SYLVIA SCOTT-HAYES

Educator and community activist, Ms. Sylvia Scott-Hayes was first elected in 1999 and is the first Latina to serve as President of the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Community College District in its 32-year history. She has now served three terms as President of the Board and three terms as Vice President of the Board.

Under Ms. Scott-Hayes' first term as President, the Board adopted a nationally recognized environmental sustainability building policy for which the Board received the prestigious Green Cross Millennium Award from Global Green USA, in recognition of its leadership in launching an extensive program to transform the nine Los Angeles community colleges into energy-efficient, sustainable campuses. In addition, the Board also adopted an ambitious Project Labor Agreement for the District's three bond measures.

Ms. Scott-Hayes currently chairs the Board’s Planning and Student Success Committee, to ensure each of the colleges are meeting current accreditation standards.

She has spent a great portion of her career as an educator at the college and university levels. Before retiring, she was the Director of the University Testing Center at California State University, Los Angeles where she was responsible for the management and administration of assessment, placement, and professional school examinations. She was also involved in counseling and advisement and appropriate uses of examinations.

In her positions as Associate Director of a University Writing Center, Director of a Learning Resources Program, and Coordinator of a Learning Technology Lab, she has expertise in developing and establishing successful student support programs to increase student retention. In addition, her teaching experience has been focused on assisting students to develop college-level research and writing skills.

An active participant in the community, Ms. Scott-Hayes has received many community service awards. The Hispanic Scholarship Fund honored her for her steadfast mission to increase the number of students transferring to four-year institutions by establishing a scholarship in her name. She has received the Community Service Award from the National Chicano Health Organization, Outstanding Service Award from the Hispanic Women's Health Organization, Visionary Leadership Award from the Los Angeles Women's Appointment Collaboration, and Outstanding Women Award of California State University, Los Angeles.

Ms. Scott-Hayes is a staunch proponent of mentoring and has served as mentor for several programs and projects. These include the Pat Brown Institute Gang Youth Violence Bridging Project, the Scholar Athlete Program, and the Young Women at Risk Violence Intervention Program--a joint pilot program through the City of Los Angeles Commission on the Status of Women.

Directly committed to the improvement of race relations and the betterment of communities, Ms. Scott-Hayes has served on the Los Angeles County Commission on Human Relations and currently serves on the Los Angeles County Judicial Procedures Commission as an appointee of Supervisor Gloria Molina. She is Past-President of the Los Angeles Women's Appointment Collaboration and co-founder of the Staff Literacy Program.

Since her retirement from CSULA, she has been a Consultant with Community College Search Services and helped several community colleges in the hiring of Superintendents and Presidents.

Ms. Scott-Hayes received a B.A. degree in Sociology and an M.A. degree in Urban Education from California State University, Los Angeles and in addition engaged in doctoral coursework in Politics at Claremont Graduate University. She is married to
Dr. Ronald Hayes, and they have three sons.

December 2009