CHANCELLOR’S C-DIRECT
May 18, 2016
Dear Colleagues:
The fun of being Chancellor of a multi-college District is that there are many
opportunities to see students in action with a diversified set of opportunities. The
challenge, however, is that in May there are not enough nights in the month to visit all
the activities. Even when the Chief of Staff and I share the duties, we still miss some. A
highlighted activity this week is the open forums and final interviews for the finalists of
the BCC Presidency, which will take place this Wednesday, May 18. Please look over the
schedule published on our homepage last week for the time and location. In addition, I
have already initiated conversations with the Laney Senates and others, regarding the
search for Laney’s president early in the fall.
And Still We Dance
The Laney Theater and Dance program did it again. The faculty produced yet another
great performance with a great cast of students. The diversity of the performers was
excellent. In particular, there was a piece on the Underground Railroad and a tribute to
Harriet Tubman that was well done and moving. The theatrical, musical and dancing
combination pleased the audience. Kudos to the students, faculty and staff of the
Theater and Dance program for entertaining us.
Fred Blackwell
Mr. Blackwell is the CEO of the San Francisco Foundation. Ed McFarlan, Peralta Colleges
Foundation Board member, arranged for Fred and I to meet and exchange ideas about
our vision. The San Francisco Foundation is working on some of the same goals the
District is focusing on: Workforce development, social justice (elevating the poor) and
civic engagement. Peralta and the San Francisco Foundation have a lot in common to
mutually support each other.
Chancellor Cabinet
At the last Cabinet meeting we heard an Enrollment Management report from Dr. Mike
Orkin and some useful contributions from DAS President Cleavon Smith. Two activities
worth highlighting are: The funding for dual enrollment for the Colleges will not come
from the existing budgets, and community outreach will be undertaken by the Office of
the Chief of Staff and many others.
Part of the community outreach will include a concept called Super Sunday. It is very
promising and has much potential. The next Super Sunday will be held at Christ the
Light Cathedral in Oakland on May 22nd. If you would like to be involved, let us know.
We are looking to reach out to churches of any creed, religion, ethnicity or color that
will allow us to present to their congregation and/or set up a booth after church, or any
other way we can work with them to increase community enrollment in our Colleges.
Distance Education Committee Meeting
Professor Inger Stark, Chair of the Distance Education Committee, invited me to meet
with the Committee to dialog on some issues. The members gave me a good briefing on
the current state of support for online education, and the achievements they have made.
The Committee has accomplished much with limited support. It is important that the
appropriate support be provided to ease the faculty workload, and to ensure student
success; it seems that the District has not yet had this conversation. Now is a good time
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for us to start thinking about providing more support to DE. The Committee made
several requests, and I am working to make sure that they happen.
County Supervisor Nate Miley
Supervisor Miley hosted Trustee Handy and me for a
conversation on potential workforce development
cooperation between the District and the County.
Two of the most prominent activities we identified
are student/faculty/staff housing and workforce
training. The need for student housing is of great
interest to us. If the County includes housing for our
students and employees, it would bring to bear
larger support and cooperation between our District
and our government.
Meeting with John Loh
Mr. Loh, a local real estate developer, has spent most of his time in Oakland. We met to
discuss how the Chinese community can be of greater support to our Colleges. He is also
interested in using our infrastructure and connections to benefit our students and
community.
Governor’s Budget Update
Contributed by Vice Chancellor Ron Little
While details are still forthcoming, the Governor's “May Revise” Budget Proposal for
2016-17 looks much like his January proposal, which increased funding to K-12s and
community colleges by 4.7%, compared with last year's budget act. Most of the
proposed new funding comes to CCDs in the form of restricted resources. Here are the
substantive differences between the Governor's January Budget proposal and his May
Revise:
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Increase in Prop 98 base from $71.6 billion to $71.9 billion
Revised COLA from 0.49% to 0%
$75 million to fund a base increase of approx. 1% (ongoing)
Increase of $29.2 million to retire prior mandate claims (one-time)
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$70 million decrease in Deferred Maintenance/Instructional Equipment
allocation (one-time)
$4 million increase in Prop 39/Energy Efficiency Projects funding (one-time)
Enrollment growth funding for up to 2% remains consistent in both proposals. The next
steps in the process include an LAO analysis, review by the budget committees of each
house and final negotiations in Sacramento to reach a deal by June 30, 2016. VC Little
will provide an update to the PBC at its May 27 meeting and discuss potential impacts
to Peralta Colleges.
Presidents’ Meeting
We discussed online orientation and managing of student intakes for appointments and
services. These two tools could help us with our SSSP and Equity accountability. My
other meeting with the Presidents centered on closing the achievement gap. We have
made an effort in the District through the Office of Student Equity to work on the issue.
