November 13, 2024

October was filled with midterm exams, community-wide events, activities and celebrations across the District. From the LumaFest on the Petaluma Campus to the Shone Farm Fall Festival, it was wonderful to see the SRJC community come together for learning and building community. In this District Monthly Update, you will learn more about some of the incredible activities and accomplishments that are in service to students and our mission.  

With only a few weeks left in the Fall 2024 semester, students are working hard to finish  their courses successfully to achieve their academic and career goals. I see them studying in the library, the Intercultural Centers, throughout communal spaces in Bertolini, and in classrooms throughout our sites. October is often the time when students engage in re-connecting with their faculty and seek support services throughout.

For October, I want to share a couple of updates aligned with our priorities:

• IDEAA – Operational Assessment & Change: VP HR Recruitment: After a long and extensive recruitment process, the screening committee for the Vice President, Human Resources recruitment held first round interviews and recommended to forward two finalists to participate in college-wide forums and finalist interviews. The recorded forums were held on October 28th and October 29th and the college community had until November 7th to submit feedback. The finalist interviews will occur on November 13th with the goal of providing a recommendation to the Board of Trustees during their December board meeting.  I am grateful for all the work of the screening committee in this process and to the college community for their participation and for providing thoughtful and meaningful feedback on the finalists.  
   
• Institutional Effectiveness – Strategic Planning: On October 21st, the Planning and Budget Council supported the recommendation to establish a Strategic Plan Actions Workgroup. The Workgroup is charged with recommending short-term and long-term Actions to achieve our Initiatives and Goals. The Workgroup, which includes all members from the District Education Plan workgroup, representatives from Student Services, Finance and Administration, as well as Human Resources, began meeting to outline next steps for the development of action items. The team has also updated the Strategic Planning website where you can find the latest information and resources on the Strategic Planning Process for 2023-2028. The trustees had an overview presentation of SRJC’s strategic planning process and next steps during their November 12th board meeting.

I recognize that many of us are feeling the tension brought about by the recent U.S. elections. As I stated in my November 7th message, in the weeks and months ahead, we will continue to provide timely and transparent information to support students and employees. Shortly after this communication, I will share a District wide communication regarding our Post-Elections Response and Communications efforts.

These updates reflect our collective commitment to advancing SRJC’s mission, vision, and values and my commitment to providing timely and transparent communication. I am grateful to be in community with all of you as do this work together.

 

• LumaFest: The SRJC Petaluma campus was alive with excitement as over 500 guests gathered to celebrate the educational open house and El Día de los Muertos at LumaFest on Saturday, October 19th. SRJC's commitment to education and cultural enrichment was at the forefront of the day. The event showcased the diverse programs and opportunities available at SRJC Petaluma, with special highlights including performances by a local youth mariachi band and hands-on carpentry demonstrations by Construction Training Center students. Attendees also enjoyed an array of local vendors, adding to the festive atmosphere with delicious food and engaging booths. This family-friendly event celebrated both community and culture, with vibrant performances from Ballet Folklórico and Danza Azteca and the showcase of traditional altars in the El Día art gallery. Guests also admired the craftsmanship of classic-themed cars.
  

• Additional Events:
  • Presented at Santa Rosa Metro Chamber Advocacy Council on SRJC’s goals and priorities for the college and opportunities around workforce development and community partnerships and California Retired Teachers Association on Lifelong Learning at SRJC.
  • Participated in the Education Day at Leadership Santa Rosa as a panelist on Leadership in Sonoma County Education.
  • Hosted the Construction Training Center ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 11, 2024 at SRJC Petaluma.
  • Held a “Pop-up with the President” on the Petaluma campus.
  • Attended Association of Community Colleges Trustees (ACCT) Leadership Congress with Trustees – the largest professional development opportunity for over 1,500 community college trustees and presidents, as well as leaders from philanthropic organizations, government agencies, and other national non-profits.
  • Attended the Equity-Minded Leadership Searches for Community Colleges Institute to learn about equity-minded practices in board policy and administrative procedures on institutional hiring practices. Our SRJC team included Trustee Maggie Fishman, Classified Senate President Linda Jay, Academic Senate President John Stover, HR Technician Jenne Arden, and me as the Superintendent/President. SRJC was one of five community colleges selected to participate in this institute.

 

• The Construction Training Center in Petaluma hosted 30 high school students from Roseland Collegiate Prep for a 2-hour tour and activity day on October 23rd. These students are taking a construction class at Roseland Collegiate Prep and were excited about the prospect of pursuing college at SRJC.
  
