Message from the President: Introducing Dr. Ernest Johnson as Acting VP DEI

Dear Campus Community, 

I hope that you all had a nice weekend. Today I am writing to share an important update with you. 

Currently our search for a new Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (VP DEI) is underway, and we hope to make a hire later this spring. However, while we work through the hiring process, I am excited to announce that Dr. Ernest Johnson has agreed to step into the role of Acting Vice President of DEI until the position is filled. Ernest is a much respected, retired Multi-Cultural Studies faculty member, and brings a wealth of experience to this role. 

Dr. Ernest Johnson (Dr. J) is an associate professor emeritus, having taught Multi-Cultural Studies for 25 years here at Shoreline Community College, while being adjunct faculty in the American Ethnic Studies department at the University of Washington. He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Washington Department of Linguistics and M.A. from the University of Khartoum (Institute of African and Asian Studies). He has taught and lectured at over a dozen community colleges or universities over the past 40 years in various subjects ranging from equity hiring, ethnic studies, ESL, multicultural studies, Black studies, African culture, sociolinguistics, religious fundamentalism, and African American history. He managed a school within a school program for differently-abled students for Seattle Public Schools and is a founding partner of a consulting business focusing on equity and diversity. He is a co-developer of the Multicultural Studies Interview Rubric (MCIR), which has been used throughout the community college system with an emphasis on increasing the ability of hiring committees to hire employees who are both equity-minded and culturally competent. 

Appointing someone into this position is not a decision I take lightly, but considering the need for DEI leadership coupled with a sincere desire to continue to move several key initiatives forward, it was a decision that I felt to be especially important to make at this time. Ernest graciously offered to help us during this time of transition, and I was happy to accept. 

Ernest will be working on a part-time basis and available Tuesday-Thursdays. While he is with us in this role he will be primarily focused on the following projects: 

• Co-location project- getting all the centers and workforce together in one place to better serve students 
• Creation of a regional advisory for Indigenous community support  
• Working to develop practical ways to implement our anti-racist framework 
• Guiding DEI antiracist professional development efforts for the College 
• Helping to revive an Indigenous Race and Ethnic Studies program here at Shoreline 
• Other projects as appropriate  

I hope you will all extend a warm welcome to Ernest as he steps into this role. As always, if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact me. 

Cheers, 

Jack