Regular Board Meeting on July 2, 2024

Comments/Board Business

Land Acknowledgement:  President of the Board Dr. Robertson read the District's land acknowledgement 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.

Consent Calendar Action Items

Approve/Ratify Personnel Actions: By Board action at this meeting, we welcome two new classified staff to our college community. Dianne Lee will serve as an Instructional Support Services/Administrative Office Assistant II on our Del Norte Campus. Dianne comes to us with a bachelor's degree in human development from UC Davis. Through Diane's work experience as a Student Outreach Assistant with EAOP, Rehabilitation Specialist at Remi Vista, and ISS temporary worker with DSPS, she understands what it means to provide helpful resources and prompt the development of healthy skills to those that need support and encouragement.

Enrique Ortega was also approved as our Police Officer. Although a thorough background check is in progress, I want to highlight some of Enrique's experiences with you. Enrique is a graduate of our Police Academy and Del Norte High School. He has an AA Liberal Arts in Behavioral and Social Science from us. He has been a Peace Officer in Del Norte County for over sixteen years serving as a patrol deputy, bailiff, search and rescue officer coordinator, patrol and jail training manager and a patrol supervisor. Additionally, while at the Del Norte County Sheriff's Office and DHHS Health and Human Services, he served as a Spanish translator for community members who were non-English speakers. He has also taught at our Police Academy.

We also welcome Kayla Hansen to our college community as the Executive Assistant in Human Resources (Confidential). Kayla's experience includes a wide range of administrative assistant positions that allowed her to focus on relieving executives of administrative burdens while ensuring the smooth operation of office activities. She has served as the Director of Payroll and Personnel with Southern Humboldt Joint Unified School District, a Special Education Department Secretary for the Humboldt County Office of Education, a Human Resources Technician for Saddleback Valley Unified School District, and an Assistant Financial Manager for Los Angeles Unified School District. Kayla is bilingual: English and Spanish.

I want to congratulate Jose Serrano for his employee change of status from Senior Payroll Technician to Assistant Director of Human Resources.

By Board action, we add four new associate faculty members to our faculty cadre: Luke Besmer (Agriculture), Cyanne Brocious (Nursing), Shirley Graser (Agriculture) and Mark Kubik (Agriculture Engineering).

The Board ratified my acceptance of Megan Schroeder's resignation as our Human Resources Analyst effective July 5, 2024. I approved the replacement of this position at yesterday's Executive Cabinet meeting.

Approve/Ratify Contracts, Agreements, MOUs: I want to highlight two of the contracts the Board approved or ratified at this board meeting. We were awarded a $1,545,454 Rising Scholars Network Juvenile Justice Program grant from the Chancellors Office. The Redwoods Rising Scholars program will allow us to use the knowledge we have gained over the last 15 years in providing instruction to incarcerated adults to expand our focus in developing a unique program to serve justice-impacted youth in our community.

This project will focus on two key areas: direct instruction, via both in-person and distance education modalities, and robust student support to best ensure persistence, retention, academic program completion, transfer preparation and/or workforce preparation. Academic programming will focus on providing justice-impacted youth the opportunity to dual enroll in college-level coursework (allowing students to earn both High School and College credits simultaneously) as well as to engage in concurrent enrollment (earning college credit), where appropriate. Additionally, if indicated by student need, the project will also provide support for students to participate in GED preparation and HiSET testing and to enroll in ESL coursework where necessary.

Educational pathways will include options focused on transfer curriculum as well as career education curriculum providing robust and relevant workforce preparation. In addition to providing these students with the opportunity to engage in academic coursework, the project will also create a strong system of wrap-around counseling (both academic and personal), academic advising, tutoring, retention support, and related student supports to provide this vulnerable population with the opportunity to be successful in their educational efforts. Student services will focus on supporting students in their academic success and will also provide support to ease their transition from high school to college and on to career placement or transfer, depending upon their personal goals. This model of "mindful matriculation" will focus on helping these students remove obstacles to educational attainment and workforce preparation.

