Message from the President

Dear SDCCE Community,

I want to acknowledge Chancellor Smith’s message regarding the recent incidents in Mexico, including the cartel-related violence and shelter-in-place orders being reported across the country. These events are especially close to home for many within our SDCCE community, and we recognize the emotional impact they may have on our students, employees, and their families.

At SDCCE, we remain deeply committed to supporting our students—particularly those who commute from border communities or who have loved ones directly affected. I encourage each of us to continue extending flexibility, compassion, and understanding as students navigate personal and family concerns during this time. Small acts of grace can make a meaningful difference in helping our students feel supported and valued.

We also want to remind our community of available support resources:

• Employee Assistance Program (EAP): Available to employees experiencing stress, anxiety, or safety concerns. Please consider utilizing the district's Employee Assistance Plan (EAP) if you need support navigating through this time.
• Be Well CCE: Our mental health program offers counseling services, student support groups, and referrals to community providers. For assistance, contact: bewellsdcce@sdccd.edu
• Immigrant Student Success Program (ISSP): Provides culturally responsive guidance and resources. Contact: sdcceimmigrantsupport@sdccd.edu.

During moments like these, our strength is reflected in the empathy and care we extend to one another. Thank you for your continued commitment to fostering a safe, inclusive, and supportive environment for all members of our community.

Enrollment Updates

Spring Update

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for spring stands at 25,582 (7% less than this time last year, and a 1% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 70%, which is greater than last spring (76%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 13,575, a decrease of 7% compared to this time last spring (14,535) and a 0.4% increase from last week (13,524). FTEF scheduled for the spring semester is 9% greater than last spring (194.59 to 211.39). View the enrollment report.

Help Name the New Mid-City Campus Building

With the passage of Measure HH, a $3.5 billion bond, the District is investing in significant projects across its campuses. One of these projects is a new Mid-City Campus Building, located at 5322 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego’s Mid-City community. This building will support the continued growth and mission of SDCCE by expanding access to education, workforce training, and community services.

We invite students, employees, and community members to help shape this campus by suggesting a name for the new building. Your recommendation should reflect the values, history, and future of SDCCE and the community it serves.

Please submit suggestions before February 27, 2026.

This week, I also want to pause to honor the life and legacy of Jesse Jackson—a tireless advocate for equity, access, and educational opportunity. His visited the Educational Cultural Complex Theatre in 1987, leaving a lasting impression on our San Diego College of Continuing Education community, reminding us that education is one of the most powerful tools for advancing justice and expanding opportunity. His words continue to resonate across our campuses, reinforcing our commitment to open doors, uplift every learner, and ensure that opportunity is accessible to all.

Last week, the San Diego Community College District Town Hall, facilitated by Chancellor Smith, brought our community together for a meaningful and impactful conversations.

The event featured engaging panel discussions highlighting programs and support services that uplift Black students, updates on the Black Serving Institution (BSI) state designation for San Diego City College and San Diego Mesa College, and a powerful video showcasing the All-African Diaspora Education Summit (ADES) Conference in Ghana. Together, these moments reinforced the District’s continued commitment to student success, representation, and global connection.

A special thank you to VPSS Shakerra Carter and Dr. Terry Sivers for representing SDCCE and sharing the work we are doing to support our Black students during this critical time.

Black History Month Calendar of Events

Join us for additional events to celebrate Black History Month with Be Well CCE and the Black Student Success Program. A2MEND Signature Event: Elevate Your Voice
Wednesday, February 25 | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | Mid-City Campus, Room 117
Audience: Students, Faculty & Staff, Community

Join the LGBTQIA+ Student Success Program and BeWell CCE for Strengthening Healthy Relationships at the West City Campus on Tuesday, February 24 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Topics include:

• Prevention of relationship and sexual violence
• Engage in discussions about boundaries, consent, respect
• Recognize unhealthy relationship patterns

Lunch will be provided. Contact Dr. Lisa Carulli at lcarulli@sdccd.edu or (619)388-5874

Join us at Mid-City for “Gather”, a guided space for ESL instructors to connect, share, and unwind with coloring, facilitated by Sarah Boswell and Be Well CCE.

• When: Wednesday, March 18 | 12:30–1:30 PM
• Where: Mid-City, Room 217

Additional dates are available if you can’t attend. The next sessions will run from 12:30-1:30 PM on the following dates:

• Thursday, April 16
• Thursday, May 21

Come relax, connect, and recharge with us!

For assistance, contact: bewellsdcce@sdccd.edu

New resources are available through SDAdvance (Noncredit and Credit Alignment) to help SDCCE students transition to City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges and reach their academic and career goals.

