Cynthia Gayles Human Relations Committee

The Cynthia Gayles Human Relations committee seeks to improve and create opportunities for college access for traditionally underrepresented and underserved populations through the 5-state RMACAC region.  We are currently engaged in a number of initiatives that help to further our objectives of making the college access process more equitable and open for all students: 

Cynthia Gayles Human Relations Grant

We are offering five grants to high school counselors to attend this year’s spring RMACAC conference. The objective of the grant is to reward those high school counselors who have made professional contributions to their students and community, enhance the diversity of RMACAC and NACAC, and recruit new colleagues to this professional organization.

One counselor from each of our member states will be selected to attend.  This grant is targeted towards high school counselors who represent minority groups and/or work with underrepresented populations, and who are non-members or are relatively new RMACAC members. 

The RMACAC Cynthia Gayles Human Relations Grant will cover

1.  The Registration Fee for the spring Super conference, May 2-4 in in Reno, Nevada

2.  Travel expenses to and from the conference

3.  Lodging rates for one-half of a double occupancy room (if requesting a single room, the recipient will be responsible for the additional costs)

4.  Meals at a daily rate of $34.00/day (minus any meals provided at the conference)

5.  1-year membership in RMACAC

For full consideration please submit the completed nomination form by February 1. 

Holistic Admission Case Studies

During the fall of 2011 we held our initial case studies program for public school counselors prior to the start of the RMACAC college fair in Albuquerque, NM.  The case studies program is designed to provide insight into the holistic admission evaluation process for college and school counselors.  We plan to host a similar program in partnership with the RMACAC professional development committee before the start of the Denver spring RMACAC college fair.  This program is mobile and can be done in a variety of settings.  If you would be interested in having this session conducted at your local conference, district or staff retreat, please contact Carlos Jimenez at (970) 491-3224 or via email at carlos.jimenez@colostate.edu

I.D.E.A. Partnership for 2012 Conference

I.D.E.A. stands for Institute for Diversity Equity and Access.  We are partnering with Western ACAC and Pacific Northwest ACAC to host a pre-conference institute on diversity and access issues prior to the start of the SuperACAC conference in Reno, Nevada.  More information about speakers and how to register will be available shortly.

Undocumented Student Resource Webpage (Coming Spring of 2012)

We are currently developing a webpage to assist counselors and community organizations that work with undocumented students in providing students and families with resources to access college.  We are planning to launch this site in the spring of 2012 in partnership with the Illinois ACAC’s Human Relations committee.   Content of the page will likely include information on how to access scholarships as well as information provided by colleges and universities from around the region on their policies regarding undocumented students.

 Members of the Committee

Carlos Jimenez (Chair), Fort Collins, CO

Betsy Cowin, Powell, WY

Dean Jacoby, Albuquerque, NM

Meredith Barrow, Denver, CO

Shelly Annameier, Fort Collins, CO

Sara Springer, Colorado Springs, CO

Click here for complete committee member contact information.