NOCCCD Board Meeting Highlights for October 14, 2025
On Tuesday, October 14, 2025, the North Orange County Community College District (NOCCCD) Board of Trustees met for a regularly scheduled meeting. The following are highlights of the meeting held at 5:30 p.m. at the Anaheim Campus Board Room.
Chancellor's Report
Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland expressed appreciation to all campuses for their meaningful Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations, recognizing the cultural and historical contributions of Latinx students, faculty, and staff across the District.
He thanked Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo, Dr. Gina Ann Garcia, and Superintendent/President of Santa Rosa Junior College Dr. Angelica Garcia for their presentation at the Collective Impact Conference. The presentation highlighted the power of collaboration and the importance of institutional change to support Latinx student success.
He commended Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities Fred Williams, Vice Chancellor of Educational Services & Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Jennifer Vega La Serna, Executive Director of Fiscal Affairs Erika Almaraz and their teams for conducting transparent and data-driven budget presentations and town hall meetings.
He also thanked staff for participating in the NOCCCD Management Retreat, praising the level of engagement and collaboration among managers in advancing efficiency, equity, and innovation across the District.
Presentations
Student Success Data
Vice Chancellor of Educational Services & Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Jennifer Vega La Serna and District Director of Research, Planning & Data Management Dr. Gabrielle Stanco presented and shared student success data metrics.
They recommended targets for 2025–26 which include a 5% increase in associate, credit, and noncredit certificate earners, a 10% increase in baccalaureate degree earners, and a 5% increase in transfer-ready students.
Board Actions
The Board of Trustees acted on agenda items, including those highlighted below:
- Authorization to adopt revised Board Policies in Chapter 3.
- Authorization is requested to procure a three-year contract with Pathify to continue services of NOCCCD’s portal solution.
Human Resources
The Board approved the retirement of Fullerton College Executive Assistant III for the President’s Office Jean Foster; and Executive Assistant II of Administrative Services Melisa McLellan.
The Board also approved the hiring of Cypress College Special Projects Medical Director & Supervising Physics, Wasif Ali; Anaheim Campus IT Security Analyst/System Administrator Sayan Banerjee; Anaheim Campus IT Technician II Alima Islam; Cypress College Facilities Custodian II Russell Pasos; and Fullerton College Facilities Assistant Lucio Valenzuela.
Chancellor Staff Reports
NOCE President Valentina Purtell shared that NOCE hosted the California Adult Education Program (CAEP) Summit in September, welcoming nearly 600 educators, administrators, and partners from across the state. Themed Building Bridges to Success: Innovate, Integrate, and Impact, the event opened with remarks from Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland and concluded with a keynote by Orange County Superintendent of Schools Dr. Stefan Bean.
Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo thanked Trustee Evangelina Rosales and all who supported the Study Abroad fundraiser. She shared that proceeds directly assist students with program costs. She also thanked Trustee Mark Lopez for attending Noche de Familia for the Puente program and the campus Budget Forum.
She invited the Board to save the date for the groundbreaking of the new Performing Arts Center on Wednesday, November 19 and concluded by congratulating Executive Assistant Jean Foster, Executive Assistant II Melisa McLellan, and Counselor Linda Kelly-Mandich on their retirement.
Cypress College President Dr. Scott Thayer shared that the campus is celebrating Undocumented Student Success Week with daily events such as workshops, resource sharing, and community-building activities.
He concluded by sharing that Cypress College hosted a memorial for Dr. Patricia Ganer, which drew more than 175 employees, alumni, retirees, friends, and family members. He expressed appreciation to all who attended and thanked Dr. Ganer’s family for allowing the campus to host the celebration.
Resource Table Reports
District Management Association President Karla Frizler thanked Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland, his office, and the District Professional Development team for organizing the Management Leadership Retreat. She shared that managers across the District received valuable updates on budget, contracts, and the Job Family Study Project.
She announced that CalPERS has enacted a 260-day workday rule for classified employees, including classified managers. For the 2025–26 year, the designated non-workday will be Friday, January 2, 2026, with employees returning to work on Monday, January 5, 2026.
North Orange Continuing Education Academic Senate President Michelle Patrick-Norng reported that the October Academic Senate meeting included three action items and several key discussions. The Senate voted to support the transition from CurricUNET to CourseDog and the adoption of the 2025–2028 Student Equity Plan. She thanked NOCE Director of Student Equity and Success Deb Perkins and the Student Equity and Achievement Committee for their data-driven work in identifying strategies to better serve disproportionately students.
She concluded by sharing that NOCE President Valentina Purtell recommended postponing the faculty prioritization process until next fall due to federal budget cuts affecting the ESL department and noted the excitement for NOCE’s new mascot, Falcon, which will debut at future campus events.
