Welcome to the Board Meeting Summary of the San Diego Community College Board Of Trustees Meeting. Below are the highlights and notable activity from this month’s regular business meeting.
REPORTS
Academic Senate Reports
City College Academic Senate (AS) President Nick Slinglend read an AS statement condemning the ICE arrest of a City College student and asking for further investigation into the incident and additional resources for students. He discussed AS efforts to develop strategic enrollment management guidelines and highlighted transfer resources currently available to students. In addition to the many programs highlighted in the City College campus meeting, he highlighted other exceptional programs.
Mesa College AS President Mary Gwin highlighted many events going on at Mesa College. On October 5, a budget forum was held at Mesa College with Chancellor Smith and Vice Chancellor Dan Troy, which was well received by the faculty. She shared that Mesa College will be undergoing a joint program between the Community College League of California and the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges called Collegiality in Action. It is designed to improve participatory governance and resolve disputes between faculties, senates, administrators, and boards of trustees. She also shared some resolutions that the AS is considering, including one on Element451, an AI agent that answers student questions 24/7 but is receiving mixed reviews from faculty.
Miramar College AS President Rodrigo Gomez shared that Miramar College held a successful Equity Summit October 2-10, which focused on finding equitable solutions to support the diverse students the college serves. He discussed the work of the Miramar AI Network, a pilot that has been established in part to address some of the concerns that AS Mesa President Mary Gwin shared. The first Academic Senate meeting of the year was October 6 and featured a presentation on Measure HH project updates and the second reading of a resolution on affirming faculty prerogative over generative and agentic artificial intelligence. The AS is also currently reviewing administrative procedures for credit for prior learning, proposed changes to Title five to expand the clarification of ethnic studies, and reviewing a resolution to foster positive campus climate.
College of Continuing Education AS President Richard Weinroth said that he looks forward to the Academic Senate Fall Plenary, which will also be attended by his colleagues. He stated that the ICE situation is being felt on every campus throughout the District. At the College of Continuing Education, a student was arrested by ICE not far from the campus. It is causing a lot of pain and strife for both students and faculty, who are stressed because they don’t feel that they know what to do. He noted that faculty have no way to lock classroom doors from the inside many classrooms. While switching to classes online is an option, it is often not the best option. He also reiterated his concerns about participatory governance and the need for faculty representation on search committees. He looks forward to the upcoming Chancellor’s fall forum and training offered by General Counsel Ljubisa Kostic.
Classified Senate Report
City College Classified Senate President Sean Ryan shared that City College is preparing for Holiday Hope, its annual student benefit drive. He talked about Classified Senate Presidents meeting regularly to collaborate. They are seeing a need to focus on programs for classified senates that strengthen wellness, mindfulness, and self-care, and are hoping to plan a districtwide classified activity centered around.
Trustees Report
Trustee Geysil Arroyo thanked those who made comments at the board meeting and the attendees at the Board open door session before. She shared the shock and dismay about the recent surge in ICE activity, and asked those who were upset to consider Chancellor Smith’s invitation to meet with them. She said that she has seen what he is done in regards to the situation, including sharing information at the quarterly Trustee Advisory Committee meeting and with members of the San Diego Chicano/Latino Concilio on Higher Education.
Trustee Marichu G. Magaña also thanked the speakers, and encouraged everyone that is able, to vote in the upcoming elections. She acknowledged the work that President Ricky Shabazz and his assistant Angelle Maua did to organize and manage the Distrct’s delegation to Ghana as part of the All African Diaspora Education Summit. She thanked all those who recognized Filipino American History Month, and shared that her father is turning 100 on Sunday.
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour apologized to a student that she was impatient with. She shared that the ICE situation has everyone on edge, and that she relies on many individuals who are not documented. She used to serve on the City of San Diego police review board, and remembers being frustrated because other board members did not recognize an issue with some of the police actions that she found problematic. Finally, she would like to see the development of an Arab were Muslim studies major at one of the District’s colleges, in hopes that it will help students not only feel safe, but provide a space for students to learn about Arab and Muslim culture and history.
