San Diego Community College District

Special report to the public:

Geysil Arroyo

Trustee Geysil Arroyo said that she participated in the Cesar Chavez Service Clubs’ virtual Las Mañanitas Breakfast on March 31, and took part in meetings as part of the Health Services Advisory Board for the County of San Diego during National Public Health Week, April 5-11. She encouraged others to get vaccinated, keep wearing masks, and observe social distancing, and to be patient and hopeful.

Mary Graham

Trustee Mary Graham reported that she, along with all other Board Members, participated in the Las Mañanitas Breakfast. She praised Trustee Arroyo’s daughter who was featured in the program, and said the event was a good reminder of the community’s ties to social justice and labor movements. She also attended the opening of the vaccination site at the San Diego College of Continuing Education’s Educational and Cultural Complex, and noted its importance in the area, especially as the facility moves to provide walk-up opportunities for those who don’t have access or time to navigate the County’s vaccination website. She complimented County Supervisor Nora Vargas for leading the event and said she looks forward to working with her in the future.

Craig Milgrim

Trustee Craig Milgrim thanked Chancellor Carroll for her 21st COVID-19 update, and commended the facilities team mentioned in the email for all of the work they have been doing to keep the buildings running while the campuses are closed. He said that he will be a panelist on April 14 and 15 during Miramar College’s LGBTQ+ Community Days. Trustee Milgrim also participated in a townhall meeting on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) hosted by the California Community Colleges Trustees organization (CCCT), where he facilitated a breakout discussion on upcoming DEI efforts at the statewide level.

Bernie Rhinerson

Trustee Bernie Rhinerson reported that he met with the CEO of Promises2Kids, which supports foster youth, to find ways for increased collaboration with the District, especially in regards to the organization’s Guardians scholarship to support students. Trustee Rhinerson joined Miramar College President Wes Lundburg and Miramar College’s Regional Entrepreneurship Center director for the April 5 Mira Mesa Town Council meeting, where they provided an update about Miramar College and Entrepreneurial Education, the same day that the Times of San Diego published an article written by Trustee Rhinerson highlighting these entrepreneurial programs. Next week he plans to meet with Supervisor Vargas to discuss how to increase collaboration between the District and the County of San Diego. He also will be interviewing 12 candidates next week for the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) CEO position.

Dr. Maria Nieto Senour

Trustee Maria Nieto Senour said that she agreed with the comments made by her colleagues regarding the Las Mañanitas breakfast, the new vaccination site, and other items.

Dr. Constance M. Carroll

Chancellor Constance Carroll reported that the Community College League of California (CCLC) has set three top legislative priorities: AB 927 (Medina), the baccalaureate expansion bill; AB 102 (Holden), which would make the dual-enrollment program permanent by eliminating the “sunset” provision; and AB 1456 (Medina), which would reform student financial aid. The League and the SDCCD are also closely watching AB 928 (Berman), which would simplify the transfer process to UC and CSU; and AB 1040 (Muratsuchi), which would require community colleges to implement a 3-unit Ethnic Studies requirement, effective in 2022-23. Dr. Carroll reported that the state revenue projection has increased by an estimated $14 billion and that, due to approval by the California Department of Finance, at least one of the allocation deferrals has been eliminated for the SDCCD, making it no longer necessary to pursue a Temporary Revenue Anticipation Note (TRAN) this year. Regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, the Chancellor reported that the District would be providing a $500 incentive payment to compensate employees for personal expenses incurred due to teaching and working remotely, and that the Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) is now functioning as a vaccination site, with appreciation expressed to Vice chancellor Chris Manis for negotiating this with the County.

Taylor Carpenter

Student Trustee Taylor Carpenter reported that all campus Associated Student Governments (ASG) are preparing for student elections. She said that on March 24, Mesa College held an emergency virtual town hall meeting that centered on student voices and conversations relating to recent violence against the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities. She recognized April as an important month where, in 1977, the 504 Sit-in, where people with disabilities and the disability community occupied federal buildings in the United States in order to push the issuance of long-delayed regulations regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and laid the groundwork for future Americans with Disabilities Act laws. Student Trustee Carpenter reported that April 12-16 is Virtual Unity Week, and that she will be hosting an event on Thursday focused on the importance of equal access in all areas of life.