Cypress College Academic Senate President Jaclyn Magginetti reported that the Academic Senate approved the transition to CourseDog, the new curriculum management system. The Senate also received updates on professional development, the new class search tool, and the upcoming transition to Banner 9. Faculty reviewed the proposed academic calendars for 2026–2027 and 2027–2028 and expressed concerns about the drafts.
Fullerton College Faculty Senate President Bridget Kominek opened by congratulating Steven Estrada and Joel Salcedo on their election as President and Vice President of United Faculty, respectively.
She thanked Trustee Mark Lopez for attending the Fullerton College budget forum on October 9, and acknowledged Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities Fred Williams, Executive Director of Fiscal Affairs Erika Almaraz, and Vice President of Administrative Services Dr. Henry Hua for leading the session and addressing campus concerns.
United Faculty President Steven Estrada introduced himself as the newly elected president representing full-time faculty across the District. He expressed gratitude to faculty members for their dedication to students, departments, and the District community, and highlighted the unseen work that supports student success.
He emphasized the union’s commitment to maintaining a constructive relationship with District leadership and advocating fair compensation, reasonable workloads, and professional respect that sustains teaching excellence.
CSEA President Elaine Loayza extended greetings in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month and Undocumented Student Success Week. She welcomed newly elected United Faculty President Steven Estrada. She shared that the CSEA contract is in its final review phase and is expected to be published by the end of the month.
AdFac President Marlo Smith announced that this would be her final Board report and meeting of the fall semester before temporarily stepping away to serve as Acting Associate Dean for the NOCE ESL Department beginning October 22. She shared that she is honored and grateful for the opportunity and looks forward to leading with excellence, care, and inclusion.
Board of Trustees Reports
NOCE Student Trustee Kristine Nacu reported that she recently participated in the California Adult Education Program Summit 2025 in Anaheim, where she and other student leaders served as greeters. She shared that her regular Student Trustee Teatime meetings continue to provide students with opportunities to discuss classes, connect with community resources, and get involved in campus life. She also highlighted upcoming events, including the Fall Forward Fest and Community Resources Fair at the Anaheim Campus.
Fullerton College Student Trustee Samiy Castillo Bolivar reported that Associated Students (AS) have had ongoing discussions on the Constitution and bylaws to ensure alignment across student leadership councils. He shared that he and his peers plan to attend the upcoming SEESAW Conference in Santa Clara. He also expressed appreciation for District policies supporting undocumented students and highlighted recent campus events celebrating LGBTQIA2S+ History Month, Indigenous Peoples Day, and Undocumented Student Success Week. He concluded by inviting the Board and community to upcoming events, including the Dracula production October 16–18, the FC Cruising College Car Show on October 19, and the Día de los Muertos celebration on October 23.
Cypress College Student Trustee Zachary Colinco reported that the college recently opened a new Language Exchange Space in the Humanities Building for students learning foreign languages. He also noted the opening of a new Fitness Lab to support staff wellness. He shared that Associated Students (AS) recently hosted a voter awareness town hall to educate students about the upcoming special election, followed by a voter registration pop-up scheduled for October 16–17. The goal is to register 200 students to vote.
Trustee Mark Lopez reported attending the opening night of the Haiti Global South Exhibition at Cypress College on September 25. He also attended the Noche de Familia event at Fullerton College on October 7 and thanked Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo, Vice President of Student Services Dr. Sonia De La Torre, and staff for hosting a successful and heartfelt evening celebrating students and their families.
Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath invited the Board and community to attend the Pups N’ Pints event hosted by the Cypress College Foundation on Friday, October 24, from 4 to 8 p.m. She described it as a fun, welcoming community event featuring refreshments and therapy dogs. She encouraged participation in the Centering Women in Higher Education webinar, hosted by the Women’s Caucus of the Community College League of California, on October 29 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
She expressed disappointment that Governor Newsom vetoed AB 1400, which would have established pilot programs for nursing baccalaureate degrees at California Community Colleges. She concluded by sharing that she attended the Celebration of Life for Dr. Patricia Ganer, describing her as witty, brilliant, and a beloved matriarch of Cypress College.
Trustee Dr. Ryan Bent welcomed United Faculty President Steven Estrada and congratulated him on his new role. He expressed enthusiasm about beginning a new chapter of collaboration with United Faculty.
Board President Jeffrey Brown announced that he and Chancellor Dr. Byron D. Clift Breland will attend the Anaheim Union High School District Board meeting on Thursday to thank the District for allowing use of its boardroom. He concluded by announcing that the Board will hold only one meeting in November due to the Veterans Day holiday and the Thanksgiving break.
Public Comments
Monica McIntire spoke on behalf of a group of classified employees who wish to remain anonymous, raising concerns about a management supervisor’s qualifications and requesting that the Board review the hiring process.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NOCCCD Board of Trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28, at the Anaheim Campus.
