Diversity and Equity

The Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD) is committed to providing learning and working environments that ensure and promote diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility. People of diverse backgrounds, perspectives, socioeconomic levels, cultures, and abilities are valued, welcomed, and included in all aspects of our organization. GCCCD strives to provide an educational environment that fosters cultural awareness, mutual understanding, and respect that ultimately also benefits the global community.

GCCCD BP 7100

For more detailed information on GCCCD Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) policies and procedures, or employee and applicant demographics, please see the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) site. For student demographics please see the Research, Planning & Institutional Effectiveness website, Key Performance Indicators, Student Demographics.

Commitment to Equal Opportunity and Inclusive Excellence at GCCCD

At Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District (GCCCD), we are committed to fostering an inclusive, accessible, and equitable learning and working environment. Our District serves a diverse student body and workforce, ensuring that every individual is treated with fairness, dignity, and respect in accordance with federal and state civil rights laws.

The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights recently issued a Dear Colleague Letter (DCL) on February 15, 2025, and a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document on March 2, 2025, reaffirming that institutions receiving federal funding must adhere to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin. The guidance clarifies that while institutions may continue to promote diversity and inclusion, policies and programs must remain race-neutral and free from unlawful discrimination.

GCCCD remains steadfast in upholding these legal obligations by ensuring that all educational and employment opportunities—including admissions, hiring, scholarships, academic programs, and student services—are available to all individuals without unlawful race-based decision-making.

We recognize that diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) contribute to a dynamic and supportive educational environment. Our approach is designed to remove barriers, expand access, and promote student and employee success through legally compliant, inclusive strategies that do not involve race-based preferences or classifications.

Our Commitment:

Ensuring compliance with federal civil rights laws, as clarified in the recent DCL and FAQ, while advancing equitable educational access and opportunity for all.
Providing programs and initiatives that support students and employees from all backgrounds in an inclusive manner that does not exclude or disadvantage any group.
Promoting diversity through race-neutral, inclusive strategies that enhance participation and engagement in academic and professional opportunities.

GCCCD is dedicated to maintaining an educational and workplace environment free from discrimination, where all individuals have the opportunity to thrive based on their abilities, aspirations, and contributions.

For more information about our diversity initiatives or to report concerns regarding equal opportunity, please contact the Title IX/EEO/Diversity Office.

Diversity "At A Glance"

test test 2

District Wide Workforce Ethnicity Representation Trend from Fall 2022 to Fall 2024

The chart illustrates the distribution of employees by ethnicity over three academic years (Fall 2022, Fall 2023, and Fall 2024). The data highlights trends in workforce diversity, showing variations in representation among different ethnic groups. Notably, White Non-Hispanic employees consistently have the highest representation, while other groups show minor fluctuations or steady trends.

Grossmont Districtwide Occupational Activity (Fall 2021- Fall 2023)

This chart presents the occupational activity (headcount) for Grossmont District across eight job categories from 2021 to 2023. Faculty positions dominate employment numbers, significantly outnumbering other categories. Technical/Paraprofessional and Clerical/Secretarial roles consistently maintain moderate headcounts. Service/Maintenance and Instruction/Research Assistants show the lowest employee counts. There is noticeable stability in overall trends with some fluctuations in specific categories.

District Wide Workforce Age Representation Trend from Fall 2022 to Fall 2024

The chart displays the distribution of employees across different age groups for the years 2022, 2023, and 2024. In Fall 2024, the 18 to 34 age group has the highest employee count, followed by 35 to 39, which remains strong. The 40 to 49 age range maintains a healthy presence, while employee numbers start to decline for those 50 and older, with the 65+ groups having the lowest representation.

District Wide Workforce Representation by Gender, Trends from Fall 2022 to Fall 2024

This chart illustrates the distribution of employees by gender over three consecutive years: Fall 2022, Fall 2023, and Fall 2024. It provides a clear visual representation of trends across genders, specifically highlighting Female, Male, and Non-Binary employees. The Non-Binary category is present in the dataset, but because the counts are so low, the bars in the chart are too small to be noticeable compared to the much larger counts for Male and Female employees.

test 6

The bar graph represents progression rates, meaning the percentage of applicants from each demographic group who moved from the application review stage to the ready-for-hire (selectee) stage.

Why Use Progression Rates Instead of Just Applications and Hires?

Hiring is a multi-step process, and progression rates provide a clearer picture of equity by showing how candidates move through each stage. If we only compare the number of applicants to final hires, we miss where disparities occur in the selection process.

2022-2023 (Blue) / 2023-2024 (Green) / 2024-2025 (Red)

The American Indian or Alaska Native group had the highest progression rate in 2022-2023 but declined in the following years. Asian and Black or African American groups saw small improvements over time. Middle Eastern or North African and Pacific Islander groups had consistently low progression rates with minimal changes. White (Non-Hispanic) progression rates remained relatively stable but were lower than Hispanic/Latino groups. Hispanic/Latino group showed a slight increase over the three years. The "I Do Not Wish to Answer" group had stable or increasing progression rates, similar to Hispanic/Latino.

Equity at GCCCD

What Is Equity?
At GCCCD, equity means removing barriers rooted in systemic disparities. Equity ensures that all individuals—regardless of their background, identity, or ZIP code—have access to the opportunities and resources they need to succeed and thrive. Achieving equity requires intentionality, collaboration, and a commitment to disrupting inequities wherever they exist. To be equity-centered is to be actively engaged in identifying and eliminating injustice.

Understanding Equity Factors

At the core of equity work is the recognition of systemic disparities—from education and employment to health care and housing. At GCCCD, we acknowledge that these disparities have had generational impacts, particularly on various communities which include but not limimted to Black/African American, Native American, Asian, Pacific Islander, and Latino populations.

Predictable inequities often show up in the form of: Limited economic mobility and wealth accumulation; Unequal access to housing, health care, and quality education; Disparities in public safety and environmental conditions; Overrepresentation in criminal justice systems

Equity Factors serve as strategic tools to guide GCCCD’s equity efforts and apply an intentional lens to operations and decisions. These factors inform how we evaluate and address disparities and are being integrated into planning, policy development, and service design. Equity is not a standalone initiative—it must be embedded into all that we do.

Key Equity Areas of Focus

Equity in Access: Ensuring all students, employees, and community members can equitably access programs, services, and opportunities—regardless of background or location.

Equity in Infrastructure: Addressing disparities in physical and institutional infrastructure, including technology access, facilities, and resource allocation.

Equity in Communities of Concern: Prioritizing historically under-resourced communities within and served by the District to promote long-term inclusion.

Equity in Processes: Embedding equity into planning, and policymaking through inclusive and transparent processes.

Equity vs. Equality

As we build toward systemic transformation, it's important to distinguish between equality and equity:

Equality gives everyone the same resources and opportunities, assuming everyone starts from the same place.

Equity acknowledges that people may have different starting points and seeks to correct imbalances by distributing resources based on need, not sameness.

At GCCCD, we are committed to equity because achieving equal outcomes across our campuses and communities requires more than equal treatment—it demands an equitable response to systemic challenges.

Our Commitment

Through an equity-centered lense, GCCCD is creating the conditions for transformation. By grounding our work in Equity Factors and strategic planning, we are advancing meaningful change to ensure that all members of our community feel seen, valued, and supported.