The town hall was held February 26 at San Diego Mesa College, with hundreds of employees watching live or virtually. Smith has committed to holding periodic town halls going forward to increase direct communication with employees.
Watch the February 26 Town Hall
Smith said the district began reviewing its budget proactively last fall in preparation for a possible return to office by President Donald Trump. He said the early planning put the SDCCD in a position to weather up to a six-month delay in federal funding and potential lengthy delays if court battles ensue regarding funding cuts to federal programs.
“We will not cut anything between now and June 30,” Smith said. “The Board is committed to continuing to do everything we are doing now.”
Smith introduced the district’s two newest Board of Trustees members: Marichu Magaña and Mariah Jameson. Magaña was a counselor at San Diego Mesa College for more than 20 years before she retired six years ago. Jameson, who attended San Diego City College and Mesa College, has a background in social work.
Both said they believe that all the district’s students should be supported and would resist presidential efforts to remove protections from undocumented students.
Magaña said she wants students to know: “If you’re scared, look around. We’re all here to help you. We’re here for you. Our job is to help you reach your education goals.”
Smith said the Board would resist efforts to further exclude traditionally marginalized populations, such as an executive order that only recognizes students by their biological sex.
“We need to be proactive,” he asserted. “We need to be intentional, and we need to be loud to the fact that we are going to exist in opposition to that kind of rhetoric.”
The town hall also featured a nine-person panel made up of district and college employees who lead support services for undocumented and LGBTQIA+ students. They serve the students in a variety of ways, including financial aid, admissions, counseling, providing a safe space on campus, and emergency assistance.
When Smith asked how other employees could support their efforts, many panel members agreed that taking ally training is valuable to learn how to work with the student populations.
“Tell your students that they are not alone,” said Ángel Aguilar Garcia, a counselor at Mesa College. “We have to let them know that they are here to stay.”
Magaly Corro Flores, coordinator of the undocumented resource center at City College, said new and current employees should be trained on what steps to take if immigration officers show up on campus.
When panelists were asked how the district could support their programs more, Michael Tiong, Pride Program coordinator at San Diego Miramar College, said more mental health counseling is needed.
“This is a moment in time where their lives are going to change,” he said. “We hope that we are serving our students in the right way.”