NOCCCD Board Meeting Highlights for October 28, 2025
On Tuesday, October 28, 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.
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 Byron D. Clift Breland began his report by recognizing several accomplishments across the District. He congratulated Fullerton College for launching a new registration platform that allows students to plan and register for classes with real-time availability and mobile access.
He recognized Vice Chancellor of Administrative Services Fred Williams, who was recently honored at the Association of Chief Business Officials (ACBO) Conference for his decades of service, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to North Orange and the California Community College system.
He also acknowledged Cypress College President Dr. Scott Thayer and Cypress College Foundation Executive Director Howard Kummerman for presenting at the Rotary Club of Los Alamitos, Cypress & Seal Beach. The presentation shared campus updates, enrollment recovery progress, and student-centered initiatives.
Presentations
Sustainability Action Plan
Special Projects Director, Sustainability Facilities Tyler Deacy presented the annual update on the District’s Sustainability Action Plan. The report stated that 39 percent of the District’s current energy use comes from renewable sources, with a goal to reach 100 percent renewable energy within the next ten years.
District Enrollment Overview
District Director of Research, Planning and Data Management Dr. Gabrielle Stanco presented an overview of District enrollment and student data trends from 2022–23 through 2024–25.
The report showed a 14 percent increase in total seat count and an 11 percent increase in unique student headcount over the past three years. FTES has grown nearly 20 percent since 2021–22, and the District is now within about five percent of pre-pandemic levels. Student persistence from fall to spring remains steady at 68 percent for the credit colleges and about 60 percent for NOCE.
Strategic Enrollment Planning Project
Dr. Dawn Fortes Mateu, consultant with RNL, presented an overview of the District’s Strategic Enrollment Planning Project. She outlined the plan’s four phases, which include data analysis, strategy development, goal setting, and implementation, all designed to create measurable enrollment and revenue goals through 2030.
She explained that the plan defines key performance indicators focused on enrollment, student success, competitive positioning, and financial sustainability. She also highlighted strategies to strengthen recruitment, expand dual enrollment, and support student success.
Board Actions
The Board of Trustees acted on agenda items, including those highlighted below:
- Authorization to increase the agreement with Allana Buick & Bers, Inc. for the Fine Arts Renovation Project at Cypress College.
- Authorization to adopt Resolution No. 25/26-16 to declare that the week of November 10-14, 2025, be observed as Veterans Appreciation Week.
Human Resources
The Board approved the retirement of Cypress College Counselor Kelly Carter.
The Board approved the resignation of Fullerton College EOPS/CARE Student Services Specialist Andrea Sadek.
The Board also approved the hiring of NOCE Administrative Assistant II Chandni Ajanel, NOCCCD Human Resource Technician Kevin Ellis, Fullerton College Grants & Special Projects Assistant Jessica Juarez.
Chancellor's Staff Reports
NOCE
NOCE President Valentina Purtell shared campus updates highlighting NOCE’s service to the community. She reported that on October 23, NOCE hosted a Wellness Day at the Anaheim Campus. The Serve the People Mobile Medical Clinic provided free health screenings, and Walgreens offered flu and COVID-19 vaccinations at no cost.
She concluded by announcing upcoming campus engagement events, including an in-person Budget Forum on October 30 and two Pastries with the President sessions on November 13.
Fullerton College
Fullerton College President Dr. Cynthia Olivo announced a new collaboration with Orange County United Way and the Anaheim Union High School District called “United for Success,” an 18-month workforce accelerator program for 11th-grade students. The program will offer dual enrollment opportunities, campus access, and professional development.
She thanked Trustee Evangelina Rosales for leading the Foundation Board meeting where new board membership policies were updated, and four Fullerton College alumni were identified as prospective members. She also recognized Trustees Rosales and Trustee Mark Lopez for attending the 30th annual Día De Los Muertos celebration, which brought more than 1,000 visitors to campus.
Cypress College
Cypress College President Dr. Scott Thayer announced that Cypress College is one of ten California Community Colleges selected to participate in UCLA’s Associate Degree for Transfer (ADT) pilot program, which will provide transfer opportunities beginning in Fall 2026.
He concluded his report by honoring retired counselor Tom Nordee, who recently passed away. He served Cypress College for 35 years and was remembered for his dedication to students, his leadership, and his service as a Vietnam veteran.
Finance & Facilities
Vice Chancellor of Finance & Facilities Fred Williams reported that a notice of completion for recent construction work will be presented at the next Board meeting. He noted that the District continues to finalize equipment and mechanical installations. He shared that new cameras have been installed in the Board Room to improve the viewing experience. He thanked staff for their ongoing efforts to enhance the technology setup.
