Geysil Arroyo
Trustee Geysil Arroyo said that she attended the Vision 2030: A Call to Action Adult Education Summit on October 5 and 6 at College of Continuing Education. She also attended the Association of Community College Trustees Leadership Congress held October 9-12 in Las Vegas where she and SDCCD colleagues presented on Building Safe Spaces to Uplift Unique Student Population, which focused on the colleges’ centers for Dreamer, veteran, and LGBTQIA+ students, and where she got to share her community college experience. She also attended the San Diego LGBT Community Center 50th Anniversary Gala on October 14. Trustee Arroyo recognized the violence happening in the Middle East and said that she hopes we can look for ways to support and uplift each other.
Mary Graham
Trustee Mary Graham reported that the Chancellor Search Committee has organized a 24-person committee, which has identified semi-finalists who will be interviewed November 6 and 7 with a list of finalists being released shortly after. Various group meetings and public forums will be held for each finalist the week after Thanksgiving.
Craig Milgrim
Trustee Craig Milgrim reported that he is working with Trustee Graham on the Chancellor Search and with Trustee Rhinerson on the bond subcommittee. He said that he attended The Center’s anniversary gala and noted that October is LGBT History Month with October 11 being Coming Out day, which is a meaningful, oftentimes painful, and totally unique experience of the LGBTQIA+ community that allows queer people to be, for the first time, honest with friends, family, teachers and those who mean something in their lives. He shared that he recently missed a Board Meeting due to health issues and recognized the District for prioritizing health care to take care of its employees.
Bernie Rhinerson
Trustee Bernie Rhinerson said that he attended the Miramar College Invest in Success fundraising event where he said great student voices were celebrated. He also attended the Citizens’ Oversight Committee meeting as it nears closeout of the Propositions S and N bond measures, and welcomed all committee members back if a future bond passes in November 2024. He said the Bond Subcommittee is formulating an approach for the ballot measure and is forming the San Diegans for Community Colleges committee to start promoting the District’s efforts ahead of the summer when the Board of Trustees will consider placing a bond on the ballot.
Dr. Maria Nieto Senour
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour reported that she had to miss several events over the past month as she’s been rehabbing from a fall.
Gregory Smith
Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith announced that the Public Safety Management baccalaureate program at Miramar College received conditional approval — the final step is review by Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges — and the proposed Physical Therapy Assistant baccalaureate program at Mesa College received provisional approval. This would make San Diego the first community college district in the state where all credit colleges offered a baccalaureate, and Mesa would be one of two community colleges to offer two baccalaureates. He said that the College of Continuing Education, in partnership with the state Chancellor’s Office and North Orange County Community College District, hosted Vision 2030 Summit to raise awareness of the importance of adult education programs and the need for equitable funding and support across the community college system. He thanked President Tina M. King and others involved with planning and hosting such a successful event. Acting Chancellor Smith reported that Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 91 (resident tuition for qualifying persons living near the Mexico border), and Assembly Bill 634 (updates legal definition of Career Development and College Preparation courses), and Assembly Bill 1096 (authorizes community colleges to offer courses to students in a language other than English without requirement of concurrent enrollment in ESL courses). He said the District is closely watching the Legislative Analyst’s Office updates on its fiscal report, particularly COLA for 2024, which is predicted at around 3%.
Acting Chancellor Smith thanked President Shabazz and everyone involved in the City College campus presentation and events. He shared that he was wearing purple at the meeting in recognition of domestic violence awareness month. He also shared his report with Acting Associate Vice Chancellor of Employee Relations Rachel Wilker and Title IX Coordinator Amber Eckert who reported on District efforts to raise awareness, promote prevention, and support survivors of domestic violence. Acting Chancellor Smith recognized Vice Chancellor Susan Topham who is a new member of the Fleet Science Center Board of Trustees. He also reported that during the October 18 Keeping the Promise giving day, $39,000 in one-time donations and nearly $12,000 in commitments for monthly donations through payroll deductions were raised – a total of $50,000 to support San Diego Promise. He thanked Vice Chancellor Laurie Coskey and all who helped organize the campaign. He closed by sharing there would be a groundbreaking ceremony on October 20 for the Affordable Student Housing development at City College.
