SPECIAL REPORT TO THE PUBLIC
Geysil Arroyo
Trustee Geysil Arroyo echoed Trustee Magaña in thanking District Office support staff. She recognized that a story had already been published in SDCCD NewsCenter relating to the Thursday SDSU and SDCCD MOU signing ceremony that outlined a partnership with a guaranteed transfers to SDCCD students and to construct a joint facility. She commended student speaker Ady Melchor, and she said that she is excited to learn more about the partnership work with President Adela de la Torre. She reported that she is looking forward to the Pride Parade on Saturday and attending the student trustee training on Friday.
Mariah Jameson
Trustee Mariah Jameson said that she attended the Thursday MOU ceremony and that she was proud to learn student speaker Ady Melchor was there representing City College.
Marichu Magaña
Trustee Marichu Magaña reported that she has been on the job for eight months and is still learning, acknowledged Officer Leon, and District Office employees Dan Sandoval, John Kalchik, Kat Lerma, Joy Alvarez, Margaret Lamb, and Amanda Ficken-Davis for their support in making her job easier. She said she looks forward to the Pride Parade on Saturday and the upcoming school year, which she’s already feeling excitement around.
Craig Milgrim
Trustee Craig Milgrim welcomed new student trustee Jeremiah Palomino; recommended Chancellor Smith through participatory governance create draft emergency resolutions in preparation for any future possible crises. He said the MOU ceremony was terrific and a long time in coming, and he highlighted guaranteed transfer to SDSU for SDCCD students, which helps keep the best and brightest local. He said nationwide access to STEM is a priority for the American Association for the Advancement of Science and they recommend these types of partnerships to strengthen pathways that lead students into STEM fields. Trustee Milgrim commended President Tina M. King for connecting him to Fatima Mota and Jessica Dekoekkoek for assistance, and he thanked them for their dedication and care toward SDCCD students to make them feel important and valued.
Dr. Maria Nieto Senor
Trustee Maria Nieto Senor attended the SDSU and SDCCD MOU signing. She commended student speaker Ady Melchor, who spoke during the event and really highlighted the quality of students looking to transfer to the CSU system from SDCCD colleges.
Gregory Smith
Chancellor Gregory Smith reported that the federal government tax and spending bill was signed July 4 by the President. He said the worst parts of the bill for higher education were removed when it moved from the House to Senate, including an increase in the number of units for Pell awards, elimination of Pell for part-time students, a threat to reduce the maximum award was actually increased. He reported that there is, for the first time, a workforce Pell to provide awards to students enrolled in short-term 8-16 week certificate programs. He said one concerning area of the bill was the increase to immigration enforcement funding, which has led to discussions on the possibility of enforcement taking place on a SDCCD campus and the matter of continuity of operations in leadership should he personally be seen as impeding enforcement activities in order to protect students. Additionally, he said leadership is working with employee groups to make sure that anyone in need of time off to engage in any type of immigration activity, for themselves or a family member, will have job and pay security. At the state level, the final budget bill was signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on June 27. The Legislature recovered community college funds that would have gone to TK education, as well as funding for unfunded growth, where the District can expect to see about $4 million of the nearly $7 million in that area; advocacy for a flexible block grant to deal with federal decisions, environmental disasters, and $60 million allocated to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. At the Federal level, President Trump used impoundment to refuse to pay out $6.2 billion of educational funding, and, while not a significant impact on higher education, the SDCCD is coming up with plans to manage any disruptions in funding.
Chancellor Smith reported that it has been a busy and productive summer. In addition to the SDSU partnership event, the District has been working with the Downtown San Diego Partnership, Conrad Prebys Foundation, and U3 Advisors, around the future of the Civic Center Plaza. The conversation first came to the District over a year ago and is centering on a city government-oriented area becoming a center of arts, culture, and education for San Diego. He immediately thought about the Mesa College World Arts Collection, which deserves a more prominent place where the community can take advantage of it. He discussed with City Council the possibility of that space for the collection to bring together higher education partners, San Diego Unified School District, the greater community, and visitors to San Diego to create a place for study and to directly interact with that collection and what it represents as a cultural celebration inclusive of performances, as well. Chancellor Smith thanked SDSU President de la Torre for initiating the idea of collaboration between the institutions, which he said is a much-appreciated recognition of what the SDCCD has to offer and the quality students it could bring to CSU. He said the MOU frames the work to be done around specific conversations, especially as it relates to the involvement of faculty at all of the credit colleges. He reported that he attended the UC Davis Wheelhouse Leadership Institute last week and he is excited to bring back ideas he learned in that space particularly in the area of humanity in leadership and organizations.
