Geysil Arroyo
Trustee Geysil Arroyo said that she and her family marched with the District’s contingent in the Pride Parade on July 15, 2023, and thanked Dean Luke Menchaca for his work organizing the event and recognized many in attendance including Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith, Trustee Craig Milgrim and the many students, faculty, and staff. She reported that Acting Chancellor Smith sent emails about the June 29 Supreme Court ruling on affirmative action and about the District’s participation in the Pride Parade and said she sees them as valuable not only as a trustee, but also for the greater SDCCD community.
Mary Graham
Trustee Mary Graham recognized Student Trustee Namod Pollack who was serving in his first Board meeting, and thanked the Academic Senates for the resolutions they brought forward during the meeting and said their partnership with the Board in the governance process is critical. She welcomed Professor Andrew Hoffman to his first meeting as Academic Senate (AS) President. Trustee Graham said that she, along with Trustee Milgrim, met with the Chancellor Search Committee on June 27 and set an application close date of October 2, 2023, which would then be followed by screening and interviewing processes. She said various steps along the way, including public forums and various stakeholder meetings, will provide opportunities for community members to provide public feedback. Trustee Graham also reported that Academic Search was selected to assist with the process, and she encouraged the community to share the job posting broadly in order to expand the pool of potential candidates.
Craig Milgrim
Trustee Craig Milgrim said he attended the Pride Parade and thanked all those who put in countless hours to make the District’s participation such a success. He mentioned an agenda item that was approved to accept a $1.2 million grant from Representative Sara Jacobs to help fund Pride Centers at all of the colleges, and reported there are those within the federal government looking to remove such community programming, which he called a hateful attack on the LGBTQIA+ community. Trustee Milgrim reported that Mesa College received a grant from the San Diego Foundation to expand its TerraMesa Community Garden and help provide lessons on sustainable agriculture and how to grow food, which he said pairs well with the District’s basic needs support programs. He thanked the City College AS for its two resolutions brought forth during the meeting regarding policing and said he would be paying attention to further follow up.
Bernie Rhinerson
Trustee Bernie Rhinerson said that he is looking forward to starting the new academic year, and he thanked trustees Graham and Milgrim for their work to get chancellor search started.
Dr. Maria Nieto Senour
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour reported she was recovering from a recent illness and that it was good to be back.
Gregory Smith
Acting Chancellor Gregory Smith reported the Fiscal Year 2024 Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies appropriations bill was approved by the House Appropriations Committee and includes: $500,000 in funding for Utility and Water Improvements at College of Continuing Education, sponsored by Representative Juan Vargas; $500,000 for renovations in the School of Public Safety at Miramar College, and an additional $1 million to fund Family-Friendly Student Centers, both sponsored by Representative Jacobs. He reported that on July 10, Governor Gavin Newsom signed the 2023-2024 Budget Act, which funds an 8.22% cost-of-living adjustment to the District’s base apportionment funding, adult education, Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS), Disabled Students Programs and Services (DSPS), CalWORKs, Puente, Umoja, and other categorical programs, but not for the Strong Workforce and Student Equity and Achievement Programs. While positive, Acting Chancellor Smith said the District must continue to be strategic and cautious in managing ongoing commitments. He also reported that Assembly Bill 506 was passed out of the Senate Education Committee last week and referred to the Committee on Appropriations, where it is scheduled to be considered on August 14, and he thanked the leadership of the California Community College Ethnic Studies Faculty Council, including faculty leaders from Mesa College representing our District and region on advancing this legislation.
Acting Chancellor Smith praised the quick actions of City College Counselor Diana Soqui and Public Information Officer Cesar Gumapas, which helped save a student life during a life-threatening medical emergency at the college. He recognized the efforts of Vice Chancellor Laurie Coskey and Miramar College Director of Development and Entrepreneurship Lisa Cole-Jones who worked with longtime San Diego Promise supporter Roger Frey on a commitment of $50,000 to support students in programs that have certification and licensing fees to help ensure a debt-free pathway to living wage employment. Acting Chancellor Smith recognized the IT Services Department for moving PeopleSoft to the Oracle Cloud Instructure in order to save money, reduce the District’s carbon footprint, increase the speed and stability of performance, and make the system more secure; he thanked Associate Vice Chancellor Peter Maharaj, IT Director Antoine Andari, and everyone involved in this project. He introduced and welcomed Aimee Gallagher as associate vice chancellor of Employee Relations, and Nancy Lane and Nahid Razi as associate vice chancellors of Finance and Business Services. He shared his report with Vice Chancellor Joel Peterson who provided an update on the Police Advisory Committee and recognized SDCCD Police Officer Ruben Diaz, who was named San Diego County Law Enforcement Officer of the Year. He said that he participated in the Pride Parade and thanked Dean Menchaca for chairing the organizing committee, as well as its committee members and everyone else who supported the District’s participation and attended the event. He concluded his report by wishing Trustee Senour a happy 80th birthday.
