The San Diego Community College District Board of Trustees traveled to San Diego Miramar College on March 25 for their bi-monthly meeting.
Throughout the year, the board visits each of the three SDCCD campuses as well as Continuing Education. This was the final stop of the four scheduled. Chancellor Constance M. Carroll described the purpose of the change in venue.
“Once a year we come through to help proliferate the open door policy and to allow student leaders, classified faculty and staff to address the board,” Carroll said.
“It’s kind of neat that they come to us at least once a year,” said student Nicole Anderson.
In an hour long presentation, Miramar faculty, staff and students provided a detailed account of activities and successes over the past year.
Academic Senate President Daphne Figueroa and Classified Senate President Joyce Allen welcomed the board.
“We’re highlighting our flavor tonight,” Figueroa said.
“Coming out of the boardroom allows you to see a bigger scope and helps us in partnering with you as well,” Allen said to the board members.
Representatives from Basic Skills Initiative, Vets 2 Jets, Science and Technology, student government and bio-technology were present to highlight some of their positive results.
Conspicuously absent were programs that may be under the budgetary cleaver this year, including Student Support Services and counseling services.
After the presentations, the open session continued where the board unanimously approved the shifting of funds from the General Fund -Unrestricted (GFU) budget to the General Fund-Restricted budget in the amount of $883,449. Funds were also shifted within the GFU in the amount of $1,158,276.
“The purpose of moving these funds is to allocate additional resources behind categorical programs that have felt the heaviest blow by recent state budget cuts,” Carroll said.
Additional budgets were reduced through a unanimous consensus in various areas totaling nearly $3.8 million as a result of further reductions.
The chancellor’s report highlighted that the state’s payment to the district for March, originally slated for deferment, will now occur as scheduled. This is a result of a $480 million surplus for the state for the month.
“We hope this will be a harbinger of better things to come,” Carroll said.
“If this trend continues, though our [economic] situation will not be resolved by any means, it isn’t as harsh as it was,” said Board of Trustees Chair Rich Grosch.
The review of an unnamed tenured Mesa College faculty member, a closed session item, was also revealed during open session. According to the Board of Trustees office, the final result was a written reprimand and a 90 day plan of action for the faculty member.
The next board meeting will occur on April 29 at 2 pm at the Educational Cultural Complex located at 4343 Ocean View Boulevard.
