President’s Office

Today marks a historic time in our nation’s history with the inauguration of our 46th President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Vice President Kamala Harris, the first woman elected to that office. Last week, despite the violent assault on our democracy, our Constitution held strong and today we witnessed a peaceful transfer of power. While the insurrection at the U.S. Capitol Building on January 6 threatened the cradle of democracy, today is a cause for celebration and hope for our future as we watched the swearing in of our new President.

Equity and justice for all is not just a pipedream realized by a few, it is a right of everyone in a free society. It is my sincere hope that we can begin to come together as a country and to find common ground, based on mutual respect. As someone who emigrated from Cuba as a young boy, my family came to this country for the freedoms that only democracy could offer. I am hopeful that the country I have come to call my home will represent the diversity that is our great country. I am heartened by President Biden’s cabinet nominees, who reflect the multicultural fabric that make up the United States of America. This gives me hope for our future and the freedoms that democracy affords us.

Freedoms such as higher education for all is the hallmark of democracy and something that I value dearly as a first generation college student who became an educator. I fervently believe that education is a human right that helps raise people out of poverty and changes the trajectory of their lives.

I am excited that the White House now has an educator in its midst with Dr. Jill Biden as our First Lady. Dr. Biden brings a unique perspective to higher education, as a community college professor. What an inspiration and advocate she is for community colleges. I am confident that Dr. Biden can help change the lens in which community colleges are viewed. As a community college president, I understand the importance of making affordable, accessible higher education for all. Through Dr. Biden’s perspective, I hope that she and President Biden will help to realize community colleges’ full potential, by elevating and escalating investments and programs to support our community college students. The President has repeatedly noted that community colleges are America’s “best kept secrets,” and I am hopeful that they will now get a more equitable share of the funding pie.

The dawning of a new time is upon us and I look toward the next four years with a sense of anticipation and faith that our democracy is strong. Today has reinforced and enriched the values that have made our country a symbol of freedom throughout the world.

The Presidents of the 15 Community Colleges of Massachusetts unite to voice our opposition to the violence, bigotry, racism and hate we witnessed in Charlottesville, Virginia this past weekend. 

The students on our campuses across the Commonwealth reflect the rich diversity of our nation. Our philosophy of teaching and learning has, at its core, the promise of inclusive excellence and social justice. We embrace our shared values of global citizenship and prize the richness of cultural wealth in our diverse communities. We respect people from all nations, cultures, backgrounds, and experiences and welcome them to join our community of scholars and learners, for therein lies the hope and the future strength of our nation and our world.

We reject, in the strongest possible terms, hateful rhetoric, harmful actions, or attempts to diminish the values or identity of our community members, while remaining committed to the fundamental right of free speech. These actions will not gain a foothold on our campuses. We will provide safe and secure environments for our students, faculty and staff. We will continue to embrace the diversity that makes our institutions strong.

Our community colleges are democracy’s colleges. The teaching and learning that happen at our 15 colleges speaks to the immense compassion and potential that enrich our nation. In these times that test our resolve as leaders, we renew our pledge to our communities. You are all welcome and valued; your religion, race, ethnicity, language, citizenship, and gender are honored. We will continue to learn together. Hate has no place at our Massachusetts Community Colleges.

President's Message on Guide to Services for Those Displaced by Recent National Disasters

The City of Worcester, Centro, the American Red Cross and other community partners, have been collaborating and finding ways to assist folks who have been displaced by recent national disasters. We have received calls from students from the affected areas and are working to find ways to make it easier for them to attend QCC. I am prepared to take the necessary steps through fee waivers or other measures to ensure affordable access to higher education for these folks until they establish residency. We as a college need to be able to welcome these students and help to make the transition as painless as possible for them.

As I began to write this earlier in the week, I had a different message in mind. I had planned to write about the lessons we’ve learned from the pandemic or about how the challenges we face make us stronger. Yet, neither seems appropriate for the moment. Throughout the week, I’ve struggled with the images in the news. The rising death toll that numbs us to the many heartbreaks and losses so many families are enduring. I see the disproportionate number of minorities that are dying in this pandemic; the lack of resources for the most vulnerable in our community. I see the self-appointed posse of vigilantes hunting down a black jogger, claiming self-defense. The images of George Floyd struggling to breathe, his cries callously ignored.

I’ve struggled for days to find words that can express the unbearable sorrow, anger, and frustration that I feel in every fiber of my being; my soul aches. Maybe that is for the best. Words are cheap when lives are at stake; they fall on deaf and uncaring ears. Words are twisted and spat back at our face dripping with the poison of ridicule, sarcasm, and malice. Words are silenced as we gasp for air under a chokehold or knee. Words alone do not change history or bend its moral arc. Our words do not define us; our actions do.