As we reflected more on the idea, I made it clear that closing the achievement gap is the
responsibility of the Colleges, led by the Presidents. Though the District Office can
provide assistance, the real work should and will happen at the Colleges. I asked the
Presidents how they feel about addressing this issue, and they each agreed that it is
something they are and should be charged with doing. So, the Presidents will work
collaboratively and individually to put in place the proper infrastructure to address the
issue of closing the achievement gap and will be accountable for the results. We will
shift the focus of the District support to strong coordination of enrollment management
and the support of innovation for recruitment and retention. A great deal of effort along
those lines will focus on equity and student success.
Peralta Student Council
The Peralta Student Council met last week. One of the exciting
agenda items was the potential collaboration with BART to serve
our students by providing them a possible pass to use the rail
system. Some work will be done over the summer by students
and administration to be ready for further discussion in the fall.
The earliest a rail system program could take place is the fall of
2017. Another topic of interest was a food bank. I provided some
feedback and committed our staff time and energy to deal with
this issue.
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Management Supervision Graduation
The Supervisory Management Program is based at Laney and is taught exclusively for
Alameda County employees who want to become supervisors. The 18-month program
recently completed its tenth year. The students, faculty and administrators gathered to
honor the graduates. As always, there was strong testimony of the life-saving and lifechanging effects of the program. The County administrator, as well as several members
of the County executive staff, were at the ceremony. The County not only covers the cost
of the Program, but also provides the participants with half a year of management
credit once they have graduated. It is a great model to emulate. As I prepare to host our
inaugural leadership academy, I take pride in what the Business Department at Laney
has done with and for the County.
Kim Glosson provide the above photo and more information on the Program :
Greeting Chancellor Laguerre,
As promised, I’ve attached a copy of Cluster 11 cohort with reference information (as
needed) for […] your weekly communication:
 Cluster 11 had twenty nine (29) cohort who completed the 14 months
Management and Supervision (M/SVN) certificate program
 Over 100 guests attended the graduation ceremony on Wednesday, May 11
 Guest speakers included PCCD Chancellor Jowel Laguerre, County Administrator
Susan
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 Muranishi, PCCD Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. Elñora Webb, Laney College
Interim President Patricia Stanley, and County of Alameda Human Resources
Director Kathy Mount
 Laney College faulty included Business and Economics Department Co-Chairs
Anna Beavers and Ron Jones and Instructors Dr. Hollis, Kim Glosson and Linda Chi
Regards, Kim
City of Alameda CEO Chamber and Chancellor Open Forum
As part of the process of introducing the Chancellor to the community, Trustees are
hosting conversations with CEOs throughout the region. Our first was in Alameda,
hosted by the Alameda Chamber of Commerce. Twenty-five individuals attended the
“conversation” representing important industries in Alameda. This is also an
opportunity to bring our community to us.
Stefanie Couch-CSUEB STEM Program
Ms. Couch is the CEO of the CSU-East Bay STEM program. We met before, but took time
this past week to have an in-depth conversation about her work and the District. The
goal of the consortium is to bring people together around STEM. We shared great ideas
and plans to move forward as we seek the faculty’s participation in the work. The
organization focuses on pre-K to 3 and K-5 and high school. The goal is to infuse
mathematics and science into the lives of the students and their families. There is great
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potential for college students’ engagement in the work. We plan to speak often about
the program and how Peralta can be involved.
Laney Technology Committee
You may recall that I took on the challenge of ensuring that Laney College has an
additional 200 classrooms equipped with the proper technology and to join the rest of
higher education in ensuring that faculty have adequate equipment and tools to deliver
21st Century education. Recently, I met with the Laney Technology Committee and had a
very fruitful conversation about moving in this direction. I renewed my pledge for the
classrooms to be converted into smart classrooms by fall 2018. The Laney Technology
Committee and others will refine their plan, and a few of us will meet to finalize the
plan to include funding. IT asked me if we could add four more classrooms in addition
to what Basic Skills are funding. We are exploring the possibility.
District Technology Committee
I met with the District Technology Committee to share some perspective on IT. I stated
that our Administration was supportive of helping faculty with any transition to a new
system. I shared some information about our future in relationship to the staffing of the
IT administration. The proposal I am bringing forth will not only include bringing us to
where our IT should be but also dedicated time to helping our employees transition to
full ownership of IT. I want to groom IT leaders from our current ranks. To do it well
will require time to prepare them for the future roles. I believe in our staff and I want
them to have the best to grow professionally to serve our students well.