Student Trustee Jesse Lopez shared several campus reports, including that City College will be hosting a President’s Forum on October 28 at 11 AM; Mesa College welcomed the California Community Colleges Board of Governors on September 30, Miramar College will send 10 students to the CCSSA Leadership Conference in Orange County October 16-18 and the Miramar College Foundation's annual Invest in Success fundraiser raised more than $56,000 to support the college’s Jet Fuel Resource Center, which helps students facing food and housing insecurity stay enrolled and succeed; and the College of Continuing Education has reached 109% of its FTES enrollment target, its accreditation was also extended from six years to seven years, and the Harbor View Campus renaming initiative continues, with the goal of completing the renaming process by the end of Fall 2026.
Chancellor’s Report
Chancellor Gregory Smith shared that at the end of the legislative session, two additional bills of note were signed by the governor: AB 2374 (Fong), which establishes an Asian American and Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AAPISI) Program, as well as SB 1255 (Reyes), which establishes a Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) Program. He noted that the State taking action to create these designations is a powerful message on what the Districts mission is in the communities that we prioritize and value. Neither bill, however, comes with funding.
The District is currently building legislative priorities for the upcoming year. Items that the District is always advocating for include a fully funded cost-of-living allowance (which the K-12 system is statutorily guaranteed but community colleges are not); funding for enrollment growth; and the establishment of a College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) categorical program that would fund all of the activities necessary to scale up CCAP courses.
One of the most critical things happening in the federal government right now is reforms to the financial aid system and the requirements that colleges demonstrate that the degrees they offer lead students to careers that pay more than a high school graduate in the same career. Holding colleges accountable for decisions in the labor market is not appropriate, and several steps need to be taken. Chancellor Smith has joined with a group working with the California Student Aid Commission on this issue to bring more resources and staffing for financial aid offices, particularly for undocumented students who face additional challenges. He added that the need for support for immigrant students will not change with any administration, so attempting to secure ongoing funding for Dreamer centers will not stop.
The district is also pushing for two additional designations that will not be tied to race or ethnicity or any other category percentage of students, but rather the services being provided to those groups. One is an LGBTQ+ inclusive college designation and the other is a parents learner inclusive college designation.
As the trustees prepare for the Association of Community College Trustees meeting in Washington DC in February, the number one priority is the passage of the Protecting Sensitive Locations Act, which be the best way to get ICE out of our schools.
Chancellor Smith also reported that he has partnered with President Ashanti Hands to establish a District presence at Junior Achievement’s BizTown in Mission Valley, where he hopes we can help students learn about careers, financial literacy, and the value of community college pathways. He spoke at the San Diego and Imperial County data analytics convening at the invitation of Dean Jaqueline Hester. Dean Hester will be working with the state chancellor’s office on data analytics and artificial intelligence, he said it will be great to have a District presence at the statewide level on this important topic. He discussed a meeting of the ASU San Diego Leadership Council, where he explored work-based learning opportunities and transfer pathways for students. He recognized Mesa College's leadership at a recent Demonstration Project on behalf of the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office focused on internships and increasing the number of students who earned paid, career-aligned work experience while attending college. He commented on a recent community-building event called "Longer Tables" and looks forward to the next event in April. He participated in the Management Leadership Development Academy's recent lunch-and-learn series and shared lessons from speaking at the CASE conference about thinking boldly and expanding opportunities for fundraising for community colleges.
Chancellor Smith discussed meeting with city leaders regarding civic center redevelopment and the possibility of bringing Mesa College's World Art Collection downtown as part of a cultural and educational hub. He shared that he had recently joined the San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation’s Board, and noted that he was under consideration for appointment to the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities board. He reflected on the District's Fall Forums, which gathered extensive feedback from students and employees on the campus climate and created meaningful opportunities for dialogue and institutional improvement.
He concluded his report by emphasizing the importance of respectful engagement, recognizing shared commitment to the district's mission, welcoming constructive feedback, and encouraging empathy, understanding, and collaboration even when disagreements arise.
