NOCCCD Board Meeting Highlights for November 18, 2025

Board Highlights is produced by NOCCCD Public & Governmental Affairs as a summary of the Board actions and reports. It is not intended as a replacement of the official minutes of the Board meeting.

Chancellor's Report

Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland began his report by highlighting the Adopt a Family holiday program at Fullerton College, which supports low-income families. He noted the program’s importance to those who rely on the campus for stability and hope during the holidays.

He reported that the District had a strong showing at the Orange County Teacher of the Year Awards at the Disneyland Hotel, where Cypress College instructor Francisco Perez, NOCE instructor Helen Serrano, and Fullerton College instructor Dr. Catherine Reinhardt-Zacair were honored.

He shared that Fullerton College hosted the HBCU Caravan for its ten-year anniversary. The event brought more than 400 attendees and included representatives from historically Black colleges and universities across the country. He also noted the memorable performance by the Englewood High School band.

He concluded his report by inviting Vice President of the Bureau of Foundation at Fullerton College Dr. Vicki Calhoun to the podium. She thanked Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo for her leadership and recent recognition by the Orange County Register for her work on the Fullerton College Promise Program and presented her with a plaque in appreciation of her service to students.

Board Actions

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

• Authorization for the Board to approve Cypress College's revision of the Mission Statement
• Recommendation that the Board review the proposed, new BP 3450 Animals on District Property
• Recommendation that the board adopt Resolution No. 25/26-22 Honoring Former Trustees and Conferring the Title of Trustee Emeritus

Human Resources

The Board approved the retirement of Fullerton College Financial Aid Technician Jose Alcaraz and Cypress College Skilled Maintenance Mechanic Timothy Noriega.

The Board approved the resignation of Fullerton College Lab Clerk/Earth Sciences Sadie Durning and NOCCCD IT Technician II Alima Islam.

The Board also approved the hiring of Cypress College Campus Safety Officer II Farid Amirfarzaneh; Cypress College Facilities Custodian I Isidra Delgado Sanchez; Fullerton College Administrative Assistant III for the Foundation John Robert Guthrie; Fullerton College Library Assistant I Ruth Najera; Fullerton College Admissions and Records Analyst Gabriela Ochoa; and NOCCCD District Director of Campus Safety Quyen Vuong.

Chancellor's Staff Reports

NOCE

NOCE President Valentina Purtell shared several recent accomplishments aligned with the institution's priorities. She noted that outreach and engagement teams have been active and connecting with families and students across Orange County.

She reported that the campus communications team received four regional Medallion Awards from the National Council of Marketing and Public Relations. The awards included two gold medallions and two silver medallions. She concluded her report by inviting everyone to NOCE’s holiday celebration "Oh Snap! The Holidays Are Here!" on December 11 from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Anaheim Campus.

Fullerton College

Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo reported that the college has been selected by the Samueli Foundation to receive a $4 million grant to support undergraduate research opportunities in STEM. She thanked Dean Carlos Ayon, Dean Dr. Sam Foster, and Dean Ken Starkman, Director Janeth Manjarrez and Dr. Carlos Aguirre for their effort and support throughout the application process.

She thanked the faculty, classified professionals, and administrators who attended the COLEGAS Annual Conference, along with Trustee Evangelina Rosales and Trustee Mark Lopez, and shared that a highlight of the event was the chance for the team to meet civil rights leader Dolores Huerta.

She thanked the alumni who attended the recent football game, where the college dedicated the field house to legendary coach Al Feola and raised $50,000 over the last year. She concluded by inviting everyone to the groundbreaking ceremony for the Performing Arts Complex, which will feature Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva as guest speaker and student performers.

Cypress College

Cypress College President Dr. Scott Thayer reported that the first Cypress College Athletics Giving Week raised more than seven thousand dollars. He noted that the funds will support student athletes through leadership development opportunities and technology improvements in athletics facilities.

He announced that the ribbon cutting for the updated Cypress College Student Health and Wellness Center will take place on Thursday, December 4 from 12 to 1:30 p.m.

He concluded his report by honoring longtime Language Arts faculty member Pat O’Brien, who taught at Cypress College from 1971 to 1997, later served twice as interim dean, and supported the Foundation through scholarship giving.

Public & Governmental Affairs

District Director of Public & Governmental Affairs Kai Stearns Davis invited District Coordinator Amy Ramos from Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva’s office to the podium to recognize Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath for more than 20 years of service on the North Orange Board of Trustees. Amy shared that Dr. Dunsheath received a Certificate of Appreciation in September and that the official Resolution from the California Assembly presented tonight further honors her long commitment to the District and the community.

Finance & Facilities

Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities Fred Williams reported that the District’s Annual Audit Report is delayed due to the temporary closure of the federal government and noted that the Board Audit Committee is expected to review the draft report in December, with the final report anticipated early next year.

He reminded the Board about the groundbreaking ceremony for the Fine Arts Building at Fullerton College tomorrow at 3:30 p.m., followed by the Citizens Oversight Committee meeting at 5 p.m. in Cruz Reynoso Hall. He also shared that the District received the remaining $1.3 million in reimbursement funds for the Cypress College Health Center project, which had been delayed over the past year.

Resource Table Reports

Academic Senate

North Orange Continuing Education Academic Senate President Michelle Patrick-Norng began her report by congratulating Basic Skills Instructor Jennifer Carey, who has been elected as the new Chair of the Distance Education Committee and will begin her role in Spring 2026.

