It is hard to believe we are at the end of both the fall semester and 2023! On behalf of the Palomar College Governing Board and the Office of the Superintendent/President, I want to wish you all a safe and relaxing holiday season. And in case you missed it, here is the Palomar College Happy Holidays Video Message for you to enjoy.

As always, I am looking for ways to continue to facilitate communication with the campus community, so you may have noticed we are now sending out the Superintendent/President’s monthly Report to the Governing Board. What I especially like about this report is that it also provides a monthly update for all divisions. In addition, I would like to draw your attention to the annual Report to the Community 2022-2023 that was published earlier this month.

Prior to us officially leaving for the winter holiday break, here are highlights of my November and December year-end activities.

Campus Engagement

Special Events

• Attended Palomar College’s outstanding performing arts production of Manifest Destinitis.
• Attended the inspiring Research Methods Fall 2023 Poster Fair.
• Attended the Palomar College Foundation President’s Associates Gathering, sponsored by Kaiser Permanente.
• Attended the Paramedic Program’s (EME) Accreditation kick-off meeting.
• Attended the Police Academy Graduation.
• Attended the Fire Academy Graduation.
• Attended the Palomar College Nursing Pinning Ceremony.
• Attended the quarterly Independent Citizen Oversight Committee meeting.
• Attended the festive End-of-Year Celebration for the Rising Scholars program.
• Hosted the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President End-of-Year Planning Retreat.
• Hosted the Executive Cabinet Holiday Appreciation Dinner.
• Hosted the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Human Resources Campus Forums.
• Met with the Huron Consulting Group currently working on a new comprehensive Outreach Plan for the college.
• Visited Dr. Rocco Versaci’s English class, where I was able to witness first-hand the dynamic quality learning that our students are exposed to daily. To say I left the class impressed is an understatement!

Standing Meetings

• Attended the Regular Governing Board meetings and Special Governing Board workshops.
• Participated in standing leadership and governance meetings with College Council, Executive Cabinet, Leadership, Budget Committee, Faculty Senate, PFF,CCE, AA, and CAST.  

Community Engagement

Local Representation: Educational Partners

• Attended the North County Higher Education Alliance’s Hispanic Serving Institution Faculty Symposium.
• Attended the San Diego North Economic Development Annual Awards Luncheon.
• Chaired the monthly San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA) meetings with regional CEO’s and trustees.
• Hosted the University of California San Diego’s visit to our San Marcos campus with the goal of continuing to strengthen and increase transfer rates between our institutions.
• Met with Superintendent Dr. Michael Dodson from the Julian High School District to discuss expanded dual enrollment opportunities.
• Met with Superintendent Dr. Brian Thurman from the Ramona Unified School District to discuss expanded dual enrollment opportunities.
• Met with the San Diego Concilio of Educators to discuss our Latino/a student and employee success metrics at Palomar College.
• Participated in an Educational Equity Panel with California Community College Deputy Chancellor, Dr. Daisy Gonzalez at the Chicano Federation of San Diego County Leadership Training Institute. We were joined by UC and K-12 partners.
• Presented Palomar College updates to the Beta Delta Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International, an organization that promotes professional and personal growth of women educators and excellence in education.
• Presented at San Diego Mesa College’s Puente, Umoja, and KAPWA student event where I was able to share my experiences as a community college student and how it positively impacted my academic journey.
• Provided welcome remarks for the San Diego State University Community College Leadership Alumni Group annual event held at our Rancho Bernardo Campus. Thank you, Dr. Joseph Allen for the invite.
• Spoke to San Diego State University doctoral students regarding community college leadership and highlighted some of the critical work happening at Palomar College as a model for building effective healthy organizational structure.
• Toured the City of Ramona with Trustee Michelle Rains to gain a better understanding of the community that is part of our Palomar College service area.
• Visited the Alta Vista Alternative High School to support our dual enrollment efforts and to connect with faculty teaching these courses. A special thank you to faculty member Barbara Hammons for the invitation. I was proud to see the purpose-driven work we are doing! I am also appreciative to Vista Unified Superintendent Dr. Matthew Doyle who joined me.

Local Representation: Community Partners

• Attended a board meeting for the Escondido-based creative youth development organization, A Step Beyond.
• Attended an Oceanside Museum of Art’s community celebration.
• Attended the MANA de North County San Diego’s Annual Meeting where Dean Diane Studinka received an award for her service and advocacy on behalf of Palomar College.
• Attended the Opening Reception of Fleet Week as the Chair of the San Diego and Imperial Counties Community College Association (SDICCCA).
• Met with local education leaders hosting Assemblymember David Alvarez, who serves as Chair of the California State Assembly Subcommittee on Education Finance.
• Met, for the second time, with representatives from Apple regarding our growing partnership.
• Met with the founding members of the Fallbrook Advisory Council to set forth community goals for 2024.
• Met with TrueCare’s Wellness Services CEO, Michelle Gonzalez, to discuss future partnerships.
• Participated in the annual San Marcos Kiwanis Holiday Parade representing Palomar College in a bright red vintage 1929 Ford.
• Provided the Welcome remarks for the San Diego and Imperial Region Consortium’s sponsored Counselor Conference, which included more than 300 educators from around the region focused on creating career pathway pipelines.
• Served on a panel representing all ten local community colleges at the San Diego Tourism Association Board Retreat.

Statewide Representation

• Attended the Community College League of California (CCLC) Annual convention in Indian Wells along with our Governing Board. Conference topics included public safety, title IX, ethics and responsibilities as leaders, student housing, and federal grant proposals.
• Participated in Community College League of California (CCLC) market research.
• Served as a keynote speaker at the annual COLEGAS conference.

National Representation

• Submitted Palomar’s official Excelencia preliminary application.
• Participated in Wheelhouse Seminars.
• Participated in the National Community College Hispanic Council End-of-Year Board of Directors meeting.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI): 

• Palomar launched an inclusive process to send a team to the National Conference on Race and Ethnicity (NCORE) 2024. We are excited that many Palomar faculty and staff have also submitted proposals to present. Good luck to all who have expressed an interest.
• Palomar supported the CSU San Marcos Hispanic Serving Institution (HSI) Summit with Dr. Tara Yosso as the keynote speaker. Chief Diversity Officer Dr. Nicole Belisle will be leading several HSI initiatives in 2024, in collaboration with key stakeholders, to help Palomar fully embody the “servingness” to our students.
• ​Our Chief Diversity Officer also led a meeting for all affinity groups (ALASS, APAHE, Empowered Women, PBFSA and PC3H). This is the first of many collaborative discussions that will take place as we consider DEIAA in 2024.

Comets of the Month:

The Comets of the Month for November are Matt O’Brien, Netta Schroer, Betsi Little, and Kristin Peviani for their successful execution of the Research Methods Fair. The level of coordination this event takes is impressive! And the opportunity this event represents for our students is phenomenal!

The Comet of the Month for December is our Interim Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Human Resources, Christine Winterle, who has done a tremendous job in moving the district forward as we searched for a permanent hire. I would like to publicly thank her for her dedication and commitment in this role.

Thank you all for everything you do to make Palomar a fabulous place to work and learn!

Have a great winter break! Go Comets!

Pictures of the various events are posted at:
Facebook: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Twitter: @palomardrstar

Happy November! I hope everyone having a great fall semester. I’m excited to share highlights of my activities from this past October.

