Chancellor's News Brief

In my News Brief communications, I consistently end with "With gratitude," a phrase that reflects my deep appreciation for the privilege of serving as your Chancellor. It is not only a reminder to myself of how fortunate I am, but also a reflection of the collective gratitude we share in our mission to support and uplift students.

As we approach the Thanksgiving holiday, I want to expand on my heartfelt gratitude to each of you for the incredible work you do and the dedication you bring to our students and our district. The season of Thanksgiving offers us an opportunity to reflect on the many blessings we share, and it is a fitting time to recognize your contributions to our community’s success.

As we reflect on the spirit of thankfulness, I also want to take a moment to honor the land upon which our colleges stand. Orange County is located on the traditional, ancestral, and unceded lands and waters of the Acjachemen and Tongva Tribal Nations. We acknowledge and respect their enduring connection to this land and recognize the ongoing contributions and wisdom of these communities. We are grateful for the opportunity to work, learn, and grow in this region.

Next week, the Chancellor’s Weekly News Brief will take a short break for the holiday. I hope the few days off work provides you with a chance to rest and recharge, and to reflect on the meaningful work we’ve done together so far this year.

With gratitude,

Dr. Whitney Yamamura
Chancellor

Wednesday’s board meeting marked the first in almost 28 years in which Trustee Jerry Patterson was no longer a sitting member of the board. Trustee Patterson passed away on November 8, 2024. The meeting began with a solemn reading of a resolution in his honor, delivered by his dear friend and colleague, Trustee Jim Moreno. The resolution provided a brief summary of Trustee Patterson's lifetime of public service, including nearly three decades of dedication to the Coast District.

The agenda for this meeting was one that Trustee Patterson would have greatly appreciated: difficult discussions about board policies and administrative procedures, informational reports on the district’s fiscal health, and a highlight of a student academic symposium at Orange Coast College. He would have been as impressed as the other trustees by the report that OCC’s new Chemistry building was completed nearly $700,000 under budget.

The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn in Trustee Patterson’s memory, allowing those present from the college community a moment to privately honor his legacy.

Please send examples of persistent innovation, by which I mean having a good idea and then putting in the hard work to make that vision a reality. The more examples submitted, the better I can highlight your successes in future letters and in the community!

Recently at the 2024 CBE Exchange Conference in Colorado, Coastline College took center stage, showcasing its advancements in competency-based education (CBE). Represented by an accomplished team including Professor Erin Thomas, Dr. Shelly Blair, Dean Nathaniel Harrison, VPI Dr. Isela Ocegueda, and President Dr. Vince Rodriguez, the college shared invaluable insights, innovative strategies, and candid reflections on overcoming the challenges and obstacles on its way to becoming the first California community college to offer a Direct Assessment Competency-Based Education associate degree.

Coastline's forward-thinking approach and achievements have positioned it as a trailblazer in CBE, setting a benchmark that other California community colleges aspire to reach. Chancellor Dr. Yamamura was also in attendance, lending their unwavering support.

The Golden West College Foundation received a $60,000 donation on Nov. 13 from the Foster Care Auxiliary of Orange County. The gift will be used to create an endowment that supports students who have at any point in their lives been part of the foster care system in Orange County, both via scholarships and emergency grants.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Foster Care Auxiliary of OC, and especially for their thoughtfulness when deciding how to best support our students who have been a part of the foster care system,” says Interim Executive Director of the GWC Foundation Andrea Rangno. “We know that these students often lack systems of support, and for many an emergency grant can make all the difference when it comes to staying enrolled in school when a crisis arises. This donation will give GWC’s NextUp/Guardian Scholars program the flexibility to provide support when students need it most.”

The Foster Care Auxiliary of OC is a nonprofit that was founded in 2002. “Foster Care Auxiliary was formed when a group of foster parents realized that to raise healthy and successful foster children, the whole community needed to be involved, and was grown to be a resource for all Orange County foster children and their families,” says Founding Director and Board President Kathy Harvey.

The nonprofit was mainly funded through a thrift store that, over the past few years, has become unprofitable. Foster Care Auxliary’s Board made the decision in September to close the store and dissolve the nonprofit, transferring all remaining assets to the GWC Foundation to support students who have been part of the foster care system.

