Metro leaders add spice to convocation

By Perry Swanson
The Metropolitan

Metro President Sheila Kaplan touted strengths in the schoolâs diversity and teaching in her convocation speech Aug. 28 at the Tivoli.

A crowd of about 300 turned out for the convocation, where new faculty members were introduced and others received Distinguished Service awards.

Kaplan, whose speech kicked off the ceremony, smiled, and made wisecracks and an occasional grimace as she spoke.

After Student Government Assembly President Karmin Trujillo complained that students and faculty werenât consulted before Metro changed its name to ãThe Met,ä Kaplan said with a chuckle, ãSome of us will use it; some of us will not.ä

Metro has a lot to be proud of, Kaplan said. The North Central Association said teaching was a ãchief strength of the collegeä when it recommended Metro last spring to be re-accredited for 10 more years.

The administrationâs efforts to promote diversity at Metro are also paying off, Kaplan said. She lambasted

California universities whose minority enrollment has dropped recently because the state abandoned affirmative action enrollment policies. Itâs a good thing Metro hasnât taken that path, Kaplan said.

ãEnrollment, retention and graduation rates of ethnic minorities are up,ä Kaplan said. ãOur work force is becoming increasingly diverse. Fully 27 percent of new full-time faculty hired for this academic year are ethnic minorities.

ãThatâs something not everyone can say,ä Kaplan said.

Trujillo emphasized the need for more student input in administrative decision in her speech, .
ãWe envision a year where decisions are made collectively,ä Trujillo said. ãIf the administration truly respects the faculty and students as the students trust (the administration), there should be no question on our decision-making abilities.ä

Dubbing the college as ãThe Metä gives an image that doesnât fit reality, Trujillo said.