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Published on 10/3/2023.

Comments/Board Business

Land Acknowledgement:  President of the Board Biggin read the District’s revised statement recognizing our area’s 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, Hupa, Karuk, Mattole, Tolowa, Wailaki, and Yurok. We honor them and all neighboring tribes by our ongoing commitment to developing trusting, reciprocal, and long-lasting partnerships.

Accreditation Training for the Board of Trustees: We asked Dr. Kevn Bontenbal, Vice President of the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) and staff liaison to CR, to give an overview about the purpose of accreditation, the governing board’s role and responsibilities, and the changes in the accreditation comprehensive review model. He explained that as our ACCJC staff liaison to us, he will work closely with ALO Dr. Peter Blakemore throughout the development of the institutional self-evaluation report and serve as a resource to the peer review teams during our comprehensive review.

After outlining the comprehensive review timeline and the steps involved in the new formative peer review model, Dr. Bontenbal discussed the governing boards’ responsibilities under accreditation Standard IV and their role in providing mission-directed leadership and ensuring the high performance of the board and college. I want to thank the Trustees for engaging in a thoughtful and reflective discussion relative to their role as board members. I attached Dr. Bontenbal’s presentation in this summary.

Discussion of the Board Self-Evaluation Themes: The Board discussed themes that the Board Evaluation Ad Hoc Committee identified from the recent board self-evaluation. Those themes included how the Board deals with minority opinions, Board succession planning and the recruitment of Trustees, the appropriate role of Trustees in representing the community, their role in strategic planning of the institution, College Presidential job description, and how the Board can get involved in spurring innovation.

Finalize Board of Trustees Goals for 2023-25: The Trustees continued the discussion of their goals for 2023-25. I captured a few changes they discussed. The Trustees will approve their goals at the September 5 Regular meeting.

 1. Support accreditation efforts and adherence to all ACCJC standards and commission policies.

1. Support the ISER review process through the Ad Hoc Committee for ISER Review.

2. Ensure fiscal stability/health with special emphasis on:

1. Maintaining a balanced General Fund with reserves in accordance with board policy.
2. Monitoring and supporting adequate funding of future pension liabilities.
3. Continuing to monitor the District’s progress on recoverable and unrecoverable student debt.
4. Monitoring progress to ensure a revenue stream for continuing operation and maintenance of District capital projects.
5. Maintaining an advocacy effort at the state level to preserve and enhance funding of community colleges.
6. Supporting the development of programs and initiatives that foster student success and enrollment growth.
7. Monitor the successful construction and completion of the current capital projects.

3. Engage in advocacy efforts to promote student success, educational equity, inclusion and accessibility, and the fiscal health of the institution through advocacy.

1. Monitor and work to influence state and federal legislation that will have a significant impact on the District.
2. 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:

1. Supporting programs and initiatives that serve the academic, psycho-social, and basic needs of a diverse student body.
2. Addressing institutional bias and inequity through review and revision of board policies
3. Supporting District efforts to address bias and inequity in employment practices, educational programs, and student services.
4. Inviting and carefully considering the input of students, faculty, and staff in Board decision-making.
5. Nurturing awareness of and appreciation for the range of identities, abilities, and perspectives that contribute to and are key to the success of the District.

5. Maintain focus on adapting to and addressing issues with the Student-Centered Funding Formula by:

1. Ensuring that the District’s budget addresses the categories of funding in the state funding formula.
2. Receiving regular reports regarding the District’s strategies and progress in regard to the funding formula, hold harmless option and enrollment growth.
3. Providing advocacy for legislative efforts to correct problems in and improve the funding formula for year 2024-2025.

6. Provide support to ensure continuing progress on equity in student outcomes with special emphasis on:

1. Monitoring progress in closing disaggregated student success gaps.
2. 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 evaluating data on a regular basis and ensuring that data influences decision making.

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:

1. Monitoring trends in community college education.
2. Supporting the cultivation of partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt.
3. Identifying economic/workforce opportunities for program development and community partnership.
4. Encouraging and supporting innovation.

9. Support development of the Board’s effectiveness, professional skills, and knowledge by:

1. Encouraging Trustee attendance at annual community college conferences.
2. Encouraging Requiring completion of the Community College League of California’s Excellence in Trusteeship Program.
3. Encouraging completion of anti-bias training.
4. Providing comprehensive and ongoing mentoring for Trustees.
5. Encouraging and carefully considering the input of all Board members, with particular attention to fostering robust discussion and respect for minority opinions.
6. Planning for the future of the Board.

10. Monitor and support the progress of the CR Foundation in meeting its goals.

11. Review and update the President’s job description.

1. Review the policy governing the President’s job description and recruitment.

Finalize the President’s 2023-35 Goals: I presented my draft goals for 2023-25 to the Board for their consideration. I wanted my goals to clearly link directly to the Board’s goals. My final goals will be approved at the September 5 regular meeting of the Board. Below notes the changes that we discussed.

Goal 1: Accreditation

1. Continue leading institutional effort to meet or exceed all ACCJC accreditation standards and eligibility requirements.

Goal 2: Fiscal Stability Plan

1. Continue ensuring that CR has a budget fund reserve that meets the goals consistent with board policy.
2. Continue monitoring the College’s student debt and pension liabilities.
3. Continue pursuing grant funding that will benefit the institution.
4. Continue to ensure that the District has sufficient revenue for the operation and maintenance of its facilities. 
5. Continue efforts to increase FTES. 

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 expanding and enhancing wraparound student services, including enrollment, academic advising, financial aid, basic needs, counseling, housing, and mental health.
3. Continue developing programs and initiatives that support student success and enrollment growth.
4. Ensure that the District’s budget addresses the Student-Centered Funding Formula (SCFF) funding categories.

