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President's 12345 Message from Kristina Whalen

March 27, 2025

At last week’s MIPC meeting, revised Foothill Values were adopted. Over 9 months of listening, surveying, and reiterating birthed 6 value clusters to guide our shared work. Communicating those values, and the environment they are meant to foster, feels like the perfect way to punctuate the Winter Quarter. For that reason, this week’s 1-2-3-4-5 has a bonus–a 6!

(1) Integrity & Honesty

Integrity and honesty are foundational to building trust and respect within any organization. This value cluster fosters:

  • Trust: Establishing reliable relationships among individuals.
  • Respect: Valuing diverse perspectives and contributions.
  • Reflective Practices: Encouraging self-assessment and growth.
  • Authenticity: Being true to oneself and others.
  • Courage: The ability to speak up and act ethically

(2) Transparency & Openness

Transparency and openness are crucial for sound decision-making and effective communication. This cluster supports:

  • Sound Decision-Making: Making informed choices based on accurate information.
  • Strong Communication: Ensuring clear and honest dialogue.
  • Accuracy: Commitment to truthfulness in all dealings.
  • Accountability: Taking responsibility for actions and outcomes.

(3) Innovation & Curiosity

Innovation and curiosity drive creativity and engagement, essential for growth and retention. This value cluster fosters:

  • Creativity: Encouraging new ideas and approaches.
  • Engagement: Actively involving individuals in the learning process.
  • Growth: Fostering personal and professional development.
  • Retention: Keeping talent through a stimulating environment.
  • Deep Learning: Promoting thorough understanding and mastery of concepts.

(4) Equity-mindedness & Inclusion

Equity-mindedness and inclusion ensure access and opportunity for all. These values support:

  • Access: Providing equal opportunities for participation.
  • Opportunity: Creating pathways for success for everyone.
  • Social Justice: Advocating for a just society by challenging injustice and valuing diversity.
  • Social Mobility: Providing opportunity so people may thrive in the Bay Area.
  • Cultural Competency: Understanding and respecting positionality.

(5) Community & Collaboration

Community and collaboration foster a sense of belonging and connection among individuals. This cluster fosters:

  • Belonging: Creating an environment where everyone feels accepted.
  • Connection: Building relationships that support collaboration.
  • Support: Offering assistance and encouragement to one another.
  • Celebration: Recognizing achievements and milestones together.
  • Alignment: Walking together in a shared purpose.

And now for the bonus . . .

(6) Love & Compassion

The value of love and compassion emphasizes a deep systemic culture of care. This cluster supports:

  • A “Deep Systemic Culture of Care”: Cultivating an environment where individuals feel seen and heard and brought into focus.
  • Feeling Valued: Ensuring everyone knows their worth.
  • Transformation: Supporting personal and collective growth.
  • Ability to Rebound: Encouraging resilience in the face of challenges.
  • Restorative Work: Focusing on healing and rebuilding relationships.

Bringing the value of love into the institution was the subject of much reflection. Although some see love as only a deeply personal value, our discussions lifted up a critical theory of love, explained well in the 3 essays (see links below) by Dr. Durryle Brooks. I’m especially taken with Dr. Brooks framework because he shapes a definition of heart forward care described in our Theory of Change. Dr. Brooks writes, a “[Critical Theory of Love] invites you to ask anyone after leaving your presence if they feel more capable, grounded in who they are, nourished to live and fight another day, or well-positioned to find joy in a world that seeks to crush their soul. We can ask what specific behaviors allowed them to feel that way, what conditions nourished their mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual growth while they were with us. We can invite in conversation about what structures were reordered to ensure our individual, institutional, and broader social wellbeing; learn from them; and shift in ways we can.”
I'd like to thank Michelle Nguyen, the IRP Team, the Foothill 2030 Steering Committee, the members of MIPC, and all those that attended a service club chats last Spring, completed the survey, or sent comments and feedback through to your representatives.

Yours in service,
Kristina

Developing a Critical Conceptualization of Love in Our Social Justice Work
Love and Social Justice
The Critical Theory of Love: Reconceptualizing Love for Social Justice

Dr. Kristina Whalen​
President

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