The next workshop is Thursday, February 26, with sessions from 11:00 AM–12:00 PM and 4:00–5:00 PM.

SDAdvance Services include:

• Credit by Exam (CBE) support
• Guidance for transitioning to City, Mesa, and Miramar Colleges
• Educational planning and counseling
• Promise Scholarship information
• Steps to apply to community college
• Weekly virtual student workshops open to all SDCCE students

For questions, contact SDAdvance Counselor, Armando Carignan at acarignan@sdccd.edu.

The redesigned sdcce.edu website is now live! As you may recall, updating our website was identified as a presidential priority in 2022 alongside the launch of our Marketing and Branding campaign. With the completion of this redesign, we have now fully brought our Marketing and Branding strategy to life. Featuring improved navigation, mobile-friendly design, enhanced accessibility, and streamlined program pages, the site consolidates nearly 8,000 pages into a more focused, student-centered experience.

Led by our PIO Brenna Leon Sandeford with contributions from Richie McGirr, Tiara Sanders, Michael Escalona, campus partners, KWALL, and District teams, the site will continue to be refined with feedback.

Visit the new site to explore its updated design and functionality, and check the FAQ Document for common questions.

This week, SDCCE clothing and textiles students are showcasing their creativity at the Textile Recovery Summit from February 23–25, 2026 at the Gaylord Pacific Resort &Convention Center, with a Special Art Exhibit. They’ve transformed ordinary donated textiles into innovative, purposeful designs through the support of Goodwill San Diego. Winners will be announced during the closing plenary at the Summit. Let's cheer our students on!

In support of the DEIAA Committee’s mission to advance inclusive learning and meaningful dialogue, the Spring 2026 Diversity Book Club will meet on the following dates:

• February 26 – Chavez Campus
• March 18 – Zoom
• May 21 – ECC

Participants who attend all three sessions and complete the reading will earn 10 hours of flex credit. Professor Ross will also present in person on March 18 at the Chavez Campus, and book club participants are encouraged to attend. Registration is available through the Spring 2026 DEIAA Book Club form.

Please join us in welcoming Loretta Ross to SDCCE on Wednesday, March 18, from 10:00 to 11:30 a.m. at the Cesar Chavez Campus, Multipurpose Room. Sponsored by the SDCCE Professional Development Department in collaboration with the San Diego Community College District Professional Development Office, this special event offers employees an opportunity to engage with a nationally recognized human rights advocate, speaker, and author of Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You'd Rather Cancel.

SDCCE employees have advance registration access through Tuesday, February 24, before registration opens districtwide. Reserve your spot by registering through the event RSVP link.

Join us for ALICE (Alert. Lockdown. Inform. Counter. Evacuate.), a comprehensive active shooter and safety preparedness training designed to equip participants with practical strategies for responding to critical incidents. Led by trained SDCCD Police Officers, this session combines an informative lecture presentation with hands-on drills and real-life scenarios to build awareness, confidence, and readiness.

• February 27, 2026
• 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Cesar Chavez Campus – Multipurpose Room

A minimum of 15 attendees is required to run the training.

Register Here

Join us for a CPR & AED Awareness Course designed to provide a foundational understanding of what cardiac arrest is and what it isn’t along with insight into other life-threatening medical emergencies. This hands-only CPR training includes practice on mannequins and an introduction to using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The session is led by Nate Balch from the San Diego Project Heart Beat Training Center.

• March 9, 2026
• 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
• Cesar Chavez Campus – Multipurpose Room

Gain the knowledge and confidence to respond in an emergency and help create a safer community.

Register Here

Additional training opportunities are available on the safety training page.

ICE Protocol Event

As we continue our commitment to campus safety, we invite you to attend an upcoming ICE Protocol Q&A Session at our Mid-City Campus on Tuesday, February 24, from 1:00–3:00 p.m.

This session is intended to provide clarity, address questions, and support our campus community through open dialogue and shared understanding after a successful session at Spring Institution Day. We encourage all employees to attend and participate.

To ensure a thoughtful and productive discussion—and to allow us to address as many questions as possible within the allotted time—we are asking participants to submit questions in advance by February 17. Questions submitted ahead of time will be given priority, and any remaining time will be reserved for live questions during the session.

We are also pleased to share that Ljubiša Kostić, General Counsel, will be joining us again to help address legal and procedural questions.