Goal 4:  President and Board of Trustees

1. Continue keeping the Board informed about College initiatives, construction projects, and issues affecting the District.
2. Continue advocating for CR locally and statewide.
3. Continue showcasing CR programs at Board meetings.
4. Continue supporting opportunities for Board education and training.
5. Provide regular reports to the Board regarding the District’s strategies and progress regarding the funding formula, the hold harmless option, and enrollment growth.

Goal 5: Infrastructure

1. Continue aligning EMP strategies with institutional planning and initiatives and resource allocations.
2. Implement the Revised Facilities Master Plan (FMP).
3. Align FMP strategies with institutional planning and resource allocations.
4. Begin the process to renovate the Community Stadium and build the PE/Fieldhouse Complex.
5. Ensure that the College has a sufficient number of qualified administrators and staff to assure to achieve our institutional mission and purpose.

Goal 6: Innovation and Planning for the Future

1. Expand professional development fundamental to the growth of managers, deans, and executive leaders.
2. Continue fostering an institutional culture that values innovation. 
3. Research and develop new associate and bachelor's degree and short-course programs to support the Education Master Plan Initiatives and meet the workforce needs of our community.
4. Continue efforts to ensure the quality and effectiveness of online instruction and obtain Teaching College status with the CVC-OEI.
5. Expand efforts to identify and address economic/workforce needs of the community.
6. Develop and implement an approach to advance succession planning in all managerial and administrative levels of the College.

Goal 7: Communication and Relationship Building

1. Continue communicating regularly with the College to foster community, recognize achievement, maintain a culture of accreditation, and increase awareness of efforts across campus to enhance student success and completion.
2. Continue advocating efforts on the local and state levels.

Goal 8: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility

1. Continue enhancing support programs for students that identify as LGBTQ+, students with disabilities, and students from marginalized populations.
2. Continue supporting faculty to revise curriculum for appropriate DEIA content.
3. Provide professional development opportunities for faculty and staff focused on DEIA.
4. Continue efforts to incorporate DEIA in employee evaluations.
5. Continue efforts to offer anti-bias professional development for faculty and staff.

Goal 9: CR’s presence in the broader community

1. Continue collaborating with Cal Poly Humboldt.
2. 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.

3. Continue building relationships with the community through the President’s Advisory Council.
4. Continue communicating the interests of the College, student success, and college programs to the community.

Direction on the Student Housing Project: The Governor, Legislature, and the Legislative Analyst Office (LAO) recognize the instability of the state’s short and long-term budget outlook. Significant revenue shortfalls related to a downturn in the stock market and less money coming in from high wage earners have led to a budget deficit now estimated to be $31.5 billion, up from an estimated $22.5 billion in the Governor’s January proposal. The enacted budget now projects total revenues of $211 billion, although the state’s delay of the 2022 tax filing deadline from April to October and high interest rates increase the uncertainty in revenue projections.  Moreover, the state expects the operating deficits to continue to decline through 2026-27.

The LAO believes that the economy is at a heightened risk of going into a recession, which could cause the state’s budget problem to get bigger. Lawmakers understand that it would be better to face an economic downtown with flush reserves. Consequently, we see lawmakers taking prudent steps to shore up the budget without using the state’s reserves and address the state’s structural budget problem. Some of those steps include reducing one-time expenditures in areas such as deferred maintenance and taking back one-time monies for community college affordable housing projects.

The state created the Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program to support the construction of affordable student housing across the three public higher education segments last year. The program was to receive funding over three years for three rounds of grants.

However, the 2023 Budget Act eliminated the General Fund appropriation for the grants but provided $78.5 million ongoing General Funds to support debt service payments for community college student housing projects in 2022-23 and 2023-24. According to the Budge Act, UC and CSU housing projects will be funded with revenue bonds issued by those systems, and community college housing projects will be funded through local revenue bonds to be issued by community college districts or as part of a not yet created state pool.

The Community College Facility Coalition is advocating for the Legislature to back its previous agreement to fund housing projects approved in 2022-23 via grant funds and shift 2023 projects (which CR’s housing project is a part) to state-issued lease revenue bonds or zero interest revolving loan funds. The intent of the revolving loan fund is to provide $300 million each year through 2028-29 with 25% available for community college projects.

I want to note that we spent $1.565 million for the preliminary and design phases of the project to better position us to get our housing project funded with Higher Education Student Housing Grant Program funds. However, against the backdrop of the state’s structural budget challenges and lawmakers’ fiscal retrenching, I am hesitant to assume that the state can, or will, live up to its long-term financial commitments. I discussed my thoughts relative to our housing project with the Trustees at this workshop.

I suggested to the Board that we not move forward with borrowing upwards of $62,000,000 to construct new dorms. I discussed several potential residence hall funding ideas for the Board to consider since I still believe that our students deserve state of the art residence halls, and we need to expand our dorm capacity to support increased enrollment.

One of the options we discussed was to ask our community to fund the full cost of our dorms via a Measure Q type bond. I understand that there will be some concerns about our community’s willingness to approve a General Obligation bond for a revenue generating operation. However, it’s important to keep in mind that our goal is to provide affordable housing for our students and not generate revenue beyond what’s necessary to cover operations.  Other options we discussed including engaging a consultant (someone like Greenway Partners) to help us raise funds for the project, stacking our funding sources (combining of state funding, bond measures, and private investors) to fund the construction, and investigating public/private and public/public partnerships.

I want to express my deep appreciation to Julia Morrison and her staff for their work on completing the architectural drawings for the new residence halls and preparing our affordable housing project for the Chancellor’s Office and the Legislature consideration. Julia did a great job balancing the student needs with our long-term fiscal solvency.