SEPTEMBER 9, 2021
BOARD REPORT
SPECIAL REPORT TO THE PUBLIC Trustee Geysil Arroyo reported that she’s heard COVID protocols around the District have been going well. She said that she is impressed with the recent enrollment marketing campaign launched by the District’s Communications and Public Relations Department that includes bus wraps, billboards, and digital ads around the city and on local media outlets. She said that she joined a September 2 webinar with the California Community Colleges Organización de Latinx Empowerment, Guidance, Advocacy for Success (CCCOLEGAS), along with Trustee Senour, where Chancellor Cortez spoke about his background and incorporating his Latinx roots into his leadership role. Trustee Mary Graham thanked those who shared comments during the meeting, and encouraged faculty and classified professionals to continue to work through their unions and Faculty and Classified Senates until a functional and effective working environment can be found to keep people safe and provides opportunities to students. Trustee Craig Milgrim thanked Student Trustee Borek for continuing to champion the inclusion of Continuing Education students in the student government process. He reported that he attended a virtual seminar by USD on August 30 titled “Employment and Job Training Opportunities for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness” where Chancellor Cortez spoke, and said that he is impressed with the groups who assist this population. He acknowledged the t-shirt he was wearing during the meeting, which represent Upward Bound, a program he has a personal connection to, and thanked City College for its continued support of the program. Trustee Bernie Rhinerson recognized Dr. Abdimalik Buul for his appointment as the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office’s (CCCCO) Visiting Assistant Vice Chancellor, Equal Employment Opportunity Programs, and thanked him for his work while at City College. He reported that he attended, along with Chancellor Cortez and Communications and Public Relations Director Jack Beresford, a virtual meeting on September 9 featuring Julie Chávez Rodriguez, Director of the White House Office of Intergovernmental Affairs and granddaughter of Cesar Chávez, and got to speak with her about the administration’s support of workforce programs, as well as short-term Pell grants and free community college. He said he hopes the District can meet with her in-person to further discuss higher education policy while attending the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) National Legislative Conference in February in Washington DC.
The governing board of the San Diego Community College District is composed of 5 elected members and 1 student trustee position. The student trustee position is filled on a rotating basis. BOARD MEMBERS Geysil Arroyo Mary Graham (Executive Vice President) Craig Milgrim Bernie Rhinerson Maria Nieto Senour, Ph.D. (President) CHANCELLOR Carlos O. Turner Cortez, Ph.D (secretary to the board) STUDENT TRUSTEES Edward Borek Victoria Owusu Natalia Trinh
Trustee Maria Nieto Senour said that she appreciated comments made by Trustee Graham about making sure people are advocating for themselves during the process of return-to-work during the pandemic, and said that she empathized with those who are struggling. She said that the Board’s focus is to educate people, but also to keep them safe. Trustee Senour asked her fellow Trustees to submit agenda items ahead of the October 21 Board Retreat.
BOARD OF TRUSTEES SAN DIEGO COMMUNITY COLLEGE DISTRICT
Chancellor Carlos Cortez reported on the status of the District’s three priority bills. After discussion with the Governor’s Office, AB 421 (Ward), a bill that would allow the Census Date to be used for certain noncredit courses, is being held and will be taken up next year as part of the budget process. AB 576 (Maienschein), which would allow community colleges to collect apportionment funding for courses taught on military bases, is waiting on a vote on the Senate floor. AB 927 (Medina), which would make permanent the baccalaureate pilot and expand four-year degrees across the state system, was approved today by the Legislature and is moving on for the Governor’s signature. Chancellor Cortez thanked those who shared public comments and said the District is doing its best to balance health and safety with its commitment to serving students, echoing Trustee Graham and Senour’s comments about the importance of working through the participatory governance structure and making their voices heard. He said the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted student outcomes and enrollment, especially by those who are most vulnerable and most in need of in-person services. Otherwise, the new semester is underway and enrollment remains sluggish. However, while enrollment was down 10% at community colleges nationally last year he credited faculty and classified professionals for their effort to keep the District’s decline to less than 5%. Lastly, COVID testing is now underway at each of the colleges and the County is seeing a drop in positive cases, a reversal of the national trends which can be attributed to relatively high local vaccination rates.
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