An additional component of easing the transition from high school to college will be to create structures on the college campus that support successful transition to college from release. This will include: campus tours and orientations; transcript, placement, and counseling support; basic needs resources providing textbooks, technology support, transportation vouchers, and housing assistance; and a dedicated on-campus meeting space for justice-involved students to provide peer-to-peer support that connects students to their community college peers, but also provides a connection to justice-involved students who have transferred to Cal Poly Humboldt by linking our students to Cal Poly students involved in Humboldt's Project Rebound program.

We were also awarded a grant of $307,209 from the CAL FIRE Wood Products and Bioenergy Business and Workforce Development Program to support the development and implementation of a Forestry Field School and Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) Program at our Klamath-Trinity Instructional Site. With this grant, we will develop a robust program that offers foundational skills and training opportunities, providing a critical bridge for students from exploring an interest in forestry to securing entry-level positions in the field. Professor Valerie Elder will lead the project. Valerie brings experience in curriculum development and community college education, ensuring the program's success in enhancing workforce development and forest health.

Project highlights include:

• Course Development: Introduction of three existing FNR courses tailored to meet the specific needs of the KT campus and community.
• Pathway Development and Outreach: Expansion of FNR program outreach and potential extension to other campuses.
• Collaboration and Community Support: Partnerships with Hoopa Tribal Forestry, Willow Creek Firesafe Council, US Forest Service, and other local organizations to provide job and internship opportunities.
• Innovative Course Delivery: Flexible scheduling, including intensive formats and weekend classes, to accommodate diverse student needs.

Action/Discussion Items

Approve Monthly Financial Status Report: This month's report covered almost 92% of the fiscal year. Key takeaways from our report this month are:

• Property Tax Revenue is trending lower than last year since we have not received Property Tax receipt notifications from the County yet. The Business Office is expecting to receive Property Tax receipt notifications with the County's June 30 report. 
• Overall, revenues are tracking lower than last year, and actual expenditures are tracking higher than now compared to last year.
• Salary Expenses are still trending higher than last year. The salary budget to actuals amount is still being closely monitored in case an increase is necessary.
• Fixed Expenses are trending lower than last year and are currently under budget.
• Our transfers out are comprised of $90,000 to the Child Development Center, $74,720 to the Shively Farm, $750,000 to the OPEB fund (May be diverted to Capital Outlay), and $500,000 to our Debt Service fund for a total of $1,414,720. 
• As a result of the adjusted State Revenue, the monthly financial status report now shows a projected 2023-24 Unrestricted General Fund ending fund balance of $7,675,609, or 17.7% of Unrestricted General Fund expenditures.

Informational Reports

Recognitions: In this agenda item, I recognizedProfessor Amy Murphy and several Computer Information System (CIS) students for excelling during the National Cyber League (NCL) Spring 2024 competition season. I also recognized the several staff and managers for contributing their time, energy, and expertise to the June 18 Staff Professional Development Day: Alia Dunphy, Lisa Gaetje, Crystal Morse, Morgan Solem, Leigh Dooley, Tory Eagles, Kintay Johnson, Amy Chase, Rachel Warze, Christina Morse, Evan Hatfield, Giselle Cabrero, Katrina Hanson, Stephanie Freyermuth, Johanna Helzer, Amy Chase, Tom Cossey, Mark Bernards, Amador Renteria, Kirt Frischknecht, Giselle Cabrero, Tory Eagles, Sierra Lucky, Leigh Dooley, Crystal Morse, Pyuwa Bommelyn, Irene Gonzalez, Katrina Hanson, and Gary Ronne. 

I also thanked Sargeant Corrie Waston, several maintenance staff—Robert Barkley, David Desso, Antonio Villarruel, Josh Barkley, Roben Printy, Charles Reed, Travis Ammer, and Adrian Dobson—and IT staff members Jose Ramirez and Tom Cossey for their quick actions to extract standing water, set up fans to try dry out wet carpets, and protect mission critical electronic equipment from water damage resulting from the recent flooding in the Old Administration Building.

Organizational Reports

CSEA: In her written report to the Board, CSEA President Engman included:

• We are still dealing with the sudden loss of our colleague and classified teammate, Tino Romero. We are appreciative of the recognition and support that the District has provided to Tino's family and faculty, staff, and students.

