Chancellor's News Brief

I am pleased to invite you to our upcoming Roadshows hosted by District’s Administrative Services Department, where we will explore important topics designed to enhance our operations and, ultimately, our focus on student success.

Roadshow Schedule:

• Orange Coast College (OCC): Monday, September 23, 1 pm - 3 pm, in OCC Ballroom C
• Golden West College (GWC): Friday, September 27, 1 pm - 3 pm, in MPR 100
• Coastline Community College (CCC): Monday, September 30, 10 am - 12 pm, in the Student Services Center, 1st Floor, Room 109

In these sessions, the team will discuss budgets, leave reporting, contract processing, and adjustments to conference & travel approvals, with each area of Fiscal Services sharing insights. As I hinted at during my visits to the campuses last week – there are good changes coming!

My priority is to refine our administrative processes in ways that reduce workload and bureaucracy, allowing us to dedicate more time to our students and their needs. I believe that by collaborating and sharing ideas, we can make meaningful improvements that benefit us all.

I look forward to your participation and to working together towards a more efficient and student-centered approach.

With gratitude,

Dr. Whitney Yamamura
Chancellor

While Wednesday’s Board of Trustees meeting might have set a record for being the shortest meeting in recent memory (35 mins) there were some important highlights.

First, was the presentation of the success of Golden West College's Spring 2024 Basic Needs Grant Program. The college allocated 326 small grants totaling $264,211 then evaluated the course success and retention rates, and GPA of the recipients to the GWC average and a demographically comparable group. The grant recipients showed improvement in all categories over both groups by up to 6% in course retention, 9% in success rates, and almost .5% in GPA. The presentation ended with an invitation to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony for The Stand, GWC’s new Basic Needs Center, scheduled for Thursday, September 19.

The Trustees then expressed appreciation for the Accolades and Accomplishments report, commending the colleges and district for both the content and the newly refined format. The report is a district wide synopsis of the above and beyond work completed in the 2023-2024 academic year.

Maybe the most significant vote of the night was the approval to update board policies and administrative procedures that will enable the live streaming of future board meetings. Anyone who would like to watch board meetings can do so through the Board’s YouTube channel starting at their next regularly board meeting on October 1.

Please note, the next Board meeting was changed from the regular first Wednesday of the month to Tuesday, October 1, in observance of Rosh Hashanah.

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!

AANAPISI Week (September 23–September 29, 2024) celebrates the Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI) designation, which was established by Congress on September 27, 2007, to improve the availability and quality of postsecondary education programs to support low-income, first-generation Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) students.

AANAPISI Week commemorates the significance and achievements of AANAPISIs and allows organizations and institutions to celebrate the educational support of underserved AANHPI students.

The goal this year is to:

1. Raise awareness and highlight the impact of AANAPISIs on AANHPI student success
2. Expand our network of advocates and supporters
3. Develop federal policy champions in support of AANAPISIs and our students

Attend two virtual events (details below):

National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed from September 15 to October 15 by celebrating the histories, cultures, and contributions of Americans whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. The theme for 2024 is “Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.”

To find out more information, click on the image below.

Coastline College recently hosted an engaging virtual panel discussion titled “Why Ethnic Studies? A History and Purpose of Ethnic Studies in California.” Over 50 faculty and staff members attended the event, which was moderated by Coastline College Ethnic Studies professor Carlos Escobedo.

The panel featured a distinguished lineup of experts: Dr. Bucket Manyweather, Interim Director of the Black Unity Center at San Francisco State University; Dr. Alberto Pulido, Department Chair and Professor of Ethnic Studies at the University of San Diego; Dr. Ziza Delgado Noguera, Associate Professor and Chair of Ethnic Studies, Chicanx/Latinx Studies, Social Justice Movements, and Women of Color Feminisms at Fullerton College; and Dr. Alexandro Gradilla, Associate Professor of Chicana and Chicano Studies at California State University, Fullerton.

The discussion offered valuable insights into the history, pedagogical approaches, and best practices for implementing Ethnic Studies programs. The event aimed to shed light on the critical role and evolving landscape of Ethnic Studies within California’s higher education system.

Golden West College hosted a grand opening and ribbon cutting ceremony for the new location of its basic needs center, The Stand, on September 19. The event was sponsored by US Bank and Snooze AM Eatery.

Local elected officials, community partners, District and College leadership, employees and students gathered for the ceremony, which included speeches by Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County CEO Claudia Bonilla Keller and Huntington Beach Mayor Gracey Van Der Mark. The program also included recognition of more than 15 community organizations that provided support for GWC’s Basic Needs program.

The Stand is a critical resource for students on campus, providing groceries and hygiene items for GWC students, with more than 21,000 unique visits each year. The Stand also serves students with personalized case management, connecting them to on- and off-campus resources to help address needs such as housing, childcare and emergency grants.

Orange Coast College Dean of Students Dr. Derek Vergara has been named a 2025 National Association of Student Personnel Administrators (NASPA) Pillar of the Profession, one of 20 individuals nationwide selected for the honor. Dr. Vergara will receive the award at the 2025 NASPA Annual Conference.

Dr. Vergara has been at OCC since 2013 and has served in various roles, including dean of Title IX and student relations. He developed Title IX protocols during his tenure to ensure students can safely report and receive care and support resources. Additionally, Dr. Vergara was instrumental in the planning and development of the Student Union complex and on-campus student housing, working to ensure that the spaces fostered social interaction and built community.

A member of NASPA since 1987, Dr. Vergara credits the organization with benefitting his development as a student affairs professional. He has served on numerous committees and on the NASPA Region VI advisory board for various years. In 2022, Dr. Vergara received the NASPA Region VI Community College Professional Award.

The NASPA Foundation recognizes outstanding student affairs and higher education community members through the Pillars of the Profession award, one of the foundation’s highest honors. The award is given by its members and supporters to recognize colleagues who have made outstanding contributions to the higher education field and NASPA.

According to the NASPA Foundation, the Pillar of the Profession award honors members of the profession who:

• Have provided significant service to NASPA through regional and national leadership roles within the association; and
• Have created a lasting impact on the institutions/organizations at which they have worked, leaving a legacy of extraordinary service recognized by a cross-section of institutional/organizational stakeholders; and/or
• Have demonstrated sustained, lifetime professional distinction in student affairs and/or higher education.

Dr. Vergara has taught courses at the University of La Verne, Citrus College, Azusa Pacific University, and Brandman University’s doctoral program in education. He earned his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in social sciences from Azusa Pacific University and a doctorate in education, emphasizing organizational leadership at the University of La Verne.

Chancellor, Week of September 23
Dr. Yamamura is in the District, Monday through Friday.