The callous action of an individual should not taint the valor and dedication of those who risk their lives to protect us, but the lack of a swift response to those actions should alarm us. We are a nation divided, where truth and reason seem to have succumbed to the violence of hate and the vile rhetoric that demonizes those who are different from us. The pandemic is but a mere symptom of the disease that plagues our society; the cancer that is eating us from within. If anything, the pandemic has revealed the fractures in our society, the inequities entrenched through centuries of systemic oppression. We see it everyday in the struggles of our students, the almost insurmountable challenges they face as they pursue their education. We can no longer afford to ignore the equity gaps, the injustices in society, the disregard for our common humanity. Words alone will not suffice; we must act. We cannot afford to sit idly by.

There are days when I fear that the voices of our better angels will be muted by the demons of hatred that haunt us; days when I fear that the darkness that has engulfed us will suffocate the light. Yet, I believe, I must believe, that the dimmest of light will burn more brightly in the darkest of night and that even love defeated is stronger than hate. Throughout history colleges and universities often led the way, sowing the seeds of knowledge and freedom, reinventing our world, and serving as a catalyst for change. In the hallowed halls of colleges and universities, we value differences, protect dissent, and engage in civil discourse. We challenge ideas, seek common ground, focus on solutions rather than blame. I believe in the power of education to effect change. Through education we can lift the veil of lies, ignorance, and fear that has descended upon us. We may try to hide the truth, to deny it, to ignore it, but we cannot escape it. Inevitably, truth will set us free. I invite you, as a college community to lead the way, to be the catalysts of change that our world needs in these trying times.

Statement From QCC Campus Police Chief 

As the Chief of Police for the Quinsigamond Community College Police Department for the last 15 years, as well as a 39 year veteran of the force, the death of George Floyd in Minnesota has left me appalled, dis-gusted and disillusioned. I strongly condemn the actions of this former police officer and his colleagues as they demonstrated the very worst actions of not only a police officer, but also as a human being. These officers lost sight of their mission to protect and service the public in the most disrespectful and horrific manner. Their actions have left all professional law enforcement officers angry and disheartened. 

My department embraces a professional approach to law enforcement, emphasizing superior service, community policing and impartial enforcement of all laws and regulations. The police officers of my department handle themselves professionally and treat each member of our community with respect and consideration regardless of the situation. They have worked extremely hard through their community po-licing efforts to develop a rapport with the students, faculty and staff of QCC. Their jobs just became much more difficult because of the incredulous nature of the actions that lead to the death of George Floyd. 

Law enforcement professionals must now work together to continue to do their work while rebuilding trust with the communities that they serve.

The presidents of the 15 community colleges in Massachusetts urge the United States Department of Education (ED) to recommit to its mission and protect the rights of transgender students in Massachusetts and across the country. In 1980, ED officially dedicated the Department’s resources to, among other priorities, “prohibiting discrimination and ensuring equal access to education.” However, we are collectively concerned by recent action of the Department and the impact on important individuals in our community, threatening equal access to education for all students.

In 2011, we are proud that the Massachusetts General Court prohibited discrimination due to Gender Identity in matters of housing, employment, public education, and credit. In 2016, this law was expanded in Massachusetts to also bar discrimination in matters of public accommodation. This past Tuesday, we were delighted that voters in Massachusetts reaffirmed this protection to our transgender community by overwhelmingly rejecting the law’s repeal.

However, the effort in Massachusetts is greatly juxtaposed with recent efforts by the Federal Government to limit rights of transgender individuals in schools and on higher education campuses. Last year, the Justice and Education Departments issued a letter revoking a previous Title IX guidance allowing transgender students to use bathrooms and locker rooms in alignment with their gender identity. Also, a recent New York Times report suggests that the Department of Health and Human Services is considering a change to define sex as “a person’s status as male or female based on immutable biological traits identifiable by or before birth,” and that “the sex listed on a person’s birth certificate, as originally issued, shall constitute definitive proof of a person’s sex unless rebutted by reliable genetic evidence.” These discussions are concerning and not based on medical community consensus.

You have publicly stated your “moral obligation” to protect LGBTQ students. You have also mentioned that every student in America should have “the freedom to learn and thrive in a safe and trusted environment.” We hope that you follow the lead of Massachusetts and take this opportunity to recommit to all students in the country by protecting the rights of transgender people. Now is not the time to turn our backs on our students – all who deserve our respect, our commitment to their safety, and our unbridled support.

