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Published on 11/2/2021.

Comments/Board Business

Land Acknowledgement:  President of the Board Danny Kelley read a formal statement that recognizes and respects the Indigenous Peoples as the original stewards of the land that College of the Redwoods occupies. 

We acknowledge that the land on which we are gathered today is unceded territory of the Wiyot people who continue to live and thrive on this land today. It is surrounded by the traditional, ancestral, and present homeland of several indigenous nations including the Hupa, Karuk, Mattole, Tolowa, Wailaki, and Yurok that make up Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.

Member Comments: Trustee Biggin mentioned that she attended the ACCJC webinar and the KT mid-semester celebration. She also attended the ACCT Leadership Congress last month. The Leadership Congress included 1,700 Trustees and CEOs from around the United States. Keynote speakers included: Dr. William Harvey- founding president of the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, Nicolas Pinchuk-President/CEO Snap-On Tools, Nicole Lynn Lewis- Founder and CEO Generation Hope, and Alberto “Beto” Vasquez- Assoc. Director of STEM Engagement & Institutional Relations, UC San Diego. She attended several informative session including: Building a Strong Partnership through Board Assessment and Evaluation; Implementing Legally Compliant & DEI Related Language in Board Policies; Trustees Build Better Trustees: Peer-to-Peer Development Across the Trustee Life Cycle; Establishing an Effective Board-CEO Relationship; Integrating Data Coaching to Support Equity and Guided Pathways; Closing the Gender Equity Gap; Strengthening Rural Colleges; From Awareness to Action to Change: Becoming an Antiracist Institution; and Trustee Best Practices on Affordability.

Vice President Mathews attended the Redwood Coast Economic Summit and found the event informative, exciting and positive. She thanked the Foundation for co-sponsoring the summit.

President Kelley’s written report noted that he also attended the ACCT Leadership Congress. He joined Californian Trustees and others from the Pacific region to volunteer his services as an ACCT Coordinator for 2021-2022. It was decided that California is large enough that the 3 CA Trustees would divide the region by North, South, and At Large. So he will be working with his colleagues to disseminate important information from ACCT and encourage more participation among trustees in our region. He joined Trustee Biggin at the Opening General Session and listened to a very inspirational presentation by Dr. William Harvey. Dr. Harvey is the Founding President of Emeritus of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, and he spoke very movingly about his journey to become the president of a college he was not previously permitted to attend because of the color of his skin. He also attended several sessions including: Using Data for Holistic Decision-Making, How Effective Policy Governance Empowers Leaders During Crisis, a discussion with Nicolas Pinchuk-President/CEO Snap-On Tools, a presentation by San Diego Community College regarding the advancement of DEI through entrepreneurial education, and the ACCT Pacific Regional Caucus Meeting.

I attached Trustee Biggin’s and President Kelley’s written reports to this summary article.

Acknowledgement of Former Trustee Rick Bennett: Board of Trustees Vice President Mathews acknowledged the passing of Mr. Rick Bennett who had served as a Trustee from Del Norte from 1994 to 2014.

He was born July 21, 1928—Berkeley, California and enjoyed writing sports stories for the school paper. He also received a scholarship and attended the College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland. During the summer of his junior year in high school, he was a pipefitters helper at the Kaiser Ship yards, working on “Liberty” ships for the war effort and later “Victory” ships.

Upon graduating from high school in 1946, he joined the Marine Corps and became a radio operator (Morse code) and a corporal. He was discharged from the Marines in 1948 and went on to attend college at the University of California Berkley (Cal) as a journalism major. He found his passion for art was greater than his interest in taking the many English classes required for journalism, so he changed his major to art. He was greatly influenced by Professor Chiura Obata who helped shape his water color technique he used in the many works for which he is known. He was a teacher’s aide for an American Art History class which profoundly influenced his passion for art history.

In 1951, he graduated from Cal and started teaching at Del Norte High school on the subjects of art, crafts, mechanical drawing, typing and world history. He later became a part time counselor and eventually vice-principal. In 1953, he obtained his masters degree from Cal.

He arranged adult education classes at the high school for College of the Redwoods and Del Norte Adult education. In 1973, he left the high school and became a College of Redwoods (Del Norte) Administrator. In addition to playing a significant role in building the Del Norte campus, Mr. Bennett was a major advocate for the nursing program offered at the Del Norte Campus.

In 1984, he retired from administration at CR, served as a County Supervisor, and eventually became a member of CR’s Board of Trustees in 1993.

