Dear SDCCE Community,

Thank you to all who joined us for the Third Annual Budget and Enrollment Management Symposium. Not only did we have in-person attendance at the Educational Cultural Complex, we had a large number of attendees online.

Your engagement in this event highlights your dedication to advancing our college, particularly in the areas of budget management and enrollment efforts.

During the symposium, myself and Vice Presidents Carter, Omae, Sabanos, had the opportunity to dive deep into college funding. We provided updates on resource allocations, enrollment trends, and the college reorganization and staffing.

A new feature this year was the chance to hear directly from our categorical budget managers. I would like to express my sincere gratitude to our deans and managers for sharing valuable insights on the various budgets and funding streams that support our college. These important updates are key to shaping our college's future as we move forward together. Our collective understanding of the current state of the college’s budget and enrollment, along with the advocacy of every member of our community, are crucial as we navigate these times in higher education.

Enrollment Updates

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for spring stands at 28,278 (3% more than this time last year, and a 2% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 76%, which is greater than last spring (67%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 14,733 a decrease of 1% compared to this time last spring (14,909) and a 1% increase from last week (14,535). FTEF scheduled for the spring semester is 3% greater than last spring (189.85 to 194.61). View report.

As we transition into Women’s History Month, we continue to recognize and honor the incredible women who have made history and broken barriers within minority communities. Their resilience, achievements, and contributions have paved the way for future generations.

This month, we have an exciting lineup of events designed to educate, inspire, and bring our community together. So, buckle up and get ready to immerse yourself in meaningful discussions, engaging activities, and new connections. Stay tuned for what’s ahead!

March is Brain Injury Awareness Month!

Join SDCCE's Team ABI 2025!

We're proud to participate in the SurviveHEADSTRONG Walk & Health Fair, supporting brain injury awareness and recovery. For the second year in a row, I am proud to sponsor students for this event—let’s walk and roll together for a great cause!

Employees can donate & register with Team ABI: sdbif.org/teamabi

Thank you to Counselor and ABI Program Coordinator, Brandi Bass, and Dean of DSPS and Emeritus, Dr. Vangie Akridge, for their leadership and support of Team ABI this year.

Black History Month may have ended, but the celebration of Black excellence never stops—history is made every day! We loved bringing students and the community together to honor our culture, share knowledge through powerful presentations, and have fun with Black History Bingo. Let’s keep the momentum going all year long!

Additionally, to close out Black History Month students in the Black Student Success Program and A2MEND Charter came together over delicious BBQ (thanks to Mimi), celebrated six outstanding students heading to this year’s A2MEND Summit, and tested Black History knowledge with a fun round of Black Jeopardy. Most importantly, Zuri Williams and Sarah Boswell were recognized for their incredible dedication to our students. It was an evening filled with community, culture, and celebration.

ACLU, "Know Your Rights" trainings are available to all College of Continuing Education students, employees, and community members. Sessions are virtual in both English and Spanish. Registration is now open for the ACLU Know Your Rights trainings .

Join us for CE Days where current students and community can explore exciting opportunities for affordable education.

Event Dates & Locations:

• March 4 | 10 AM – 1 PM | ECC Campus
• March 6 | 10 AM – 1 PM | Mid-City Campus

Learn About:

• Affordable pathways to community college
• San Diego Promise – 2 years of free tuition
• Earn up to 30 free college credits through credit-by-exam

Help spread the word and invite the community to this valuable event!

SDCCE now offers tutoring and study space for students at the ECC and Mid-City campuses!

Please be advised, tutoring courses are not listed in the schedule or the online scheduling tool. Students must come to the TLC at ECC in room 76 or visit room 317 at MCC during tutoring hours listed below to enroll. For questions or to schedule a in-class presentation (online or in-person) or field trip for your class to the tutoring center, please contact the faculty Tutoring Coordinator, Dr. Lollis, at klollis@sdccd.edu.

Please encourage students to enroll in tutoring this Friday 8 am to 1 pm at MCC, room 317. Outreach Student Success Specialists will be available to help students enroll for tutoring at MCC.

Course: ABED 445
CRN: 85664 (ECC)
ECC- Room 76
Mon & Wed 12 to 6 pm
The following Fridays 8 am to 1 pm:
March 7th & 21st
April 18th
May 2nd, 16th, & 30th

Course: ABED 445
CRN: 85665 (Mid City)
MCC - Room 317
Tue & Thur 12:30 to 5:30 PM
The following Fridays 8 am to 1 pm:
March 14th & 28th
April 11th & 25th
May 9th & 23rd

30-Day Gratitude Challenge!

