Our Vision, Mission, and Values
Vision
Excellence, and Social Justice through Education
Mission
Cuyamaca College advances equity and social justice through student-centered and innovative approaches to education. We strive to create unique and meaningful learning experiences that build upon the strengths and socio-cultural experiences of our diverse student population and the communities we serve by providing programs that lead to certificates, degrees, transfer, career opportunities, and ultimately social and economic mobility.
Values
- Student-centered–Our students are our guides. We put students first and ensure the student experience is the foundation of our work by seeking student input and being responsive to student needs. We value and honor student involvement in institutional decision-making. We are committed to supporting student completion of educational goals and opportunities for lifelong learning while providing equitable and accessible distribution of resources.
- Equity–We work intentionally to honor and validate our students' and employees’ lived experiences and cultural capital. Building upon the concepts of mutual trust, respect, and accountability, we work collaboratively to identify racial equity gaps in the context of intersectionality, and implement approaches and practices that create and sustain a welcoming, supportive, and race-conscious culture and environment.
- Student Success–We meet students where they are and work collaboratively to transform students’ lives through their experiences inside and outside of the classroom. Our purpose is to foster students’ continuous growth and promote economic and social mobility. We take responsibility for creating and maintaining safe, supportive, and equitable spaces where students can thrive.
- Innovation–We aim to break away from traditional structures and approaches in order to open up more inclusive pathways to serving and supporting our students, employees, and community. We value and promote risk-taking, interdisciplinary collaboration, and creativity among students and employees in order to continuously learn, grow, and improve our practices.
- Excellence–We validate and support students’ and employees’ strengths, socio-cultural experiences, and perpetual thirst for learning and continuous growth. We value and honor the talents of each member of our community.
- Social Justice–We acknowledge social injustices that impact historically marginalized communities and work together to make systemic changes to actively dismantle the racism and inequalities ingrained in the fabric of traditional institutions in order to safeguard human rights, increase access, promote participation, and further equity.
- Community–We proudly stand as a member of a larger collective and recognize that together we thrive. Cuyamaca College values relationships with the many diverse local communities that we serve, including indigenous, border, and international communities. We acknowledge our role within larger historical and economic contexts, including recognizing the responsibilities we have as an educational institution occupying unceded Kumeyaay land.
- Mutual Respect–We honor and value students’ and employees’ diverse talents and cultural capital by centering kindness, empathy, and compassion in every interaction. Recognizing that our words and actions impact our community, we seek continuous growth by holding each other accountable and practice equity- minded communication. We aim to create safe, supportive, and equitable spaces to ensure all voices and perspectives, especially those from historically marginalized or excluded groups, can participate in governance and authentically share their insights, experiences, and feedback without intimidation.