Mr. Bennett traveled, painted, displayed at local galleries, taught, and enjoyed life with a passion for art, art history, learning and helping others. He volunteered for the Del Norte County Historical Society and supervised student teachers. In 2009, he co-edited a book about Ruby and Art Van Deventer, A Rare Botanical Legacy.

Trustee Coppini mentioned that former Trustee Bennett was a person of high character and a solid person.

Trustee Dr. Mullery stated that she had the pleasure of serving on the Board with former Trustee Bennett. She noted that he was an exemplary Trustee and was welcoming, kind, and committed to the College and the Del Norte Center.

Board Committee Reports:

Presentation of the Slate of Board Officers for 2022-23: Board President Kelley appointed an Ad Hoc Committee to propose a slate of candidates for Board officers. Pursuant with Administrative Procedure 2305 the Ad Hoc committee presented the following slate of candidates for 2022-23 Board Officers:

President—Trustee Carol Mathews

Vice President—Trustee Sally Biggin

Clerk—Trustee Dr. Robertson

The slate will be voted on at the December Board meeting.

Review Board Goals: The Board reviewed its goals.

Consent Calendar Action Items

Approve/Ratify Personnel Actions: By Board action, we welcome Lydia Leonard-Rhodes (Administrative Office Coordinator), Crystal Morse (Interim Manager, Articulation Services), and Morgan Solem (Manager of College Grant Initiatives and Programs) to our College community.

Please join me in congratulating several colleagues for their change of employee status: Angelina Hill moved from Vice President Human Resources to Dean of Institutional Effectiveness, Quality Assurance and Academic Partnerships; Amber Atkins moved from Administrative Secretary II to Administrative Assistant; Michele Holper moved from the Instructional Support Specialist II – DSPS position to Instructional Support Specialist II – Adult and Community Education; and Erik Sorensen moved from Network Administrator to Manager of Information Technology.

The Board ratified my acceptance of three resignations: Joseph Burrell (Interim Public Safety Officer), Sheila Hall (Scholarship Program Coordinator), and Ranae Liles (ECE Assistant II).

Approve/Ratify Contracts, Agreements, MOUs: The Board approved several contracts in this agenda. I want to speak to the MOU we entered into with Fortuna Union High School District. This MOU exempts Academy of the Redwoods students from CR COVID protocols exempt if they attend in-person classes on CR’s campus. Pertinent language in the MOU is the following:

The Fortuna Union High School District and the College of the Redwoods mutually agree that in order to maintain the educational viability of the Academy of the Redwoods program and the graduation pathways of AR students, any COVID-19 vaccination requirements for in-person learning enacted by CR during the 2021- 2022 school year shall be modified for AR students only. All AR students will be permitted to continue attending in-person AR classes at CR's Eureka campus regardless of vaccination status. However, any unvaccinated AR students taking CR classes during the Spring Semester of 2022 will be limited to online CR course offerings only.

Approve Request for Proposals for Enrollment Management Plan Consultant: I am very aware that CR must continue to reduce unnecessary expenditures, maximize our fiscal resources, and implement an aggressive strategy to recover lost enrollment.  As a preemptive action, I asked the Board to approve a recommendation to publish a RFP to identify potential consultants to help us develop a credible enrollment management plan. It is extremely important that the plan link to our Revised Education Master Plan, provide evidence-based validation that enrollment restoration is possible, and identify concrete objectives and tactics that will help us meet the metrics defined in the Student Centered Funding Formula. We will use a portion of the one-time Recruitment and Retention funds allocated in the state’s 2021-22 budget to pay for the engagement.

Ratify Planwest Partners Inc. Services Agreement: We are required to review our Trustee areas based on the 2020 Census. The Trustees ratified the contract with Planwest Partners to provide redistricting services.  The scope of work includes the following:

Task 1 – Analyze Existing Trustee Areas with 2020 Census Data

Planwest will use 2020 U.S. Census Bureau block level demographic data to analyze current Trustee Area demographic profiles in accordance with Education Code § 5019.5. This section requires school agencies that are divided into Trustee Areas (by which individual trustees are elected by the registered voters within that area) to adjust the boundaries of those Trustee Areas consistent with the results of the most recent Census. Boundaries need to be adjusted to satisfy at least one of the following conditions:

• The population of each area is, as nearly may be, the same proportion of the total population of the district as the ratio that the number of governing board members elected from the area bears to the total number of members of the governing board. For example, if a district has five Trustees and elects one Trustee from each of five trustee areas, each district should have approximately one-fifth of the total population in each Trustee Area; or
• The population of each area is, as nearly as may be, the same proportion of the total population of the district as each of the other areas. The general guideline is that the largest Trustee Area should be no more than 10% more populous than the smallest Trustee Area in the district, although districts should, to the greatest extent practicable, try to make the Trustee Areas as close in size by population as possible.