Campus Engagement

Special Events

• Attended the Disability Resource Center sponsored Webinar on Global Advocacy for Disability and Deaf Rights. Dr. Elizabeth Lockwood and Pamela Molina discussed their roles in advocacy at the global level with the United Nations, civil society organizations, organizations of persons with disabilities, and national deaf organizations.
• Attended the Palomar College Foundation President’s Invitational Golf Classic. A huge congratulations to Executive Director Stacy Rungaitis and her team for pulling off another amazing fundraising event. Over 160k was raised to support our students achieve their academic goals.
• Attended Political Economy Days. Thank you, Professors Peter Bowman, Jennifer Herrera, Anastasia Zavodny, and so many others who made it possible to offer such exceptional programming.
• Attended Anthropology Days. Thank you, Professors Betsy Pain, Anne-Marie Mobilia, and so many others who made this awesome two-day learning opportunity possible for our students.
• Attended the Palomar Faculty Federation Meet and Greet. Thank you, Co-Presidents Lawrence Lawson and Will Dalrymple, for the invitation and your leadership.
• Attended, the always wonderful, Noche De Havana. Thank you, Professor Patriceann Mead for all your hard work! Also, a special thank you to everyone else who helped the well-attended 2-day event become a reality.
• Attended the October Palomar College Foundation Board meeting.
• Attended a sold-out performance of Time Flies: Rhapsody in Blue by the Palomar College Symphony Orchestra. Congratulations Professor Ellen Weller, and our symphony, for an amazing performance! The celebration of the remodel of the Howard Brubeck Theatre and celebration of Emeritus Professor Peter Gach made the event absolutely memorable!
• Attended the Welcome Reception for our new Chief Diversity Officer, Dr. Nicole Belisle.
• Hosted “Paletas (popsicles) with the President” at the student union quad. Thank you to Palomar College’s Behavioral Health Counseling team, S.T.A.R. Tutoring, my assistant Valerie White, and Assistant Superintendent/ Vice President of Student Services Nick Mata for co-sponsoring the event with me! We gave out 986 paletas (popsicles)!
• Participated in the last session of the Transforming Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) for Equity and Justice Book Club. This was a continuation of the work done during the Fall 2021 book club featuring Gina Garcia’s. This book club is designed to understand the framework that can help Palomar transform into a space that promote racial equity and social justice. Thank you, Professor Cynthia Cordova and Carmelino Cruz.
• Visited Professor Kyle Owens’ Umoja class and Professor Brittany Wong’s counseling course. I always love to see the amazing work happening in the classroom led by our exceptional faculty.

Standing Meetings

• Attended numerous standing and special meetings throughout the month. Three meetings that stand out are Accreditation follow up, Educational and Facilities Vision Plan finalization, and the first Board of Trustees Sub-Budget Committee meeting for the semester.
• Participated in standing leadership and governance meetings with: College Council, Executive Cabinet, Faculty Senate, PFF,CCE, AA and CAST.

Board Meetings

• Attended the Regular October Governing Board meeting and the Special October Governing Board Workshop. Topics covered included: General business matters, Palomar College’s Equal Employment Opportunity Plan, the Educational Facilities Vision Plan 2035, the Accreditation Follow-Up Report, and an overview of the Fallbrook 40 Facilities Plan.

Community Engagement

Local Representation: Educational Partners

• Attended CSUSM Evening Reception welcome for the new statewide CSU Chancellor, Dr. Mildred Garcia.
• Attended MiraCosta College’s Report to the Region.
• Chaired the monthly San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges Association (SDICCCA) meeting.
• Facilitated a panel at the “Vision 2030: A Call to Action: Adult Education Summit,” hosted by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office. The October summit provided participants with an opportunity to explore emerging strategies aimed at eliminating systemic barriers for adult learners.
• Hosted 35 local high school students in my office visiting Palomar College for the first time.
• Met with representatives from Apple regarding potential upcoming partnerships.
• Met with representatives from the Huron Group to discussing exploring new Outreach and Retention efforts.
• Met with Borrego Springs Unified School District Superintendent Mark Stevens & Principal Victoria Baay to see how to further collaborate and support potential and current students.

Local Representation: Community Partners

• Recognized as a 2023 Latino Leaders of Influence by the San Diego Business Journal in association with the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Thank you, Board President, Roberto Rodriguez for your support at the ceremony.
• Attended the San Marcos Boys & Girls Club Annual Auction & Dinner. Every aspect of the event was fantastic. Congratulations Cathy Baur and Christine Vaughan on hosting another outstanding event. A special thank you to VP Nick Mata, VP Christine Winterle, ED Stacey Rungaitis, and Trustee Roberto Rodriguez for attending the event and representing Palomar.
• Attended the ROCA Latino Festival Community Event. It featured educational information and live musical performances. Thank you Carmelino Cruz for facilitating this outreach opportunity.
• Attended Trades Day, a collaboration between the Construction Industry Education Foundation, Palomar College, and the San Diego County Office of Education. Trades Day introduces students to career opportunities in construction, sub-contracting, construction supply, heavy equipment, engineering, and related trades. The event featured hands-on exhibitions and demonstrations from employers and apprenticeship programs in the Building & Construction industry. Nearly 700 local high school students enjoyed the event. https://www.kpbs.org/news/education/2023/10/25/high-school-students-explore-careers-trade-palomar-college
• Attended the 2023 MAAC Soirée fundraiser event to support our local community partner. It was a privilege to serve on the honorary committee. MAAC provides comprehensive social services in San Diego County in five key areas: Economic Development, Education, Health & Well-being, Housing and Advocacy & Leadership Development.
• Attended the MANA de San Diego fundraiser event to support local mentoring opportunities for our current students and to support outreach efforts to potential students.
• Interviewed by KGTV to promote the 5^th Annual Pack the Pantry Virtual Food Drive representing all the region’s community colleges.
• Met with Maria Mingalone, the Executive Director of the Oceanside Museum of Art (OMA), to discuss potential partnerships. I also was able to attend their annual fundraiser.
• Visited the Antique Gas & Steam Engine Museum located in Vista with Dean Susan Wyche to explore potential partnerships.

Statewide Representation

• Attended the California Community College Association for Occupational Education (CCAOE) conference. I was able to participate in a one-day CEO track portion of the conference. It was awesome to see Palomar College Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Tina Recalde representing us on a statewide platform. Thank you to all the other Palomar representatives who also attended the conference. We had a great turn out, and I heard nothing but positive comments about the work we are doing with Career Technical and Extended Education.
• Welcomed the California Association of Black School Educators (CABSE), an organization consisting of elected and appointed school officials, administrators, and instructors from across California who are committed to advancing equity for Black students. Thank you, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Nick Mata for your leadership in making this opportunity a reality.

National Representation

• Attended and moderated a panel at the 2023 National Social Mobility Symposium event, “Higher Education’s Role in Advancing Social Mobility.” Thank you, CSUSM President Ellen Neufeldt, for allowing me to present on the importance of the Community College System on a national platform. The opportunity to meet the new CSU State Chancellor, Mildred Garcia, and Chair of the CSU Board of Trustees, Wenda Fong, was a professional highlight.
• Attended the Community College Aspen Presidential Fellowships Alumni webinar.
• Accepted into Excelencia in Education’s Presidents for Latino Student Success. This is the first step in Palomar earning a Seal of Excelencia. More information to come in the upcoming months.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI):

• In October, through various activities and events, we honored the following designations: Hispanic Heritage Month, Filipino American History Month, Italian American Heritage Month, Disability Employment Awareness Month, LGBTQ+ History Month, Indigenous People’s Day (October 9), and Undocumented Student Action Week (October 16-20). Thank you to all who hosted and supported so many activities throughout the entire month!

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update:

• Palomar College’s Educational and Facilities Vision Plan (Vision Plan 2035) is working its way through our governance process. College Council has recommended and moved the plan forward to the Governing Board. The Board received the full document at the beginning of October and engaged in a question-and-answer session during the workshop. The Plan is scheduled for action at the November 14^th Regular Governing Board meeting. The draft plan is posted on our Vision Plan webpage. You can access the webpage using the following link:  https://www.palomar.edu/irp/education-and-facilities-plan-2035/.

