Summary of the April 1, 2025 Board of Trustees Meeting
Apr 2 2025Before I get into the summary, on behalf of the Board of Trustees, I want to thank the faculty and staff of the Del Norte Center for hosting the Board meeting on their campus. The Trustees enjoyed breaking bread with our Del Norte colleagues.
I also want to thank Leslie Marshall for leading the Trustees on a tour of the campus. I believe that the Trustees came away from the tour with a clear understanding of why we need to invest bond and district funds in upgrading the facilities of the Center. It is important that I mention that, given the rapidly increasing costs of construction, the design phase of the facility improvement project will focus on maximizing the use of every taxpayer’s dollar and providing the best educational environment as possible.
You will see in Marty Coelho’s administrative report, that the Del Norte Healthcare District has generously donated one million dollars to support the purchase of new healthcare training equipment. This contribution will help provide students with advanced, skill-based learning opportunities for well-paying healthcare related careers.
Board Business
The Trustees provided an opportunity for members of the public to comment on CRFO’s initial bargaining proposal to the District and authorized Trustee Biggin to vote for the CCCT board candidates on behalf of the CR Board of the Trustees. The Trustees also approved their revised 2023-25 goals:
1. Support accreditation efforts and adherence to all ACCJC standards and commission policies.
a. Receive regular updates and reports on accreditation efforts and outcomes.
b. Become familiar with revised ACCJC accreditation standards.
2. Ensure fiscal stability/health with special emphasis on:
a. Maintaining a balanced General Fund with reserves in accordance with board policy.
b. Monitoring and supporting adequate funding of future pension liabilities.
c. Continuing to monitor the District’s progress on recoverable and unrecoverable student debt.
d. Monitoring progress to ensure a revenue stream for continuing operation and maintenance of District facilities, equipment, and infrastructure.
e. Maintaining an advocacy effort at the state level to preserve and enhance funding of community colleges.
f. Supporting the development of programs and initiatives that foster student success and enrollment growth.
g. Monitor the successful construction and completion of the current capital projects.
3. Engage in advocacy efforts to promote student success, workforce satisfaction, and the fiscal health of the institution.
a. Monitor and work to influence state and federal legislation that will have a significant impact on the District.
b. Effectively communicate the interests and needs of the District and community constituents.
4. Cultivate a welcoming environment and sense of belonging for all members of the District by:
a. Supporting programs and initiatives that serve the academic, psycho-social, and basic needs of all students.
b. Supporting District efforts to insure nondiscrimination in employment practices, educational programs, and student services.
c. Inviting and carefully considering the input of students, faculty, and staff in Board decision-making.
d. Nurturing awareness of and appreciation for the range of experiences, abilities, and perspectives that contribute to and are key to the success of the District.
e. Promoting an institutional culture that is unbiased.
5. Maintain focus on adapting to and addressing issues with the Student-Centered Funding Formula by:
a. Ensuring that the District’s budget addresses the categories of funding in the state funding formula.
b. Receiving regular reports regarding the District’s strategies and progress in regards to the funding formula, hold harmless option and enrollment growth.
c. Providing advocacy for legislative efforts to correct problems in and improve the funding formula.
6. Provide support to ensure continuing progress on student outcomes with special
emphasis on:
a. Monitoring progress in closing student success gaps.
b. Supporting programs that address student academic, psycho-social and basic needs (e.g., Food Pantries, residence hall scholarships).
7. Support student success and District enrollment priorities by:
a. Evaluating data on a monthly basis and ensuring that data influences decision making.
b. Receiving quarterly reports regarding the District’s multiple strategies and progress in meeting student success and enrollment goals.
8. Plan for the future of College of the Redwoods by supporting the Education Master Plan and the Facilities Master Plan, with special emphasis on:
a. Monitoring trends in community college education.
b. Supporting the cultivation of partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt.
c. Increasing the Board’s knowledge about current and future education and workforce training needs in the community.
d. Regularly discussing future needs and directions of the District and community.
e. Identifying economic/workforce opportunities for program development and community partnership.
f. Encouraging and supporting innovation.
9. Continue to develop the Board’s effectiveness, professional skills, and knowledge by:
a. Encouraging Trustee attendance at annual community college conferences.
b. Encouraging completion of the Community College League of California’s Excellence in Trusteeship Program.
c. Receiving training on issues related to Board effectiveness, professional skills, and knowledge.
d. Providing comprehensive and ongoing mentoring for Trustees.
e. Encouraging and carefully considering the input of all Board members, with particular attention to fostering robust discussion and respect for minority opinions.
f. Regularly participating in campus events.
g. Cultivating a positive and supportive relationship with the President/CEO, characterized by clear and open communication, maintaining the appropriate.