Deliverable:Population and Demographic Profiles for the seven Trustee Areas.

Task 2 – Redistrict Trustee Area Boundaries and Prepare Maps of Options

Planwest will use 2020 U.S. Census Bureau block level demographic data and County election precincts to proportion out seven equivalent populations for the Redwoods Community College District Trustee Area boundaries and provide draft maps for each. Up to three options will be created, and the Board will be provided maps displaying each of the Trustee Area options. The proposed Trustee Area populations shall be within a 5% deviation of one another unless a wider deviation is necessary to follow census blocks and election precinct boundaries.

Deliverables:Trustee Area Maps in .pdf format, Demographic Profiles, GIS shapefiles of Trustee Area boundaries (or other spatial format).

Task 3 - District Review and Adjustment

Planwest will prepare and present Trustee Area maps and profiles to me and the Board of Trustees for review. If the population is not sufficiently balanced among the Trustee Areas, as determined by the District, Planwest will adjust based on District provided parameters. Trustee Area boundary adjustments will follow elections precincts, as practical, for County Elections purposes.

Public Hearing Assistance

Planwest will assist with preparing and presenting materials and attend up to three public hearings to review Trustee Areas.  Once the proposed Trustee Area boundary configurations are accepted by the District, Planwest will provide a large color plot (at least 24"x36").

Deliverables:Trustee Area maps in print and PDF format, updated demographic profiles.

Action/Discussion Items

Monthly Financial Status Report:  Our report covered the period of July 1, 2021 to September 30, 2021 or 25% of the fiscal year.

• We have not made any budget adjustments since the Final Budget was approved at the September Board meeting.

• Overall, revenues and salary/benefits are trending lower than last year.
• Transfers out are comprised of the following:

  $90,000         Child Development Center

  $59,967         Shively Farm

$820,000         OPEB fund

$969,567         Total

• The monthly financial status report showed a projected 2021-22 ending fund balance of 16.4%, or $5,225,857.

Informational Reports

Institutional Effectiveness Scorecard:  Paul Chown discussed the 2020—21 Institutional Effectiveness Report with the Board with a focus on the IE Scorecard metrics of Persistence, Retention, Course Success and Completions and the disproportionate impact data related to those metrics. I attached the IE Report to this summary for your information.

Organizational Reports

Academic Senate: President Wall noted that faculty have been meeting to discuss the Revised Education Master Plan. She acknowledged Chris Gaines’ excellent facilitation of the revision process. It is anticipated that the Senate will approve the Revised Education Master Plan before the end of the semester.

CRFO: President Haggerty mentioned the work that CRFO is engaged in on a statewide basis. She spoke to the problem solving meetings that CRFO and the District have engaged in. She also noted how important it is that we all work to build collegial and supportive relationships.

CSEA: President Engman thanked the CSEA labor negotiation team for their work on the successor contract. She mentioned the legislation that CSEA have worked hard to get enacted, including SB 270, AB 289, AB 22, and AB438.

Administrative Reports

President/Superintendent's Report: Here are a few topics I covered in my written report:

• Enrollment across all sectors this fall has dropped. According to an October 26, 2021 U.S. News and World Report, higher education enrollment rates have dropped for a second straight year, hitting a record low for a two-year span showing little to no signs of recovery from the drops that occurred last year caused by COVID-19. Elissa Nadworny, in an October 26, 2021 report for National Public Radio, wrote that community colleges, which often enroll more low-income students and students of color, have consistently been the hardest hit and that at U.S. community colleges, the freshman class is now 20.8% below the number for the freshman class in 2019.
• This fall semester has been an amazing time of transition for the District. The transition has not always been easy or smooth; however, we are very proud of how CR’s students, faculty, and staff have come together to make workplaces and classrooms safe. We are confident that moving into the spring term, the District’s employee and student vaccine mandate will make the District’s classrooms, administrative offices, and dorms even safer. Of course, another great thing about providing a safe environment for in-person interactions is an opportunity to reengage with the wider college community.

In my verbal comments, I mentioned that our November 5 Times Standard Education Matters article will focus on our institutional effectiveness scorecard metrics.

Vice President of Administrative Services Report: Julia provided an update on our FON and housing grant application.  

