Dear SDCCE Community,

As we approach the upcoming election and amid news stories surrounding comments made about Haitian communities and other marginalized groups, I want to emphasize that SDCCE is welcome to all refugees and immigrants, and we pride ourselves on students from all ethnic and cultural backgrounds finding a place with us to learn, grow, and connect with their community.

We are at a pivotal time, not just for our nation, but also for our students' personal and academic journeys. I appreciate each of our employees who work diligently to display their commitment to our student's success. Now is a time to love our students to success and make sure they feel a sense of belonging at SDCCE!

Thank you for your commitment to our college and community! Together, we can navigate these challenging times and remain committed to the principles that make SDCCE vibrant and inclusive.

Enrollment Updates

SDCCE’s overall enrollment for fall stands at 26,934 (7% more than this time last year, and a 3% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 75%, which is greater than last fall (72%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 14,701, an increase of 1% compared to this time last fall (14,569) and a 2% increase from last week (14,468). FTEF scheduled for the fall semester is 2% less than last fall (187.42 to 183.34). View the enrollment report here.

SDCCE now has tutoring for students at our ECC and Mid-City campuses! The campuses will offer academic support in Math, Reading, and Writing (Basic Skills), with ECC serving officially as the new Tutoring & Learning Center (TLC). Students may enroll in tutoring in the TLC at ECC, Room 76 or at Mid-City, Room 318, starting tomorrow during the following times:

ECC - Room 76
Mon & Wed: 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Tues: 7 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Thurs: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.

Mid-City - Room 318
Tue & Thurs: 12:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Thank you to Dean Maureen Rubalcaba for supporting these efforts. Please share with your adjunct faculty and consider positing in your Canvas Classroom.

Exciting news! HVAC and Plumbing students at SDCCE will benefit from new advanced training equipment, including electric water heater pumps and tools generously provided by Strategic Energy Innovations (SEI). Heat pumps, valued at approximately $10,000, will be allocated to each program. Furthermore, SDCCE is collaborating with SEI to cover the costs of the EPA 608 certification exams for our HVAC students. Next month, SEI will also provide training for our faculty in Irvine, CA.

A special thanks to Dean Andrei Lucas and faculty members David Anton, Oscar Aparicio, and Akhaphone “Pete” Phounsavath for facilitating this valuable partnership with SEI.

Join the us and our fellow colleges in the San Diego Community College District for an Election Preparedness Workshop on October 9 from 12 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

RSVP for the Election Preparedness Workshop today

I’m excited to announce that the Virtual Open Enrollment Fair starts this week! To help you navigate the enrollment process, the San Diego Community College District will be hosting virtual information sessions where you can ask questions and get assistance.

During this time, you can explore our various health, dental, and vision plans, as well as other benefits available to you. We encourage everyone to take the time to understand their options and make informed choices that best suit their needs.

• Basic & Supplemental Life Insurance Info Session
  Thursday, October 3 @ 10 a.m.
  https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/83762051628
• Flexible Spending Account Info Sessions – TWO Sessions
  Monday, October 7 @ 12 p.m.
  https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/83302501407
• Friday, October 18 @ 12 p.m.
  https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/83373264541
• Delta Dental Info Session
  Wednesday, October 16 @ 1 p.m.
  https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/88562002331
• VEBA, UHC, and Kaiser Presentation
  Thursday, October 17 @ 12 p.m.
  https://zoom.us/my/mattogdenveba
• MetLaw & Pet Insurance Info Session
  Wednesday, October 23 @ 11 a.m.
  https://sdccd-edu.zoom.us/j/89642869346

The open enrollment period will be from October 17 to October 31. This is your opportunity to review and make changes to your benefits for calendar year 2025. If you have any questions in the meantime, please feel free to reach out to hrbenefits@sdccd.edu.

The Men of Color Working Group Meeting, themed "Cultivating Strategies for Supporting College Men of Color," will be held on October 18 & 19, 2024, at the San Diego College of Continuing Education, Educational Cultural Complex campus.

A highlight of this event will be the Opening Keynote delivered by Dr. J. Luke Wood, a nationally recognized scholar on equity and men of color in education. Additionally, there will be a Community Resource Fair on October 19, where various programs will have the opportunity to showcase their resources and services.