Public Comment
The Board heard the following public comments:
- David Smith and Jordan Lewis spoke on closed session matters.
- Marc Grabiel gave an update on the SPAA collective bargaining process and highlighted SPAA members facilities supervisor Adam Vincej and his landscaping team at Miramar College; and Carlee Gosser, the Mesa Child Development Center director.
- Jim Fegan and Maritere Rodriquez addressed the Board on proposed changes to the Mesa College Aquatics Center.
- 11 of 18 speakers addressed the Board regarding the recent ICE activity at City College and concerns surrounding SDCCD Police Department involvement.
- 15 speakers addressed the Board in support of the City SEEDs program and in opposition to moving the program as a result of Measure HH construction.
- Chieftan spoke about his concerns about City College.
- Purita Javier and Cesar Javier shared concerns about ceramics emissions.
Presentations and Action Items
- Announced the following actions from Closed Session: denied the appeal of two Administrative Determinations of Title 5 Complaints.
- Conducted a campus meeting in a hybrid format with San Diego City College that included a land acknowledgment by Professor John Bathke, welcome remarks from President Ricky Shabazz, Vice President of Instruction Tille Chavez, Vice President of Student Services Marciano Perez, Acting Vice President of Administrative Services Roxann Solis, Academic Senate President Nick Slinglend, Classified Senate President Sean Ryan, Supervisory and Professional Administrators Association Site Director Daniel Gonzalez, and Associated Students Government President Jesse Lopez. The presentation’s theme was ’10 Years of Hope’ in recognition of President Ricky Shabazz’s tenth year in his position, and included presentations on a variety of student services and programs offered at the college including the Pride Hub/Kiki LGBTQ Learning Community by Nathen Ortiz and Trissy McGhee, and students Spencer Love and Orion Ingram; the Ceramics Program partnership with Azuki Sushi Partnership by Anna Delgado and Shihomi Borillo and students Cassandr Avila and Kela Reece; a Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) Update by Melanie Nakaji and student Lachelle; an update on College and Career Access Pathways (CCAP) by Genevieve Esguerra and students Jessica Gonzalez and Anya Hanson; on Yo Soy STEM by Nydia Dominguez; Drama Program success at the American College Theatre Festival by Katie Rodda and students winners Sebastian Montenegro, David Thornton, and Carmen Freeman. President Ricky Shabazz closed the presentation by recognizing local business owners who had partnered with the District.
- Adopted revisions to Chapter 3–General Institutions and Chapter 5 – Student Services board policies.
- Appointed Trustees Geysil Arroyo, Marichu Magaña, and Maria Nieto Senour as the Board’s voting delegates and Mariah Jameson as alternate for the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Leadership Congress on October 21-24, 2026, and nominated members for election to the ACCT Board of Directors, including Jose Alcala, Riverside Community College District, CA, for Regional Director; Oscar Valladares, Río Hondo College, CA, Andrew Speer, Mt. Hood Community College, OR, Olivia Zepeda, Arizona Western College, AZ for Director-At-Large.
- Adopted resolutions recognizing November 2026 as Native American Heritage Month; and in support of Proposition 3, the Protect Our Schools and Healthcare Act of 2026.
- Accepted a grant from the U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) awarded to develop and implement the San Diego City College CyberLab.
- Approved a two-year Inter-Jurisdictional Exchange (IJE) agreement with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office (CCCCO) for SDCCD employee Jacqueline Hester to serve as a Visiting Dean of Innovation and Technology on the Workforce Development, Strategic Partnerships and Generative Artificial Intelligence.
- Approved the Campus Safety Liaison classification in the AFT Guild – Non-Academic Non-Classified Employees.
- Approved the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office 2026 Annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Certification Form.
- Received information regarding a reallocation of funding from the overall project budget of the Mesa College Performing Arts Center, Administration Building, and Parking Structure Project.
- Approved change orders for an extension of contract time for the West City Expansion Project to DPR Construction for additional design services work; and for additional Property Enforcement Signs for the College of Continuing Education to Provost Inc. dba Traffic Tech.