Resource Table Reports
Academic Senate
North Orange Continuing Education Academic Senate President Michelle Patrick-Norng announced that the results of the special election for the Distance Education Committee Chair will be shared at the November 4 meeting and thanked outgoing Chair Karina Lopez for her service and leadership in advancing NOCE’s distance education program.
She also thanked NOCE Vice President Dr. Karen Bautista, NOCE Director of Research & Planning Dulce Delgadillo, and others for providing FTES and attendance data to help inform faculty discussions about future academic calendars.
Cypress College Academic Senate President Jaclyn Magginetti reported that the Senate reviewed draft academic calendars for 2026–27 and 2027–28, which are still under negotiation between United Faculty and the District. She shared updates on the new Employee Mediation Program and the first readings of the 2025–2028 Strategic Plan and Student Equity and Achievement Plan and concluded by noting that the Starfish implementation team presented the new Canvas Gradebook integration.
United Faculty
Vice President of United Faculty Joel Saucedo shared that the first Representative Council meeting is scheduled for mid-November and that United Faculty will meet with Senate
Presidents and Vice Chancellor of Educational Servicers & Institutional Effectiveness Dr. Jennifer Vega La Serna to discuss the academic calendar.
CSEA
CSEA President Elaine Loayza reported that the chapter reached a successful settlement with the District regarding the Fullerton College Administrative I and II grievance. She expressed appreciation to Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Julie Kossick and Executive Assistant II Carmen Aikin for their support throughout the process.
Adjunct Faculty United
Adjunct Faculty United President Naveen Kanal reported that adjunct faculty have been active at both the state and national levels, participating in discussions with the California Federation of Teachers and the American Federation of Teachers. He congratulated United Faculty on its recent leadership transition and expressed appreciation for the opportunity to contribute to discussions regarding the academic calendar.
Board of Trustees Reports
NOCE Student Trustee Kristine Nacu shared that she will participate in the leadership training offered by the Student Senate for California Community Colleges. She also announced upcoming events, including the NOCE Power of Resource Fair on December 10, the NOCE Holiday Event on December 11, and the NOCE Accreditation and Strategic Planning event on January 9, 2026.
Fullerton College Student Trustee Samiy Castillo Bolivar reported that the Senate continues to address student concerns such as parking, safety, and campus accessibility while restructuring its governance system to strengthen student engagement and leadership. He also highlighted recent and upcoming campus events, including the successful Dia De Los Muertos celebration, and several Fine Arts performances.
Cypress College Student Trustee Zachary Colinco reported that the Associated Students are planning several outreach events for the holiday season, including a Giving Tree initiative and a flower giveaway to promote kindness and connection among students. He concluded by inviting the Board and community to the Pumpkin Bash on October 30. He also noted that students are continuing to share feedback on the new registration platform.
Trustee Mark Lopez reported attending the Fullerton College Cruising for College event and expressed appreciation to staff for organizing a successful day. He also attended the Fullerton College Theatre Arts and Humanities Department’s Visions of Art event where he reconnected with former students and colleagues. He concluded by highlighting the success of the Cypress College Foundation’s Pups N’ Pints event, thanking Executive Director Howard Kummerman, Rick Darnell, and Cypress College President Dr. Scott Thayer for coordinating the community gathering.
Trustee Evangelina Rosales shared that she attended the Día De Los Muertos celebration, noting it was inspiring to see the community come together to honor loved ones through music, art, and cultural traditions.
She also attended Cypress College’s Puente Program event, Noche con Los Padres, where she had the opportunity to meet with parents and students, share her experience as a Cypress College alumna, and encourage families to support their students’ university visits and educational goals.
Board Vice President Dr. Barbara Dunsheath shared highlights from the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) Leadership Congress held October 22–25. She noted that a keynote speaker described community colleges as the nation’s “unsung heroes,” serving 40 percent of U.S. undergraduates. The speaker reported that since 2008, degree completion nationwide has increased from 38 to 55 percent, contributing an estimated $14 trillion to the U.S. economy.
She highlighted new ACCT resources, including a Student Trustee Handbook, and mentioned a survey of more than 1,000 community college trustees that provides insights into demographics, motivations, and training needs. She concluded by reminding the Board about the upcoming Women’s Caucus virtual event, Centering Women in Higher Education, scheduled for October 29 from 4 to 5:30 p.m.
Board President Jeffrey Brown announced that there will be only one Board meeting in November, scheduled for the third Tuesday, before the Community College League of California (CCLC) conference in Anaheim. He also congratulated Cypress College for being selected for the California Community Colleges’ second cohort on Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) and Open Educational Resources (OER), and commended faculty efforts.
Next Meeting
The next regularly scheduled meeting of the NOCCCD Board of Trustees will be held at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, November 18, at the Anaheim Campus.