Diego Bethea
Student Trustee Diego Bethea reported that City College held a Transfer Fair on October 17 and Fall Fest on October 18, and will host the HUBU Conference on October 26 and a Club Rush Halloween Bash on October 31. He said he will attend a districtwide leadership conference on November 3. He said Mesa College held a 2023 Advocacy Fair on October 11 and a Homecoming Pep Rally on October 18. At Miramar College he said the Foundation hosted its Invest in Success fundraiser on October 14 and Fall Fest on October 25 with a campus theme of Cultivating Community; Making the Invisible Visible. Student Trustee Bethea reported that College of Continuing Education held various events during Hispanic Heritage Month and hosted the Vision 2030 summit on October 5 and 6 at the Educational Cultural Complex, and the student government is planning future activities including a food collection event and for Dia de los Muertos.
BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of October 19, 2023, which was conducted in-person, with online participation available, the Board of Trustees:
- Conducted a campus meeting in a hybrid format with San Diego City College that included a land acknowledgment by John Bathke, welcome remarks from President Ricky Shabazz, Vice President of Instruction Tille Chavez, Vice President of Administrative Services John Parker, Vice President of Student Services Marciano Perez, Academic Senate President María-José Zeledón-Pérez, Classified Senate President Sean Ryan, Supervisory and Professional Administrators Association Site Director Jay Purnell, and Associated Students Government President Diego Bethea. Presentations included a video on “Our College. Our Legacy”; an Updated Mission by Susan Murray; Adopt-a-School Program by Sasha Knox; Expanded Promise Bundles by Genevieve Esguerra, Anna Rogers, Crystal Rodriguiez and student Angel Barragen; Child Development Pilot by Masa Omae, Angel Saldivar, and Rebecca Collins-Bernardino; Parent Center by Clarissa Padilla and student Artesia Jones; Honors by Kelly Mayhew, Hector Martinez, and student Xenia Brady; Psi Beta by Alisha Bettencourt, Kristen Christensen, and student Nick Lazaris; Events at City from Vice President Parker; Fresh Cutz Barbershop by Vice President Perez; and closing remarks by President Shabazz.
- Heard public comment from Daniel Villegas who asked for more support for the music program at City and Miramar colleges, where he said a lack of staffing and access keeps him from working in the recording studio; he also requested that the mural created for slain City College student Diana Gonzalez be publicly displayed. City College Academic Senate (AS) President María-José Zeledón-Pérez expressed her pride in the work being done at City College and shared that resolutions are moving forward with the Area D meeting being held next Friday with a plenary in November. Mesa College AS President Andrew Hoffman said it has been an exciting week at Mesa College, the college has received provisional approval for a bachelor’s degree in Physical Therapy Assistant and he acknowledged Dean Cassandra Story, Vice President Isabel O’Connor and President Ashanti T. Hands for their efforts. He continued that this week is homecoming week at Mesa and an open forum with the accreditation team was held. Transfer Day activities were held with many universities on campus. Miramar College AS President Pablo Martin reported that Miramar received conditional approval for a bachelor’s degree in Public Safety Management. He continued that a package programs workgroup is looking to expedite students’ progress, making the Promise Bundle part of City’s campus meeting of particular interest to him, and that the college is looking at how it can pay its student leaders for their participation. He reported on an exciting collaboration between the academic and classified senates and concluded that Ethnic Studies tops the list for new faculty hires this year. College of Continuing Education AS President Richard Weinroth acknowledged City College for its presentation and thanked Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith for participating in the two-day Vision 2030 Summit which was well attended by many other distinguished guests. The summit highlighted funding disparities between credit and noncredit programs and College of Continuing Education would like to move to a census-based funding model. The college would also benefit from more support in areas such as mental health counselors and a 24-7 Student Help Desk for IT issues.