• The Associate Degree Nursing (ADN) program has been awarded $312,735 for 2024-2026 from the Chancellor's Nursing Enrollment Growth and Retention Grant. This is the 15th year SRJC ADN has received this grant, and the amount represents a 39% increase in funding year-over-year to continue to graduate excellent registered nurses, ready for practice in our Sonoma County Community.
• Bear Cubs finished 3rd at the North Regional Dual Team Championship. The Bear Cub Wrestling Team traveled to Modesto Junior College on October 19th and took home the third-place team trophy after defeating the #4 ranked team in the state for the consolation finals match.
  

 

• The Student Outreach Team held its annual High School Counselor Conference on October 4th at Shone Farm. Over 100+ counselors from across Sonoma County and community partners including Sonoma County Office of Education, 10,000 Degrees, Sonoma State University, and California Mini Corps were in attendance to hear updates on SRJC programs and departments.  Attendees enjoyed lunch overlooking the Shone Farm scenery, toured the facilities, browsed through the resource fair and finished the day with an educational wine tasting session from our Wine Studies department.  A special thanks to the Doyle Trustees for co-funding this event and presenting the support students receive from the Doyle Trust.
   
• Santa Rosa Junior College was selected as one of ten California Community Colleges to participate in the Hire Up pilot program with a one-time grant of $2.64M. SRJC launched the program in the Spring of 2024 with an initial cohort of 31 students who received $236,170. This year, 40 students were awarded $346,120 for the Fall semester. This pilot program provides stipends to formerly incarcerated students, former foster youth, and CalWORKs recipients to help them meet the cost of college attendance. Over the 3.5-year funding period, students who receive these stipends, and the built-in support from the Rising Scholars Network, Bear Cub Scholars/NextUp, and CalWORKs programs, will demonstrate certificate or degree attainment, transfer to a four-year school, or gain employment. The 2026-2027 academic year will be the final year for awarding and disbursing funds to students. SRJC was selected by the Chancellor’s office to participate in a promotional video on how we implemented the Hire UP grant. Watch the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UNPXj3aoMCs

   

• Capital and Facilities Projects October Update: We provided an update on the Projects to the Board of Trustees.
   
• The Banner Student Information System implementation continues to move along. The various modules are deep in the design process, and we are now developing a training plan for the District. A recommendation to award that contract is being brought to the November Board meeting for approval and we will begin to work with the responsible areas on next steps. The project is slated to go live in the Summer of 2025.  

 

• The Human Resources Technicians prepared and presented to the Management Team the current hiring procedures for the Management Team and Classified Professionals. Topics included pre-recruitment flow chart; Classified and Management hiring procedures; references, job offers, and onboarding; ideal timelines; recruitment delays; and equity in hiring.  As a department, we have been working on this process to create a streamlined, efficient, and effective process that aligns with our District goals and values.
   
• The Courageous Leaders Academy Year 3 cohort launched on October 25th. Thirty-seven participants registered for this year’s cohort will receive coaching, mentorship, and tangible tools to support them in cultivating a shared vision and commitment to kinship, anti-racism, equity, diversity, and inclusivity while promoting cultural change at all levels of the District to foster student success and employee retention.

 

• The Foundation held a Board Retreat on October 3rd to learn more about the planned giving offerings of the Foundation. It was a great way for new Board members to meet their colleagues. We also welcomed our new Student Director Anthony Spinozzi, and our new Student Philanthropy intern, Elizabeth Macias Lopez.
   
• We recently received word that the SRJC Foundation will be the recipient of a $3 million scholarship donation from the estate of a deceased alumnus
   
• The Foundation partnered with campus colleagues to participate in the October 11 ribbon-cutting for the Construction Training Center, and the October 12th Fall Festival at Shone Farm. We are currently working with the Friends of Petaluma to produce a fundraising event for the Petaluma campus and the Construction Training Center on Saturday, April 26, 2025, from 4 pm-7 pm.     
   

• IERP submitted our ACCJC Follow-Up report in response to the ACCJC January 16th Action Letter. The draft report was shared with the President’s Cabinet, the Academic Senate, the Student Government Assembly, the Planning and Budget Council, and the Accreditation Oversight Committee. The Board of Trustees approved the submission of the ACCJC Follow-Up on October 8th. Addressing our accreditation requirement was a successful collaboration between Academic Affairs, Academic Senate, AFA, and IERP.   

 

In Community,
Dr. Garcia
Superintendent/President