Comets of the Month:

The first Comet of the Month is Benefits Specialist, Veronica Sadowski. She goes above and beyond to assist our employees with key questions as they transition into retirement. She is known for her outstanding service and is most certainly an asset to all our Palomar employees.

The next Comet of the Month is Accounting Manager, Patrice Nya. We thank him for his displayed leadership in the completion of the 311 report. Fiscal Services is responsible for the preparation of state-mandated financial and budget reports submitted to the California Community College Chancellor’s Office. Patrice did an exceptional job with the completion of our most recent report!

Finally, our third Comet of the Month is our Performing Arts Staff members Heather Murray, Tony Cucuzzella, Tom Daily, Carl Thompson, and Lorrena Harvey who do an exceptional job preparing for countless events week after week. Your hard work is appreciated!

Thank you all for everything you do to make Palomar a fabulous place to work and learn!

Have a great November! Go Comets!

Pictures of the various events are posted at:

Facebook: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Twitter: @palomardrstar

Welcome to the first edition of my monthly newsletter for the 2023-2024 academic year. The weekly email was well received, and I am hoping the monthly format will reduce redundancy. I am eager to share with you the exciting events and activities that mark the beginning of this promising academic year. With each passing day, our college community continues to evolve and grow. I couldn’t be more honored to be a part of this remarkable journey with all of you as I enter my 3^rd year of service. Here’s a recap of highlights from the past month.

Campus Engagement

Start of the Semester Activities

• Participated in Comet Welcome Days. The event is always an excellent opportunity for students to learn about all the wonderful services, resources, and programs we offer. Thank you to Pippa Pierce and all the Palomar programs and organizations that participated and created a welcoming atmosphere for our new and returning students.
• Participated in Plenary. It was a great experience to host the event in person. We are already planning in what ways we can make it event even better! A special thank you to Matt Grills and Luis Guerrero for their leadership and thank you to all those who made the event a success. I also appreciate the participation of Trustees Roberto Rodriguez, Cassandra Schaeg, and Dr. Judy Patacsil.
• Welcomed and introduced Dr. Frank Harris III, who spoke on the necessity of taking Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion into account as community college educators.

Special Events

• Attended the Business Administration Department Social. It was my first time attending this event and it did not disappoint! The Business Administration Department provided an opportunity for students to network with other students and faculty and classified professionals while showcasing their current offerings. A note of gratitude to Mary Cassoni, Department Chair of Business Administration, for inviting me to the event.
• Participated, along with Trustees Roberto Rodriguez and Cassandra Schaeg, as volunteer “patients” for our brand-new nursing students. I cannot say enough about our fantastic nursing program, students, faculty, staff, and supportive trustees. I also was able to participate in our Nursing Accreditation process with the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) and the California Board of Registered Nursing (BRN). We await official positive results in the upcoming months. Thank you to all in the Nursing department who put in long hours to prepare so thoroughly for the accreditation visit and thank you to Julie Van Houten for her leadership!
• Provided remarks at the Cariño Dream Village Grand Opening. The Cariño Dream Village is now home to Puente, UMOJA, and a new program that supports undocumented, DACA, and mixed-status students. Here is the link to a video to the event: Cariño Dream Village Promo on Vimeo. Thank you to Dr. Leslie Salas for her leadership and also a heartfelt appreciation to all who made this space possible.
• Attended the Palomar celebration of California Native American Day on September 21^st at the San Marcos Student Union Quad. This event was in conjunction with MiraCosta College and CSU San Marcos. The presentations and scheduled events were fantastic. Thank you to the support of the Ethnic Studies department and the leadership of Professors Diana Ortiz and Seth San Juan. Your leadership was evident, and the positive impact of the event was notable.
• Attended the Service-Learning Fair. The Service-Learning program provides active, service-focused, community-based, learning opportunities for our students. It was wonderful to see so many community partners engaging with our students. Thank you to Dr. Angela Kong and Gina Wilson for organizing the successful event that allowed our students to become involved with our community partners.
• Attended the opening reception of the Faculty RIPE Art Exhibition at the Boehm Gallery. I make it a point to attend this event because I always leave with a deep sense of appreciation for our talented faculty. Thank you, Ryan Bulis for your continued commitment to making this event a success.
• Attended the New Student Transfer Orientation. Brittany Wong and PJ DeMaris always make sure students feel motivated to reach their academic goals. Every aspect of the well-attended event was perfect. Congratulations on another extremely successful event.
• Attended the Beam Signing and Topping Off Ceremony for our brand-new football and softball stadiums. We are happy to have reached this milestone on our way to opening the new stadiums in 2024. Thank you to Dennis Astl and Dan Lynds for facilitating the event and thank you to Trustees Jacqueline Kaiser and Cassandra Schaeg for your participation.
• Attended the Meet and Greet Welcome Event for our new Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services, Nick Mata. His personable-constructive approach is already making an impact.
• Attended the Farewell Gathering for Dr. Shauna Moriarty-Bennett, former Director of the Disability Resource Center. Her presence will be missed, but we are thankful for her years of service and the lasting impression she leaves on the program, the people she impacted, and the college. Thank you for your years of service.

Standing Meetings

• Participated in standing governance meetings (College Council, Executive Cabinet) and constituent group leadership meetings (Faculty Senate, PFF,CCE, AA/CAST).
• Participated in standing-equity focused meetings with members of the Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) and met with our Black/African American Community Advisory Council.
• Hosted leaders from the Palomar College Retirees’ Association (PACRA) for our semiannual meeting. I always enjoy meeting with PACRA members because I leave our meetings with a clear understanding of Palomar’s incredible history. I am thankful that these Comets continue to be part of this great institution’s present. We were able to discuss specific action items and set goals for the academic year.

Board Meetings

• Attended the September Regular Governing Board meeting and the Special Governing Board Workshop. I continue to encourage all employee to participate in these meetings. Meetings are held on the 2^nd and 4^th Tuesday of each month in LRC 438. The Open Session component of the meetings start at approximately 5:00 p.m.

Community Engagement

Local Representation: Educational Partners

• Chaired the monthly San Diego and Imperial Counties Community Colleges Association (SDICCCA) meeting. This year, Board President Roberto Rodriguez and I are serving as the Chairs for all respective Trustees and CEOs in SDICCCA. SDICCCA is formed by the 10 regional community colleges and meets regularly to discuss items of mutual interest. It is an honor for Palomar College to serve in these leadership roles over the next year.
• Attended, along with several Palomar representatives and Trustees Jacqueline Kaiser and Cassandra Schaeg, the CSUSM Report to the Community event. This year Palomar College, along with MiraCosta College and MSJC, were honored as Outstanding Community Partners. We are grateful to CSUSM President, Ellen Neufeldt, for this distinction.
• Attended, along with Assistant Superintendent/Vice Presidents Nick Mata and Dr. Tina Recalde, the Leadership Reception event hosted by CSUSM. Along with representatives from MiraCosta College, we discussed our institutional unified goals and vision for the 2023-2024 academic year.
• Met with National University representatives to discuss our current partnerships and potential expansion.
• Presented at the San Diego American Association for Women in Community College’s (SDAAWCC) Supporting Women in Higher Education Conference. Thank you, Dr. Angela Kong, for encouraging me to present at the conference and for your leadership in planning the event.
• Attended A Step Beyond’s 3rd Annual Fundraising Benefit. Palomar is proud to support this outstanding local educational partner, and I am equally honored to serve on the board. Thank you to our Palomar College Foundation members and Trustees Cassandra Schaeg and Roberto Rodriguez who attended.

