NOCCCD Board Meeting Highlights for April 23, 2024

Board Actions

The Board of Trustees acted on agenda items, including those highlighted below.

Finance & Facilities

The Board voted to review the Facilities Use Agreement with Anaheim Union High School District, which will allow the NOCCCD Board of Trustees to hold its meetings in the AUHSD Boardroom until completion of the upper-deck replacement in the Anaheim Campus board room is complete, which is expected to be in January 2025.

Human Resources

The Board approved the retirements of Gregory Eng, Duplication Equipment Operator at Cypress College, effective April 18, and Yong Mi Han, International Student Program Manager at Cypress College, effective June 28. Congratulations on your retirement!

The Board approved the hiring of new personnel: Carlos Antunez, Computer Information Systems instructor at Fullerton College; Brandon Gonzalez, DSS Instructional Aide at NOCE; Mireille Hernandez, Assistant Director of Purchasing for the District; Maria Rodriguez, Administrative Assistant II for Distance Education at Fullerton College; Jesus Salazar, Campus Safety Officer at Fullerton College; and Duc Ton, Financial Aid Technician at Cypress College. Welcome aboard!

General

The Board voted to review the 2024 Board assessment summaries in accordance with the accreditation standards recommended by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The evaluation summaries include responses from the trustees and from the resource table members and audience responses. The Board will review the summaries at their retreat.

The Board adopted Resolution No. 23/24-21, declaring the week of May 6 as Teacher Appreciation Week. Faculty union presidents were recognized after the resolution was adopted.

Reports

Chancellor Byron D. Clift Breland introduced Fullerton President Cynthia Olivo and Cypress President Scott Thayer as they each recognized the faculty at their colleges who have achieved tenure. Each president introduced the following faculty and said a few words about their work and the impact they’ve had at the colleges.

The tenured faculty at Fullerton College include: Dr. Americo Fabroni (chemistry), Dr. Chris Persichilli (physics), Dr. Martha Smith (religious studies), Nadia Gabaladon (counseling) and Thydan Huynh (counseling).

The tenured faculty at Cypress College include: Anne-Marie Beck (counseling), Annette Young (librarian) and Anna Cherie Gentry (dental hygiene).

Dr. Flavio Medina-Martin, director of Diversity, Culture and Inclusion at NOCCCD, presented the nominees for the inaugural Women Champions of DEIAA award. The nominees met the following criteria to receive the award: demonstrated experience/contributions/efforts/outcomes advancing DEIAA; making a difference in nominator’s life; and making an impact in any of the areas of diversity, campus culture, or promoting an inclusive atmosphere at their campus. The winners include: Yasmine Andrawis, District Director of EEO and Compliance; Dulce Delgadillo, Director of Institutional Research and Planning at NOCE; Irma Ramos, Vice Chancellor of Human Resources; Marlo Smith, ESL faculty member and AdFac president; and Dr. Gabrielle Stanco, District Director of Research, Planning and Data Management.

After a brief reception to celebrate the tenured faculty and DEIAA nominees, President Olivo gave the State of the College presentation for Fullerton College. Titled “Once a Hornet, Always a Hornet, Siempre Fullerton College,” the presentation highlighted, among many other wonderful achievements, the College’s enrollment efforts that led to a 6.5 percent increase in full-time equivalent students over last year, a 6.5 percent increase in overall enrollments and a 3 percent increase in headcount. She credited the success to a comprehensive enrollment strategy that integrated the efforts of Campus Communications, Admissions and Records and Counseling. The efforts included a social media campaign; direct outreach via email, text and phone calls; and community outreach via radio ads and collaborations with community centers, businesses, churches and juvenile hall.