- Adopted revisions to Chapter 3 – General Institution and Chapter 7 – Human Resources Board Policies, and a Chapter 6 – Business and Financial Services Board Policy (first reading 9/14/23); and approved the first reading of Chapter 2 – Board of Trustees Board Policies, Chapter 3 – General Institution Board Policies, Chapter 4 – Instructional Services Board Policies, a Chapter 6 – Business and Financial Services Board Policy, and a Chapter 7 – Human Resources Board Policy.
- Approved the Board Meeting Schedule for January 2024 through June 2024.
- Adopted a resolution excusing Trustee Craig Milgrim from attendance at the September 28, 2023, Board Meeting due to illness.
- Reviewed the results the Board of Trustees’ self-evaluation for 2022-23 and set goals for 2023-24. The Board members thanked all who participated in providing feedback regarding the Board’s performance and accomplishments as they continue to evaluate their accomplishments of the last year.
- Approved new or revised courses and programs following comments by Dean Luke Menchaca.
- Authorized agreements with healthcare agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in District health occupation programs.
- Approved the revised Mission Statement for City College.
- Heard a report from Acting Chancellor Smith on districtwide 2023 Veterans Day activities.
- Approved the 2022-23 Annual Financial Report.
- Authorized student travel for City College student to attend the 14th annual international Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU) from June 3-5, 2024, with tentative travel between May 31 through June 8, 2024, in Salamanca, Spain; for City College students to attend the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) from October 26-28, 2023, in Portland, Ore.; for City College students to attend the Mathematics, Engineering, Science Achievement (MESA) Statewide Leadership Conference from October 20-21, 2023, in San Diego; for the City College School of Arts, Humanities, and Communications study abroad program to Barcelona, Spain from January 2 through 27, 2024; for the Mesa College Language Department study abroad program in Buenos Aires, Argentina from January 3-24, 2024; and for the Mesa College Culinary Arts Program to participate in a tour of the Shamrock Farm and Meat and Seafood processing facilities from November 3-4, 2023, in Arizona.
- Accepted grants from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for the creation of Open Educational Resources for American Sign Language students at City College; from the San Diego Foundation for the Evening Childcare Pilot Program at City College; from the Regents of the University of California and Puente Community College Programs for the Puente Project at City College; from the CCCCO for the Wellness vending Machine Pilot program and the Community Colleges Pathway to Law School at Mesa College; from InsideTrack for the California Reconnect Coalition at Miramar College; and from Funders Together to End Homelessness San Diego and the Parker Foundation for the housing development at City College.
- Authorized agreements with the University of San Diego for the Integrated Teacher Preparation Program: Early Childhood with California Commission on Teacher Credentialing at City College; with the CCCCO for Community Colleges Pathway to Law School at Mesa College; from the City of San Diego Fire-Rescue Department for In-Service Training at Miramar College; and from BlueForge Alliance for the Welding Program at College of Continuing Education.
- Authorized agreements with the Foundation for Grossmont-Cuyamaca Colleges for the Regional Strong Workforce Program (SWP) K-14 Dual Enrollment project at Mesa College; for SWP Work Based Learning, the Sector-Logistics Phase 2 project, and the Sector-Sales project at College of Continuing Education.
- Authorized a Master Agreement with the Foundation for Grossmont-Cuyamaca Colleges for the SWP Building Construction sector project at Mesa College.
- Authorized agreements between the Naval Consolidated Brigs at Camp Pendleton and Miramar and the San Diego College of Continuing Education (SDCCE) and SDCCE Foundation to provide instructional services and vocational training to military personnel.
- Modified an agreement with Navy Command for vocational training conducted by College of Continuing Education.
- Authorized an agreement with the California Department of Social Services for Child Development programs at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.
- Awarded contracts to Motorola Solutions for districtwide Automatic License Plate Readers and for access control, camera systems, and corresponding software platform for the W Building Security Project at Miramar College.
- Approved purchase orders completed during September 2023; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after October 20, 2023.