Local Representation: Community Partners

• Participated in the Velocity Vista Chamber Podcast hosted by Vista Chamber of Commerce CEO, Rachel Whitley Beld. It always feels great to share the wonderful opportunities Palomar has to offer our community.
• Served as the opening keynote speaker at the 2nd Annual MANA de North County San Diego Conference. There were over 300 community participants, and it served as a great outreach opportunity for Palomar. MANA is a national organization that aims to empower Latinas through Education, leadership development, and community service. A special note of gratitude to Palomar’s Claribel Zorrilla and Diane Studinka who made sure the event ran perfectly.
• Attended the Promise2Kids Dream On Concert Gala, a fundraising event for foster youth. As the Chair of SDICCCA and Palomar’s Superintendent/President, I was proud to support this worthy event. Promises2Kids provides current and former foster youth in San Diego County with the tools, opportunities, and guidance necessary to address the circumstances that brought them into the foster care system. It supports four critical programs: Polinsky Children’s Center, Camp Connect, Guardian Scholars and Foster Funds.
• Spoke at the San Marcos Chamber of Commerce Community Connect event. This is a weekly public gathering designed to highlight local voices and engage the community in dialogue. I appreciated the community leaders that showed up and asked insightful questions.
• Attended the opening of the San Marcos Kaiser Permanente new hospital representing Palomar College and our health programs.
• Attended the San Marcos Meet Your Elected Officials event.
• Met with the San Diego County Taxpayers Association to explore potential educational opportunities.

Statewide Representation

• Attended California Community College’s Apprenticeship Pathways Demonstration Project in Sacramento. The project aims to award college credit for “on-the-job” training through their apprenticeship programs. I am excited that Palomar was invited to participate because of our success metrics in this area. Thank You to Associate Dean Nichol Roe and Dean Susan Wyche for their leadership in this area. Your hard work garnered the attention of our State Chancellor, Sonya Christian, and our statewide peers.
• Presented during the statewide CCCOLEGAS webinar. I was able to discuss Palomar’s status as a Hispanic Serving Institution and shared ways to support this designation in ways that are concrete and action oriented.
• Completed my yearlong UC Davis Wheelhouse Institute on Leadership. The Wheelhouse Fellowship is by invitation only, and the mission is to resource California Community College CEOs with the information and research needed to support thriving institutions. I am excited to have successfully completed the fellowship, and I am looking forward to leveraging the research focused approach to support our enrollment growth and increased student success outcomes.
• Hosted the Association of California Community College Administrators (ACCCA) Mentor Program’s Fall Retreat at Palomar. I shared with the up-and-coming community college leaders my path to Presidency and discussed the areas of professional development that I found to be most impactful in this position.
• Completed my service as Vice Chair for an Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) accreditation site visit. Although this is a weighty responsibility and represents a lot of work, the knowledge and experience I gain to benefit Palomar is priceless.

National Representation

• Attended and presented Palomar College at the National Community College Hispanic Council (NCCHC) Leadership Symposium. Thank you, to our Assistant Superintendent/Vice President Nick Mata and Dean Leslie Salas who also attended the conference representing Palomar. A special congratulations to Nick Mata who was selected as one of the 24 NCCHC’s Fellow from around the nation!

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) 

• Palomar has a new Permanent Chief Diversity Officer! We are proud to welcome Dr. Nicole Belisle. Dr. Belisle worked at San Diego State University and held positions of increasing responsibility. She started as a graduate student, and moved onto become an equity analyst, a professor, and served as an Associate Chief Diversity Officer. I am very excited for Dr. Belisle to join Palomar and continue the good work. Her email is nbelisle@palomar.edu. Once again, thank you to Carmelino Cruz, for his service in this role for over a year.
• Palomar has done a great job celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15-October 15). I would like to thank everyone in the Ethnic Studies Department, Office of Student Equity, and the Association of Latinos and Allies for Student Success (ALASS), for organizing so many affirming positive events to celebrate this important historical month. It is not too late to participate. Please check out the remaining events and activities.
• The Transforming Hispanic Serving Institutions for Equity and Justice Book Club met multiple times this month to further examine Palomar’s HSI identity, through the lens of Dr. Gina Ann Garcia’s latest book. The guided discussions are led by Dr. Cynthia Cordova and Carmelino Cruz, engaging faculty, staff, and students to critically examine and connect the material to structures within the Palomar community.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update:

• We are close to completing our Vision Plan 2035. Last Fall, the College Council formed the Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Taskforce to lead the development of the plan. The Task Force has met for over a year gathering feedback from our community, developing planning assumptions, goals, and objectives, setting enrollment targets, identifying themes for the Education Centers, and identifying facility needs. This project has involved various campus and community stakeholders and took into consideration over 71 listening sessions and countless planning meetings. The This past Friday, College Council voted to move the draft forward for the first read of our Governing Board.

Comets of the Month:

• This month we have three Comets of the Month. The first is Facilities Director Chris Miller for adeptly dealing with the several power outages our campus experienced at the start of the semester. He and the entire facilities team did an amazing job identifying the cause of the outage and quickly moved to address the problem. So much took place behind the scenes that I wanted to make sure to highlight his incredible leadership publicly.
• Our next Comet of the Month is Nieves Suarez for her outstanding work in completing Palomar’s Annual Security Report. This is a critical document for the district, and she always does this work thoroughly, accurately, and timely.
• Thank you to Ann Jensen for her work with organizing the food trucks while we switch food vendors. We are expecting a 2–3-week transition between vendors, and her work has been critical to making sure our students and employees have access to food during the transition. We will begin gathering campus input for future food service at all our locations later this year.

Have a great upcoming October! Go Comets!

Pictures of the various events are posted at:
Facebook: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Twitter: @palomardrstar

Weekly updates will not be posted during the summer.  The updates will continue at the start of the fall semester.

Best wishes for a healthy, safe and happy summer!

As the semester comes to a close, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to all employees for making this a successful academic year for our students and institution. It is my hope you are able to get some respite during the summer.

Below is a brief recap of my Campus Engagement activities from the previous week.

Campus Engagement

• This week’s highlight was the 2023 Commencement Ceremony where we honored close to 600 graduating students (nearly 4,000 degrees and certificates were awarded this academic year). A special note of gratitude to the Student Life and Leadership team! Sherry Titus, Pippa Pierce, and Kimberly Rocca we appreciate your extraordinary leadership. The event was outstanding thanks to your detailed planning. Also, my sincere appreciation for the countless contributors that made this event possible! Your efforts do not go unnoticed and are sincerely appreciated by the entire institution!
• Attended Professor Wing Cheung’s Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Student Service-Learning student presentations. The caliber of work these students are engaging in, under his direction, is incredible. I left with a newfound appreciation for the GIS field.
• Attended Professor Lisa Cecere’s cinema class screening. This is my second year attending the event, and I always am impressed by the talent and creativity our students demonstrate. Thank you, Professor Cecere, for your investment in these accomplished students.
• Attended the Umoja Rites of Passage Ceremony. The overall feeling of this event was one of gratitude for the caring support students received throughout the year. Thank you, Professors Kyle Owens, and Richard Carr for creating a welcoming/caring environment that supported student success. I would also like to extend another note of appreciation to all those who have supported Umoja all year long.
• Attended the Architecture and Interior Design Open House at the Rancho Bernardo Education Center. The architecture students designed a conceptual amphitheater to host the MODA Fashion Show, and the results were incredible. The Interior Design student projects were equally impressive. The level of professional standards applied to their projects was inspiring. Professors Joseph Lucido and Jessica Newman, my compliments to you on another year of impressive-professional student projects.
• Attended the always wonderful Nurses Pinning Ceremony. Thank you to the entire Nursing Education Department for consistently producing well-prepared graduates year after year!
• Attended the inaugural Asian Pacific Islander Graduates Celebration. Thank you, Angela Kong, Monica Diego Schmidt, and all the members of the Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) for organizing this first of its kind event in the history of Palomar College. A special thank you to Trustee Dr. Judy Patacsil for serving as the keynote speaker at the event.
• Attended the Certificate Ceremony for the first class of the Escondido Union School District and Palomar College Paraeducator Partnership. A special note of gratitude to all who made this partnership possible. Thank you for your efforts Laurel Anderson, Gina Wilson, Kerry Diaz, Teresa Laughlin, and Diane Studinka. I would also like to commend the entire Child Development & Education Department for finding creative ways to expand their course offerings to the community. Their second cohort is already full!
• Attended the Celebration of Black Graduates. Thank you, and congratulations, to Professor Amber Colbert, Cheryl Kearse, and all members of the Palomar Black Faculty and Staff Association (PBFSA) for hosting a spectacular and entertaining event. The Yiriba Drummers and the Tanzanite African Acrobatics were phenomenal!
• Attended back-to-back Palomar College Symphony Orchestra performances. The first was a performance by the Fortissimo Youth String Orchestra. Young musicians performed side-by side with members of our Palomar Symphony Orchestra. A special thank you to Fortissimo’s Director Shannon Yandall for her dedication to training the next generation of musicians. After Fortissimo played, the Palomar Symphony Orchestra took the stage for the “Magic of Nature” performance. I am not exaggerating when I say it was an outstanding performance! Thank you, Dr. Ellen Weller. You are a musical genius, and your love for your students is evident. Congratulations for ending the year on such a high note (pun intended).
• Attended the Budget Committee meeting.
• Met with Faculty Senate leadership.
• Met with Council of Classified Employees leadership.
• Hosted Executive President’s Cabinet.
• Participated in ongoing Faculty interviews.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events

