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Weekly News Brief | February 2, 2024
From the Office of Chancellor Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
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This has been an exciting week! It was great to have students return to our campuses bringing their energy and joy back to our campuses. We have a few student assistants in the District Office, and those few returning faces help change the office environment and remind us of our mission.
In the tradition of challenging timing, the Community College League of California held its Legislative Conference this week. While it took me away on Monday, when I would have preferred to join the presidents in welcoming students, we did have an incredibly successful series of legislative visits.
I was pleased to join with Trustees Bruning, Moreno, and Parker in meeting with State Senators Umberg, Min, and Newman. This was an amazing opportunity, as we met with these leaders as a guest of Senator Umberg on the floor of the chamber. Student Trustee Bruning did an amazing job speaking about the needs of student veterans and making the support case for programs available to those incarcerated. Following that experience, we had a discussion with Assemblymember Sharon Quirk-Silva on Career Technical Education and apprenticeships. We had a similar discussion with Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris' Chief of Staff.
As a united front, the four Orange County districts met as a group with Assemblymembers Tri Ta and Mike Fong, as well as Senator Josh Newman. Our conversations in those meetings focused on nursing baccalaureates and clinical hour placements. We also discussed how student basic needs are met and where the gaps remain. For our individual and joint meetings, the assemblymembers and senators we met were supportive of our requests but did caution that the next three years would be tough.
Lastly, we were able to catch Ben Chida, Chief Deputy Cabinet Secretary and Senior Advisor for Cradle to Career for Newsom, and present him with Orange Coast College gear. Chida went from OCC to Berkeley to Harvard Law and is always proud to share his Coast success story.
In total, this was a successful trip. These early conversations will pave the way for difficult budget discussions and policy decisions in the year ahead.
With gratitude,
Whitney
Whitney Yamamura, Ed.D.
Chancellor
Black History Month
February is Black History Month! Please see attached a flyer of activities at Coastline with a link in the College News section. The College is extending an invite to the entire District.
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Persistent Innovation
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Please send examples of persistent innovation, by which I mean having a good idea and then putting in the hard work to make that vision a reality. The more examples submitted, the better I can highlight your successes in future letters and in the community! |
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First Day of Spring 2024 Term
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On Monday, January 29 - the first day of the Spring 2024 term - Vice Chancellor Dr. Andreea Serban and Vice Chancellor Drinkwine visited each campus to encourage and show their appreciation for the Admissions and Records staff members.
 Coastline College
(Cindy Ta - DL Division Coordinator, Ramon Calvillo - Budget Technician, President Dr. Vince Rodriguez, Helen Quach - DL Course Assistant, VP Christine Nguyen, Gigi Linda - DL Course Assistant, Martha Tran-Nguyen - VPAS Administrative Assistant, VC Drinkwine, VC Dr. Serban, Jim West - Director of Enrollment Services)
 Golden West College
(Dr. Christina Ryan Rodriguez - Dean of Enrollment Services, VC Drinkwine, VC Dr. Serban, President Meridith Randall, Dr. Claudia Lee - VP of Student Services)
 Orange Coast College
(Efren Galvan - Director of Enrollment Services, Richelle Penalba - Manager of Enrollment Services, VC Dr. Serban, VC Drinkwine)
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College News
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COASTLINE COLLEGE |
February 1 is the start of Black History Month. In celebration, Coastline College and its Umoja Community will be hosting multiple events throughout the month – some of which are districtwide events.
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GOLDEN WEST COLLEGE |
The Golden West College Art Gallery is pleased to present In the Palaces Beneath the Sand, a solo exhibition from multimedia conceptual artist Lorenzo Baker, curated by Jasmine McNeal. The show, which will run from February 1-29, coincides with the start of Black History Month and explores different forms of light, tracing the visibility of Black spaces and their effects on universal truths. Through installation, video, ready-made objects and collage, the exhibition explores the nuances between public and private space. An opening reception, supported by GWC's Umoja program, is scheduled for February 1 from 4 - 7 p.m., and will feature music by Spot-G Sax Pro On The Go. An artist talk will take place on February 29 at 4 p.m. over Zoom.
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| ORANGE COAST COLLEGE |
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On display at Orange Coast College's Frank M. Doyle Arts Pavilion from January 29 until March 21, "Monroe Isenberg: nowhere is here" summons light and sand, transforming banal, man-made materials into reflections on time, space, and the natural world. These sculptures emerge as futuristic monoliths. They are both foreign and familiar, questioning relationships with the interior space they inhabit and their outdoor origins. Video projections and performances further connect to the Nordic Isles and changing environments.
The exhibits' sculptures, videos, and books blend references to fiction and the natural world. Specifically, the monolith (titled "Nonolith") draws inspiration from Stanley Kubrick's film "2001: Space Odyssey." Its smooth, reflective surfaces emerge like a beaming relic from the future. By contrast, other works are grounded in the ever-changing present. The 13-channel video "A Different Arch" captures the sunset on the beach in Bergen, Norway. The scene might seem otherworldly in its serenity or calming as it beckons the viewer.
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Schedule
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Chancellor, Week of February 5
Dr. Yamamura is in the District, Monday through Friday.
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publicaffairs@cccd.edu
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