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Weekly News Brief | January 20, 2023
From the Office of Chancellor Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
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This Wednesday, I provided a state budget update to the Board of Trustees as part of my monthly report. For today's letter, I want to provide the same information in support of participatory governance.
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Last week, Governor Gavin Newsom released his budget. More accurately, we should call it his initial budget proposal. The number making all the headlines is a $22.5 billion deficit for the state budget. After years of record-breaking surpluses, fueled by one-time federal funds and stock market windfalls, we knew this day was coming. Fortunately, so did many of our state leaders. If this downturn is short, say a year or two, state reserves can provide some relief. Still, the governor is proposing reductions that suggest planning for a wider recession.
A few reductions are particularly relevant for the Coast District. The governor's cost-of-living-adjustment proposal, at 8.13 percent, is more than half a point below projections from the Legislative Analyst Office and even a quarter point lower than LAO's estimate for funded COLA. Some $200 million has been taken from Deferred Maintenance and Instructional Equipment, apparently used to fund Enrollment and Retention with the suggestion of a carrot and stick approach. The governor is also suggesting some streamlining of reporting and flexibility in spending, again tied to performance measures.
Lastly, credit where credit is due for our vice chancellor of educational services and technology, presidents, vice presidents of instruction, faculty, and staff for working to build dual enrollment partnerships. The governor is pushing dual enrollment agreements, and we have a head start.
Vice Chancellor Drinkwine and her team are busy updating our plans and models. There will be significant need for advocacy and engagement over the next few months as the legislature has its say. The May Revise will be our next major indication of the governor's thinking.
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Adding to what was shared during my Board report, Vice Chancellor Drinkwine and I are planning a series of budget townhalls at each of the colleges. We will be getting information out on those open sessions soon and hope you would join us in the conversation.
With gratitude,
Whitney
Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
Chancellor
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Report from the Board of Trustees
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On Wednesday, January 19, the Board of Trustees met and approved more than $3 million in funded programs, i.e., revenue generating agreements and contracts, including Strong Workforce awards. Trustees lauded the resources being secured through college and districtwide innovation for the benefit of students and enhancement of educational opportunities.
Vice Chancellor Drinkwine provided a quarterly report on Measure M activities, observing that the list of completed projects is now much longer than the remaining list of planned projects.
In their reports, college presidents noted improved enrollment and shared plans for the year ahead. Trustees thanked the many organizers of holiday events concluding the 2022 year, while offering welcoming remarks to kick off 2023.
The Board of Trustees adjourned in memory of Carol Burke, Creative Writing faculty at Orange Coast College from 1976 to 2004 and a former Academic Senate president, as well as Donna Murray, an employee in the Office of Instruction at Golden West College from 2013 until 2020.
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College News
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Program of Special Note:
Disrupting Racism through the Lens of The ArtsIn support of diversity, equity and inclusion, Coastline College is hosting a series of collaborative events for faculty, staff and students running through June 15, 2023, the Friday before Juneteenth. All are invited to attend the remaining sessions. |
COASTLINE COLLEGE |
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Coastline College's TEACh3 program has established a partnership with Child Creativity Lab for fieldwork students. Child Creativity Lab is a nonprofit whose mission is to foster creativity through S.T.E.A.M. (adding "Art" to the "Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics" of S.T.E.M.) and hands-on collaborative learning for children throughout Orange County and beyond. They are especially looking to fill volunteer and internship opportunities for students who are seeking hands-on experience and hours in education, child development, and S.T.E.A.M.
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GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE |
Golden West College is pleased to welcome their new Dean of Counseling, Gisela Verduzco, who joined the college this month. Gisela has worked in higher education for over 20 years, most recently as the Director of Student Equity and Success at Cypress College. She has worked as an adjunct counselor, taught counseling courses, served as academic counselor at the University of California, Irvine (UCI), as well as Associate Director in the Office of Access and Inclusion at UCI. Gisela received her A.A. degree in Liberal Studies from Santa Ana College, B.A. in English from UCI, M.S. in Counseling from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB) and is currently a doctoral student at CSULB pursuing an Ed.D. in Educational Leadership.
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| ORANGE COAST COLLEGE |
Orange Coast College will launch a free Career Coaching program for students during the Spring 2023 semester, aimed at teaching them how to network and build confidence, and eventually land jobs and internships. OCC has partnered with Career Launch and invites students to apply to be part of one of four cohorts during February and March that will help connect them with local professionals to get a foot in the door in their chosen industry. Students who participate will be required to meet with their cohort once per week for four weeks in OCC's Career Center, located on the third floor of Watson Hall on campus. Students also will receive a free interactive workbook and 28 days of micro-learning videos sent via text and email. At the end of each four-week session, participating students will receive a Career Launch Certificate of Completion that they can add to their LinkedIn profile or resume.
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Schedule
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Chancellor, Week of January 23
Dr. Yamamura is in the District, Monday through Thursday
Dr. Marco Baeza is Acting Chancellor, Friday
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publicaffairs@cccd.edu
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