SDCCD: Board Report: February 24, 2022

Press release from San Diego Community College District:

February 25, 2022

Special Report to the Public:

Trustees Geysil Arroyo, Mary Graham, Craig Milgrim, Bernie Rhinerson, and Maria Nieto Senour and Student Trustee Natalia Trinh all shared their concerns for the situation in Ukraine, and hope for a swift resolution.
They appreciate that there will be support group opportunities provided to students
and employees so that they may be able to voice their concerns and feelings. The trustees
all attended the February 17 meeting of the Trustee Advisory Council (TAC), where
consultants from MIG. Inc. sought feedback to assist with the District strategic planning
process. They encouraged everyone to provide input throughout the process, particularly
during the upcoming charrettes.

Trustee Geysil Arroyo said that she is excited to hear about students getting back to campuses. She reported
that she was pleased to learn about so many Black History Month celebrations at the
colleges, and that she is looking forward to Women’s History Month in March. She said
that she appreciated that the Academic Senate presidents mentioned the process of
returning to campus, and thanked them for thinking about students and moving forward
in a graceful way. She said that earlier this month she participated in legislative
meetings with Congressman Juan Vargas and a representative from the office of Congressman Mike Levin, where there were positive conversations about necessary support for students’ basic
needs and passage of the Dream Act. Trustee Arroyo and the rest of the trustees also
participated in the interview process for a new president of the College of Continuing
Education.

Trustee Mary Graham thanked those who spoke during the meeting and shared various concerns. She said
she appreciated and reinforced a comment made by Student Trustee Natalia Trinh about student government not just being a valuable experience, but fun, as well.
She said that in addition to the legislative meetings Trustee Arroyo mentioned, she
and other trustees also attended meetings with Congresswoman Sara Jacobs and Congressman Scott Peters, where trustees discussed a variety of federal community college priorities. Trustee
Graham reported that she is participating in the Chancellor Investiture planning subcommittee
and looks forward to sharing more information soon. She reported that the Chancellor’s
Evaluation subcommittee, which will be sending out surveys regarding performance and
encouraged those who receive them to complete them.

Trustee Craig Milgrim thanked Trustee Trinh for her updates about student government and said that he has fond memories of getting
to spend time with those campus organizations and looks forward to doing so again
as the colleges reopen. He said that he is advancing work with the San Diego and Imperial
Counties Queer Alliance to help improve the sexual orientation and gender identity
(SOGI) questions on the CCC Apply application.

Trustee Bernie Rhinerson also indicated he thought the legislative briefings were productive. He said that
he is working on developing a scholarship program with the California Masonic Foundation
based in San Francisco for incoming students going into the trades, and he will be
reaching out to Miramar College President Wes Lundburg to find a match for a possible partnership.

Trustee Maria Nieto Senour reported that she attended the legislative briefings.

Chancellor Carlos Cortez reported that on February 28, the San Diego Business Journal will recognize City
College President Ricky Shabazz as one of the region's Top 50 Black Leaders of Influence, and that on Thursday, Mesa
College President Pam Luster received the Harry Buttimer Distinguished Administrator Award from the Association
of California Community College Administrators. He reported that earlier this month,
Miramar Student Trustee Edward Borek and others did an excellent job during an interview with KPBS on the new pass-no
pass grading policy. Chancellor Cortez reported that College of Continuing Education
Foundation’s Executive Director Laurie Coskey secured two grants for the District to develop a strategic housing development plan,
and gave special thanks to the San Diego Foundation and the Lucky Duck Foundation
for their gifts of $30,000 to the SDCCD. He said the search for the president of the
College of Continuing Education has advanced, and the new president is expected to
be announced sometime in March. Chancellor Cortez reported that on February 16, San
Diego lost local legend and dear friend to the SDCCD, Dorothy Smith, who served on the San Diego Unified School District School Board and more recently
helped to chair efforts to raise funds for the renovation of the historic theater
at the Educational Cultural Complex. He said that February18 was the deadline for
state legislators to introduce bills in this, the second year of a two-year session,
and that the District will remain active in its advocacy efforts. Chancellor Cortez
also shared his report with Joel Peterson, who has been selected as the District’s
next vice chancellor of Facilities Management.