10. Monitor and support the progress of the CR Foundation in meeting its goals.
Consent Calendar Action Items
The Trustees approved my recommendation to hire Tiffany Martell as the fulltime tenured track faculty in Nursing, Julie Przepiora as a tenured track faculty in Nursing Science/Clinical Practice, Jennifer Bailey as a parttime Communications and Marketing Coordinator, Kayla Lopez as the parttime Graphic Artist, Nayeli Bravo as an Early Childhood Education Assistant II, and Nadia Richardson as a Student Development Advisor. The Board ratified my acceptance of Alia Dunphy’s resignation as our Associate Vice President of Human Resources and Jennifer Bailey’s resignation from the Interim Student Development Manager position. They also ratified my acceptance Sean Thomas (Professor of English) retirement effective July 31, 2025.
I also want to acknowledge the employee change of status of three of our colleagues: Jose Serrano from Assistant Director of Human Resources to Interim Director and Chief Human Resources Officer effective April 15, 2025, Daniela Benitez from Early Childhood Education Assistant I to Early Childhood Education Assistant II effective April 2, 2025, and Amy Chase from Administrative Office Coordinator – Maintenance to Administrative Office Coordinator – CalWORKs, NextUP, and TRiO effective April 7, 2025.
With Alia Dunphy’s resignation, I identified new District chief negotiators for our bargaining units. Dr. Crystal Morse was appointed as the District’s Chief Negotiator with CSEA and Ms. Molly Blakemore was named the District’s Chief Negotiator for CRFO. I will have the District’s CRFO and CSEA negotiation team members finalized by April 5.
The Board approved the recommendation to contract with tBP Architecture, Inc. to provide design services for the Del Norte Healthcare Center. They also approved the recommendation to contract with FS3|HODGES for construction management of the Del Norte Healthcare Center project.
The Board also approved my revised my 2024-26 goals to align with the Board’s revised two-year goals. Here are my approved goals:
Goal 1: Accreditation
a. Continue leading institutional efforts to meet or exceed all ACCJC accreditation
standards and eligibility requirements.
b. Continue providing regular updates to the Board related to District accreditation efforts
and outcomes.
c. Imbed new accreditation standards into District operations and planning.
Goal 2: Fiscal Stability and Health
a. Continue working toward making sure that the District has a budget fund reserve that
aligns with board policy and ensures that the District has sufficient revenue for the
operation and maintenance of its facilities.
b. Continue monitoring the District's student debt and pension liabilities.
c. Continue pursuing grant funding that will benefit the District.
d. Continue increasing student enrollment and student degrees and certificates.
e. Continue aligning EMP and FMP strategies with institutional planning, initiatives, and
resource allocations.
f. Continue planning for capital projects.
g. Continue ensuring that the District has the appropriate number of qualified faculty,
administrators, and staff to achieve its institutional mission and purpose.
h. Continue aligning the institution's Information Technology System to meet the strategic
needs of the District.
i. Continue moving instructional and administrative positions off grant funding as appropriate.
j. Provide resources to instructional programs that enhance enrollment growth.
Goal 3: Student access and success, retention, and completion
a. Continue demonstrating progress toward meeting or exceeding the District’s Vision for
Success Goals and Institutional Effectiveness Scorecard targets.
b. Continue enhancing wraparound student services, including enrollment, academic
advising, financial aid, basic needs, counseling, housing, and mental health.
c. Continue developing programs and initiatives that support student success and enrollment
growth.
d. Continue developing a robust online learning experience for our students.
e. Continue the support of student services, broadening of curricula, training faculty in alternative teaching effectiveness practices and other strategies to close student success gaps in academic outcomes that may be linked to socio economic status or prior life experiences.
Goal 4: President and Board of Trustees
a. Continue keeping the Board informed about initiatives, construction projects, and
issues affecting the District.
b. Continue collaborating with the Board to advocate for CR locally and statewide.
c. Continue showcasing CR programs and staff led initiatives at Board meetings.
d. Continue supporting opportunities for Board education and training.
e. Continue nurturing a positive relationship with the Trustees.
f. Continue encouraging Trustee participation in District events as appropriate.
g. Provide the Board of Trustees with quarterly updates on the District's progress on
meeting student success and enrollment goals.