Joint Statement from the Massachusetts Community College Presidents 

“We join the nation in its grief and anger over the killing of George Floyd by police in Minneapolis, and the far too many other Black Americans killed by racial violence. Institutional racism is deeply rooted in our nation. It harms members of our Black community and it harms all of us. Together, the 15 community colleges loudly condemn racism and echo the call-to-action demanding changes to public policy that promote equity and justice in policing, housing, healthcare, education, and more. 

Pursuing equity is a core value to each of our colleges, and we know we have work to do to make that a reality. We stand with the Black community in Massachusetts and across the country, and as college presidents, we will work to use every intervention possible to achieve equity in opportunities and outcomes of our students. We are also deeply committed to dismantling institutional racism. 

We keep the families of those killed in our hearts and stand in solidarity with those protesting for change.” 

WORCESTER, MA— October 9, 2019— On October 4, Quinsigamond Community College President Dr. Luis G. Pedraja joined over 164 colleges and universities from across the country in signing an amicus brief supporting the roughly 700,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children and who hold Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status. These individuals, known as “Dreamers” have received temporary protection against deportation, and have been allowed to work and attend school legally. This “friend of the court” brief was coordinated by the Presidents’ Alliance on Higher Education and Immigration to help ensure that these children are able to continue with their lives without fear of repercussions or deportation.

“Our country was founded on the principle that all are endowed with three basic rights: life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. The sole crime of the undocumented is the pursuit of these basic human rights. Most of these students came as children, some as infants, brought by parents hoping for a better future and the need to survive,” said Dr. Pedraja. “We stand with our sister institutions in support of the Dreamers and their ability to receive a higher education.”

QCC stands for a diverse and inclusive community, ensuring that everyone has access to quality, affordable, higher education. The Dreamers are the doctors, nurses, business owners, police officers, early childhood educators, scientists and others who strengthen a society and help it prosper. They help businesses flourish, and provide key services that many rely on for their day-to-day lives. They bolster economic development and contribute to state, local and federal taxes. They are the embodiment of QCC's Wyvern mascot, whose spirit serves to guard and protect our community.

Since 2012, DACA has offered temporary protection from deportation and the ability to work legally to more than 700,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children. The program has benefited these Dreamers, including our students, their families, their communities, and our economy tremendously.

On September 5, 2017, the administration announced that they were terminating the DACA program. To date, multiple courts have kept renewals ongoing for current DACA recipients, but Dreamers have still been forced to live court case to court case, uncertain about their futures and in fear of being separated from their families and the lives they have built over decades in the United States.

The future of DACA, and the futures of hundreds of thousands of Dreamers will be argued at the U.S. Supreme Court on November 12, 2019. The Court could hand down a ruling as soon as February 2020 determining if Dreamers will lose the ability to live, study, and work in the United States.

 I am devastated to learn about the shootings in Atlanta that left eight people dead. This senseless act of violence is appalling, and cannot be tolerated in today’s society. The violence and racism against Asians, Asian Americans, and Pacific Islanders, which is increasing at an alarming rate, is unacceptable. Since the beginning of the Coronavirus/COVID-19 pandemic last spring, Asians have been unfairly targeted and subjected to unspeakable crimes and acts of cruelty. Too many people in our country have lost their lives because of their race, ethnicity, nationality, or faith. Enough is enough. This appalling behavior must end; we must all come together as a society to support one another and help each other achieve greatness.

Quinsigamond Community College denounces all forms of hatred, such as racism, sexism, xenophobia, religious discrimination and intolerance of any type. We are proud of the diversity of our students, faculty and staff who make QCC the dynamic and inclusive institution of higher learning that it is.

We stand with our Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Islander students, friends, and colleagues. We will continue to provide a safe and caring place in which our students, faculty and staff can work and learn. We will continue to work with our community to ensure that everyone is welcomed and treated with dignity and respect. And we will continue to provide opportunities to become the best versions of ourselves.

The events we are witnessing today in Washington DC at the US Capitol Building are unprecedented. As a boy in Cuba, America and its Constitution represented the democratic ideals that my family and I sought. It was that place beyond the seas that beckoned and held the promise of freedom that fueled our dreams; it was that promise that led us to leave our country and join this nation’s ongoing quest for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

I am saddened and dismayed to watch the footage and read the news of today’s assault on the cradle of democracy. To see those who would disrupt what should be a historic day, celebrating the peaceful transfer of power after a democratic election, is disheartening and goes against everything we represent as a nation. I sincerely hope that we can find common ground, unify this country and restore the faith in our government and the ideals that define us both as a nation and as a beacon of democracy to the world.

