Geysil Arroyo
Trustee Geysil Arroyo reported that she attended the December 8 press conference at San Diego College of Continuing Education where BlueForge Alliance presented a grant for upgrades to the college’s welding program and facilities, noting the touching student stories and commending President Tina M. King on the event; she also attended the District Holiday Reception on December 11. She recognized the work being done by the District Communications and Public Relations Department, particularly the Annual Report, District holiday video message, and an ad that ran December 14 in The San Diego Union-Tribune commemorating the SDCCD’s 50 years supporting the community and millions of students. Trustee Arroyo wished everyone a great holiday season.
Mary Graham
Trustee Mary Graham reported that she attended the District Holiday Reception, and she wished everyone a restful winter break.
Craig Milgrim
Trustee Craig Milgrim noted that Assemblymember Chris Ward is on the Assembly Housing and Development committee, and, along with Assemblymember David Alvarez’s new position, there are now two local officials in the State Assembly in positions where they can help advocate for the SDCCD. He reported that the Chancellor Search Process has officially ended with the announcement of Gregory Smith as the next chancellor of the SDCCD and he is pleased with the decision and looks forward to continuing work with him moving forward. He wished everyone a wonderful holiday season.
Bernie Rhinerson
Trustee Bernie Rhinerson congratulated new chancellor Smith and said he’s looking forward to continuing to work with him. He reported that the Scott A. and Elizabeth V. Christensen Charitable Foundation was renewing its support of the Board of Trustees scholarships with a $20,000 donation – $5,000 for each college – bringing the foundation’s to-date total support to close to $120,000, and he said he recently helped City College President Ricky Shabazz submit a grant proposal to the foundation for support with justice involved students. Trustee Rhinerson reported there are 307 days until the November 2024 election when the District will have a bond measure on the ballot, and he presented the first in a series of talking points he’ll be sharing monthly until then which included an over-crowded ESL classroom at College of Continuing Education’s Mid-City Campus where there are more than 900 students on a waitlist for similar courses and a ceiling in disrepair at the building which opened in 2001.
Dr. Maria Nieto Senour
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour reported that she attended all the college and District holiday parties, as well as the BlueForge Alliance press conference at ECC.
Gregory Smith
Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith reported that on December 7, the nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office released the 2024-2025 Fiscal Outlook report, which shows significant reductions in state revenues for the 2022-2023 fiscal year, including a $68 billion deficit that could result in an $18.8 billion reduction to K-12 and community college funding over a three-year period. He said the District will review Governor Gavin Newsom’s January budget proposal and send out an analysis at the start of the spring semester in the hopes of minimizing the impact on community colleges and emphasized the SDCCD’s role in the health of the local economy, particularly in career and job training which is essential for small- and mid-sized businesses. Acting Chancellor Smith shared that, in November, Assemblymember David Alvarez was named chair of the Assembly Budget Subcommittee on Education Finance.
Acting Chancellor Smith reported that he attended holiday receptions for each colleges and the District Office, and he said it was wonderful to see people across our District connecting in this season of gratitude, reflection, hope, and celebration. He said the Board would address an agenda item to use of RAF funds for the Non-Academic Non-Classified Employee (NANCE) unit, which would allow the District to increase minimum wage to $22.31 per hour. On behalf of Vice Chancellor Joel Peterson, he provided an update on the Police Advisory Committee. Acting Chancellor Smith concluded by wishing everyone a safe, healthy, and restful holiday break.
Adriana Dos Santos
Student Trustee Adriana Dos Santos reported that San Diego City College held a Winter Wonderland event for students on December 7; San Diego Mesa College’s associated student government provided students with hand warmers, hot chocolate, and snacks during finals week on December 11 at the Library Learning Resource Center; and College of Continuing Education held a news conference on December 8 to accept a donation from BlueForge Alliance to help expand the welding program and facilities.
BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of December 14, 2023, which was conducted in-person, with online participation available, the Board of Trustees:
Announced from closed session the conditional approval of Gregory Smith as the next chancellor of the SDCCD with final approval of the appointment and employment
contract to be considered by the Board at the January 25 Board meeting; and that the
Board approved the disciplinary action of expelling a City College student.
Heard public comment from Mesa College faculty members Paula Gustin and Juan Bernal, and Mesa College ASG members Sofia Lopez-Orraca and Brianna Jeppson addressed the Board on the impact of AB 1705 on math and science students, and from
AFT Guild, Local 1931 representative June Yang who emphasized the importance of emergency contraception and reproductive justice
on student equity and success. Mesa College Academic Senate (AS) President Andrew Hoffman shared that President Ashanti T. Hands hosted a wonderful luncheon; that the college’s Allied Health Department co-hosted
an event with San Diego Unified School District; that the AS is wrestling with some
of the same issues of academic freedom/free speech, and a resolution came across asking
to sign a pledge by the Anti-Defamation League. He reported that it was a civil, respectful
meeting and the resolution was tabled with hope that it could be improved and returned
in spring. Miramar College AS President Pablo Martin reported the semester has been great, and the college is joining a statewide effort
to bring restorative justice into its culture. He said the Miramar College AS is supporting
a student request for more access to the pool and recreational facilities, and that
the college is supporting families through a holiday drive. SDCCE AS President Richard Weinroth welcomed Adriana Dos Santos to the Board of Trustees as the college’s student representative. He thanked her
for her service and expressed support. He shared that the recent plenary focused on
diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism resolutions. Another resolution recommended
cost transparency for educational materials. He said the AS is looking at CCApply
to ensure it is as equitable and user-friendly as possible, including formerly incarcerated
individuals and life-long learners. Changes to English as a Second Language (ESL)
name was also discussed, but there are strong feelings that those in the field should
be consulted first. He reported that the AS is also urging that coordinators be established
for zero-cost textbooks and that work in Creative Commons be protected from monetization.