As we continue our college-wide theme of Be Well this spring, we invite you to participate in the Gratitude Challenge brought to you by our Professional Development Department.

We have 4 days left of our gratitude challenge. Thank you to everyone who has participated and shared your experiences! Today's prompt is " Write a thank you note to a colleague"

Some of your colleagues shared the following this week:

"I am grateful to be able to serve students and the community in meaningful ways."

"I like making a gratitude list. I am reminded there is so much support and privilege that envelops me."

"I have forced myself to take a few moments to breathe, think, and dwell on gratitude. I also use the opportunity to do a few box breathing rounds. :)"

Congratulations to the following Gratitude Challenge participants who will be receiving prizes:

• Andrea Sperling
• Isabella Andrzejczyk
• Elizabeth Bingham
• Blanca Estrada
• Marina Monta
• Aimeer Serrano
• Ming Dreah Stratton

If you would like to enter into the opportunity drawings for participating in the 30-Day Gratitude Challenge, please use this form to submit for every day of the challenge you complete: https://forms.office.com/r/R9jqSYQ5cf. There are individual prizes, along with a wellness afternoon for the campus with the most participation. (Chavez is currently in the lead!)

The Classified Professionals Equity Certification Program 1.0 (CPEC 1.0) is a professional development series designed to empower Classified Professionals by providing the knowledge, skills, and abilities to engage in and lead equity work across our campuses.

This is a great opportunity for Classified Professionals to grow as equity-minded leaders and make a meaningful impact on our campus community.

Program Details:
Start Date: Friday, March 14th (Welcome & Orientation at the Cesar Chavez Campus)
Format: Five 90-minute sessions (1 in-person, 4 virtual) + an in-person celebration upon completion
Additional Components: Independent reading, cohort discussions, and collaboration with an equity partner

To learn more and apply, please complete this form by the end of the day Friday, March 7th (extended deadline).

Join us for Open Education & AccessAbility Professional Development this March!

SDCCD's Open Education Week

Monday, March 3 through Friday, March 7

• A week of inspiring webinars, interactive sessions, and expert insights on Open Educational Resources (OER)
• To register for the Zoom sessions, visit http://www.tinyurl.com/OpenEdWeek
• CE Flex is available for these sessions.

SDICCA AccessAbility Week

Monday, March 10 through Friday, March 16

• As listed on the event website, "Accessibility is not just an obligation; it’s a shared responsibility—one that each of us plays a crucial role in fulfilling.
• By participating in this week of learning and collaboration, you’ll gain practical skills, inspiration, and actionable steps to make our collective goal a reality: a learning environment where every student and employee, regardless of ability, can thrive."
• To learn more about the sessions and register for Zoom links, please visit SDICCA AccessAbility Week Sessions and Registrations
• CE Flex is available for these sessions.

Check out the upcoming Be Well CCE support group opportunities to boost your well-being this semester!Be Well CCE

Life in Living Color (LGBTQIA+)

Come join our bilingual support group twice a month to meet others, discuss relevant topics, and learn about resources for LGBTQIA+ students.
This group meets *BI-WEEKLY* on Mondays in person at the Cesar Chavez campus in room 205 or via Zoom.
Dates: 3/17/25, 4/7/25, 4/21/25, 5/5/25, 5/19/25, 6/2/25, 6/16/25
Meeting ID: 867 6916 7653
https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/86769167653

Real Relations Support Group

BeWell CCE wants to support you and your goals as you navigate the various interpersonal relationships in life. Some of the topics are included but not limited to: Communication, Boundaries, Self-Esteem, Core Beliefs/Values, Healthy/Unhealthy Relationship Traits, Positive Parenting/Discipline techniques and more.
The last Monday of the month is students only at 12:30 p.m.
Dates: 3/24/25, 4/28/25, 5/19/25, 6/23/25
Meeting ID: 847 4447 3305
https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/84744473305

Weekly Student Support Group

“This Thing Called Life” is hosted on Wednesdays for students only at 12:30 p.m.
Meeting ID: 884 0608 7923
https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/88406087923

Weekly Employee Support Group

“Think it Through Thursdays” is hosted on Thursdays for employees only at 12:30 p.m.
Flex Credit Available
Meeting ID: 879 8336 9490
https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/87983369490

The Chancellor's Spring Forum will take place on Wednesday, March 5 at the Educational Cultural Complex in Room 169 at 3:00 p.m. This is a great opportunity to engage directly with the Chancellor on topics that matter to you and contribute ideas to help shape the future of our District. You can also submit questions in advance.

