Community
February 6, 2017
THE ASIAN REPORTER n Page 11
Equity and inclusion are strategic priorities, PCC president says
By Maileen Hamto
The Asian Reporter
aking the helm of Oregon’s largest
post-secondary institution is a
unique leadership challenge. Mark
Mitsui, who has served as president of
Portland Community College (PCC) since
the fall, assumed the role at an interesting
time that has truly called upon his
commitment to equity and inclusion.
Case in point: Responding to concerns
shared by students and faculty about
fever-pitch threats of deportation for
undocumented students, Mitsui issued a
statement on behalf of the board of
directors about adopting the term
“sanctuary college” in December.
The move was widely applauded by
community leaders, activists, and advo-
cates for immigrant rights, but it did not
come without controversy. Shortly after
the announcement of PCC’s sanctuary
designation, board chairman Gene Pitts
tendered his resignation, according to
Willamette Week. In a letter to the PCC
board, Pitts noted “that the decision to use
the term ‘sanctuary college’ politicizes the
college.”
The designation does not offer legal
protection from federal immigration laws,
but it allows the college to provide sym-
bolic support for undocumented students
and their families. As a sanctuary college,
PCC has vowed to “protect the privacy
rights of all students,” by not releasing
immigration status information, unless
“legally compelled” to do so. Noting that
PCC safety officers do not have legal
authority to “enforce federal immigration
laws,” they will not engage in deportation
activities. The designation also secures
in-state tuition for all students who meet
PCC residency requirements.
“PCC strives to be … a catalyst for
change and hope for our entire student
body — a place that values dialogue, civic
engagement, and learning,” Mitsui wrote.
“Indeed, one key intention within PCC’s
strategic plan is to ‘create a nationally
renowned culture for diversity, equity, and
inclusion.’”
Observers have noted that how Mitsui
has dealt with challenging situations early
in his tenure has revealed the substance of
his values and leadership style, which he
has characterized as “hit the ground,
listening.” Indeed, that’s what he has been
doing since returning to the Pacific North-
west: meeting with various stakeholders
and consulting on a variety of issues.
“PCC has a recently developed strategic
vision that deeply resonates with me. This
strategic plan, coupled with the goals that
our board of directors have set, highlights
student success and access, innovation
and quality teaching and programs, a
responsibility to our internal and external
communities, and a deep commitment to
diversity, equity, and inclusion. These are
my priorities for PCC — to help move the
college forward in these key, strategic
areas,” Mitsui said.
Before joining PCC, Mistui served as the
deputy assistant secretary for community
colleges within the Office of Career,
Technical, and Adult Education for the
U.S. Department of Education. For more
than three years, he focused on advancing
the White House’s community college
agenda through partnerships with
numerous federal agencies and national
stakeholders.
T
Mitsui said his original goal was to go to
Washington to learn all he could at the
national level and bring that knowledge
back to a college where it could benefit
students directly. After three years in
D.C., he said he was happy to be back in
the Pacific Northwest. “I knew that
Portland Community College was doing
great things,” he said.
At PCC, Mitsui considers the oppor-
tunity to interact with students as the
most rewarding part of his role. He
relishes connections with PCC’s diverse
student body.
“We are proud to serve international
students
from
across
the
globe,
first-generation college students, those
just out of high school, returning adult
learners with children and jobs, people
from across the region, coming to our
community college to find a better life. It is
so fulfilling to hear students’ stories and to
be part of their accomplishments,” he said.
Mitsui’s unwavering focus on student
success means he prioritizes diversity and
inclusion as among PCC’s most important
endeavors and commitments.
“A fundamental set of skills for living
and working in a globalizing world
includes the ability to effectively interact
with people who are different from you —
who have different life experiences, goals,
and perspectives. I believe that it is our
responsibility as a higher education
institution, especially as a community
college, to not only create welcoming,
inclusive
learning
and
working
environments, but to provide as many
opportunities as possible for students to
learn and to practice interacting across
areas of difference,” Mitsui said.
While he emphasizes that the success of
all students is an important component of
the college’s strategic plan, an intentional
focus on success rates among students of
color is important in ensuring equity and
access among underserved communities.
More than 30 percent of PCC students
identify as students of color, with specific
campuses such as Rock Creek, Cascade,
and Southeast reflecting the growing
diversity of the communities served. He
speaks proudly of PCC’s Men of Color
Leadership Program, which he wants to
expand along with other initiatives to
enhance graduation rates among students
of color.
“When we speak of student success at
PCC, we understand that our success
matrices must be intentionally equitable,”
he said. “Not every path to success looks
the same; we know that the complexion of
our student body looks very different on
the first day of school than it does at
graduation. We want to open that up and
explore multiple ways to equitably
enhance student success.”
It is no secret that Portland’s demo-
graphics are rapidly changing: about a
PCC PREZ. Mark Mitsui, the new president of
Portland Community College, Oregon’s largest
post-secondary institution, started his tenure in the
fall. (Photo courtesy of Portland Community College)
third of K-12 students are children of color.
Mitsui is relying on community outreach
and engagement to prepare PCC to best
meet the needs of an increasingly diverse
community, as well as the internal,
structural changes within PCC’s recruit-
ment and retention practices.
“One of the most important things that
we can do is to recruit, hire, and retain
diverse faculty and staff and to value
culturally responsive teaching,” Mitsui
said. “Students do best when they are able
to learn from and work with people who
understand their experiences and who
value diverse perspectives. PCC is
committed to being a leader in diversity,
equity, and inclusion. We owe it to our
students and to our community.”
Mitsui lauds PCC leadership, staff, and
faculty for their collective ability to listen
to and work with multiple partners — in
the K-12 system, in other colleges and
universities, and in the business
community. PCC exists to serve diverse
communities: from dual credit and other
pathway programs, to career technical
education, to programs that help students
transfer to four-year institutions.
“We evolve as our communities evolve,”
Mitsui said, adding that “our greatest
potential lies in our ability to adapt to the
ever-changing 21st-century life and
workscapes that our students encounter.”
PCC is the largest post-secondary institution in
Oregon, serving nearly 90,000 full-time and part-time
students. The college includes four comprehensive
campuses, eight centers, and dozens of independent
locations. To learn more, visit <www.pcc.edu>.
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