• In honor of Pride Month, Palomar College will host a Progressive Pride Flag Raising ceremony on June 1^st on the San Marcos campus. The event begins at 12:30 PM.
• Register now for the Hispanic Serving Institution Fall 2023 Book Club! This year’s selection is Dr. Gina Ann Garcia’s new book: “Transforming Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) for Equity and Justice.” Dr. Garcia is a leading scholar on Hispanic Serving Institutions and an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Join us for an interactive book club to understand the framework that will help Palomar College, a Hispanic Serving Institution, transform into a space of liberation that promotes racial equity and social justice. The first 50 people to register will get a free copy of the book. To register, please access this link.

Comets of the Week

The Comets of the Week are Laurel Anderson and Gina Wilson from the Child Development & Education Department for facilitating and developing Palomar’s new Paraeducator Certificate Program in partnership with Escondido Union School District. They both worked hard to make this project a reality and supported the partnership through every step of the way.

Please note, I will take a hiatus from the weekly email through the summer. However, feel free to follow me on social media and stay connected with exciting weekly happenings.

Have a great summer! Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
Facebook: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Twitter: @palomardrstar

I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the last week of the semester. Commencement is around the corner, and it will take place this Friday, May 26^th, 2023, at 5:00 pm. We hope to see everyone there!

Campus Engagement

• Participated in ongoing faculty interviews.
• Hosted Executive President’s Cabinet.
• Hosted President’s Cabinet.
• Met with Palomar Faculty Federation leadership.
• Attended the Educational & Facilities Vision Plan Coordinators meeting.
• Attended the Puente Project’s End of the Year Celebration. Thank you, Dr. Cynthia Cordova, and Sonia Gutierrez, for your incredible leadership.
• Attended the HyFlex Service Learning Reception. Congratulations Angela Kong and Gina Wilson for all your hard work this academic year.
• Attended a workshop with San Diego Poet Laureate Dr. Jason Magabo Perez in support of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Thank you to the Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) for organizing and hosting this beautiful-engaging event.
• Attended the Research Methods in Psychology Spring Poster Fair. I appreciate the invite Dr. Netta Schroer, and thank you to all who made this successful event possible!
• Attended the Bravura Gala. Thank you, Dr. Leanne Maunu, for the invitation to this phenomenal event! I was very moved by the student talent!
• Attended the Fire Academy Graduation. Great job John Thompson, Fire Academy Coordinator, and all the Faculty and Staff who make the Fire Technology Program the incredible success it is.
• Attended the Associated Student Government Banquet. Thank you, Pippa Pierce, Sherry Titus, and Kimberly Rocca for all the phenomenal work you do with these student leaders year-round.
• Attended the MODA Fashion Show. Thank you for extending the invite Rita Campo-Griggs and a note of appreciation to all who made this event remarkable.
• Attended the Faculty Dance Concert. The over 100 performers were spectacular. Thank you, Patriceann Mead and the awesome faculty and crew who make this yearly event possible.
• Attended the Phi Theta Kappa Induction Ceremony. Outstanding work Dana O’Callaghan and Jennifer Backman on the well-organized, student-focused Saturday event.
• Attended the Candidate Campus Forums for the Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Student Services position.

The forums were recorded and are available for online viewing:

Candidate 1: Dr. Eliazer “Ellie” Ayala-Austin forum link: https://vimeo.com/828030782/b8a478bf3b.
Candidate 2: Nick Mata forum link: https://vimeo.com/828028365/c6246bae6f.
Candidate 3: Dr. Nicole Jones forum link: https://vimeo.com/828131841/639c01f9fb.

To provide feedback on the candidates please take the online survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/VPSS2023.
Comments on the finalists will be accepted until noon on Friday, May 26^th.

Community Engagement

• Met with UC Davis Wheelhouse Cohort 6 via Zoom. Thank you, Chancellor Francisco Rodriguez for hosting the event.
• Attended A Step Beyond’s Board Networking event.

Campus News

• This week (May 21^st– 27^th), is Classified School Employee Week designed to celebrate support staff and paraprofessionals who help our District succeed. We salute our classified colleagues for all the essential work they perform. In order to not compete with the last week of the semester, we are excited to officially celebrate them June 5^th– 9^th.
• Congratulations Coach Lacey Craft, assistant coaches, and the Palomar College softball team for placing 2^nd in the entire state!
• Please note, earlier this week, you should have received a survey in your email about my performance as the Superintendent/President. The survey is anonymous, and the aggregated information will be shared with the Governing Board and myself. The survey closes on May 31^st at 5pm. Thank you in advance for participating.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events

• Register now for the HSI Fall 2023 Book Club! This year’s Book Club will focus on Dr. Gina Ann Garcia’s new book: “Transforming Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSI) for Equity and Justice.” Dr. Gina Ann Garcia is a leading scholar on Hispanic Serving Institutions and an Associate Professor at the University of Pittsburgh. Join us for an interactive book club to understand the framework that will help Palomar, a Hispanic Serving Institution, transform into a space of liberation that promotes racial equity and social justice. The first 50 people to register will get a free copy of the book. Everyone is welcomed! To register, access this link.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update

The Educational and Facilities Plan Task Force met on Thursday, May 18^th. They reviewed the results of the Facilities Conditions report and discussed their observations and ideas for the San Marcos campus and our Education Centers. The Task Force will continue to meet over the summer to complete the Facilities Vision Plan.

Comet of the Week

The Comet of the Week is Dianna Trujillo-Hernandez, our Social Media Specialist. Dianna works very hard to capture all of Palomar’s student engagement activities and special celebrations. Her commitment to Palomar is to be admired. Thank you, Dianna, for helping us show the world how awesome we are!

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Facebook: @palomardrstar

I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the new week. Below is a brief recap of my Campus and Community Engagement activities from the previous week.

As many of you know, on Monday, May 8^th, Palomar’s San Marcos campus was placed on lockdown at 8:11 p.m. due to information received from the Sheriff’s Department indicating shots were fired at a nearby sports complex. Campus police responded quickly to this information and a lockdown was issued out of an abundance of caution. Campus police remained in close communication throughout the lockdown with the Sheriff’s Department to protect the campus from an emerging threat. At 9:28 p.m. the lockdown was cleared. Campus police remained onsite to assist employees and students leaving campus. Your safety and well-being remain our top priority.  We are appreciative of our partnership with the Sheriff’s Department and our Campus Police. We remain committed to keeping our campus as safe as possible. Since the incident, we have debriefed, collected input from campus stakeholders, and are exploring ways to continue to improve our District’s response to such incidents.