Dr. Tami Foy, CEO/Executive Director of the SDCCE Foundation, recently joined KUSI News to share her inspiring leadership journey and spotlight the Foundation’s mission to support San Diego College of Continuing Education students. She also gave viewers an exciting preview of the upcoming Hoop Hysteria event!

Hoop Hysteria

Join the SDCCE Foundation for a full day of non-stop basketball to support our students' basic needs. Teams will compete in this exciting fundraiser that brings our community together for a great cause!

The event will take place on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson YMCA.

Volunteer at the event: We’ll need friendly faces to help with check‑in, guest support, activity stations, and more. Just a few hours of your time makes a huge difference.

Make a donation: Every contribution matters — truly. Even $5 helps expand the Basic Needs support that our students rely on. Click on the link to donate: Donate

Show up and cheer: Bring your energy to the stands! Invite family, bring friends — let’s pack the gym and show our students and community what SDCCE spirit looks like.

Your involvement, in any form, helps ensure that every SDCCE student has the support they need to stay on their educational journey.

For more information on how to support, visit the Hoop Hysteria website.

On February 24th, our college will take part in an Accessibility Capability Maturity Model (ACMM) visit in partnership with the District and the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office Accessibility Center. This important engagement will help us strengthen our institutional accessibility strategy, assess our current capacity, and intentionally plan for the April 2026 ADA Title II compliance deadline.

Thank you to the many college stakeholders who will be participating. Your insight and collaboration are essential as we establish our district’s baseline and continue advancing this critical work to ensure equitable access for all.

ECC Theatre Renovation

The ECC Theatre Renovation continues to make progress!

Visit the project webpage to learn more and stay up to date with the progress via livestream.

Thank you to our Theatre Director, Silvia Nogales, for playing a pivotal role in the theatre renovation and for keeping us informed on its progress. You can now follow the theatre on Facebook and Instagram @Educational Cultural Complex Theatre & Community Room.

Bond Projects Update

The current Measure HH Bond projects for our college continue to make progress. We have also developed a current projects page with updates on each project and the SDCCD Measure HH webpage has further updates.

Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging (SIB) Task Force Updates

The Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging (SIB) Task Force meets monthly to further our conversations on continuing to implement proactive strategies for tracking students who are facing immigration challenges, as well as the importance of reporting any sightings of ICE on campus to the Chancellor or District General Counsel. Reports of ICE near campus (off campus) should first be directed to the COS, who, in collaboration with the Deans, will take appropriate and informed next steps to address the situation.

We have a dedicated webpage with Know Your Rights Information, District protocols, resources, and more curated by our Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging Task Force.

Please take a moment to review the safety cards for navigating ICE incidents on campus. These resources are designed to guide employees on the steps for reporting.

Additionally, new posters and stickers were passed out at Institution Day along with the emergency whistles. If you would like these resources, please contact us. We still have posters and whistles available for those who did not receive one.

Last week, SDCCE successfully submitted its Fall 2025 MIS VAR data to the District. District Student Services and Information Technology will now proceed with the required submission to the state in alignment with established timelines.

This milestone reflects the coordinated efforts of our managers and their teams across departments. Special recognition is also extended to Aly Pascua from the Research team, whose exceptional work and cross-departmental collaboration ensured the data were accurately collected and submitted on time.

• Visit the Administrative Services Intranet to access campus safety resources and stay informed with the latest updates.
• Access the latest issue of our ESL Newsletter, highlighting student achievements, program updates, and resources that support our English language learners.
• A reminder that all requests of the Communications Department must be approved by a dean or vice president and requires submission of a request form. You can find the Project Request Form link on the Faculty and Staff Resources Page of our website. Allow ten working days for a request to be completed. If a request needs immediate attention, please complete the form and contact the Public Information Officer.
• For SDCCE professional development opportunities, visit the professional development web page for upcoming workshops.

President's Updates

• I’m deeply honored to be recognized by the San Diego Business Journal as a 2026 Black Leader of Influence alongside my district colleagues. This distinction celebrates influential Black leaders whose contributions and commitment make a lasting impact in our community. I’m grateful to be acknowledged at this special event and featured in the publication, co-hosted by San Diego Business Journal, U.S. Bank, and the San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce.

The Research Corner

This week, we invite you to check out the Awards Dashboard for our institution that looks at the program certificates and course certificates awarded to students in the last 5 years and has been updated to include data up to 2024/25. This dashboard allows user to break down the data by Term, Academic Year, and even different types of demographics such as Gender, Ethnicity, Age Group, among many others. The Awards Dashboard may be found on the following link: Awards Dashboard. Please take a minute to review this resource and email jsalcedo001@sdccd.edu if you have any questions.