Summary of the August 4, 2026 Board of Trustees Meeting

Published on Aug 4 2026

Land Acknowledgement

We acknowledge that College of the Redwoods is located on the unceded territory of the Wiyot, Hupa, Karuk, Mattole, Tolowa, Wailaki, and Yurok people where they have resided from time immemorial. We encourage all to gain a deeper understanding of their history and thriving culture. As an expression of our gratitude we are genuinely committed to developing trusting, reciprocal, and long lasting partnerships with the Wiyot people as well as all of our neighboring tribes. 

Board Business

Board President Mathews announced that Trustee Dronkers has decided not to run for election to the Trustee for Area 5 seat. The Board has the option to conduct the provisional appointment process to file the seat if we do not have anyone file to run by 5:00pm on August 12th. The Board will discuss the appointment process (if needed) at the August 22nd Board workshop. 

The appointment must be made by the Board at a meeting prior to the day fixed for the election (November 3rd), and the appointee shall be seated at the organizational meeting of the board as if elected at a district election. The appointment to fill the vacancy lasts until the next regularly scheduled election, which in this case is a 4-year term.

We provided the Board of Trustees with a list of military style equipment our police department has in its inventory. There have not been any changes since we submitted the report to the Board last year. I want to thank Mattew Gilliland for his public comment supporting CRPD. 

Consent Calendar Action Items

The Board of Trustees approved several personnel-related items. I want to mention several of those approvals:

• Employee Change of Status: Pyuwa Bommelyn, Manager of Native American Student Success & Services Program to Assistant Professor of Native American Studies effective August 1, 2026 and Angela Cook, Instructional Support Specialist III .85 FTE to Instructional Support Specialist III .865 FTE effective August 5, 2026.
• Out-of-Class Changes: Lauren Cortez, Student Services Specialist IV, Range 116, Step 5, $71,073.60/Annual plus 15 percent out-of-class effective July 1 – December 15, 2026; Evan Hatfield, Instructional Support Specialist III, Range 116, Step 8, $77,625.60/Annual plus 15 percent out-of-class effective July 1 – November 15, 2026; Courtney Knowlton, Instructional Support Specialist II, Range 114, Step 6, $26,549.12/Annual and Student Support Specialist II, Range 113, Step 6, $37,951.68/Annual plus 15 percent out-of-class effective August 1 – December 15, 2026; and Pakunihanich Martin, Student Development Advisor, Range 118, Step 3, 73,840.00/Annual plus 15 percent out-of-class effective August 15 – December 18, 2026.
• Pre-Retirement Workload Reduction: Dr. Matt McCann, Professor of Counseling, effective 2026-2027 academic year at 68 percent load and Mike Peterson, Professor of General Studies, effective 2026-2027 academic year at 60 percent load.
• New Associate Faculty Appointments for Fall 2026: Bailey Schultz – Sign Language (American) – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; Crystal Gonzales-Miller – Nursing – Class IV, Step 1, $1,465/TLU; Jack Rice – Coaching – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; Luis Medina – Coaching – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; Nancy Strandin – Nursing – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; Nathan Steffen – Political Science – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; Paris Ruiz – Coaching – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU; and Tyler Haskell – Coaching – Class II, Step 1 $1,407/TLU.
• Resignations: Giselle Cabrero, Student Services Specialist IV/Schedule and Assessment Support effective September 1, 2026 and Tory Eagles, Manager of Pelican Bay Scholars Program effective September 4, 2026.

The Board approved or ratified twenty-six contracts, agreements, or MOUs at this meeting. I want to highlight the contract with eTeamSponsor. This is a five-year agreement for an AI-powered unified revenue technology platform that will enable us to generate revenue through fundraising events, peer-to-peer campaigns, giving day programs, digital advertising, sponsorship management, and event ticketing and will be paid by the other agency fund.

