Weekly News Brief | June 17, 2022
From the Office of Chancellor John Weispfenning, Ph.D.

This Sunday, June 19, marks the 1865 announcement in Texas that enslaved people were to be freed. This day is honored as a remembrance of the struggle for freedom, that later became the struggle for civil rights. The other message of Juneteenth is the long history of justice delayed. More than two years after the Emancipation Proclamation and two months after the surrender of the Confederacy, slavery still existed in Texas and other parts of the United States. The full constitutional abolishment of slavery did not occur until the adoption of the 13th Amendment in December of that year.

This message of justice delayed, and the human price that extracts, is something for each of us to consider in our own work. We can all see things that continue as they always have, because that is the way they are done. Yet, historical practice is not always the appropriate guide for best practice or even moral practice. We need to change if we are to make right the things that history got wrong. Education has a major role to play in that evolution, both in asking questions and seeking answers.

I look to our scholarship celebrations and commencement ceremonies, as well as the day-to-day work of participatory governance, and I know that the Coast District is evolving in meaningful ways. Since the day I started at Orange Coast College, and in my more than six years here at the District Office, there has been a growing push at all levels for greater diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. We have made strides, yet we cannot let up the pace. In too many cases, delay is the same thing as denial.

So we continue on, without delay, in our educational mission for our students and service mission for our community. That is how we honor Juneteenth.

Be well,

 John

John Weispfenning, Ph.D.
Chancellor

Note: The Chancellor's News Brief will be on hiatus next week, with a special edition on July 1. Weekly content will return on July 14.

Report from the Board of Trustees

On Wednesday, June 15, the Board of Trustees held both a special session and regular meeting. In the special session, Dr. Elizabeth Dorn Parker was appointed to serve as Trustee for Area 5 from July 9, 2022, through December 9, 2022, following the retirement of Trustee David A. Grant. In the regular meeting, Jose Fuentes-Perez was sworn in as Student Trustee and the Board reaffirmed the rights of that role. Additionally, it was announced that Dr. Whitney Yamamura was selected as Chancellor beginning September 1, following the retirement of Dr. John Weispfenning. Trustees also acknowledged and thanked Dr. Andy Dunn, who participated in his final meeting prior to his retirement on June 30. He will be succeeded as Vice Chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services on July 1 by Marlene Drinkwine.

Vice Chancellor Dunn presented during a budget hearing of the Board. In his report, he spoke to adjustments in budget assumptions based on Governor's latest proposal, looked to the hold-harmless "floor" or "plateau" in 2025 that would limit revenue growth in future years without significant enrollment recovery, and discussed rising ongoing costs for health and pension benefits. Trustees later adopted a hiring freeze for July 2022 to June 2023. This will continue current practice of careful districtwide analysis on hiring practices, with preference for internal hires, lateral moves, and reorganizations in most cases.

Dr. Weispfenning presented on the 2022-2023 Chancellor's Goals for the District. The goals were built upon the goals of the previous year. New areas of focus included ensuring relief funds were used in a way to maximize student benefit, expansion of the use of disabled student data in decision making, and inclusion of accessibility in equity planning. Trustees ratified the goals.

Additionally, the Board ratified the Learning-Aligned Employment Program as an additional form of aid for students. Trustees considered Board compensation for the next fiscal year and voted against an increase, therefore will remain at current levels. Director of Internal Audit Rachel Snell provided a report of concluded and ongoing work, including a survey of swap meet employees and vendors.

Trustees adjourned in celebration of Vice Chancellor Dunn.

Meet Our New Trustees

Dr. Elizabeth "Liz" Doran Parker is an advocate of education at all levels. From 1982 to 2014, she served as an elected trustee on the Orange County Board of Education. During her 32 years on the Orange County Board of Education, she was elected to leadership positions as President of O.C. School Boards Association and President of the California County Boards of Education. She currently serves on the Samueli Academy Board of Education and as vice-chair of Costa Mesa's Parks, Arts and Community Services Commission. Dr. Parker recently retired from her job at Orange Coast College Foundation as a foundation development, alumni and outreach specialist.

Jose Angel Fuentes-Flores attends Golden West College where he served as Executive Student Council's Executive Secretary for Associated Students. He also served on a multitude of campus-wide committees, task forces, and commissions, such as the Finance Commission, the Zero Waste Task Force, and the Institutional Effectiveness Committee. He is active in the community, serving as a volunteer intake coordinator for Stand Up for Kids – which has the mission of ending youth homelessness. Fuentes-Flores also worked for a City of Westminster councilmember.

Meet Our Next Chancellor

Dr. Whitney Yamamura began as the third president of Folsom Lake College in July of 2017. The presidency culminated a career in Los Rios Community College District which began in 1989. The district, including the greater Sacramento region and surrounding areas, serves a diverse population of nearly 70,000 students from both urban and rural communities. Within the district, President Yamamura previously served as teaching intern, part-time faculty, full-time tenured faculty, dean, vice president, and interim president. As a fourth-generation Japanese-American and Californian, Dr. Yamamura has deep roots in the history of the state.

College News

Schedule

Chancellor's Schedule, Week of June 20
Dr. Weispfenning is in the District on Monday
Dr. Dunn will be acting chancellor, Tuesday through Friday

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Dr. Weispfenning is out of the District, June 27–30.
Dr. Dunn will be acting chancellor.