Geysil Arroyo
Trustee Geysil Arroyo welcomed Student Trustee Julia Kogan, the first student trustee elected from the College of Continuing Education who served for the first time as the sitting student trustee. She thanked the Academic Senate Presidents for sharing with the Board, particularly City College Academic Senate President Maria-Jose Zeledon-Perez, who along with the student who spoke during public comment brought recognition to the lack of food options available to student and employees at City College and at the Educational Cultural Center. She reported that before Closed Session, the Board participated in a meeting with the League for Innovation in the Community College. Trustee Arroyo recognized the upcoming election on November 8 and encouraged people to register to vote ahead of the October 24 deadline.
Mary Graham
Trustee Mary Graham said that she echoed Trustee Arroyo’s comments and thanked those who provided information, and all those involved with the earlier meeting with the League of Innovation team, including those who helped prepare for the meeting and those who presented about the innovative student learning work being done throughout the District.
Craig Milgrim
Trustee Craig Milgrim reported that he enjoyed attending the City College Pride Center opening, which had a large contingent of representatives from San Diego Pride who also talked about the Leadership Institute they will hold at the college, and he thanked those who made the center possible. He reported that Vice Chancellor of People, Culture & Technology Services Greg Smith recently shared a new service available for accessing childcare for employees, something he was happy to see because of the increased emphasis on childcare as something that needs to be provided for employees and students.
Bernie Rhinerson
Trustee Bernie Rhinerson reported that he would like to check out the Mesa College 72-Fifty Café, which is now open for dinner.
Maria Nieto Senour
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour thanked all who were involved with the League of Innovation meeting. She reported that she attended an event on Wednesday hosted by San Diego City Council President and former trustee, Sean Elo-Rivera, that focused on Props B and C, and said that she is happy to share with others what she learned.
Carlos O. Cortez
Chancellor Carlos Cortez reported that the District Governance Council met in-person at the College of Continuing Education's César Chávez Campus last week for the first time in two and a half years, and he encouraged other participatory governance groups to schedule in-person meetings as possible. He reported that City College has been awarded an Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander Serving Institution (AANAPISI) Grant to establish an Asian American Studies program and congratulated President Ricky Shabazz on the recognition. Chancellor Cortez reported that Mesa College engineering students Luis Medina, Kevin Harvey, Cory Davison, and Edgar Rubio, along with professors Morteza Mohssenzadeh and Hamidreza Ghasemi Bahraseman, recently published an article in the Global Journal of Researchers in Engineering, and that the college hosted artists Maria de Los Angeles and Ryan Bonilla during a Wednesday reception for the exhibition “In Lak’ech: Tú eres mi otro yo”, which was one of many events being held to recognize Hispanic Heritage Month. He reported that Miramar College Diesel Technology students Andres Geurts-Barreto and Theodora Chomyk, were each awarded $1,500 scholarships from the Association of General Contractors, and congratulated President Wes Lundburg and the college for being recognized for the first time with a Hispanic Serving Institution grant totaling $2.7 million. Chancellor Cortez recognized College of Continuing Education Emeritus Instructor Yael Lorberfeld for being interviewed with Imagen Television on the benefits of the college's free brain fitness program for older adults, and President Tina M. King’s feature in the September Inside Higher Ed magazine. He thanked Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Susan Topham for leading the efforts leading to and during the League for Innovation meeting on Thursday. Chancellor Cortez reported that AFT Local 1931 helped lead efforts to increase state funding for adjunct faculty health benefits and the passage of AB 190. He thanked Assemblymember Chris Ward for carrying AB 1719, which Governor Gavin Newsom signed yesterday, to allow community colleges to access federal low-income tax credits to build affordable housing for lower-wage employees. He also recognized the personnel who work in the Office of People, Culture & Technology Services, under Greg Smith, for their effective management during the District’s closing and reopening due to the pandemic, as well as their oversight of a major hiring wave taking place right now.
