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HISTORY

Submitted by: Kat Flores, September 25, 2008 Agnes B. Steward, October 16, 2003

Multicultural Student Services Directors Council History    

During the 1970’s, a group of concerned and committed multicultural student services and minority affairs staff met informally as the Puget Sound Regional Consortium to collectively address issues regarding students of color in higher education within the Puget Sound area.   

In 1978, state funds that were previously earmarked to support Minority Affairs Offices in higher education were withdrawn.  Despite the lack of financial support from the state, from 1978 to the early 1980’s, there was an increase in Multicultural Student Services (MCSS)/Minority Affairs Offices within the community and technical college system.   

During the mid 1980’s, staff members from the MCSS offices began to meet as an independent group with a common concern, students & staff of color in higher education.  Throughout the 1980’s the group focused on four‐year transfer recruitment, increasing faculty, counselors, and other student services staff of color, and professional development for people of color within the state higher education system.

In the late 1980’s, the State Board for Community and Technical College (SBCTC) allocated enhancement dollars for the re‐establishment of MCSS/Minority Affairs Offices across the state.  The MCSS group saw the commitment by the SBCTC as an opportunity to become more unified and officially recognized as a state authorized council.  The MCSS group became an unofficial council focusing on the recruitment, retention, graduation, and transfer of students of color with the community and technical college system.  Membership was expanded to include all community and technical college within Washington State.

In the early 1990’s Presidents, Deans of Students Services, and Deans of Instruction solicited the MCSS council to align with their respective commission.  Due to the variation in titles, responsibilities, reportage of the MCSS council members, alignment was a challenging decision.  

In 1993, the MCSS council officially aligned with the Deans of Student Services Commission and was officially recognized by State Board for Community and Technical Colleges as the Multicultural Student Services Directors Council (MSSDC).  

In 2003, the MSSDC developed goals areas:  Member Orientation, Marketing, Policy & Advocacy, Professional Development and Students of Color Conference.  The council continues to revisit the goal areas and report to the Washington State Student Services Commission (WSSSC) on its progress.  Representatives from the MSSDC were instrumental in developing the state‐wide Diversity Assessment Framework, an institutional‐level assessment of diversity.  

This framework is utilized by many colleges within the system.  In 2006, Bates Technical College’s Dr. Borofsky was the first college president to deliver a professional development presentation to the council; and he was instrumental in providing the MSSDC with its first opportunity to bring information about the work of the MSSDC and the Students of Color Conference to the Washington Association of Community and Technical College presidents (WACTC) in 2007.