Personally, I worked with Tino quite a bit in my first 10 years here, as part of the staff in Maintenance/Facilities. Tino always provided a calm and thoughtful perspective on things, which I will always be able to look back on.

• Many of us were able to not only participate in but lead some of the sessions on the June 18th Professional Development Day. The buzz in the air was exciting, and I know that we look forward to future opportunities!
• Conference this year will be held at the San Jose Convention Center, from July 29th – August 1st. Our chapter is sending one delegate this year, Iris Vasquez. CSEA's conference allows us to gather members from across the state to have multiple business meetings where we approve the state level budget for the next year, work to approve resolutions involving policy and potential legislation, recognize achievements, attend trainings, and celebrate.

Student Trustee: Student Trustee Aerielle Alaniz thanked the Board for supporting her decision to be called by her preferred name.

Administrative Reports

President/Superintendent Report: In my written report, I noted that:

• I signed a MOU between College of the Redwoods, Cal Poly Humboldt, Blue Lake Rancheria, and Charles Darwin University (CDU) that establishes a framework to enhance relationship and friendship, and to develop academic and cultural exchanges in learning, teaching, and research activities. Here is a link to Lost Coast Outpost article about the new partnership:

Cal Poly Humboldt and Other Local Institutions Sign Partnership Agreement With Australia's Charles Darwin University; Delegation From Australia's Northern Territory in Town This Week | Lost Coast Outpost | Humboldt County News

• I formed an Academic Affairs Task Force to explore restructuring the academic divisions to allow the College to go beyond the traditional instructional silos that the institution is accustomed to and create academic divisions that will prepare the College for the future, encourage innovation, and live up to the spirit of the EMP. The task force includes Kerry Mayer (chair of the task force), Peter Blakemore (Executive Dean of Arts/Humanities/Science/Social Science), Rory Johnson (Executive Dean Career Education), Crystal Morse (Vice President of Instruction and Student Development), Alia Dunphy (Associate Vice President of Human Resources), and Erin Wall (President of the Academic Senate). I expect to receive the task force's recommendation for improvement by the middle of July. I intend to gather input on the recommended changes early in the fall semester.
• We are going to work closely with CR's student government and faculty in the fall to encourage students and employees to register to vote and volunteer for candidates or ballot measures. 

I also recognized the Tisha B'Av and the Three Weeks Jewish holiday. The Three Weeks is an annual mourning period that falls out in the summer. This is when the Jewish people mourn the destruction of the Holy Temple. With an eye to the future, they also learn about the Third Temple, which is yet to be built. The period begins on the 17th of the Hebrew month of Tammuz, a fast day that marks the day when the walls of Jerusalem were breached by the Romans in 69 CE. It reaches its climax and concludes with the fast of the 9th of Av, the date when both Holy Temples were set aflame. This is the saddest day of the Jewish calendar, and it is also the date that many other tragedies befell the Jewish people.

In my verbal comment, I mentioned that Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods sent out a press release earlier today that announced the launch of a new men's and women's rodeo program in Fall 2024. This is yet another tangible example of our innovative partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt. This innovative collaboration will provide students exceptional opportunities to engage in rodeo activities while pursuing their degree at both institutions. I included the press release in this administrative report (see below).

Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods to Launch Men's and Women's Rodeo Program in Fall 2024

Cal Poly Humboldt and College of the Redwoods are excited to announce the launch of a new men's and women's rodeo program, set to launch in Fall 2024. This innovative collaboration will provide students exceptional opportunities to engage in rodeo activities while pursuing their degree at both institutions.

CR's rodeo program will begin as a club sport with plans to transition to a full intercollegiate athletic team. The rodeo program at Cal Poly Humboldt will launch as a competitive sports club. In preparation for the program's debuts, both CR and Cal Poly Humboldt plan to search for rodeo coaches and leaders. These coaches will play a pivotal role in training and mentoring student-athletes, as well as overseeing the overall management of the program.

The rodeo programs will benefit from a strategic partnership with Ferndale Fairgrounds, where both teams will practice and call home. These collaborations will provide students with access to top-notch facilities and resources, enriching their training and competitive experiences, while the pathway for students from CR to Humboldt will be seamless. This collaboration will also deepen the partnership between both institutions and the community, while offering significant advantages to local student-athletes. To ensure the financial sustainability of both the men's and women's programs, a fundraising initiative has begun and will be expanded.