Further Information from Meryl Siegal
Last week I reported on my meeting with Dr. Siegal. She provided further information
and clarification concerning our meeting:
[Regarding] ESL, I saw that the Chancellor, in a previous message to the PCCD
community, said he was interested in setting up a program to train teachers of English
from China at Laney College. I was interested in this because Kapiolani Community
College in Honolulu actually has this kind of program as well and I was familiar with
that program. The Chancellor said in our meeting that any training created would be
done in conjunction with the ESOL departments.
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Barbara Lee and Elihu Harris Lecture Series at Allen Temple (Women Foot Soldiers)
The MLK Freedom Center hosted their most recent
lecture at Allen Temple. I was able to attend, along with
several College personnel, including Drs. Riley and
Ambriz-Galaviz. The presentation dealt with the Civil
Rights movement and the Voting Rights Act. Great
audience and presentations.
Individual Professional Development
We have had a hard time attracting employees for some of our positions. The wave of
retirements that we are experiencing will not make it easier. However, I am very
pleased with the number of individuals with advanced degrees who have interacted
with me and expressed interest in expanding their professional opportunities to better
serve the District. This makes the planned PCCD Management Academy a whole lot
more fun to plan and deliver. Remember the call we put out for participants in the first
two academies? Please let Dr. Crawford or me know if you would like to participate by
Friday, May 20th.
Accreditation Report
Contributed by Dr. Annette Dambrosio
This week, the District will be hosting the first of four Accreditation “Brown Bags.” We
will begin with Merritt College tomorrow, Thursday, May 19, 12-1. District
Administrators will be joining me to respond to your questions regarding the District’s
work to date, pertaining to the eight ACCJC Recommendations. Most important to the
District’s responses, is that you ask us any critical questions regarding:
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The District’s audits (Recommendations 1 and 2)
TCO planning (Recommendation 3)
Integration of structures, roles, and responsibilities (HR, Facilities, IT, Fiscal) that
pertain to District planning (Recommendation 4)
Retention of key leadership and adequate staffing capacity regarding
Institutional Effectiveness and Leadership, Institutional Research, and Financial
Accountability and Management (Recommendation 5)
Delineation of functions: District and Colleges (Recommendation 6)
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Governing Board adherence to its appropriate role, and the Chancellor taking
responsibility and authority for areas assigned to District oversight
(Recommendation 7)
The District’s efforts to systematically evaluate the equitable distribution of
resources in support of effective operations of the Colleges (Recommendation 8).
Your PBC representative has copies of the District’s rough working drafts that were
distributed at the April PBC meeting if you wish to read what we have written to date.
Know, however, that the drafts are ever perfecting “living” documents that are shifting
their shape and content from day to day. What is central to our work, however, is that
we have adequately addressed the ACCJC Standards and have satisfactorily addressed
your pertinent concerns.
Subsequent Accreditation “Brown Bags” will be held at:
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Merritt College: May 19th, 12-1 pm, R112
Berkeley City College: May 24th, 12-1 pm, Room 226
College of Alameda: May 25th, 12-1 pm, Room L237
Laney College: May 26th, 11 am – 12 pm, 8th floor Conference Room (Rm. T-850)
In addition, there will be a BAM (Budget Allocation Model) Workshop with Vice
Chancellor Ron Little, May 26th, 12–1 pm at Laney College, 8th floor Conference Room
(Rm. T-850)
The annual PBIM Survey was sent out on May 12 by V.C. Orkin and myself. We need for
you to respond to this online Survey Monkey if you are a representative who serves on
one of the PCCD PBIM Committees, i.e., the District Education Committee (DEC), the
District Technology Committee (DTC), the District Facilities’ Committee (DFC), and/or
the Planning and Budgeting Committee (PBC). While your responses are very important
to our Accreditation work, the District wants to know how the PBIM process is
functioning at PCCD and your critique is central to our efforts to continually evaluate
the shared governance model (PBIM). We are especially interested in your critical ideas
for improvement.
The next two weeks are especially busy for Accreditation work, and I urge you to get
involved in the Accreditation dialogue, particularly those of you who might be taking a
break from academic work for the next few months.
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As always, I invite anyone to contact me with questions, huzzahs or criticisms
pertaining to Accreditation. My email: adambrosio@peralta.edu.
Commencement Dates
We look forward to your participation in as many of them as possible:
May 21
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
African-American Graduation
Merritt College Graduation
BCC Graduation
COA Graduation
Laney College Graduation
Jowel C. Laguerre, Ph.D.
Chancellor
On Friday we celebrate Malcolm X Day. We feature the following quotes from the
freedom fighter himself:
“Education is the passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it
today.”
“There is no better than adversity. Every defeat, every heartbreak, every loss, contains its
own seed, its own lesson on how to improve your performance the next time.”
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