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December 8, 2004
To: Members, Board of Governors, and Statewide
Colleagues
From: Mark Drummond, Chancellor
Subject: Update
The State Capital is enjoying a little quiet
time before the whole thing starts up again in January. Even
with the temporary lull there are bills being introduced since
the legislative session is "officially" active after
this weeks swearing-in ceremonies (An important one on community
college funding was introduced by Carol Lui yesterday - I
have not yet received it).
Events of the past year have been for the most part positive.
The 2004 budget treated us fairly well. Our influence helped
make SB 1785 (transfer bill) something to build on, and most
other legislation was benign or helpful to us. My visits to
the colleges with David Viar and Kate Clark were informative
and always interesting and fun. The system response coupled
with the public responses to the CPR recommendation calling
for the elimination of the Board of Governors and our processes
were strong and clear.
We still have important matters on our plate. These include:
Getting our fair share of Proposition 98
Improving our system funding formula
Improving the rules and processes for much of the
compliance monitored by the System Office
Building a stronger support staff at the System Office
Finding a long-term solution for funding the maintenance
of all the new Prop 39 buildings
Developing and implementing a long-term strategy
to improve system funding overall
Of course there are many other important issues we need to
be working on. All the while we need to be mindful of our
service mission and the critical role we play in improving
the lives and futures of those most at-risk or in need of
our services. The discussion at the CCLC Conference about
faculty and staff diversity, together with the recognition
of districts which have been successful with increasing diversity,
should remind all of us that this important work is far from
done, and more districts have lost ground with diversity over
the past ten years than have gained.
Some things we will be working on in the early part of next
year include:
The long rumored "Laird" letter to
the Governor concerning the Proposition 98 split has been
finalized. It contains the signatures of 106 legislators.
This should certainly send a strong message to the Education
Coalition and the Governor that it is time to deal with
this issue.
An initiative in partnership with the Department
of Labor to fund several pilot projects for nursing education
(one fashioned after the Los Rios/Sutter Health program and
one designed to provide support services to stem program drop-outs)
is on the Governor's desk for approval. These will be funded
by the Governor's set-aside CWIB funds matched with local
health care providers and district funds or in-kind. The goal
is to provide a five-year funding guarantee for the pilots.
Once the work is completed we will issue an RFA for interested
districts to respond to.
We continue to make progress with the State Architect
on improving the DSA approval process for building projects.
We will come up with a formal agreement by early January or
we will launch another legislative initiative to fix the process.
Several foundations have expressed interest in funding
a strategic planning process for the system. It is rather
embarrassing that the largest system of higher education in
the nation lacks a strategic plan. Of course this plan will
be focused at the system level, and expressed in a way the
enables districts and colleges to "splice" specific
plans into broad system priorities. Done correctly this process
would be done with involvement from the CCLC and faculty organizations
and external stakeholders. The Board of Governors will drive
the process, and I am hopeful that it can begin by early spring
and conclude by fall 2005.
The System Office Federal Relations program is taking
shape, and earmark priorities have been established. I will
be putting personal effort into this after the first of the
New Year.
Last week and early this week I participated in seven conferences
or celebrations. Talking with specific interest groups (financial
aid officers, articulation officers, etc.) reminded me that
we do not always hear the major concerns of these important
professionals at Consultation or the Board of Governors meetings.
I intend to find a way to share information and concerns with
these groups that play such an important role in the success
of our students. Perhaps an "information" week early
in the year where representatives of these groups could share
their top five issues would be useful as we consider our legislative
and system priorities.
I sincerely appreciate all of the support so many of you
have given me during my first year in this job, and to the
System Office in general. I think we have built a strong base
and are positioned to move in directions that will really
empower districts and help more students gain access and success
through our great system.
I wish each of you a very Happy and Safe holiday season!
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