He said the AS also supports the reinstatement of health education programs.
- Adopted revisions to Chapter 2 – Board of Trustees Board Policies, Chapter 3 – General Institution Board Policies, Chapter 5 – Board of Trustees Policies, Chapter 6 – Business and Financial Services Board Policy, and Chapter 7 – Human Resources Board Policies (first readings).
- Conducted the Board’s Annual Organizational Meeting:
- Electing Trustee Bernie Rhinerson as President of the Board;
- Electing Trustee Mary Graham as Executive Vice President of the Board;
- Appointing Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith as Secretary to the Board;
- Appointing Trustees Geysil Arroyo as Vice President for Public Health Advocacy, Craig Milgrim as Vice President for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, and Maria Nieto Senour as Vice President for Legislative Advocacy.
- Discussing matters of policy or function as determined by the Board; and announced that the Acting Chancellor has made the following a subcommittee appointments based on responses to a previous request: Board Accreditation, Student Equity, and Success Subcommittee (Graham, Senour); Board Budget Study and Audit Subcommittee (Milgrim, Rhinerson); Board Evaluation and Goal-Setting Subcommittee (Arroyo, Senour); Chancellor's Transition and Evaluation Subcommittee (Arroyo, Graham) and Facilities and Sustainability Subcommittee (Milgrim, Rhinerson).
- Adopted a districtwide Land Acknowledgment.
Adopted a resolution authorizing the Issuance of Sale of SDCCD General Obligation Refunding Bonds following a presentation by Acting Vice Chancellor Nancy Lane.
- Heard a report about the District’s 50th anniversary and accepted proclamations from the San Diego City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera, the office of California Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, and the office of Congresswoman Sara Jacobs.
Approved new or revised courses and programs, including the discontinuance of the San Diego Miramar College Graphics program.
- Authorized agreements with healthcare agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in District health occupation programs.
- Entered into agreement with the County of San Diego for City College Anthropology students to perform archeological excavations at the Rancho de los Penasquitos site.
- Authorized travel for San Diego Mesa College Fashion Department students to attend the Women’s Wear Daily MAGIC Conference February 12-16 in Las Vegas.
- Adopted a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) Dual Enrollment Partnership Agreement with e3 Civic High School; and amended two existing agreements with San Diego Unified School District.
- Reviewed the results of the 2024 Accreditation Institutional Self-Evaluation Reports (ISER) for San Diego College of Continuing Education.
- Accepted grants from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for the Homeless and Housing Insecure Pilot Program, for the CalWorks Program, for a Wellness Vending Machine pilot program at City College; for the Rising Scholars programs at City and Mesa colleges; and for LGBTQIA+ programs at City, Mesa, Miramar and Continuing Education colleges.
Accepted grants from the U.S. Department of Education for Title III, Part A Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) at City College; from the University of San Diego for the Integrated Teacher Preparation Program at Miramar College; from the California Department of Social Services for Child Development Centers at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges; and from the U.S. Department of Education for Federal Work-Study programs at City and Mesa colleges.
- Accepted grants from the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges for the Regional Strong Workforce Program (SWP) Job Placement Case Management, Career Navigation, K-14 Dual Enrollment, and Credit for Prior Learning projects at City College, for the Sector and K-14 Dual Enrollment Capacity Building projects at Miramar College, and for the Career Navigation project at College of Continuing Education.
- Approved a Professional Services Agreement between Foundation for California Community Colleges and Miramar College.
- Adopted a resolution to increase an established change fund from $10,000 to $20,000 for the Miramar College Co-Curricular Revolving Cash Fund.
- Approved an agreement between the California Department of Education and City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges for Child Development programs.
- Accepted a grant from the San Diego Office of Emergency Services for Hi-Lo Sirens for the SDCCD Police Department.
- Adopted the Resource Allocation Formula (RAF) tentative calculations for the AFT Guild 1931 Non-Academic Non-Classified Employees Unit, the Police Officers Association, the Association of Confidential Employees Unit; and the Executive Management Unit. It is anticipated that the remaining units (AFT Guild 1931 Faculty and Classified units, the Management Association and the Supervisory & Professional Administrators Association (SPAA), will go to the January Board meeting for ratification and approval.
- Approved a change order with USA Shade for work on a shade structure at CE Miramar.
- Approved the addition of the Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) Theatre repairs and remodel to the District’s Colleges’ Strategic Facilities Plans as a Propositions S and N project.
- Approved a modification of the membership term of Elizabeth Armstrong to serve a two-year term from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2025 on the Citizens’ Oversight Committee.
- Approved purchase orders completed during October and November 2023; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after December 15, 2023.