Julia Kogan
Student Trustee Julia Kogan reported that all of the colleges are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month between September 15 and October 15 with a number of planned events. She reported that a group of City College students were in Ghana to attend the All Africa Diaspora Conference at Capetown University from September 16-26, and that the college is seeing an increase in participation at campus events. At Mesa College, she reported that ASG and Student Affairs are planning for the Homecoming football game and tailgate; during a well-attended Club Rush, $100 was provided to participating students who met requirements; and on October 26 the college is hosting a Path to STEM Success pizza party. Student Trustee Kogan reported that Miramar College held its Club Rush on September 20, and that College Hour continues to have a good turnout. She said that all seven College of Continuing Education campuses are celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month with events that include a student exhibition on October 13, and that a new Immigrant-Based Support Center is now open and supporting immigrants and English language learning students both at the César Chávez Campus.
BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of September 29, 2022, which was conducted in-person, with online participation available, the Board of Trustees:
- Reported from Closed Session the Board’s unanimous decision to deny the appeal of the Administrative Determination of a Title 5 complaint.
- Heard public comment from Donna Budzynski and Paula Hjorth-Gustin who, on behalf of the Mesa College chemistry department, requested that mask mandates be made optional indoors in response to the lower transmission rate in the county of San Diego. College of Continuing Education student Vincent Ghio requested that food options be made available for students at the Educational Cultural Center following the pandemic closure of its bookstore. City College Academic Senate President Maria-Jose Zeledon-Perez reported that Hispanic Heritage Month events are happening including at the college Veterans Center and a lowrider event on Thursday that attracted 200 attendees. She continued that food trucks are now on campus from 2 to 6:30 p.m. and there is a need to address food service which is a basic need. She concluded by saying one month into the semester, classes are going smoothly. Mesa College AS President John Crocitti invited people to the 72-Fifty Café which is open for dinner from 4:15 to 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Miramar College AS President Pablo Martin shared that the college continues to push to serve students better, that Club Rush was held last week, and that College Hour has been a success. He also said he and his colleagues participated in a conference with the California Guided Pathways Institute which focused on getting students what they need to succeed, and that the college’s Equity Summit will be held at the end of October.
- Adopted two sets of revisions to Chapter 3 – General Institution and Chapter 5 – Student Services Board Policies (first reading September 15 and first reading September 29) as part of a comprehensive six-year review to ensure currency following comments by Vice Chancellor Susan Topham.
- Set Board goals for 2022-23, and authorized the Board Self-Evaluation subcommittee (Arroyo, Milgrim) to continue reviewing the reports the Board receives and return with recommendations for combining, reducing, and eliminating staff prepared reports to the Board.
- 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 26-29, and nominated members for election to the ACCT Board of Directors, including Diane Noriega, Mt. Hood Community College, OR, and Oscar Valladares, Rio Hondo Community College District, CA, for Regional Director; Nan Gomez-Heitzeberg, Kern Community College District, CA, Arturo Reyes, Mott Community College, MO, and Kenneth Sadler, Forsyth Technical Community College, NC, for Director-At-Large; and Barbara Calhoun from Compton Community College, CA, for ACCT Diversity Committee.
- Authorized an agreement with healthcare agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in District health occupation programs.
- Entered into a subcontract agreement with the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges for the Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Credit for Prior Learning Function at Mesa College.
- Entered into a permanent single agreement with the California Department of Social Services for the Child and Adult Care Food Program at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.
- Accepted a grant from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for districtwide Student Equity and Achievement funding; and for districtwide Mental Health Program funding.
- Accepted a grant from the Santa Clarita Community College District for the districtwide Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative Seed Grant Award.
- Awarded contracts to 3fold Communications, 25th Hour Communications, RobertStemler Media, KellyCo Agency, and Loma Media for districtwide marketing consultant services following remarks from Director of Communications Jack Beresford.
- Authorized travel for geology and oceanography students from Mesa College to the Coachella Valley/Palm Springs area from December 3-4, 2022.
- Heard a report on Distance Education Student Success with comments by Dean of Online & Distributed Learning, Brian Weston, Research & Planning Analyst Stephen Bass, and Professors Aileen Gum, Cara Smulevitz and Anne Gloag, Ingrid Greenberg.
- Adopted a resolution to enter into an Energy Service Agreement with Powerland Equipment for the transition to Zero Emission Equipment for districtwide groundskeeping.
- Authorized the use of Belmont Village as an off-campus facility by the College of Continuing Education.
- Approved various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after September 30, 2022.