• CR’s Fall 2021 full-time faculty compliance number is 56.2 while the total full-time equivalent faculty the District has on staff is 69.0 Therefore, the District has 12.8 more faculty than it is obligated to have. In comparison, the Fall 2020 compliance number was 56.2 with a total full-time equivalent faculty number of 73.5, or 17.3 above the number required. While this is good news in terms of the District’s compliance with Education Code and Chancellor’s Office requirements, we are committed to hiring faculty in mission critical areas to ensure student success/completion and enrollment growth.
• The 2021-22 State enacted budget included $2 billion in one-time non-Proposition 98 General Funds to create a new fund for student housing at the three higher education segments. The funding will be split over three years, with $500 million available in 2021-22 and $750 million in each of the next two years. In order for the Eureka Campus student housing project to be considered for these funds, we submitted the required application documents.

Julia noted that the housing grant mentioned above was a signficant topic of discussion at the recent ACBO conference she attended.

Interim Vice President of Instruction Report: Kerry’s written report included the following information:

• Kerry recently participated in a collaboration meeting with representatives from both Humboldt State University and the Humboldt County Office of Education where we met with Anne Stanton, the President of Linked Learning Alliance, a San Francisco-based non-profit whose mission is to prepare all high school students for success in college or in a career. The model builds on rigorous academics, career and technical education, work-based learning, and comprehensive student services. The company believes that this approach creates multiple, equitable pathways of success for students, and claim to have positive student outcomes in terms of academic success, workplace readiness, and college preparation and persistence.

The Linked Learning collaboration between CR, HSU, and HCOE could build partnerships in a variety of areas, including:

• Recruitment: This would focus on the creation of a pipeline between Linked Learning certified high schools and CR and HSU, to provide students with a postsecondary educational experience that also places value on hands-on learning and career education. 
• Academic programming access to high school students: An additional focus would be to encourage high school students to participate in certificate programs that can later be part of an academic program/major. This is an issue of particular interest to CR, as we have several certificate programs that might be of interest to high school students in Linked Learning schools and that also feed similar programs at HSU.
• Faculty professional development: There is also some interest in sharing approaches to career education and faculty development as Linked Learning has experience providing professional development for faculty on teaching for career readiness.

This initial meeting was followed by a one-on-one meeting with Dr. Bori Mazzag, HSU Mathematics Professor and Co-Lead of the Academic Programming Working Group for HSU's Polytechnic Self-Study. This meeting solidified both institution's shared commitment to work collaboratively with the College's K-12 partners to develop clear academic and career preparation pathways for students.

• Career Education Dean Mike Haley, Marketing Director Molly Blakemore, and Kerry met with KTIS Site Manager Misty Knight, Hoopa tribal member Franklin Richards (with the non-profit group, Building Lives by Building Structure), JW Mooney, Hoopa Valley Tribe Property Department, and a representative from the Hoopa Valley Tribe Recreation Department to explore possibilities around offering CT-89-Tiny House Construction at our KT site. As envisioned, the project would be a partnership between CR and the Hoopa Tribe where CR would cover all instructional costs associated with the course and the Hoopa Tribe would allow the College to offer the class at the Hoopa Modular Construction facility as well as cover materials costs associated with the project. Upon completion, the College would turn over ownership of the unit to the Hoopa Tribe to use at the Kimtu recreation area. Kerry, Mike and Molly will continue to work with tribal partners to flesh out the details of this exciting partnership opportunity.
• Daniel Doble, a Medical Assisting Associate Faculty member in the Adult Education Program, was lucky enough to get almost immediate feedback on the impact of the MA-201-Medical Assistant Training Program 1 class recently. Mr. Doble shared the following story with  Pru Ratliff and, with permission, the story was shared with the Trustees:

Last weekend Molly (yes, our classmate) and a friend were traveling back from a hiking trip when they saw a vehicle go off the shoulder of the road and roll over. After the last Medical Assisting lab, which covered wound care, bandaging, and first aid, she had (thankfully) thought to pack a first aid kit (with gloves) in her car. She grabbed the kit and with the help of her friend was able to provide aid and help stabilize the crash victims, including stopping some severe bleeding, until the ambulance arrived. She said she will never forget what a compound fracture is again! By having the courage to act and the knowledge of what to do, it is altogether possible that Molly saved a life. Molly is a hero and is the epitome of the kind of person needed in the medical field. I am so proud of her and am glad that she is in our class!

Kerry offered a special thanks to Molly, for coming to the aid of a fellow traveler, and we wish Molly all the best in the Humboldt Open Door Clinic clinical externship. 