Namod Pallek
Student Trustee Namod Pallek said that City College Associated Student Government will host a pre-fall retreat August 13-14 where they will interact with the college’s president and vice presidents, while also learning about the City College Foundation. He reported that Mesa College is hosting Mesa CRUISE on Tuesday through Thursday through July. Student Trustee Pallek reported that Miramar College students, along with their peers at other colleges, participated in the Pride Parade on July 15. He said the Associated Students will meet the second week of August, and that summer office hours continue from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday and with the campus closed on Fridays. Student Trustee Pallek reported that $1.4 million was received from California State Senate President pro Tempore Toni Atkins and directed to College of Continuing Education and Promises2Kids.
BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of July 20, 2023, which was conducted in-person, with online participation available, the Board of Trustees:
- Heard public comment from City College Academic Senate (AS) President Maria-Jose Zeledon-Perez who shared that summer has been going well and that she is looking forward to the start of the fall semester. She read resolutions calling for an independent process for students making a complaint against a SDCCD Police Officer and requesting that recently purchased tasers not be deployed by SDCCD Police. New Mesa College AS President Andrew Hoffman introduced himself to the Board and said the AS is busy preparing for a retreat on August 15 and that he is working with his new Vice President Veronica Gerace on planning for the new academic year.
- Adopted revisions to Chapter 6 – Business and Financial Board Services (first reading) as part of a comprehensive six-year review to ensure currency.
- Authorized an agreement with healthcare agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in District health occupation programs.
- Authorized the Vice Chancellor of Educational services as the designated personnel to sign contract documents related to agreements from the California Department of Social Services and from California Department of Education for the General Child Care and Development Program and California State Preschool Program at City, Mesa, Miramar, and Continuing Education colleges.
- Accepted revisions to the 2023 Family Handbook for Child Development Centers at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.
- Approved updates to the 2023-2024 Student Fee Schedule, with the understanding that the College of Continuing Education would provide information to the board about comparative costs in the region for comparable courses to the ones it intends to offer under the community education umbrella.
- Following a public hearing, adopted the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) Dual Enrollment Partnership Agreements with the San Diego Unified School District and three public charter schools.
- Adopted the 2023-2024 memorandum of understanding with Altus Affiliated Schools (The Charter School of San Diego) to continue the dual enrollment agreement with Miramar College.
- Accepted grants from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for Regional Strong Workforce programs at City College; to establish a Mathematics, Engineering, and Science Achievement (MESA) program at Mesa College; and for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy and Practices at Miramar College and College of Continuing Education.
- Authorized an agreement with the San Diego Foundation and County of San Diego for the Community Food Grant Program at Mesa College.
- Accepted grants from the United States Department of Education for districtwide Dreamers Support Programs and LGBTQIA+ Pride Centers.
- Approved a subcontract agreement with and Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Auxiliary for Strong Workforce Regional Career Navigation Initiatives led by the San Diego Community College District Educational Services.
- Ratified a contract for a professional search firm to assist in the recruitment and hiring of a Chancellor for the District to Academic Search.
- Entered a Professional Service Agreement with Astute Business Solutions to assess the District’s PeopleSoft applications and assist with opportunities for optimization and modernization.
- Approved the appointment and employment contracts of Aimee Gallagher as associate vice chancellor of employee relations, and Nancy Lane and Nahid Razi as associate vice chancellors of finance and business services.
- Authorized an agreement with Leimbach Communications Group for administrative support services for the Facilities Management, Facilities Services, and Maintenance and Operations divisions at the District Office.
- Authorized the use of Proposition S to fund remaining Proposition N projects if needed and Proposition N to fund remaining Proposition S projects if needed.
- Approved the appointment of Ixchel Valencia Diaz as a student representative on the Citizens’ Oversight Committee.
- Approved the removal of Nola Butler Byrd, Olivia Puentes-Reynolds, and Evonne Seron Schulze from the Trustee Advisory Council (TAC) with appreciation for their advice and support.
- Heard a report from General Counsel Ljubisa Kostic on AB 992 relating to Open Meetings and social media.
- Approved purchase orders completed during June 2023; new or revised courses and programs; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after July 21, 2023.