Goal 5: Innovation and Planning for the Future
a. Continue developing and implementing an approach to advance succession planning in
all managerial and administrative levels of the College.
b. Continue expanding professional development fundamental to the growth of managers, staff, and administrators.
c. Continue fostering an institutional culture that values innovation, trust, fairness, and connection with every student and employee.
d. Continue expanding efforts to identify and address economic/workforce needs of the community.
Respond to increased demand for health-related programs and health care graduates
by completing the construction process for the Healthcare Hub Education Center in
Arcata and a new Healthcare Training Center on the Del Norte Campus that will accommodate
additional teaching and learning spaces.
Goal 6: Communication and Relationship Building
a. Continue communicating regularly with the District to foster community, recognize
achievement, and increase awareness of efforts across the institution.
b. Continue advocating efforts on the local and state levels.
Goal 7: CR’s presence in the broader community
a. Continue collaborating with Cal Poly Humboldt.
b. Continue elevating collaboration and engagement with local businesses, industries, government agencies, tribes, non-profit organizations, community-based organizations, and K-12 districts as evidence of the college’s commitment to students and the community.
c. Continue communicating the interests of the District, student success, and college programs to the community.
We had a great discussion about the possible change in the College’s mascot. As background, I formed a Mascot Development Task Force comprised of Christina Morse, Maggie White, Pyuwa Bommelyn, and Molly Blakemore to explore options to replace the Corsairs mascot because of problematic historical associations with the name. Corsairs were involved in the African and European slave trade and continuing to use this mascot does not align with the College’s commitment to fostering a welcoming environment for all students and community members. The Task Force solicited potential mascot ideas from internal and external constituents that may do a better job at representing CR's values and our connection to the local region.
Although the Board discussed the recommendation to ratify my acceptance of “Wolves” as a new mascot, on further discussion, the Board felt it important that take more time to solicit input from the community on a change. I wholeheartedly agreed with Board to extend the comment time to allow more conversations with the college community, the local community, and all our Tribal partners on a potential change in mascot. I will also seek input from our DEIAA Task Force to assess the level of risk associated with the mascot. I do not have a timeframe for when a recommendation will go back to the Board for discussion. A press release will go to local media outlets in a few days related to the process.
Action/Discussion Items
The Board approved a revised BP 1200 District Mission and BP 1201 Philosophy, conducted a first read on several Board Policies specifically under the direct purview of the Board, and approved the monthly financial status report.
Informational and Administrative Reports
We recognized Irene Gonzales-Herrera and Katy Ferrier for their selection to the Leadership Redwood Coast Class of 2025. We also recognized the College of the Redwoods’ Logging Sports Team competition at the Redwood Region Logging Conference John Iversen Lumberjack Competition in Ukiah. Our first-year logging team, coached by Evan Goetz, did very well in their first major competition. Here are their results: Birling (co-ed) 1st place -Josephine Kent; Women’s Doublebuck 3rd place-Josephine Kent and Violeta Gutierrez; Women’s Powersaw 2nd place-Kay Scyllaman; Single Buck-Women’s 4th place- Josephine Kent and Men’s 5th place-Dellard McKenzie; Horizontal Speed Chop-Woman’s 4th place- Violetta Gutierrez’ Woman’s Axe Throw 4th place-Carolina Perez; Women’s Choker Race 4th place-Violeta Gutierrez; and the team placed 4th overall.
I noted in my administrative report that we are on track to surpass our 3,781 FTES target for this year. We are projected to reach 3,814 FTES. We would not have been able to position ourselves to meet our FTES target if it were not for the outstanding work of our admissions office, the aggressive and balanced course scheduling by the academic deans, and by frontloading the first four-week summer session. I mentioned that our 2025-26 FTES target is 3,894—a 3% growth over the 2024-25 target. Julia Morrison shared an update on the March 13, 2025 the Measure I Citizen’s Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC). She also mentioned that the timeline for the issuance of the bond funds has changed slightly. The pricing has been pushed back two weeks due to underwriter availability and other planned market transactions. The pricing is now scheduled for April 28th and closing will be the week May 12th. Crystal Morse called our attention to the fact that CR hosted the American Indian College Motivation Day 2025. Marty Coelho’s report noted the March 25 meeting of the Del Norte Healthcare District board, when they voted unanimously to approve a $1 million donation to the District. We will use the donation to purchase equipment for the new healthcare training center on the Del Norte Center.