NOCE President Valentina Purtell and Cypress College President Scott Thayer commented on the following events and activities:

• NOCE participated in the 18th annual Resettlement Support Center Outreach Fair, hosted by the Department of Homeland Security, Department of Defense and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. About 150 of the fair’s participants applied to NOCE programs.
• Three onboarding sessions were held for United Domestic Workers as part of the CCC’s Pathways for Low-Income Workers Demonstration Project. NOCE enrolled approximately 100 students over three days and received positive feedback from UDW leadership.
• NOCE is gearing up for end of year activities, such as PowerUp, a strategic planning retreat, commencement and student success celebrations
• Cypress College held an on-campus memorial for beloved grounds coordinator Sergio Leonardo, who passed away March 22. Leonardo’s family attended the event, where a tree was planted in his honor.
• Cypress College hosted a breakfast for high school counselors from the college’s feeder schools; the Cybersecurity program hosted the Superintendent’s Cup competition for area dual enrollment students from the area; and the Chancellor’s Connection event at which 70 students, faculty and staff attended.
• Cypress College Foundation Board president Curtis Scheetz hosted a fundraiser for the Legacy Society, a planned-gift program.
• Thayer recognized the Presidential Scholars, including Student Trustee Jesus “Jesse” Ramirez, as well as Outstanding Full-Time Faculty Adel Rajab from biology, Outstanding Adjunct Faculty Nora Simoes from English, and Charger Award winner Jill Bauer, from the ESL program for her work with the accreditation process.
• Thayer thanked Dr. Paul de Dios and the Legacy Program team for taking 19 students on an HBCU College tour during spring break.

Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities Fred Williams announced the budget allocation forum was held on April 23 and video is available on the District website.

Vice Chancellor Ramos invited everyone to the graduation ceremony for the Leadership Academy, Management Development Program and Certified Professionals Training Program on May 10 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Cruz Reynoso Building at Fullerton College.

Vice Chancellor for Educational Services and Technology Cherry Li-Bugg said the revised District Mission, Vision and Values statement has been approved through the governance process and will come to the Board for review and approval.

District Management Association president Treisa Cassens commended the faculty who received tenure, congratulated Fullerton College and its achievements in student success, congratulated the Women Champions of DEIAA nominees, and honored the memory of Sergio Leonardo.

Jeanette Rodriguez, Fullerton College Academic Senate president, thanked President Olivo for her transformational leadership, congratulated the faculty who achieved tenure and the new faculty member, Carlos Antunez. She invited everyone to celebrate Earth Week by helping to clean up the channel Fullerton College adopted. She also acknowledged Administrative Professionals Week and Black Student Success Week.

CSEA Representative Elaine Loayza acknowledged administrative professionals for Administrative Professionals Week and noted negotiations started on Tuesday, April 23. She congratulated the tenured faculty, Women Champions of DEIAA, and classified professionals. The next CSEA meeting will be May 15 from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m.

Adjunct Faculty United Interim President Marlo Smith thanked Trustees and NOCE President Purtell for meeting with her, and hopes to meet with presidents Olivo and Thayer in the future.

Board Reports

Student Trustee Chloe Serrano said Fullerton College had events to recognize Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Black Student Success Week, and Earth Week. Fullerton College recognized its Teacher of the Year Ziza Delgado Noguera, and other nominees, Kelly Wright and John Ison. AS Elections were still ongoing. Trustee Serrano also announced she received acceptance letters from UC Santa Barabara, UC San Diego and UC Berkely. She has also been recognized as a Student of Distinction from Fullerton College.

Student Trustee Ramirez said hundreds of students partook in Cypress College’s Earth Day event and announced he was accepted into UC Berkeley. He also said he was thankful for his nomination for the President’s Scholars of Distinction program. He said he would also suggest in the future that the student trustees would be able to have more meetings with the other Trustees outside of the regular meetings.

Trustee Barbara Dunsheath reported she attended the trustee Welcome to the Chancellor’s Office event in Sacramento. Dunsheath also reported attending the California Community College Trustees Board meeting last week where there was discussion on budget and fiscal priorities, including maintaining COLA and funding nursing programs.

Trustee Stephen Blount attended MarComm by the Sea, a marketing and communications conference in Santa Cruz, hosted by the Community Colleges Public Relations Organization (CCPRO).

Board President Evangelina Rosales thanked Alba Recinos and Danielle Davy for their work behind the scenes. She also congratulated tenured faculty and the Women DEIAA champions and offered condolences to the family of Sergio Leonardo.

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NOCCCD Board of Trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 14, at the Anaheim Union High School District Board Room.