Please share this invitation with your colleagues and networks. For more information or to sign up, please visit the CCEAL 2024 Working Group Meeting webpage or contact cceal@sdsu.edu.

What an honor to host the incredible Angel Aviles for a special Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month celebration! Thanks to the SDCCE Foundation’s Pathways Program, Angel visited our ECC campus for a special keynote and meet and greet exploring how you are meant to flourish. Participants also had a chance to receive a copy of Angel’s book, “Too Happy to be Sad Girl” and get it signed by her at the event.

Angel is known for her roles in movies like Mi Vida Loca, Desperado, and Scorpion King. She has been in the industry for over 30 years and is an accomplished entertainer and personal and professional life coach.

View all of the event photos on the SDCCE Flickr.

More Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month events are coming up! I am so excited to a part of the next one: an inspiring panel of Latinx administrators and leaders — myself, Southwestern College Superintendent/President Mark Sanchez, Cuyamaca College VP of Student Services Victoria Marron, and San Diego City College VP of Student Services Marciano Perez — who will share valuable insights on how to leverage your heritage and community to thrive academically and professionally. See you there!

Our Cultural Events Task Force is also hosting Loteria events for Latinx/Chicanx Heritage Month! Lotería (meaning "lottery") is a traditional Mexican board game of chance, similar to bingo, and is played on a deck of cards instead of numbered ping pong balls. Join us for snacks, drinks, and prizes! The next game will be on Wednesday, October 2 at CE Mesa.

The next Community Health & Resource Fair is Wednesday, October 2. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, many free resources and annual mammograms will be available. Shuttle rides are available to the Jackie Robinson YMCA from our ECC campus. All community members are welcome!

This week, I am excited to spotlight Beverly Stroud, a new student graduate of our arborist training!

Former U.S. Navy sailor Beverly Stroud found the perfect opportunity to go for a civilian career in the arboriculture field through the Utility Line Clearance Arborist training certification offered by the SDCCE Foundation’s Employee Training Institute (ETi).

“I was fortunate that my chain of command saw the value of the arborist program. They allowed me to go into the classroom four days a week. Not only was tree climbing a lot of fun but it is equal parts mental and physical. You also feel a strong sense of camaraderie, you start the cohort with a buddy system, ensuring someone is watching your back as you complete uncertain and rigorous tasks.” — Beverly Stroud

Following an honorable discharge from the Navy, Stroud plans to earn a Bachelor of Science in Agroforestry at Unity Environmental University and to study Environmental Health and Safety Management at Cuyamaca College.

Learn more about the training program, and read Beverly’s full story!

Thanks for showing your #SDCCEPurplePower last week!

Students who posted their pictures-in-purple to public social media with #SDCCEPurplePower will be entered into a drawing for one of four (4) $25 All-In-One gift cards, good for 100s of retailers! This is courtesy of your Associated Students, in partnership with the SDCCE Foundation.

Stay tuned for more Spirit Week themes coming up from our Associated Students of the College of Continuing Education (ASCCE)!

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.

I am so proud to announce that SDCCE has been awarded the 2024 Community Advocate Award by the United Taxi Workers of San Diego and a Certificate of Recognition by Assemblymember David Alvarez! We are honored to be able to partner with UTWSD and bring free rides to students to ensure easy and cost-free transportation through their academic journey here with us at SDCCE.

President's Updates

I recently enjoyed attending the “Making Good Happen Recognition Luncheon” as as member serving on the Goodwill Industries of San Diego County Board. Thank you for our President and CEO Toni Giffin for her vision and leadership; what a great event focused on celebrating community & service! I am also so excited to be serving on the "Creating College and Career Pathways that Accelerate Opportunity" panel on October 10 at the annual National Council for Workforce Education (NCWE) conference alongside incredible colleagues in the higher education space.

The Research Corner

This week, we invite you to check the Disabled Student Programs and Service report from the California Community College's Chancellor Office. This biennial report looks at how disabled students are being served in our educational system, focusing on enrollment, transition, retention, graduation rates and funding for these programs. Please 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,