I asked the Board of Trustees to ratify the contracts for Dr. Crystal Morse and Julia Morrision. Government Code 53262 requires that all employment contracts (or amendments to employment contracts) for Vice Presidents must be approved or ratified in open session at a regular meeting of the Board and reflected in the minutes. Prior to taking final action, the board shall orally report a summary of a recommendation for a final action on the salaries, salary schedules, or compensation paid in the form of fringe benefits of a Vice President (Government Code 54953(c)(3)). The information provided in each of the agenda items memorializes the compensation and benefits Crystal and Julia already receive. I want to note that the COLA included in the background information refers to statutory COLA only. Any allowance above what is statutorily required, i.e. discretionary or “super COLA”, is not automatically provided. It is up to the President whether the full or portion of a discretionary COLA is passed on.

The amended two-year contract (July 29, 2026 to June 30, 2027) includes the salary and fringe benefits below.

• The salary of Dr. Morse shall be set at Range 136 Step 17 of the Administrator/Manager Salary Schedule (currently $253,406.40) annually to be paid monthly in equal installments.
• Dr. Morse will receive step increases commensurate with the position and the COLA included in the Governor's State Budget Act.
• Dr. Morse shall earn twenty (20) days of annual vacation with pay, exclusive of holidays, as defined in Education Code Sections 79020 and 79021.
• Dr. Morse shall receive medical coverage, dental coverage, vision coverage, life insurance, and disability insurance at the same level provided to administrators of the District.
• Dr. Morse will receive an annual car allowance of $2,400 and an annual doctoral stipend of $1,500.

The amended two-year contract (July 29, 2026 to June 30, 2027) includes the salary and fringe benefits below.

• The salary of Julia Morrison shall be set at Range 136 Step 17 of the Administrator/Manager Salary Schedule (currently $253,406.40) annually to be paid monthly in equal installments.
• Julia Morrison will receive step increases commensurate with the position and the COLA included in the Governor's State Budget Act.
• Julia Morrison shall earn twenty (20) days of annual vacation with pay, exclusive of holidays, as defined in Education Code Sections 79020 and 79021.
• Julia Morrison shall receive medical coverage, dental coverage, vision coverage, life insurance, and disability insurance at the same level provided to administrators of the District.
• Julia Morrison will receive an annual car allowance of $2,400.

Informational Reports

In the Recognition Report, I acknowledged the AI Ad Hoc Committee members who contributed to the report Artificial Intelligence Guidance Report Principles, Recommendations, and Proposed Institutional Guidance. I thanked Dr. Rebecca Robertson for serving as the lead writer of the report, Cliff LaMastus and Dr. Tatum Loso, for leading the committee alongside Rebecca. I also thanked the committee members who actively participated in the discussions: Giselle Cabrero, Leigh Dooley, Karyn-Lynn Fisette, Sheila Hall, and Marcel Van Dissel.

I recognized Bob Brown for co-presenting at the June 26 California Community College Student Affairs Association (CCCSAA) Professional Development Conference, Dr. Crystal Morse for completing the Wheelhouse Fellows Program, and Dr. Amy Moffat for her selection to attend the 2026–27 IRPE Summer-to-Summer Virtual Institute put on by the RP Group. I also recognized Molly Blakemore, Summer Ferrier, Andrew Nichols, April Klingonsmith, Giselle Cabero, Liz Hermosillo, and Ruthe Rhodes for successfully completing the Leadership Redwoods Coast (LRC) fellowship program.

Organizational and Administrative Reports

In her report, Academic Senate President Wendy Riggs mentioned that The Academic Senate is gearing up for Convocation and developing the agenda for the first Senate orientation meeting of the year which will take place on Friday August 21st. This orientation meeting is open to everyone and will provide a solid foundation for their work in the year ahead. Wendy noted that she attended the 2026 Curriculum Institute in Sacramento on July 16-18 with Curriculum Chair Dr. George Potamioanos, Curriculum Specialists Cameron Papp and Terra Thompson, and Dr. Crystal Morse. This provided an excellent opportunity to strategize with the leadership about important curriculum work in the coming year. Wendy also noted that she met with Amy Moffat (Dean of Institutional Effectiveness), Jon Pace (Math Professor and Assessment Co-Chair), and me to discuss the future of integrated planning that includes assessment, program review, and curriculum revisions. 