Student Trustee Jeremiah Palomino reported that City College hosted a Downtown San Diego Career Fair on August 12, allowing job seekers to meet directly with potential employers; Mesa College secured the seventh consecutive Chet DeVore Trophy, which is awarded annually to the top college in the Pacific Coast Athletic Conference (PCAC); Miramar College hosted a special “Fall into College” event to help students enroll for the fall 2025 semester; and San Diego College of Continuing Education Digital Media & Programming students and faculty showed off their skills with their cybersecurity demo at the San Diego County Fair.
BOARD ACTIONS
At its regular meeting of July 17, 2025, which was conducted in-person, with online participation available, the Board of Trustees:
Heard public comment from Monica Romero who spoke behalf of the Management Association to share the new board, which includes herself as president; Sheri “CoCo” Bazemore, vice president; Courtney McClair, treasurer; Kurt Hill, secretary; Debbie Berg, retirees; and directors Masa Omae, Shakerra Carter, Jacqueline Hester, Michelle Madrid Novak, and Ryan Shumaker. Mesa College Academic Senate President Mary Gwin said the AS does not meet over summer but shared that the college’s Summer Creating Rich Unique Intellectual Student Experiences (CRUISE) is taking place to welcome new students. She reported that farmer’s markets are continuing through the summer, and “The Spirit of Mesa” will be held in the fall to benefit the Mesa College Foundation. She concluded by reporting that the college again won the Chet DeVore Trophy for its outstanding athletics program. Neill Kovrig provided a report for the SDCCE Classified Senate that new officers recently began their roles. He said the SDCCE Foundation is creating a “Hoop Hysteria” fundraiser at the Jackie Robinson YMCA and additional fundraising is underway to support SDCCE students as well as scholarship opportunities for classified professionals. He concluded by wishing everyone “Happy Pride.”
- Adopted revisions to Chapter 3 – General Institution, Chapter 6 – Business and Financial Services, and Chapter 7 Human Resources Board policies.
- Approved new or revised courses and programs following a presentation by Vice Chancellor Susan Topham.
- Authorized agreements with healthcare agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in District health occupation programs.
- Accepted revisions to the 2025 Family Handbook for Child Development Centers at
City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.
Following a public hearing, adopted the College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP)
Dual Enrollment Partnership Agreement with six public charter schools.
- Approved master agreements with Foundation for Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community Colleges for Strong Workforce including Accelerating Career Education Outcomes Investments at City, Miramar, and Continuing Education colleges; Counselor Institute 2.0 and Work Based Learning at City, Mesa, Miramar, and Continuing Education colleges; at Job Placement Case Manager at City, Mesa, and Continuing Education colleges; Sector Investments Projects at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges; and Faculty Institute at College of Continuing Education.
- Accepted grants from the San Diego Housing Commission for the Program for Engaged Educational Resources (PEER) at City College; and from the California Department of Education for the operation of Child Development Centers at City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.
- Entered into a Site License Agreement with the Foundation for California Community Colleges for the use of Miramar College facilities for the State of California, Department of Consumer Affairs, Bureau of Automotive Repair’s Smog Check Referee and Student Technician Training Program.
- Awarded cooperative agreements to Midwestern Higher Education Compact (MHEC) for the the Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI), the PeopleSoft ERP System, and the Oracle Fusion ERP Upgrade.
- Adopted resolutions designating the Vice Chancellor of Finance and Business Services as the District's primary representative and the Associate Vice Chancellor of Finance and Business Services (Fiscal Services) as the alternate representative to the governing board of the Retiree Health Benefit Program Joint Powers Authority (JPA); and authorizing the deposit of funds into the Post-Employment Benefits Irrevocable Trust Fund established by the Community College League of California JPA to manage the District's unfunded retiree health liability.
- Awarded bids for two work categories (08E accordion fire door and 031C erosion control) for the ECC Theatre renovation project; and to RJ Nichols, Inc. for the Miramar College W-Building Fire Sprinkler Project.
- Entered into a contract with JE Moore company to provide FF and E management Swing Space and Move Management services and coordination via SDCCD's Plan Perfect process utility tool for Phase 1 of Measure HH Bond Projects.
- Entered into cooperative NASPO Master Services Agreement with for IT Infrastructure Enhancement for Redundant Internet districtwide and for network equipment.
- Adopted a resolution to designate Crown Castle Fiber as the sole source for the redundant 10Gb fiber rings districtwide and entered into a contract with Crown Castle Fiber to add 1450 Frazee Road as an additional node to the existing fiber ring.
- Heard an update on the an Emergency Action taken pursuant to PCC 22050 to replace 12kV transformer feeding power to M Building at Miramar College.
- Reviewed and ratified emergency actions taken to ensure insurance payment made under the Statewide Educational Wrap-Up Program (SEWUP) Joint Power Authority (JPA) to ensure the Owner Carried Insurance Policy (OCIP) would be in place for the ECC Theater Renovation avoiding project delays and coverage gap; and to repair and clean the water damage caused by a clogged sewer system on the fourth floor of the LRC Building at Mesa College.
- Approved purchase orders and contracts completed during June 2025; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after July 18, 2025.