This rodeo program underscores the broader commitment by CR and Cal Poly Humboldt to expand academic and extracurricular offerings and to provide diverse opportunities to students.
Cal Poly Humboldt President Tom Jackson, Jr. says, "Since 2019, our two institutions have been strategizing about the implementation of a rodeo program that provides a home for our local students to compete in a championship environment. That time has come, and we are excited about the future of collegiate rodeo in Humboldt County."

College of the Redwoods President Keith Flamer is very excited to partner with Cal Poly Humboldt to bring collegiate rodeo to the area: "I am very proud of our partnership with Cal Poly Humboldt to create these rodeo programs. This collaboration offers a wonderful opportunity to elevate college rodeo in our area and create new pathways for student-athletes to pursue their academic and rodeo dreams."

Here is a link to the Lost Coast Outpost story: YEE-HAW! Cal Poly Humboldt and CR Launch Men's and Women's Competitive Rodeo Program | Lost Coast Outpost | Humboldt County News

Vice President of Administrative Services Report: In Julia's written report, she noted that our cash flow projection indicates that we have adequate cash for operations. However, the State may have to rely upon revenue deferrals if revenue does not come in as projected. If that happens, and our revenue is negatively affected, we may have to apply for a Tax Revenue Anticipation Note (TRAN). Also, the Department of Finance has given us approval to move forward with the bidding phase of the Physical Education Replacement project. It is important to mention that we will not be able to move forward with construction of the buildings until we get approval from the State to accept the lowest bidder.

I want to call your attention to information Julia included in her administrative report that should be emphasized. She wrote that all permanent classified staff, faculty, managers, confidential staff, administrators (except for the President), and associate faculty received an automatic pass-through of the full 1.07% COLA as well as advancement on the salary schedule (step increase) effective July 1, 2024.

In her verbal comments, Julia said that the roof replacement work at the Del Norte Campus has been completed; however, the contractor is waiting for the skylight panels to arrive from the manufacturer before the skylight repair work can begin. Once the skylight panels arrive, the contractor will replace them and complete the work. Julia also remarked that we will have to publish a request for proposal to address the water damage to the Old Administrative Building and several buildings on the Del Norte Campus. It is anticipated that the recommendation to award for this work will be presented to the Board at the September 3, 2024 meeting.

Vice President of Instruction and Student Development (VPISD) Report: In her first written report as VPISD, Crystal noted that Katy Ferrier and Heidi Bareilles are serving twenty-two students in the June 24 - July 26, 2024 Summer Program. The students are living in the dorms on the Eureka Campus, attending program workshops, and taking college courses. She also wrote that Information Technology (IT) implemented Phase 1 of the Windows 11 transition project. In this initial phase, IT will upgrade the devices of Administrators, Management, and Confidential employees. This approach will allow CR's IT team an opportunity to address any potential issues before extending the upgrade to all other District-owned computers. 

In her verbal comments, Crystal mentioned that she, Dr. George Potamianos (Faculty/Curriculum Committee Chair), Jon Pace (Faculty /DEIA representative to Curriculum Committee), Nicole Bryant Lescher (Pathways Director), Tatiana Robinson (Curriculum Specialist), and Cameron Papp (Curriculum Specialist) will attend the 2024 Curriculum Institute on July 10-13 in Pasadena. The institute will explore collaborative strategies for implementation of current legislation, innovations in equitable curricular design and pedagogy, realignment of pathways for student success, and solutions they can take back to our local curriculum committee. Here is a link to the institute's agenda: 2024 Curriculum Institute | ASCCC.

Executive Director of College Advancement and the Foundation Report: Marty's written report noted that the CR Foundation & Athletics secured Blue Lake Casino & Hotel, Advanced Security, and Wahlund Construction as title sponsors for this year's CR Dinner & Auction. Marty also thanked Dean Jessica Howard for securing a $20,000 grant from the Humboldt Area Foundation to help defray travel expenses such as housing, food, and gas for Del Norte nursing students traveling to Humboldt for psychiatric rotations.