We understand the lockdown may have been a triggering event for some, and we want to make sure you are aware of the resources available to you. Employees have access to our Employee Assistance Programs and students can contact our Behavioral Health Services team. Access to these resources is a phone call away. The information is provided below.

Employees
Anthem Employee Assistance Program, (800) 999-7222; AnthemEAP.com/sisc Company Code = sisc
VOYA Employee Assistance Program, (877) 533-2363; TDD: (800) 697-0353, guidanceresources.com, WebID = My5848i

Students
Behavioral Health Services (760) 891-7531

Campus Engagement

• Hosted Executive President’s Cabinet.
• Participated in ongoing faculty interviews.
• Attended the Budget Committee meeting.
• Attended our Regular Governing Board meeting.
• Attended the All Campus Forum for our Educational and Facilities Vision Plan.
• Attended the EOPS/SSS/Promise Graduation Celebration.
• Attended the “Current Waves” student composer concert.
• Attended the “Defying Gravity” play.
• Attended this week’s Access & Equity Hour with the DRC. Presenters were Candace Rose and Tina Barlolong who discussed the benefits of Credit for Prior Learning.
• Attended two campus events in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander History Month. The first event was the AAPI (Asian American Pacific Islander) Young Professionals Panel. The second event was a discussion of the film Chinatown Rising.
• Attended the Transfer Recognition Ceremony.
• Attended the “Comets Launch into Registration” event.
• Attended the La Raza Graduation Ceremony for our Latinx students hosted by ALASS (Association of Latinos & Allies for Student Success).
• Attended the 1^st annual Pride Prom event.
• Spoke at the Pride Center’s “Pride 2023” event.
• Attended the Annual Employee Recognition Extravaganza. A special congratulations to all the nominees and winners! Several awards were given out, including: Administrative Association Employee of the Year- Adrianne Lee, CAST Employee of the Year- Timothy Cross, Classified Employee of the Year- Yvette Maynard, Distinguished Faculty full-time winner- Elizabeth (Betsy) Pain, and Distinguished Faculty part-time winner- Chase Way.

Community Engagement

• Attended the North County Higher Education Alliance (NCHEA) Board meeting. NCHEA is an amazing collaboration between California State University San Marcos, MiraCosta College, and Palomar College that helps to build strong alliances between our institutions that support our students and the North County community.
• Attended A Step Beyond’s Board meeting. 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events

• The Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) will continue to host events this week in honor of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. For a list of all upcoming events, head over to the APAHE website. Let us amplify the voices of our AANHPI community by learning and engaging together. Faculty, please consider offering extra credit for your students attending AANHPI Month events.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update

On Thursday, we held an all-campus forum to discuss the role and focus of our Education Centers as we plan for our future. Close to 100 campus community members participated in the forum! During the forum, a brief overview of our progress on our Educational and Facilities Vision Plan was presented. Also, described were some of the program areas of focus we are considering for each Center based on the review of data and information provided in our listening sessions. Participants then moved into breakout sessions and provided their ideas and feedback. Task force members will collate the ideas collected, sorting them into themes so they can inform future plans for the Centers. Thank you to everyone who participated.

In Other Campus News

• KPBS did a video feature on Palomar’s partnership with the MAAC Project. The video at this link.
• Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week. I would like to recognize all the great teachers here at Palomar that made this academic year awesome for our students.
• Last week was National Nurses Week. The theme for the 2023 Nurses Week was “Our Nurses. Our Future”. Thank you to all our current and future nurses for all you do to care and nurture us all.
• Congratulations to Head Coach Lacey Craft and Assistant Coaches Mark Eldridge, Allie Hughen, and Megan Wachholtz, for being named PCAC Softball Coaching Staff of the Year!

Comets of the Week

The Comets of the Week are Dr. Abbie Cory (Pride Center Co-Director and English Professor) and Dylan Davison (Pride Center Assistant) for the fantastic job planning and hosting this year’s Queer Pride and Prom! I had the pleasure of attending both events and they were flawlessly executed. Thank you both for helping make our LGBTQIA+ student population, and employees, feel welcomed and included.

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Facebook: @palomardrstar

I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the new week. Below is a brief recap of my Campus and Community Engagement activities from the previous week.

Campus Engagement

• Attended and spoke at the Palomar College Community Showcase. Congratulation to the 2023 Comet Award winner, Klaus Kirchhoff, for his generous gift to support student success. I would also like to thank Dr. Nora Kenney, Acting Director of the Rising Scholars Program, for her wonderful presentation on the work and progress the program has accomplished since its inception. Also, thank you to our Rising Scholars speakers and volunteers who attended. And of course, a huge thank you to Foundation Executive Director Stacy Rungaitis, and her team who made this event the tremendous success it was! We had over 300 attendees and dozens of volunteers who helped to make this event memorable. Thank you all!
• Attended the Pre-Board Agenda review meeting.
• Attended Commencement preparation meeting.
• Participated in ongoing faculty interviews. A special note of gratitude to Special Administrator, Dr. Diane Studinka, who has covered for me on several occasions/numerous events in order for me to participate in all scheduled interviews. Her assistance has been invaluable!
• Hosted President’s Cabinet.

Community Engagement

• Attended the Community College League of California’s Annual Trustee Conference in Monterey, California. The Annual Trustees Conference is designed to strengthen the skills and knowledge required of trustees to lead the Palomar District. Trustees in attendance included Trustee Jacqueline Kaiser, Trustee Dr. Judy Patacsil, Trustee Roberto Rodriguez, and Trustee Cassandra Schaeg. Also, congratulations to Trustee Rodriguez for completing his Effective Trustee Training! Thank you, Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction, Dr. Tina Recalde for serving as Acting President on Thursday and Friday while I was traveling with the Board.
• Conducted an interview with KPBS reporter Tania Thorne to discuss Palomar’s partnership with the MAAC Project. The MAAC Project is dedicated to transforming lives and strengthening communities through high-quality programs. I am excited to partner with this reputable organization, and it was very nice to get to better know MAAC CEO Arnulfo Manriquez during the filming.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events and News

• The second annual Queer Pride event at Palomar College will take place on Wednesday, May 10^th from 11:00 a.m.- 2:00 p.m. This event is an important opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators to demonstrate their support for our LGBTQ+ students and employees here on campus. Come help us create a space to celebrate the progress we’ve made toward being an inclusive campus. For details, check out the event flyer. Volunteers are still needed to help on the day of the event. Those interested in volunteering, or those who would like to have a booth, can sign up through this flyer.
• The Pride Center is also holding a Queer Prom this year on Wednesday, May 10^th from 4:00 p.m.-6:00 p.m. in the Student Union building. There will be a prize for the best dressed! Find more information within the event flyer here.
• Join the Palomar Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) in celebrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) Heritage Month. For a list of all planned events, head over to the APAHE website. Let us amplify the voices of our AANHPI community by learning and engaging together. Faculty, please consider offering extra credit for your students attending AANHPI Month events.
• Palomar College is excited to launch a new learning series focused on Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, Accessibility, and Antiracism (IDEAA), qualities that our college continues to embrace. The “IDEAAs for All” course is in the Professional Development Portal and is available to all employees. This optional comprehensive 22-hour course is divided into 5 Modules. To access these exciting new learning modules, first view this instructional video. The video will guide you through locating and launching the various modules. Once you have launched an “IDEAAs for All” module, please follow the instructions found in the “How Do I Navigate the IDEAAs Course” video.
• Congratulations to the winners and nominees of the 2022-2023 Exceptional Faculty Member Award for Exemplary Accessibility, Inclusion, and Anti-Ableist Teaching and Learning Practices! The winners are Professor of Performing Arts Francis Gercke, Professor of Art Ryan Bulis, and Professor of Math Daniel Clegg. Nominees were Rita Campo Griggs-Fashion Merchandising and Design, Gina Sanders-Math, Elizabeth Pain-Anthropology, Genevieve Griffin-Psychology, John O’Loughlin-American Sign Language, Alyssa Vafaei-DRC, Tina Barlolong-Counseling, and Liz Mendoza-American Sign Language-English Translation & Interpreting Services. Thank you to everyone who nominated these instructors.