In CSEA President Rachel Warze’s written report, she stated that “when we work in true partnership, with a shared commitment to our mission, I believe there is nothing we cannot accomplish for our students and the communities we serve.” I wholeheartedly agree with her statement. 

In Management Council President Amber Cavanaugh’s report, she highlighted that outstanding work of Stephanie Freyermuth, Manager of Student Wellness, Advocacy, and Support and shared highlights from the College's Basic Needs program for the 2025–2026 academic year. 

Student Trustee Samantha Young mentioned that she completed the AB 1234 Local Ethics Training certificate, ASCR training will be August 13-15th where discussions will focus on expectations for the new members as well as fully fleshing out the Welcome week events activities, and she will attend the August 14 -16 Student Trustee workshop in San Fransico. 

With my written report, I continued to draw the trustees’ attention to the discussion about student preparedness for college level math and English course work. In my written report for this meeting, I included a July 16, 2026 commentary from Patricia Gandara, professor emerita at UCLA and co-director of The Civil Rights Projects/Proyecto Civiles at the UCLA School of Education and Information Studies. Professor Gandara argued that reinstating the SAT and ACT in admission is not the answer to the unpreparedness question. Here is a link to the EdSource article:

Why the University of California should not reinstate the SAT/ACT for admissions | EdSource

I also included a counter commentary to Professor Gandara written by Dr. Svetlana Jitomirskaya and Dr. Zvezdelina Stankova professors of mathematics at the University of California, Berkeley and Dr. Elizabeth Statmore, a math teacher at Lowell High School in San Francisco, one of California’s largest feeder schools to the University of California system. Here is a link to the  EdSource article:

Why the University of California should bring back the SAT/ACT now | EdSource

Julia Morrison’s written report noted that that Division of the State Architect (DSA) will not be reviewing the demolition plans for the Old Admin/Forum Building Demolition until August 25, 2026, which is much later than initially anticipated. We will have to revise our original demolition schedule because of the delay at DSA:  

• Start advertising for bid: Week of August 3
• Mandatory pre-bid walk/Meeting: September 2
• Open Bids: September 22
• Board of Trustee: October 6 meeting (pending DSA approval)
• Tentative mobilization starts on October 12
• Buildings down by December 31 (earth work may have to wait until after the rainy season)

Dr. Crystal Morse’s administrative report noted that the District will host the 2026 CR Indigenous Language Institute (CRILI) Summer Intensive on August 11–13, 2026. This three-day professional learning experience brings together Indigenous language teachers, language learners, advocates, and community members to strengthen language revitalization efforts through immersive teaching practices and collaborative learning. This year's Summer Intensive will feature X̱'unei Lance Twitchell, Tlingit scholar, poet, language revitalization advocate, and associate professor of Alaska Native Languages at the University of Alaska Southeast. Participants will explore immersion techniques that can be adapted for a variety of Indigenous language classrooms, learning environments, and proficiency levels while building connections with others committed to preserving and revitalizing Indigenous languages. She also mentioned that twelve CR colleagues attended the 2026 ASCCC Curriculum Institute. Emphasis was placed on continued strengthening of transfer through expanded Associate Degrees for Transfer (ADTs), ongoing implementation of the Common Course Numbering (CCN) system, streamlining intersegmental articulation with the CSU and UC systems, and ensuring students receive timely educational planning and transfer support. Additional Chancellor's Office priorities included expanding dual enrollment and early college pathways, increasing affordability through zero- and low-cost course materials, advancing accessibility through Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and ADA Title II implementation, and supporting innovation through artificial intelligence, Credit for Prior Learning, and professional learning for faculty and administrators. 

