Dear SDCCE Community,

Thank you all for joining me this morning for our 2025 Spring Institution Day! It’s always a joy to come together as a community and reflect on our collective strength as we begin a new semester. With classes starting on Wednesday, January 29, it was essential to revisit our institutional goals and 7-year strategic plan, while also focusing on the well-being of our college, our vital resources, partnerships, and initiatives.

I hope you left today with a renewed sense of pride and unity! I encourage you to wear your new shirt on the first day of classes to help kick off the semester with some added pride.

Photos from Institution Day are available on the SDCCE Flickr and don't forget to tag our college @SDCCEEDU!

We will see you back at the Educational Cultural Complex tomorrow as flex day continues. Among the many sessions, there will be an all-adjunct welcome event at 9:00 a.m. and a special panel hosted by the AFT titled "Protecting Our Most Vulnerable Students in the New Year" featuring SDCCD Chancellor Greg Smith, Alliance SD Executive Director Andrea Guerrero, ACLU Sr. Policy Advocate Felicia Gomez, and SD City Council President Sean Elo-Rivera taking place on Tuesday, January 28 at 2:30 p.m.

A special thank you to the Executive President’s Cabinet Team, Professional Development, I.T., Facilities, and everyone who played a part in making this Institution Day truly memorable.

Enrollment Updates

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for spring stands at 24,688 (5% more than this time last year, and a 6% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 73%, which is greater than last spring (63%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 13,313 an increase of 1% compared to this time last spring (13,137) and a 6% increase from last week (12,607). FTEF scheduled for the spring semester is 1% greater than last spring (188.87 to 191.00).

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for fall stands at 29,294 (0.1% less than this time last year, and a 0.93% decrease from last week), with a fill rate of 70%, which is greater than last fall (67%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 15,732, a decrease of 1% compared to this time last fall (15,878) and a 0.4% decrease from last week (15,800). FTEF scheduled for the fall semester is 1% less than last fall (188.91 to 186.78). View the enrollment report.

In support of the new spring semester and to welcome new and returning students, Student Services will be hosting Welcome Back Resource Fairs at all 7 SDCCE campuses beginning January 29th.

Morning resource fairs will be from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
January 29: ECC
January 30: Mid-City
February 3: Cesar Chavez
February 4: West City
February 5: CE Mesa
February 6: CE Miramar
February 10: North City

Evening resource fairs will be from 4:00 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.
February 4: Mid-City
February 5: North City
February 11: Cesar Chavez
February 12: CE Mesa

The 2025 Scholarship and Awards Program application and information page is available now! Applications will be open until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, February 7, 2025! Visit www.sdcce.edu/scholarships to learn more about this year's offerings, link to the Scholarship application, the application for the AFT Guild 1931 Larry Schwartz Memorial Scholarship, and more!

Application assistance is available through the Tutoring and Learning Center:

ECC, Room 76
Monday & Wednesday 11:00AM - 5:00PM
Tuesday 7:00AM - 12 Noon
Thursday 8:00AM - 11:00AM

Mid-City, Room 317
Tuesday & Thursday 12:30PM - 5:30PM

If you are interested in offering a scholarship or award to honor the legacy of a loved one or colleague, or make a donation to the support of our College Scholarships and Awards, contact Mariya Anton at the SDCCE Foundation at manton@sdccd.edu

As the Spring semester approaches, Be Well SDCCEBe Well CCE is bringing back programming to support the entire campus community. We also have our new Bilingual therapist on board, Liz Barajas! All support groups will have English/Spanish translation available. See below for upcoming events:

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: 2/3/25, 2/10/25, 3/3/25, 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: 1/27/25, 2/24/25, 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

Sound Bowl Meditations with Hella Wellthy!

Hosted at CE Miramar on Tuesday, February 11, 2025 in the Multipurpose room at 12:15 p.m.

Class will start with a meditation 101 session. You’ll enjoy a guided meditation followed by a sound healing session that will leave you feeling centered and rejuvenated. Blankets and mats will be provided – all you have to do is show up and relax!

Please let students know they could win a $25 gift card if they attend events and complete the pre and post surveys.

I am thrilled to announce our new SDCEE online store is now live. This space is where students and employees can begin to purchase a variety of merchandise! We will continue to increase our college branding and create a sense of pride through our online store front. Visit the online store and start shopping today!

The Office of Communications and Creative Services invites you to join a virtual Website Redesign Project Update on Thursday, January 30 from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m. The meeting is open to all, and they will be showcasing the new homepage wireframe. Your participation is encouraged!

Zoom Meeting ID: 89814503226
Passcode: 326779
Zoom Link

As we prepare for the Community Health & Resource Fair, please remember that the community can receive free health screenings in celebration of Heart Health Month in February. Various free resources will be provided, including:

• Blood Pressure Checks
• Cholesterol Screenings
• Diabetes Screenings
• Breast Exams
• And more!

Additionally, free shuttle rides will be available to transport attendees to and from ECC and the Health Fair.

The Healthcare Career Job Fair at Cesar Chavez will focus on providing employment opportunities for students eager to begin entry-level positions in Healthcare. Attendees will have the chance to:

• Explore potential Healthcare career paths
• Connect with industry leaders and gain valuable career insights
• Network with recruiters and learn about industry needs
• Share their resumes with employers for potential one-on-one interviews

To participate, students need to activate their Handshake accounts at handshake.sdccd.edu.

SDCCE Student Trustee Haydee Zuniga is proudly representing our college, alongside fellow student trustees and district representatives, at the CCLC Legislative Conference in Sacramento. She is advocating for our colleges and students. A big thank you to Haydee for her dedication!

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

Over the weekend, Times of San Diego published an op-ed I wrote, spotlighting our college and the services we offer as we approach the new semester. This is just one of the many ways I’m committed to amplifying the important work happening at our college.

It was bittersweet to host the President's Cabinet Luncheon and surprise retirement party for Interim Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Minou Spradley. Thank you, Dr. Spradley for serving our college for the past two years! You will be missed.

I also enjoyed attending the retirement party for longtime facilities Utility Worker, Raul Avalos. Raul has been with the District for 42 years and 37 at SDCCE. Raul was such a wealth of institutional knowledge and we will miss all of his support in facilities. I wish him a well-deserved retirement!

Our amazing Dean of ESL, Dr. Jan Jarrell, will be retiring at the end of the month. It was truly a privilege to honor her at the President's Luncheon on Institution Day. A heartfelt thank you to Dr. Jarrell for her unwavering dedication, love, and countless contributions to the ESL department throughout the years.

The Research Corner

This week we invite you to check the report Student Support Services Experiences Study from our friends at the Centers of Excellence. This report analyzes data from 292 students from regional community colleges to help understand the most common student support services used, the student's experiences using these services, and how these services helped with employment outcomes. The report may be found on the following link: Student support Services Experiences Study. Take a minute to review this resource and email jsalcedo001@sdccd.edu if you have any questions.

President's Office Hours

President's Office Hours are back! Individual zoom meetings will be 20 minutes and are available on a first come first serve basis. If you would like to schedule a virtual appointment with me, please email sdccepresident@sdccd.edu for detailed information.

Best,