BOARD ACTIONS

At its regular meeting of April 8, 2021, which was conducted in a virtual format, the Board of Trustees:

- Heard public comments from two students encouraging the San Diego Community College District to return to in-person learning, especially now that San Diego County has entered the Orange Tier. City College Academic Senate (AS) President Masahiro “Masa” Omae shared that the 17th annual Student Project and Research Symposium will be held virtually on April 15, and that the American Sign Language (ASL) program hosted a webinar titled “A Deaf Actor’s Experience in Hollywood” featuring deaf actress Deanne Bray who shared her experiences in show business with students from City College and UC San Diego; the department will host more webinars throughout the semester. He said that on April 12, student athletics will return to campus for no-contact training and conditioning, and he commended those who worked so diligently to allow for the return. From April 15-17, he said the District’s Academic Senates will participate in the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges (ASCCC) virtual Spring Plenary and he said he enjoyed the collaboration process with fellow AS Presidents and the Curriculum Review Committee. Mesa College AS President Manuel Velez said that on April 12, the college is hosting the 10th annual Gracia Molina de Pick Lecture Series where Josephine S. Talamantez will present “Segregation, Racism, & Neglect that led Chicano Park & the Monumental Murals becoming a National Landmark.” He reported that for the ASCCC Spring Plenary, Mesa College collaborated with other AS Presidents and Curriculum Review Committee to create a resolution to reinstate the Non-substantive Changes Category and will support the Black studies department in a resolution to define ethnic studies for the purpose of the Program and Course Approval Handbook and other official purposes on the statewide level. Additionally, he said that Mesa College is continuing to have important conversations on anti-racism and the violence aimed at minority communities. Miramar College AS President Laura Murphy echoed her fellow AS Presidents for work done leading up to the Spring Plenary. She also reported that Professor Judy Patacsil was appointed as the Faculty Coordinator for Educational Equity, and that a new Equity Office will soon open on campus. She said the AS is looking at a return to in-person activities and learning, and recognized the Associated Student Government members who put forth a resolution strongly recommending that STEM and art classes, especially those associated with hands-on learning, be brought back to campus.

- Adopted a resolution denouncing xenophobia and anti-Asian/Asian Pacific Islander sentiment arising from mischaracterizations regarding the COVID-19 pandemic, and reaffirming the District’s commitment to the well-being and safety of the Asian American and Pacific Islander communities.

- Adopted resolutions for establishing April as Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion month; and proclaiming May 16-22, 2021 as Classified Professionals Week.

- Heard a report on SDCCD College Police and the College Police Review Task Force from Chancellor Constance Carroll, Miramar President Wes Lundburg who chairs the task force with co-chair Professor John Bromma, and Vice Chancellor Chris Manis. Board members thanked the presenters and the task force members for their hard work on this project.

- Heard a report on the 2021-22 General Fund Unrestricted Preliminary Budget from Executive Vice Chancellor Bonnie Ann Dowd, noting that this is a budget that the District develops informally each year so that there can be faculty input prior to the end of the semester. Board members were pleased to note the progress that has been made in ensuring a balanced budget despite many challenges.

- Heard a report on Open Educational Resources and Reducing Textbook Costs for Students from Vice Chancellor Susan Topham and Dean Brian Weston.

- Authorized agreements with health care agencies for use of clinical facilities for the placement of students enrolled in the District’s health occupations programs; and with Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Auxiliary Organization for the Strong Workforce Program Entrepreneurship Center renovation project at San Diego Miramar College.

- Accepted a grant from the Rancho Santiago Community College District/California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for the Regional Director (formerly Deputy Sector Navigator or DSN) for Advanced Transportation and Logistics (ATL) at Miramar College.

- Entered into an agreement with the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) to help ‘unclog’ the Biotechnology pipeline due to limited classes being offered during the COVID-19 pandemic at Miramar College.

- Adopted a resolution authorizing Business and Technology Services to make routine budgetary and financial transfers effective April 8, 2021, through June 30, 2021.

- Approved various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after April 9, 2021.