Crystal also reflected on the first session of the Advancing Leaders Institute: Wheelhouse Summer Intensive program. She noted that, for her, one of the most meaningful aspects of the Summer Intensive experience has been the opportunity to reflect on leadership as an extension of personal identity, lived experience, and individual purpose. For her, the experience reinforced that meaningful and lasting organizational change begins with leaders who understand themselves, remain grounded in their values, and ensure their decisions reflect those values. She returned from this initial Wheelhouse convening with renewed perspective, deeper connections with colleagues across the California community college system, and a stronger appreciation for the responsibility of executive leadership. The challenges facing higher education require leaders who can embrace complexity while remaining anchored in purpose.

Marty Coelho’s report noted that Providence has now joined Sutter Health and Open-Door Community Health Centers as sponsors of the College of the Redwoods' Mobile Simulation & Healthcare Education Unit project. Final artwork for the vehicle wrap is being completed and will be sent into production in preparation for deployment of the Mobile Simulation & Healthcare Education Unit. Marty also mentioned that planning continues for the 22nd Annual College of the Redwoods Dinner & Auction, scheduled for August 13. The McLean Foundation has joined Blue Lake Casino Hotel as Title Sponsors. The Mill Yard has joined Humboldt Fence Co. as Maroon Sponsors. Gold Sponsors include Harper Motors and Coast Central Credit Union. In-kind donations have been received from Gabriel's, Harris & K Market, Lost Coast Brewery and Mission Linen.

Closed Session

In keeping with AP 2435, I provided goals for the remaining five months of my contract and Board President Mathews presented a written summary of the Board’s evaluation results of the President/Superintendent.  My goals for August 1, 2026– December 31, 2026 are: 

Goal 1: Accreditation

1. Continue leading institutional efforts to meet or exceed all ACCJC accreditation standards and eligibility requirements.
2. Continue providing regular updates to the Board related to District accreditation efforts and outcomes.

Goal 2: Fiscal Stability and Health

1. Continue working toward making sure that the District has a budget fund reserve that ensures that the District has sufficient revenue for the operation and maintenance of its facilities.
2. Continue pursuing grant funding that will benefit the District.
3. Continue ensuring that the District has the appropriate number of qualified faculty, administrators, and staff to achieve its institutional mission and purpose.
4. Continue filling key interim roles with permanent staff.
5. Continue setting and regularly monitoring enrollment targets aligned with institutional goals.
6. Finalize contract negotiations with CRFO and CSEA.

Goal 3: Student access and success, retention, and completion

1. Continue demonstrating progress toward meeting or exceeding the District’s Vision for Success Goals and Institutional Effectiveness Scorecard targets.
2. Continue developing programs and initiatives that support student success and enrollment growth.

Goal 4: President and Board of Trustees

1. Continue keeping the Board informed about initiatives, construction projects, and issues affecting the District.
2. Continue supporting opportunities for Board education.
3. Continue nurturing a positive relationship with the Trustees.
4. Support the presidential transition as directed by the Board of Trustees.

 Goal 5: Innovation and Planning for the Future

1. Continue supporting professional development opportunities for faculty, managers, staff, and administrators.
2. Continue fostering an institutional culture that values innovation, trust, fairness, and connection with every student and employee.
3. Finalize viables solution for CR baseball and softball fields.
4. Begin planning for a structured evaluation of the college’s strategic plan to ensure alignment with goals and identify areas of improvement. 

Goal 6: Communication and Relationship Building

1. Continue communicating regularly with the District to foster community, recognize achievement, and increase awareness of efforts across the institution.

Goal 7: CR’s presence in the broader community

1. Continue collaborating with Cal Poly Humboldt.
2. Continue 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.
3. Continue communicating the interests of the District, student success, and college programs to the community.