Student Trustee Natalia Trinh reported that the Miramar College Associated Student
Government wrapped up Senate elections with all positions filled. She said that Miramar
College held various events throughout Black History Month, including a March 22 on-campus
event where 200 students in attendance enjoyed a free lunch and jazz concert. She
reported that the deadline for Miramar-specific scholarships was extended to March
14 and FAFSA and California Dreamer applications must be filed by the end of February.
Student Trustee Trinh said that City College is hosting Black History Month student
forums with City College President Ricky Shabazz and Student Trustee Victoria Owusu on February 23, and the City Women Rock summit will take place on March 8. She reported
that at Mesa College February 24 was the last day of Club Rush, and a lot of students
applied to participate in the Associated Students (AS), where elections were held
on Wednesday. The AS also is in the process of planning spring commencement celebrations,
and that scholarship applications that were due February 17 are now being reviewed.

At its regular meeting of February 24, 2022, which was conducted in a virtual format,
the Board of Trustees:

- Heard public comment from Mesa College chemistry professor and Department Chair Donna Budzynski who shared from the college’s Chemistry Department a statement of concern regarding
the District’s requirement for vaccine boosters in order to enroll in in-person class
during the fall semester. AFT Guild President Jim Mahler who thanked the Board and
the District, particularly the Chancellor's Cabinet, for approving a request by the
AFT to extend through June 30 medical benefits for adjunct faculty scheduled to have
their benefits terminated on February 28 due to a lack of active assignment. Newly
elected City College Academic Senate (AS) President Maria-Jose Zeledon-Perez introduced herself and thanked the Board for the opportunity to share remarks. She
reported that City College is celebrating Black History Month with an amazing lineup
of events, and that Black history should be celebrated throughout the year. On April
21, the college will host its Student Research Symposium and on March 23 and 24 its
annual Social Justice Conference. Otherwise, the college continues to provide excellent
mental health programming events for students. Mesa College AS President John Crocitti said discussions are underway about how to transition back to on-campus senate meetings
with consideration being given to some type of hybrid format. He said a lot will depend
on if the state of emergency ends on March 31 in which case they would likely return
to face-to-face meetings. Miramar College AS President Laura Murphy said the college is working on how to get back on campus to serve students. In response
to events taking place in Ukraine, the college is trying to support its students and
employees with an open forum which everyone is invited to participate in. She said
the college will widely publicize the event.

- Conducted the first reading of revised Chapter 2 – Board of Trustees Board Policies, as part of a comprehensive six-year review to ensure currency following comments
by Margaret Lamb.

- Adopted a resolution allowing for virtual meetings pursuant to Government Code section 54953(e), as amended
(AB 361).

- Approved the appointment and employment contract of Joel Peterson as vice chancellor of Facilities Management.

- Approved new or revised courses and programs following comments by Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Susan Topham.

- Heard reports from Propositions S and N Citizens’ Oversight Committee (COC) Vice Chair Leslie Bruce, and COC member Rosalie Schwartz on the 2021 Annual Report for Propositions S and N; and on Diversity, Equity, and
Inclusion 2020-22 from Vice Chancellor of Educational Services Susan Topham, Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Greg Smith, Deans Shelly Hess and Krystal Henderson, Director of Institutional Effectiveness and Research Natalia Córdoba-Velásquez Alarcón, District Committee for Community, Inclusion & Diversity Chair Jamila DeCarli, and faculty members Norrell Martinez, Janue Johnson, Judy Patacsil, and Richard Gholson.

- Approved change in tuition for nonresidents from $307 per unit to $304, and the $100 application fee to be maintained for international
student applications following comments by Executive Vice Chancellor Bonnie Dowd.

- Authorized an agreement with health care agencies for use of clinical facilities by students enrolled in
District health occupation programs.

- Approved the appointment of Anchi Mei (nominated by Trustee Geysil Arroyo) and Dean Aragoza (nominated by Trustee Maria Nieto Senour) to the Trustee Advisory Council.

- Approved the appointment of Shakerra Carter, vice president Student Services of the San Diego College of Continuing Education,
as a representative on the San Diego Adult Education Regional Consortium (SDAERC).

- Entered into agreements with Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District Auxiliary Organization for the Strong Workforce Program College-based Marketing project and Pathway Navigation
project at Continuing Education.

- Accepted a grant from the California Department of Education for the California State Preschool Program at San Diego City, Mesa, and Miramar colleges.

- Entered into a service agreement with Chula Vista Electric for electrical upgrades at Continuing Education’s Educational Cultural Complex (ECC)
and Mesa College; and a consultant agreement with Hammel, Green and Abrahamson, Inc. to provide planning and design services for the Continuing Education ECC theater
and community/museum room renovation.

- Approved purchase orders completed during January 2022; the District’s Report of Participation in the San Diego County Investment Pool for the period ending December 31, 2021; the 2021-22 Second Quarter Financial Report; and various personnel actions including the certification of short-term personnel service effective on or after
February 25, 2022.

This press release was produced by San Diego Community College District. The views expressed here are the author’s own.