- Reviewed and ratified Emergency Actions taken to remediate water intrusion from a sink overflow in Room 301-lab in the MS Building at Mesa College; remediate water intrusion due to an angle stop on the third floor causing damage through to the first floor at the District Office; to repair failed HVAC coils on the V-building at City College; and to replace mini-spilt unit servicing Room 103 in the B-Building at City College.
Consent Items
- Approved new or revised courses and programs, and the discontinuance of the Mesa College Fermentation program.
- Accepted the following grants:
- From the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office (CCCCO) for the Rebuilding Nursing Infrastructure (RNI) grant at City College
- From the U.S. Department of Education for the Upward Bound Grant at City College
- From the Foundation for California Community Colleges for Fresh Success and Employment Training Activities at Mesa College
- From the Foundation for Grossmont and Cuyamaca Colleges for the Regional Strong Workforce Program at Mesa College
- From San Diego Coastkeeper for the Swapping Fire Fuel for Coastal Canyon Habitat project at Mesa College
- From The San Diego Foundation for a Hybrid/Electric Vehicle workforce training program at Miramar College
- From the California Department of Education (CDE) and the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) for Child Development Centers at City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges
- From the CCCCO to make adjustments to the Extended Opportunity Programs and Services (EOPS) and the Cooperative Agencies Resources for Education (CARE) programs at City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges
- From San Diego State University Research Foundation to extend the period of performance for the Equitable AI Alliance grant (Amendment No. 1)
- Entered into a Memorandum of Understanding with Chico State Enterprises to perform CalFresh Outreach at Mesa College
- Ratified purchase orders and contracts prepared during the month of September 2026
- Approved the 2025-26 Annual Financial Report
- Awarded the following bids, contracts, and cooperative agreements:
- To Fiber AssetCo LLC d/b/a Zayo ("Zayo") to provide districtwide redundant 10Gb dark fiber ring network services
- To Arctiq to increase the Microsoft Teams phone and analog devices resiliency
- To Pro Installations, Inc. dba Prospectra Contract Flooring for Miramar College W Building Carpet Replacement
- To A1157 Design Solutions, LLC dba Cultura, to procure/furnish and install furniture for the College of Continuing Education Educational Cultural Complex (ECC) Theatre Renovation Project and the W-246 Site Improvement at Miramar College
- To USA Waste of California, Inc. dba Waste Management for waste disposal services to increase front-load service across District locations to meet current waste disposal needs and maintain compliance with applicable health and safety requirements (Amendment No.1)
- Approved the following personnel actions:
- Short-term personnel service effective on or after October 16, 2026
- Academic, classified, substitute, and student personnel actions relating to appointments, assignment changes, salary changes, status changes, leaves of absence, separations, and volunteerism during September 2026
- Established an Instructional Laboratory Technician/Child Development at Mesa College
- Established an Administrative Technician position at Miramar College
- Established an Accessibility Specialist position at College of Continuing Education
- Established a Business Systems Analyst position in the Educational Services Division
- Established two Administrative Technician positions in the Institutional Innovation and Effectiveness Division
- Established a Campus Safety Liaison classification title, an Energy Management Computing Systems Operator position, and revised several positions in the Operations, Enterprise Services, and Facilities Division
- Reclassified several positions in the Chancellor’s Office
- As a result of the AFT Classified Professionals July 31, 2026, bimonthly Window Period cycle, reallocated or reclassified positions or removed classifications
- Approved the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office 2026 Annual Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Certification Form
- Authorized Madison High School and the Serra Mesa-Kearny Mesa Branch Library as off-campus facilities for College of Continuing Education
- Adopted a resolution authorizing the use of the Best Value procurement method for certain repair and maintenance procurements
- Reviewed Measure HH project updates, notices to proceed, notices of completion, and change orders completed during September 2026
View the Full Board Meeting Agenda
Next meeting
The next Board of Trustees meeting will be held at San Diego Mesa College in a hybrid format at 4 p.m. on November 12, 2026. Meetings can be viewed on the Board of Trustees YouTube Channel.