Several years ago, when I was a graduate student at Gonzaga University, I attended a seminar to discuss the future of organizational leadership. Despite having divergent viewpoints about the future, there was consensus around the idea that fostering environments in which learners, workers, and employers connect and support each other is essential. All these years later, I still strongly believe that collaborations among people and institutions who share interests is one of most valuable assets any organization can have. As Mother Teresa said, “I can do things you cannot; you can do things I cannot; together we can do great things.”

Unfortunately, one of the many negative consequences of the pandemic is that people have become less connected and more detached. Employees working from home are collaborating less with their co-workers, and students are interacting less with their peers and instructors. Recognizing the threat associated with this isolation, College of the Redwoods and Humboldt State University have been proactive and continue to work together on a growing number of important initiatives.

Dr. Jackson and I have often spoken about the unique partnership CR and HSU established during the past few years. Before our partnership began, our institutions too often saw each other as unconnected and motivated by different goals. Although it is true that our institutional missions are different, Dr. Jackson and I recognize that our fundamental purpose is the same—to make sure that our communities have unconstrained access to high-quality higher education. We can do a lot for the community we serve when we coordinate and move forward together. Over the last few years, we have maintained communication on the overarching purpose, goals, and vision for the partnership.

Because of Dr. Jackson’s exemplary leadership, Humboldt County is anticipated to be home to California’s third polytechnic university. It is difficult to overstate the importance of this achievement. A Cal Poly Humboldt will make a profound difference to the economic fortunes of our county. It will also provide a unique, high-quality local education venue for CR’s students to transfer into high-demand programs that lead to rewarding careers on the rural North Coast.

Dr. Jackson and I have envisioned a collaborative model that yields real results for students and the community, while also honoring our institutions’ unique expertise and distinctiveness. With wholehearted support from CR’s Academic Senate and the Board of Trustees, one of the goals of CR’s new Education Master Plan is for CR to become the preferred pathway to Cal Poly Humboldt.

The majority (~75%) of our transfer students attend Humboldt State University. We believe that demand for the transfer pathway to Cal Poly Humboldt will only increase over time. Why? The demand for existing polytechnic institutions in the CSU system is far greater than the two currently existing polytechnic CSUs can serve. Community colleges near these institutions serve a vital role in offering students an efficient, affordable route into the heavily impacted polytechnic system without sacrificing any educational quality.

I believe that CR has an opportunity to be the most desirable transfer pathway to Cal Poly Humboldt, including for students from outside our region who hadn’t considered CR before. These students will have myriad transfer options to consider in the future, including fully online programs. To be successful, we are focusing our limited resources on programs and services that align with the most demanded transfer pathways to Cal Poly Humboldt. We believe that close collaboration with HSU on the following strategic initiatives included in our new Education Master Plan will benefit both institutions.

• Create a CR/Cal Poly Humboldt Pathways Plan to evaluate the most desirable program options and prioritize their development and/or revitalization.
• Pursue seamless CR/Cal Poly transfer agreements through stackable curriculum and shared learning experiences.
• Develop accelerated transfer programs that include a variety of modalities to offer maximum flexibility for our students.
• Increase the number of faculty collaborations and course integrations between institutions.
  Align student services between institutions to reduce barriers and to increase student success.

As you can probably tell, CR is excited about the future of higher education in Humboldt County. We have the desire, the talent, and the opportunity to do great things for the communities we serve, and I look forward to seeing us accomplish our goals.

Dr. Keith Flamer is the president of the College of the Redwoods.