Upcoming Events and Campus News

• Join Associated Student Government for Comet Hour in the Student Union on Wednesday, May 10^th from 12:00 p.m.-1:00 p.m.! For details and more information, check out the event flyer.
• In preparation for Summer and Fall registration, Student Services has planned a series of class registration support sessions called, Comets Launch into Registration! The first Comets Launch into Registration event will take place on Friday, May 12^th, 2023, starting at 4:00 p.m. at the San Marcos campus. Please RSVP on the Student Success website. In addition to the May 12^th event, we will have ongoing class registration and education planning support throughout the end of spring and summer. For more information, please refer to the event flyer. If you have any questions, please contact Student Success Coordinator, Fabiola Hernandez at fhernandez@palomar.edu.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update

Please join our all-campus forum to discuss the role of our Education Centers as part of our new Educational and Facilities Vision Plan (EFVP). This is an exciting time for us! As you know, we are continuing to craft our Educational and Facilities Vision Plan, titled Vision Plan 2035. This plan will serve as a blueprint for our programs and facilities over the next 12 years. While our comprehensive San Marcos campus will continue to serve and support our community, an important component of our long-range planning process includes considering how we can best establish our Education Centers to further support the needs of the residents in our district. During the forum, we will seek your ideas and feedback as we discuss potential opportunities for each of the Education Centers. The forum will be held on Thursday, May 11^th from 3:00 p.m. – 5:00 p.m. in LRC-438. A zoom option is also available. Here is the Zoom link: https://palomar-edu.zoom.us/j/84585556861. We look forward to hearing your thoughts and ideas.

Comet of the Week

The Comet of the Week is Dual Enrollment Supervisor Jennifer Finn for her “third-party” assistance with the Associated Student Government Election Committee and voting process. Thank you, Jennifer, for facilitating the election and helping our students learn the value of this important process. Your help is greatly appreciated! Please visit the ASG website to view election results.

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Facebook: @palomardrstar

I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the new week. Below is a brief recap of my Campus and Community Engagement activities from the previous week.

Campus Engagement

• Participated in ongoing faculty interviews.
• Hosted Executive President’s Cabinet meeting.
• Attended the Budget Committee meeting where we discussed what metrics we are planning to use to have common definitions when evaluating our District’s fiscal health.
• Visited Counselor Brittany Wong’s Counseling 110 classroom where I had the opportunity to speak with her students about educational pathways and careers.
• Attended the Special Governing Board Meeting where the Trustees learned more about our institution’s demographics, and we reviewed several institutional effectiveness metrics.
• Attended the Coffee with a Cop event at the TLC.
• Attended a meeting with the Professional Development team to conduct a follow-up and planning meeting for plenary.
• Met with our Black/African American Community Advisory Council.
• Attended the North County Choral Festival at the Howard Brubeck Theatre. Choirs from around North County performed. Dr. John Russell (Palomar College Director of Choral and Vocal Studies) was joined by Dr. Christopher Gravis who presented clinics for each performing ensemble in this first annual event.
• Attended the VET NET Ally Training. This training is designed to introduce participants to military/vet culture in order to learn how to be a vet student ally. Thank you, Jessica Horn for bringing this important programming to our campus employees.
• Met with College Council.
• Attended a performance at Dizzy’s featuring two of our talented faculty musicians, Heather Barclay, and Dr. Steven Gray as they performed with 8 plus 88. They also performed this week during our Palomar Concert Hour event.

Community Engagement

• Attended several webinars to support Black Student Success Week sponsored by the State Chancellor’s Office. The webinars discussed immediate opportunities to support Black/African American student success. I appreciated that the student voice was at the center of all the workshops, and I appreciated the “best practices” shared about how to close the racial equity gap. If you missed the 2023 Black Student Success Week webinars, you can find the recordings here.
• Attended A Step Beyond’s College and Career meeting to see how to best support students from the program who will be attending Palomar in the fall.
• Attended the COLEGAS webinar titled, “DSPS through a Racialized Lens: Clearing El Camino for Students with Disabilities.” This webinar discussed and debunked what disability is and stressed the importance of accessibility whether one identifies as having a disability or not.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events and News

• The second annual Queer Pride event at Palomar College will take place next month on May 10^th from 11:00a.m.-2:00p.m. This event is an important opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators to demonstrate their support for our LGBTQ+ students and employees here on campus. Come help us create a space to celebrate the progress we’ve made toward being an inclusive campus. For details, check out the event flyer. Volunteers are still needed to help out on the day of the event. Those interested in volunteering, or those who would like to have a booth, can sign up through this flyer.
• The Pride Center is holding a Queer Prom this year on May 10^th from 4:00p.m.-6:00p.m. in the SU building. There will be a prize for best dressed! Find more information within the event flyer here.
• May is Military Appreciation Month, to all that have served or are serving our country, we want to say, thank you for your service and sacrifice.
• May is Jewish American Heritage Month. Jewish American Heritage Month is a celebration of the contributions and experiences of Jewish Americans and highlights how America’s Jewish communities have shaped and been shaped by the cultural, social, and economic fabric of the United States. A toolkit for ideas to support and engage can be found through this link.
• May is also Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. The Asian Pacific Alliance in Higher Education (APAHE) at Palomar College is preparing a series of events in the upcoming weeks to celebrate. For details of all events please visit the APAHE website.

Campus Events and News

• Administrative Professional Day occurred on Wednesday, April 26^th. I would like to thank all our Administrative Professionals here at Palomar College for making our lives better on a daily basis. Our District could not function without you!
• This past week was also National Library Week. Libraries are essential to everyone’s education, and they deserve to be recognized and promoted. I am very proud of Palomar’s libraries and our fantastic-dedicated librarians.
• The Associated Student Government (ASG) will be hosting a Student Focused Q&A Session with Congressman Scott Peters on May 2^nd from 11:00a.m.-12:00p.m. Here is the event flyer for more information.
• The Health Services Showcase will take place on May 2^nd from 1:00p.m.-3:00p.m. Please stop by the department on the San Marcos campus to tour the refreshed spaces and meet the team. In addition to a tour, they will have music, and an ice cream truck. The Student Health Center area, the Behavioral Health Counseling Services area, and the Health Promotion area will be featured. All are invited.
• Our first enrollment Spring Music Festival will take place on May 4^th from 1:00p.m.-6:00p.m. under the clock tower. There is a great line-up of bands who will be performing, and resource tents will be there to provide information on all the outstanding programs Palomar has to offer. Our goal is to hold new types of events to attract potential students. Check out the event flyer here.
• The Annual Employee Recognition Extravaganza is coming up on May 12^th from 1:30p.m.-4:00p.m. I am looking forward to celebrating all our outstanding employees! Here is the event flyer for more details.
• Access the Early Childhood Education Lab School (ECELS) spring newsletter here. I always love reading it, so I wanted to share widely!
• Congratulations to the Media Studies Department on their successful Media Day events this past week!
• Congratulations to our Palomar Speech and Debate Team on their semi-annual Evening of Forensics Speech Showcase this past week! I am already looking forward to the next one.