In her verbal comments, Kerry noted that the Hoopa Tribal Council leadership will discuss the Tiny Home Partnership at their November 4 Executive Session.

Vice President of Student Services: Clinton’s written report included:

• Seven student conduct referrals and incidents were reported in Fall 2021. Two investigations led to sanctions, one led to a recommendation for sanction pending a Conduct Review Committee hearing, three are under review to determine if behaviors violate Student Code of Conduct, and one referral is being held as informational and the situation will continue to be monitored.
• One Title IX complaint was received and the investigation is ongoing.
• Twenty-three Behavioral Intervention Team (BIT) student referrals have been received to date. Fourteen students are being supported through ongoing case management, four are being held as informational and will be monitored, three students are no longer enrolled, and two have been referred to appropriate support services.

• The BIT held the first session of a two-part retreat on October 25, 2021. The BIT Retreat agenda focused on a number of topics including: The role, function, and scope of the BIT, intake procedures that will be applied when new referrals are received, the relationship between the BIT and other campus functions such as Student Conduct and Title IX, improving campus awareness, to include future trainings and marketing materials, and updates to the NaBITA risk rubric that identify local intervention strategies.

In his verbal comments, Clinton noted that the BIT had a second training session on November 1.

Executive Director of Foundation Report: Marty’s written report included:

• The Foundation joined Edward Jones, CVS, Morgan Stanley, Pierson Building Center, and others to sponsor the Humboldt Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 9. The event raised over $100,000 and has become one of Humboldt County’s largest nonprofit events.
• The Foundation was a Platinum Sponsor of the Redwoods Coast Region Economic Summit. Business owners, economic development professionals, and emerging leaders throughout Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino Counties discussed how to cultivate a thriving economy in the Redwood Coast region. More than 150 people registered for this online event.
• The Foundation collaborated with Six Rivers National Forest, the City of Eureka, Eureka Main Street, and the Marine Corps Toys for Tots to host the US Capitol Hill Christmas Tree event in Eureka. T
• The Ad Hoc Naming of Facilities and Properties Committee is charged with making recommendations to the President/Superintendent on potential prospects to approach for naming opportunities of District facilities and properties. The committee is developing the prospect criteria, a vetting process, pricing of assets, and the steps for making an ask of a prospect.
• Football staff and student assistants have compiled addresses for football alumni from 1967 to 1987. The 1967 and 1968 teams have been provided an opportunity to join a new football alumni network.  To help in football fundraising, the Foundation is working with Athletics to produce a fundraising pamphlet. A PowerPoint presentation has also been designed to be used during an online “supporter” gathering in early December. The creation of the football alumni database and fundraising materials will be used as templates for the other sports teams.
• To date, nineteen students have qualified to receive the Finish Line Scholars Program scholarship in either the fall or the spring semesters. The scholarship will focus on students who have completed half of the credits required for their academic program and have a plan to complete a degree in under two academic years. Hispanic, LGBTQ, and first-generation students who meet the criteria will be considered for these scholarships.
• Contributions to the President’s Economic Innovation Fund (PEIF) have grown the fund to nearly $250,000. The purpose of the PEIF is to provide grants to fund proposals brought forward from faculty, staff, students or community members (partnering with CR faculty/staff) to develop an investable proof of concept. These projects must demonstrate a positive economic impact on both the district and the community.
• Based on a recommendation from Foundation Board member John Corbett, the Foundation has established a grant program for faculty. The President’s Academic Innovation Fund will provide mini-grants to support faulty projects that align with the District’s Education Master Plan. The Foundation Board will establish an ad hoc committee at its November meeting to develop the criteria and application process.
• The Foundation has joined CR’s Student Services Department in providing support to the Del Norte Food Security Task Force. This task force is composed of sixteen organizations: CalFresh Healthy Living, College of the Redwoods, County of Del Norte, Department of Health and Human Services, County of Del Norte Office of Emergency Services, Crescent City United Methodist Church, Del Norte County Veterans Service Office, Del Norte Indian Education Center, Del Norte Mission Possible, Del Norte Senior Center, Del Norte Unified School District, Humboldt Food Policy Council, Open Door Community Health Centers, Rural Human Services, University of California Agriculture and Natural Resources/UC Cooperative Extension Humboldt & Del Norte Counties (UC ANR/UCCE), Yurok Tribal Court Youth at Risk Program and the Yurok Food Sovereignty Division. The Task Force is currently working on providing packaged holiday meals to 500 households in Del Norte County.

Marty mentioned that the Christmas Tree Project event attracted between 800-1000 participants.