Everyone is welcome to join and light refreshments will be provided.

Can't make it in person? Watch via Zoom at sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/86017591489

We recently hosted the final visit for the Institutional Effectiveness and Partnership Initiative (IEPI), a California Community Colleges initiative to enhance operational effectiveness. We are making significant progress in advancing professional development and communication for all SDCCE employees. This initiative is also playing a key role in shaping the foundation of our Professional Development strategic plan. A heartfelt thank you to our SDCCE team members and IEPI visiting team for their invaluable support throughout this process!

The Educational Cultural Complex Theatre Renovation webpage is officially live! Stay informed on the latest renovation updates and key milestones as the project progresses. This will be your go-to resource for all things related to the theatre renovation.

Congratulations to Counselor/Coach Jessica, Coach Jenny, and Team Muni on another outstanding basketball season! The team is headed to the playoffs/championship, and I’m proud to sponsor them again this year in service to the community and their bright futures!

SDCCE has been honored with the 2025 RP Group Outstanding Project Award for the project titled, "Crossing Borders, Bridging Identities: Empowering Binational Students at the US–Mexico Border."

A huge congratulations to the following team members:

• Jesus Rivas, Associate Dean, Research, Planning, and Innovation
• Semei Coronado Ramirez, Research Associate
• Jessica Luedtke, Dean, Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness
• Shakerra Carter, VP, Student Services

This award recognizes their unwavering dedication to supporting binational students and advancing educational equity. Thank you all for your hard work and commitment!

The Tech Hub and Tutoring & Learning Center (TLC) hosted a workshop on Wednesday, February 26 on Understanding Single Sign-On (SSO) to help students access their classes, portal, and SDCCE accounts. Huge thanks to Letrent Catchings for leading this valuable session!

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.

For SDCCE swag and merch visit the online store and start shopping today!

Faculty Spotlight

This week, I am thrilled to spotlight faculty member, Carla Grossini-Concha. Carla serves as our Flex and Professional Development Coordinator, where she plays a pivotal role in leading college-wide professional development initiatives for all employees. With a crucial focus on DEIAA2, Carla ensures that every opportunity is thoughtfully designed to foster an inclusive and supportive environment.

From Convocation, Spring Institution Day, and IEPI, to the Gratitude Challenge, conference opportunities, and weekly offerings, Carla goes above and beyond to bring incredible opportunities to our employees. Thank you Carla, we are fortunate to have you at SDCCE!

President's Updates

This Black History Month, I had the opportunity to join CBS 8 reporter Keristen Holmes, Gaidi Finnie, and Mitchy Slick to discuss how the arts, music, and education play a vital role in the foundation of the Black community right here in San Diego.

It was an incredible honor to be recognized as a recipient of the 2025 Black Leader of Influence award by the San Diego Business Journal and the County of San Diego Black Chamber of Commerce. Being in the company of so many distinguished leaders who are making a profound impact in our community is truly humbling. This recognition reflects not only individual efforts but also the collective strength of the Black community and the ongoing work to create positive change.

I had the honor of throwing the first pitch at the Southeastern Little League Youth Baseball Organization’s Opening Day Ceremony. For decades, this organization has been dedicated to serving the community and providing children with access to little league baseball. A special thank you to Dwayne Hill and the entire organization for inviting me to be part of this memorable event and for the thoughtful gift of a custom-made letterman jacket, recognizing the college's commitment to the community.

The Research Corner

This week, we invite you to explore the report In Students' Own Words: The African American Transfer Tipping Point. This report from the RP Group examines the pathway of African American Students in their college journey to see what are the reasons that these group of students are failing to meet the requirements to transfer to a university. The report identifies key elements that help understand how to better help these students to complete their journey from a California community college to a four year university. You can read the full article at the following link: In Students' Own Words: The African American Transfer Tipping Point. Please take a minute to review this resource and email jsalcedo001@sdccd.edu if you have any questions.

Walk with the President / President's Office Hours

This semester, I'm excited to offer a new opportunity to Walk with the President! If you’d rather take a stroll around the Educational Cultural Complex instead of a Zoom meeting, join me for a refreshing walk as we continue to prioritize wellness this spring. Don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes.

Individual walks or zoom meetings will be 20 minutes and are available on a first come first serve basis. If you would like to schedule an appointment with me, please email sdccepresident@sdccd.edu for detailed information.

Best,