Alliance Executive Committee, the organization reported in a media release. Perez is a lifelong resident of Ventura County, born and raised in Oxnard. She brings more than 15 years of business development and management experience to United Staffing Associates (USA) in her role as branch manager. Perez consistently demonstrates success in developing valuable business relationships and has a vast knowledge of the Ventura County job market, the organization reported. Perez is an active participant in House Farm Workers Ventura County and CAUSE Triple Bottom Line Business Network, and is a board member of Habitat for Humanity-Ventura County.