Clatsop Community College is undergoing a restructure of its Diversity, Equity and Inclusion programming following the announcement that the DEI director position will be eliminated.

Teena Toyas, the college’s interim president, confirmed that the position would be eliminated and incorporated into a new human resources role following a meeting of the college board in February where Heather Douglas, who filled the position, spoke during public comment about the value of the work.

Since then, Douglas has resigned from her position as both DEI director and chair of the DEI Council.

“I loved my job as DEI director,” Douglas said. “I left because CCC doesn’t support DEI work. I hope that they realize the importance of DEI work and how it ultimately attracts a diverse group of staff and students to our area, and that inclusion benefits everyone.”

Douglas also emphasized her hope that the funding from the Meyer Memorial Trust, which funded the DEI director position, is used to support DEI efforts moving forward.

“There seems to be a reticence by the leaders of CCC to support DEI work,” Douglas said. “I think CCC could show their support now by not eliminating the department and hiring for the position because there is full funding for the position. I also hope that the college, even despite a financial crisis, places importance on pursuing grants.”

Amid her departure, Jon Graves and Amanda Cortez have been selected to lead the DEI Council, which sponsors DEI efforts and advises the college administration on matters of cultural competency. Funding from the Meyer Memorial Trust, which extends through January 2025, has also been redirected to the DEI Council.

Graves, the director of TRIO programs at the college, emphasized his hope that the council can continue to support DEI efforts in the absence of a designated staff person.

“It’s disheartening that we don’t have a staff anymore that is working with us,” Graves said. “However, you know, the people on the council are going to be working extra hard to ensure that we continue moving forward. And right now, there’s just a lot of change at Clatsop. We’re just going to roll with that change and really move forward.”

College leadership has been vocal about financial difficulties in recent months. At the board meeting earlier this month, Toyas and Bill Meck, who is advising the college on finances, spoke to the need during the upcoming budget process to lower expenditures and put the college on a stronger financial footing.

A job description posted on the college’s website refers to a director of human resources, Title IX and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. Graves said that while he is skeptical about the incorporation of DEI into human resources, he hopes that the individual hired will be an asset to DEI work at the college.

“From my experience, human resources departments are there to protect the organization, and a lot of times DEI work is challenging the organization,” Graves said. “And so I am curious to see how that works out. That being said, Clatsop Community College is a small community college, and almost everybody on campus is doing several different types of jobs within their job.

“And I have every belief that an HR director can be a fabulous HR director and make sure Clatsop is compliant on HR issues, while at the same time promoting diversity, promoting systematic change that helps our students, because the bottom line is everybody is here because they love working with students.”

Graves also emphasized his hope that as the college board embarks on the process of hiring a new president in the coming months, the tide shifts toward leadership support for DEI work.

“I do see DEI being funded again at Clatsop,” Graves said. “I see DEI being funded with general funds. And I see it as being an important part of our community college.”