Hazel Hill, CCCAOE President, San Joaquin Delta College

There is so little good news these days that I think the only smart thing to do is to start creating and sharing good news. You may think I have lost my mind, after all we do not have a State Budget, employees are being laid off, others are being furloughed, and those that are left are being asked to do more and more with less support and less funding. Our classrooms are full, but without any funding we can't open additional sections. Where is the good news in this mess? I know that most of you are feeling over-worked, overwhelmed and under paid, but I think it is time to change your mind set and the mind set of those around you.

Let's start with the simple fact that you are responsible for your happiness. You can choose to be happy or unhappy, it is just that simple. Sometimes when you are around unhappy people, it rubs off on you and you become unhappy. The reverse is also true, when you have a conversation with a happy person, with a positive disposition; you will often walk away feeling happy. Yes, you need to become the person that makes others feel good. Start by smiling and saying "good morning" to everyone you meet going into your office in the morning and most of the time you will at least start off having a good day.

Now that you are feeling happy, what if you had a clear vision? To get there you will need to dump some of your bad habits (if you have any), and start managing your emotions so that you do not do what is called "self-sabotage." Start by not procrastinating! Then get organized, start eating better and maybe get little more exercise. Now that you are a happy, healthy, self-motivated person with a positive frame of mind and a clear vision, you are in a great position to be a leader of positive change even without additional resources.

One of my major concerns is that due to the large number of students wanting to enroll in classes this Fall, many may have enrolled in CTE classes just because they needed units to keep their scholarship, or financial aid, or their parents told them they had to have 12 units or get a job. These students could have a very bad effect on Core Indicator Number One, and some instructors are worried that this will have a negative effect on the number of students who move on to the next class in the program's sequence. Others look at this as an opportunity to promote their program by spending time during the first few weeks discussing the program's many career pathways, which may result in some of the students, who just need the units, giving serious thought to pursuing a new career option.

Another action which might help alleviate the problem of CTE classes filling with non-majors is to have conversation now with your "contacts" including the leaders of EWD Initiatives, Tech-Prep Consortia, Workforce Development Boards and advisory committees. Let them know how very important it is for CTE students to start the college enrollment process now so they will be ready to enroll in classes when registration starts. This is no time for procrastination.

Strong articulation agreements with local high schools can really pay off. A student, who successfully completes a course in high school that is articulated with the college, enters into the second level of courses in a program. These students can fill the seats of the general education students who needed the units, but not your class. This is a perfect time for CTE and EWD managers to work together.  Many businesses are seeking advanced training for their employees, so why not provide this opportunity in the second level CTE courses.

Above are just a few examples of how positive relationships can help strengthen and even expand existing programs. It's not about money, but about positive people who have a clear vision and understand how to make and maintain positive relationships.