She noted that faculty who attended the ASCCC Fall Plenary found the event informative and engaging, with breakout sessions on artificial intelligence, burden-free instructional materials, and student equity initiatives. She shared that Senators will discuss the roles of the SLO Coordinator and the Accreditation Faculty Chair at the December Senate meeting, and that feedback will be provided to NOCE President Valentina Purtell and the President’s Cabinet to clarify the responsibilities of each role and consider any proposed terms. She concluded by encouraging NOCE faculty and staff to attend the Chancellor Connect event at the Anaheim Campus on Wednesday, December 3 at 2 p.m.

Cypress College Academic Senate President Jaclyn Magginetti reported that at the upcoming Senate meeting, the group will take action on the 2025/28 Strategic Plan, receive the first read of the proposed District Artificial Intelligence Policy, and begin reviewing the Senate Community Agreement. She concluded by reporting that she attended the statewide Academic Senate Fall Plenary earlier this month and shared that faculty found the event informative and energizing, with breakout sessions on academic freedom, AI guidance, equity minded practices, and statewide approaches to institutional planning.

Fullerton College Academic Senate President Bridget Kominek was unable to attend the meeting and asked Academic Senate Treasurer Cynthia Gordado to share her report on her behalf. She shared that at the next meeting, Senators will consider creating a workgroup under the Curriculum Committee to review Interdisciplinary Studies degrees, review the revised proposed academic calendars, and gather faculty feedback on next steps for developing DEIA competencies for faculty evaluations in alignment with recent changes to Title V.

She concluded by expressing gratitude to Trustee Mark Lopez and Trustee Evangelina Rosales for attending the COLEGAS Annual Conference. She noted that Fullerton College and the District were well represented.

United Faculty

United Faculty President Steven Estrada reported that UF held its first Representative Council meeting of the year and confirmed key appointments, completing its leadership team. He shared that the Reassign Time Workgroup has submitted its recommendations, which will be reviewed with the negotiations team. He also noted that the Extended Lab Committee will meet on Friday to review the latest submissions and that a survey will be sent to members this week to gather feedback on the academic calendar and potential contract reopeners.

CSEA

CSEA President Elaine Loayza reported that the chapter’s contract has been published and thanked Executive Assistant II Carmen Aikin for her work in making the document accessible for members. She shared that the chapter is entering the final nomination cycle for the 2026 Executive Board. She added that the chapter is preparing for the job families review next year and looks forward to addressing member concerns related to updated job descriptions.

Board of Trustees Reports

NOCE Student Trustee Kristine Nacu reported that she participated in NOCE’s Pastries with the President event and appreciated the overview of the budget, FTES goals, and ways student leaders can support enrollment growth. She announced that she will attend the NOCE Power Up event on December 10 and will host a table to engage with students. She invited the Board to the NOCE holiday event on December 11.

Fullerton College Student Trustee Samiy Castillo Bolivar shared that he attended several recent campus events, including the HBCU Caravan at Fullerton College. He noted that the textbook voucher program has been expanded to include non-textbook essentials and concluded by noting that he will attend the SSCCC Regional Summit at Cypress College on Friday.

Cypress College Student Trustee Zachary Colinco shared that Cypress College recently hosted its Pumpkin Bash event and thanked Trustee Mark Lopez for attending. He reported that student leaders are working with Campus Safety to identify areas on campus that may need improved lighting. He added that Cypress College will host the Region 8 SSCCC Regional Summit and that preparations are underway for finals support activities, including extended library hours and pop-up resources for students. He also shared that student leaders are collecting donations for Thanksgiving baskets for students with families in need.

Trustee Mark Lopez reported that he attended several recent campus events, including the Ritmos del Corazón student art showcase in Fullerton and the Orange County Teacher of the Year Awards. He also attended the COLEGAS Conference. He concluded by sharing that he plans to hold Board office hours on campuses beginning next semester.

Trustee Evangelina Rosales shared highlights from the COLEGAS Conference and spoke about the engaging workshops and the strong focus on creating a sense of belonging for students and the community. She also congratulated Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath for receiving the Resolution from the Assembly.

Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath reported attending the City of Cypress Women’s Conference. She shared that she will be at Fullerton College on Monday, December 4, volunteering with PAWS and bringing her dog to support students during finals week. She concluded by sharing that she was selected to serve on a Strategic Foresight Committee with the Community College League of California, which is discussing the publication From Institutions to Individuals and examining future needs in higher education.

Trustee Stephen T. Blount shared an update on his recent injuries and recovery. He noted that meeting a Cypress College nursing student in training during a hospital visit was especially meaningful. He concluded by expressing appreciation for health care professionals and the industry.

Trustee Dr. Ryan Bent congratulated Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath on her Resolution. He thanked Director of the Veterans Resource Center Dr. Nick Arman and the Veterans Resource Center team for a successful golf tournament. He also shared that he attended the Fullerton College Hornets women’s golf tournament and enjoyed seeing the team compete.

Board President Jeffrey Brown announced that the Board will meet on the third Tuesday, December 16, 2025.

Public Comments

Faculty members from Cypress College, Jeremy Peters and Elizabeth Putman, spoke on behalf of Career Pathways students and faculty, requesting that English C1000 be offered during the winter intersession and emphasizing its importance for student success.

Faculty member from Fullerton College, Cynthia Gordado, opposed offering English C1000 during the winter intersession, noting the historically low success rates and expressing concerns about compressing a four-unit course into such a short term.

Next Meeting

The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NOCCCD Board of Trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at the Anaheim Campus.