“We chose GWC partly because we already have a scholarship available for former foster youth that was started after my son, Brian, passed away,” explains Harvey. “He was a foster brother to many children and attended Golden West College.”

Board Vice President Gary Bittner, who adopted his two sons from the Orange County foster care system, expands on why GWC was the right fit for continuing Foster Care Auxiliary of OC’s legacy.

“There are scars we do not see with foster youth,” he explains. “After meeting with representatives from GWC’s NextUp/Guardian Scholars programs, we feel confident that this is the right choice in ensuring that our work to support the variety of needs for this unique and special population will continue.”

Golden West College hosted Hunger and Homelessness Awareness Week during the week of Nov.18–21, with a series of events to raise awareness and offer resources to students currently experiencing, or at risk of experiencing, hunger and homelessness. The week culminated with a raffle of 34 baskets donated by the GWC campus community. Each basket was filled with essential items for students in need, including grocery store gift cards, gas cards, cooking supplies, boxed and canned goods, and more.

One student who attended the events was deeply moved by the kindness of GWC employees, remarking that as someone who currently is experiencing housing insecurity, receiving the basket gave her a profound sense of support and connection to her community.

Throughout the week, students also participated in a variety of meaningful events, including the Fair Housing Foundation’s Renters Rights Workshop, a grocery pick-up coordinated with the Financial Aid Department, a Financial Literacy Workshop with Financial Aid Manager, Andrea Garcia, a spring-roll-making class with ASPIRE, and an informative tour of GWC’s Basic Needs center The Stand, where they learned about resources available both on- and off-campus.

More than 150 students participated in the week’s events.

Orange Coast College received the Excellence in Energy and Sustainability – Faculty/Student Initiative Award from the California Community Colleges Board of Governors during the November Board of Governors’ meeting.

OCC was recognized for its multidisciplinary collaboration among marine science, horticulture, culinary arts, and food and beverage management programs. This effort aimed to introduce advanced agriculture techniques and led to the creation of the Aquaponics Lab and the Campus to Table Project.

“We are honored to receive this Sustainability Award from the CCC Board of Governors, reflecting the dedication and innovative spirit of our college community,” says OCC President Angelica Suarez. “Coast’s reputation as a leader in sustainability and climate action is built on our commitment to multi-disciplinary collaboration and innovation that is evidenced through our rich traditions such as Green Coast Day. This award is not just a recognition of our efforts—it underscores our leadership in tackling some of the most pressing environmental challenges.”

In 2020, OCC horticulture faculty and staff began considering upgrades to train students in sustainable agriculture techniques; simultaneously, the marine science program sought to teach students how to use aquaculture skills to promote sustainability. These interests merged to create the Aquaponics Lab, one of the most visible sustainability projects at OCC, which opened in early 2022. Aquaponics combines aquaculture (raising fish) and hydroponics (growing plants in water), creating a sustainable cycle to grow lettuce and tilapia.

At the Aquaponics Lab, marine science and horticulture students work together to produce 300 heads of lettuce with just one bucket of water each day. Culinary arts and food and beverage management students then use the produce at Captain’s Table, OCC’s student-run, casual-upscale restaurant. Additionally, the harvested produce is distributed to Pirates’ Cove, OCC’s on-campus food pantry, helping to address food insecurity among Coast students. This year, OCC’s Hot Food Team won regional and national recognition through the American Culinary Federation competitions for their “campus to table” menu, which included tilapia and greens sourced from the Aquaponics Lab.

Established in 2012, the Board of Governors Energy and Sustainability Awards are divided into four categories: Excellence in Energy and Sustainability – Climate Action Leadership; Excellence in Energy and Sustainability – Sustainability Champion; Excellence in Energy and Sustainability – Innovative Project; and Excellence in Energy and Sustainability – Faculty/Student Initiatives.

The Excellence in Energy and Sustainability - Faculty/Student Initiatives award recognizes faculty and students who have excelled in developing sustainability initiatives for their college. The criterion for this award includes the creation of an innovative initiative that institutionalizes sustainability by integrating the initiative into campus operations and student learning or curriculum, engages the community in implementing the initiative, and has measurable results to demonstrate success. Faculty and student collaboration in the creation and implementation of sustainability plans are also eligible for this award.

Chancellor, Week of November 25

Dr. Yamamura is in the District on Monday through Wednesday.