Educational and Facilities Vision Plan Update

The Educational and Facilities Plan Task Force met on April 20^th. During the meeting, the Task Force discussed linkages between the educational vision plan’s goals and objectives and college facilities. The task force agreed to keep working during the summer to ensure we complete our Vision Plan in the fall. A big thank you to the task force members for all their work and their commitment to completing this plan.

Comets of the Week

The Comets of the Week are the Emergency Medical Education (EME) students and faculty members Sarah DeSimone, Michael Finton, and Skip Clark. This week the Palomar College Foundation hosted a naming event celebration at the Escondido Education Center. Donors, consisting of 30 members of the Assistance League of Inland North County, came to visit so we could thank them for providing scholarships to our students and to showcase their naming plaque in the EME classroom. Faculty members Sarah DeSimone, Michael Finton, and Skip Clark went above and beyond by not just bringing a couple of students, as requested, for the donors to meet, but instead the entire class came to extend their appreciation! The students in paramedic uniforms mingled with our donors and thanked them for supporting their educational journey. Additionally, Sarah and Michael’s meaningful words to the group spoke volumes. This organic, humble, personal touch meant the world to our donors and was simply priceless.

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
Twitter: @palomardrstar
Instagram: @palomardrstar
Facebook: @palomardrstar

I hope this update finds everyone in good spirits as we head into the new week. Below is a brief recap of my Campus and Community Engagement activities from the previous week.

Campus Engagement

• Attended the Fallbrook Education Center’s Community Advisory Council meeting.
• Attended a pre-meeting for the 2023-2024 Emergency Preparedness Training Plan.
• Attended the Educational and Facilities Planning Task Force meeting. The meeting focused on the types of facilities we will need over the next 12 years.
• Attended the “Fresh” exhibition at the Boehm Gallery. Congratulations to all the talented artists for producing such a memorable exhibition.
• Attended the Art Department’s Open House. It was all very impressive, and I had the good fortune of experiencing a phenomenal demonstration by our foundry program.
• Attended the Early Childhood Education Lab School Open House-San Marcos. I always enjoy seeing the quality programming our baby comets experience!
• Attended the Tarde de Familia event at the student union. Thank you to all who organized, and participated, in this year’s spectacular community outreach event.
• Attended Latin Nights at the Howard Brubeck Theatre. Congratulations to all the students and faculty involved in producing another outstanding, entertaining, and memorable event.
• Attended this week’s Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility Speaker Series event. This event featured two presentations by Paul Grossman (Retired Civil Rights Attorney) and Jamie Axelrod (Disability Resources Director at Northern Arizona University). The presenters reviewed the evolution of the Disability Rights Movement, taught us how to be a disability ally on campus, and clarified the rights and responsibilities under disability laws for professors. Thank you, Disability Resource Center, Human Resources, and Professional Development, for bringing these experts to our campus.
• Spoke at the annual Palomar College Retiree’s Association (PACRA) Luncheon. I always enjoy spending time with this fantastic group of retired employees who continue to support our institution in a variety of ways.
• Hosted Executive President’s Cabinet meeting.
• Hosted President’s Cabinet meeting.
• Hosted monthly Open Office Hours.
• Hosted a commencement review meeting.
• Hosted separate standing meetings with CCE, PFF, AA/CAST and Faculty Senate leadership.

Community Engagement

• Conducted an interview with NBC 7 San Diego reporter Dana Williams who will be featuring Palomar College in an upcoming story.
• Attended the Fallbrook Avocado Festival, where Palomar had a booth. The festival was attended by thousands of people, and I am very proud of all our outstanding employees who spent their Sunday outreaching in our community. The Palomar booth was extremely popular, and I cannot thank Ryan Williams and Yvette Maynard enough for their exceptional leadership in making this event a success!

Upcoming Events and Campus News

• Media Days returns this week beginning Monday, April 24^th. Please join us for one or more of the informative panels, workshops, or career and academic advising sessions occurring throughout the week. For details and the schedule of events, check out the event flyer.
• Palomar College and CSU San Marcos are partners in presenting the Education Without Borders Celebration event on Tuesday, May 2^nd. For details check out the event flyer.  If you have a question, please contact Dr. Leslie Salas at lsalas@palomar.edu.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Upcoming Events and News

• As we continue our focus on initiatives that address student success and completion, I invite you to join us April 24–April 28, 2023, from noon – 1:00 p.m. each day as we celebrate Black Student Success Week. This year’s theme is “Vision to Action: Building Systems and Structures for Black Student Success.” The webinars are designed for administrators, faculty, staff, and students and will feature insights and panel discussions on how to best support the success of Black students. After each webinar, we will be hosting “watch parties” and providing a light lunch in LRC-116 to view and discuss the webinar series developed by the State Chancellor’s Office to see how we can best use the information for our Palomar students. Registration is open at this event website. We will also host a variety of local Skillshops and workshops throughout the week. A complete schedule can be found on the Palomar College website. For a summary of details, see this event flyer.
• Monday, April 24^th is Genocide Remembrance Day. Palomar College will join other institutions in the opportunity to reflect on past and present genocides, including, but not limited to, the Holocaust, Holodomor, and the Genocides of the Armenian, Assyrian, Greek, Cambodian, Rwandan, and Indigenous communities. Throughout the remainder of the month, the library at our Rancho Bernardo Education Center is hosting virtual and in-library book displays titled “What Was Lost, What Was Saved”. The display is designed to increase our knowledge about the 6 million Jewish people and 11 million non-Jewish people who were targeted and murdered. In addition, we will learn about the triumphs of people who escaped, resisted, rescued, and will forever be reminders to the rest of us to never forget. For more information, please view the event flyer.
• The second annual Queer Pride event at Palomar College will take place next month on Wednesday, May 10^th. This event is an important opportunity for faculty, staff, and administrators to demonstrate their support for our LGBTQ+ students and employees here on campus. Queer Pride is especially important as we see the rise of anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments across the country. Come help us create a space to celebrate the progress we’ve made toward being an inclusive campus. For details, check out the event flyer. Volunteers are still needed to help out on the day of the event. Those interested in volunteering, or those who would like to have a booth, can sign up through this flyer.
• Great news! Palomar College has been selected as one of 20 California Community Colleges to receive the Native American Student Support and Success Program Grant (NASSSP). This grant will allow us to expand our services and support our Native American students on our campus and in our District.
• Palomar’s Cafeteria has been made more welcoming, accessible, and inclusive! A blind/low-vision student, brought to our attention that there was an access barrier in our cafeteria. After several meetings and discussions with Food Service Director-Nick Menotti, support from DRC’s Sarah Baker and Dan Dryden the following was accomplished: 1) QR codes to accessible menus to allow blind/low vision students to know what food is prepared/available. 2) Braille labels on the Fountain drink machine. 3) and the creation of Braille menus. The DRC would like to extend their appreciation to Nick for making these critical changes in a timely manner. Also, a huge note of gratitude to our wonderful DRC student for his courage and advocacy to make necessary changes to our campus experience to be more accessible, usable, and inclusive for our entire community.

Comets of the Week

The Comets of the Week are the Palomar winners of the San Diego Chapter, American Association for Women in Community Colleges (SDCAAWCC) 2023 Phenomenal Women of the Year Region X awards. The recipients are Student Woman of the Year-Breeana Stephens, Faculty Woman of the Year-Dr. Susan Miller, Classified Woman of the Year-Cheryl Kearse, and Administrator Woman of the Year-Teresa Laughlin. Congratulations to you all for this well-deserved recognition. Please mark your calendars and plan to join SDCAAWCC for their annual Recognition Ceremony on Friday, May 5^th, from 11:00a.m.-2:00p.m. at the Educational Cultural Complex at the San Diego College of Continuing Education. Lunch will be provided. Register for the event by clicking on this event flyer.

Have a great upcoming week. Go Comets!

For pictures of the various events, follow:
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