San Diego Community College District

Special Report to the Public:

Geysil Arroyo

Trustee Geysil Arroyo thanked Student Trustee Natalia Trinh for leading the day’s pledge of allegiance. She recognized Mesa College President Pamela Luster’s announcement that she will be retiring in June, and thanked her for her service. Trustee Arroyo congratulated City College President Ricky Shabazz for his selection by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program to participate in the 2021-22 Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. She said that she and other Board members have been preparing to host the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) National Congress in San Diego from October 13-16, and that she will be part of a presentation about "Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Experience" with an emphasis on diversity, equity, and inclusion, and thanked the District staff who have helped prepare for the event. Trustee Arroyo thanked all those who submitted public comments, particularly with regard to the Occupied Palestinian Territories resolution by AFT Guild, Local 1931.

Mary Graham

Trustee Mary Graham said that she echoed all of Trustee Arroyo’s comments.

Craig Milgrim

Trustee Craig Milgrim reported that he attended a Homelessness Program for Engaged Educational Resources (PEER) class at City College, a program that trains students to help homeless individuals in the San Diego community, where Mayor Todd Gloria attended to talk about the program and the funding the City is extending to help support it. Trustee Milgrim echoed congratulations to President Shabazz. He acknowledged Mesa College’s acquisition of new equipment for its Radiologic Technology program; and thanked the college for setting up a peer-outreach program to help students access CalFresh benefits.

Bernie Rhinerson

Trustee Bernie Rhinerson reported that he attended the Legacy of Achievement gala honoring Chancellor Emerita Carroll, which has raised $720,000 to-date for the San Diego Promise Program; he said it was great to see students, both volunteering and performing, in person again; and he thanked Chancellor Cortez and the District teams that lent support for the evening. He also thanked Trustee Arroyo for her collaborative work on the Board Redistricting Subcommittee, which met with its consultant firm to review population changes in the area in order to make minor adjustments that would find a better balance of population for the District’s sub-districts. He thanked Chancellor Cortez and Legal Services and EEO Director Ljubisa Kostic for their participation in the process, and he reported that there will be a more detailed update provided to the Board in October.

Dr. maria Nieto Senour

Trustee Maria Nieto Senour said that she echoed her fellow Trustees’ reports. In regards to the public comments, Trustee Senour said that the Board is taking them seriously and will review all comments in full; and she said that she respects people’s positions, but does not think it is the Board’s place to take a side on the matter of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Dr. Carlos O. Turner Cortez

Chancellor Carlos Cortez reported that on September 18, the District hosted the Legacy of Achievement Gala honoring Chancellor Emerita Dr. Constance M. Carroll, and thanked Lisa Cole-Jones, Jack Beresford, and Margaret Lamb and the countless volunteers who helped put on the event. The District's enrollment projections have strengthened slightly, but a shortfall is still expected. At this time, the District may miss its target by 8.6% but efforts are underway to build a robust spring semester schedule. The Department of Education awarded both City and Mesa colleges HSI Title III STEM grants. City will receive $999,938.00 for five years and Mesa $999,999.00 for five years. City College was awarded a second Department of Education STEM grant for approximately $3.2 million over five years in partnership with San Diego State University to create pathways for transfer. The District will be using $3.9 million from HEERF III to clear student debt. It will impact students from the beginning of the pandemic through fall 2021. AB 928 (Berman), which has passed the Legislature and awaits a decision by Gov. Gavin Newsom, is billed as a potential solution to address the challenges with students transferring from the community colleges to the California State University and University of California systems, but we are concerned that it will not increase transfers. Two other important bills — AB 576 (Maienschein), which would allow community colleges to offer closed classes on military bases and AB 927 (Medina), which would make permanent the baccalaureate pilot and expand four-year degrees across the state system — have been approved by both chambers and are awaiting approval from Governor Newsom. We are closely watching developments in Washington, D.C. on the Reconciliation Soft Infrastructure Bill, which is expected to including funding for community college programs.

Natalia Trinh

Student Trustee Natalia Trinh reported that the City College Associated Student Government (ASG) had its first meeting of the semester in September, meeting several times since, and has focused on reducing textbook costs and extending tutoring services. At Miramar College she said the ASG Treasurer position remains vacant, and ASG members are focused on student reengagement methods. Student Trustee Trinh reported that Mesa College will soon host a Homeless and Hunger Awareness Week; the college is currently having a Club Rush Week; and the Associated Students (AS) are focusing efforts toward low cost textbooks and adding an Asian American curriculum to the campus. She also reported that there is continued encouragement from the United Student Council to increase participation in student government from students at the College of Continuing Education.

BOARD ACTIONS

At its regular meeting of September 23, 2021, which was conducted in a virtual format, the Board of Trustees:

Heard public comment from Doc Rivera, Briana Wagner, and Roxana Mashek who expressed their opinions on the protocols that are in place for a return to in-person instruction throughout the District; from 44 people who commented on the American Federation of Teachers Guild, Local 1931’s resolution regarding the Occupied Palestinian Territories, and from 50 people who commented on Chancellor Cortez’s response to the AFT Guild’s resolution. City College Academic Senate (AS) President Darius Spearman shared that the college will celebrate Hispanic Heritage, Latinx, and Indigenous People’s Month with events September 15 through October 15. City College President Ricky Shabazz has been selected by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program to participate in the 2021-22 Aspen New Presidents Fellowship. The college is preparing for accreditation site visits for its nursing program and will host the October Board of Trustees meeting. The AS executive board was taken aback at the District’s statement regarding the American Federation of Teachers (AFT) Local 1931 position on Israel and its occupation of Palestine. AS President Spearman read a statement critical of the District’s position. Miramar College AS President Laura Murphy reported the college is preparing to host its annual Equity Summit honoring Chancellor Emerita Constance M. Carroll in October. The two-day event will include panels, an art contest, and a lecture by Chancellor Emerita Carroll.

Adopted a resolution directing the Chancellor to develop and implement COVID-19 vaccine requirements in order to prevent and control the spread of communicable diseases among students and employees following  public comments by Dora Meza, Paul Hubtka, Marc Hutchinson, and Suzanne Khambta.

Appointed Trustees Geysil Arroyo, Mary Graham and Bernie Rhinerson as the Board’s voting delegates and Trustee Maria Nieto Senour as alternate to the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Leadership Congress on October 13-16, and nominated members for election to the ACCT Board of Directors, including Regional Directors: Richard Fukutaki, Bellevue College, WA; Diane Noriega, Mt. Hood Community College, OR; Linda Wah, Pasadena Area Community College District, CA; Director-At-Large: Carol Del Carlo, Nevada System of Higher Education, NV; Fritz Larsen, Black Hawk College, IL; Vivian Malauulu, Long Beach City College, CA (write in candidate), ACCT Diversity Committee: Deborah Ikeda, State Center Community College District, CA.

Heard a presentation on Climate Literacy through Educational Initiatives and Programs, from Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Susan Topham, Dean Shelly Hess, and faculty members Lisa Chaddock, Dean Leavitt, Paul Martin, Stacy Surwilo.

Awarded contracts to Agiliti Imaging for three Digital Wireless Radiography Systems for the Radiologic Technology program at Mesa College; and to Sylvester Roofing for Districtwide roofing replacement and repairs.

Approved new or revised courses and programs; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after September 24, 2021.