I believe that we are better than what we saw today, and, in spite of this affront, the democratic process will prevail. It is my hope that we will listen to our better angels and once again come together to realize the ideals and dreams at our core. As an educator, I believe that knowledge can set us free, that access to education is a hallmark to democracy, and that institutions of higher education like QCC lead the way forward, providing opportunities for our community to engage in civil discourse of ideas, empower our pursuits, foster democracy, and pave the way for a better future. It is my hope that we can move past this dark day and become the nation that we were truly meant to be –the country that I longed for as a child and that I have so dearly come to love.

WORCESTER, MA — June 18, 2020 — Quinsigamond Community College welcomes today’s landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court that blocked the dismantling of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The College’s President, Luis G. Pedraja, Ph.D., is a vocal advocate of the program and previously joined over 164 colleges and universities from across the country in signing an amicus brief last October, supporting the close to 650,000 young immigrants who came to the United States as children. Known as the Dreamers, these young adults have been protected against the threat of deportation under the DACA program since 2012. The program’s termination was threatened by the current administration.

“This decision was important and vital to the betterment of our nation, our community and our college. QCC stands for a diverse and inclusive community and this decision gives our DACA students the knowledge that they can pursue their education without fear of deportation,” President Pedraja said.

QCC’s student body is a reflection of the diverse cultures that represent Central Massachusetts. Dr. Pedraja said the decision is one that is a good start in working towards a more equitable society.

“The world is changing and we must make sure it changes in a positive fashion. The Dreamers are an integral part of our community. They are the healthcare providers, the first responders, the educators, the scientists and the frontline workers who are taking care of our citizens during the pandemic,” President Pedraja said. “This decision shows there is hope for a brighter future.”

Our hearts ache for the people of Ukraine as they face the onslaught of this unprovoked attack. Our thoughts are with those in our community who have friends and family in that region and hope that they are safe. Our world is fragile, barely beginning to recover from a devastating pandemic. The toll that this war can inflict on the people of Ukraine and even the people of the Russian Federation are unimaginable. Thus, in the words of UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, we hope that “in the name of humanity” the hostilities will soon cease and that diplomacy may once again be given a chance to broker a peace.

As I begin to make my new home in Worcester, I am proud and honored to meet so many great people in my new city who have received me and my family with open arms and hearts. One of the great assets of Central Massachusetts is its diversity. I have witnessed firsthand how people from all walks of life, different economic backgrounds, races, religions, political outlooks, and sexual orientations have come together to create such a vibrant and prosperous community.

As President of Quinsigamond Community College, I believe in our ability as an institution of higher education to promote discourse and spur dialogue regarding issues that affect our community, our nation, and our world.

I am saddened by the violence that took place in Charlottesville- a city where I once lived, studied, and served as a community leader. I know many decent and kind people in that community who are surely horrified by what has happened and by those who have come from outside to disrupt the peace, fuel hatred, and incite violence and fear. My thoughts are with all who were injured and lost their lives as well for all my friends who are there.

QCC stands firm against hatred, bigotry, and violence in whatever form that takes. It is my hope that members of this community stand up whenever anyone seeks to disparage, oppress, discriminate, or terrorize another human being because of their race, religion, sex or sexual orientation. We must reject any attempt to harm any other human being or diminish their value or identity.

The success of our community depends on all of its members. Care for one another and support those who are less fortunate. Speak up for those who cannot, tolerate and discuss different viewpoints and beliefs in a civil, dignified manner and celebrate diversity.

Bigotry should never be tolerated. Together we can work to ensure change within our institution, ourselves, and our country.

Let Charlottesville be a lesson to us all. There is no place for hatred. May we learn from this and move forward.

Quinsigamond Community College has made a commitment to minimize the College's contribution to global warming and reduce its carbon footprint by joining the President's Climate Commitment. A national collaborative, the President's Climate Commitment unites more than 650 colleges and universities in 48 states in the common goal of reducing global warming.

As a member of the President’s Climate Commitment, the College commits itself to achieving carbon neutrality through the reduction of Scope 1, 2 and 3 emissions. We are achieving this goal through a set of clearly defined mitigation strategies which fall into five general categories: (1) energy efficient operations, (2) power plant and fleet/fuel management, (3) behavioral/cultural change incentives, (4) on-campus renewable energy production, and (5) carbon off-sets. Our commitment also includes expanding our community outreach efforts and ensuring sustainability is part of the curriculum for all students.

Quinsigamond Community College is proud of the work it has achieved in conserving energy and reducing carbon emissions, and is honored to be a part of a continuing global effort to make a significant difference in slowing climate change. We believe that, in fiscal year 2010, we have met and exceeded the goals of both the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and the American Colleges and University Presidents Climate Commitment, and will continue to strive for greater improvements in sustainability. Our Climate Action Plan looks forward, beginning in fiscal year 2008 and will be reviewed annually and updated as conditions change and technology improves.