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- Written by: Editor
The appeal came during an event at City College of San Francisco, where diverse interests gathered to encourage participation in the upcoming event.
“As the nation’s largest system of higher education – serving nearly 3 million students each year – California’s Community Colleges are crucial in educating and training our future workforce. Unfortunately, the economic recession has made it more difficult for thousands of students to attend college. Efforts such as Hands Across California, which bring people together from all demographics, regions and political parties provide youth an opportunity to achieve their dream,” Newsom said of the gathering on April 17.
An unprecedented fundraising and advocacy opportunity, HAC will create a human line stretching down the state, with a portion of the route going directly through San Francisco and the Bay Area.
It will call attention to the nation's largest system of higher education, illustrating the impact of community colleges, and raising dollars for the California Community Colleges Scholarship Endowment (CCCSE), which will benefit community college students for generations to come.
Through the generosity of The Bernard Osher Foundation, net proceeds will receive a 50 percent match, increasing the impact that donations made to the cause will have on students.
The event will involve most of the state’s 112 community colleges and comes at a critical time for the colleges and their students.
Due to the ever-rising cost of an education, many of the state’s community college students are struggling to pay for college.
Full-time students have an annual median income of $16,223, and nearly a quarter have incomes of less than $5,544 per year.
Nearly 90 percent of full-time students are in need of financial aid and almost half (47 percent) of all students have no resources to pay for college.
HAC is organized by the Foundation for California Community Colleges and made possible through the support of partnerships with major California corporations AT&T, Clear Channel, Southern California Edison, UPS and Yahoo!.
Through these partnerships, a number of opportunities are available to allow people to be a part of this historic event and support students of the largest system of higher education in America.
A texting campaign has been launched courtesy of AT&T, allowing anyone to donate $10 to the cause simply by texting HANDS to 27722 from a mobile phone; an online mapping tool that allows participants to map out their locations for the event has been developed by Yahoo!; and UPS is helping by doing what they are perhaps best known for – logistics.
Brown UPS package cars will be seen up and down the state on April 17 as they mark gathering points for the event. Additionally, Southern California Edison and Clear Channel radio have given financial support and air time to support the cause.
“As California's community colleges face worsening budget situations and the students themselves feel the effect of our economy, Hands Across California will shed light on the millions of students who desperately need financial support to complete their education while raising dollars that will result in student scholarships for generations to come,” said Paul Lanning, President and CEO of the Foundation for California Community Colleges, which is organizing Hands Across California.
“The collaboration we have seen from so many diverse interests underscores the importance of California Community Colleges and their role as the largest provider of workforce needs in America. Those standing with us today demonstrate that our students are worthy of investment and support, and we hope that others throughout California will feel the same way, particularly on April 17,” Lanning said.
California’s Community Colleges were created to provide affordable and accessible educational opportunities for all Californians.
Today, the system serves nearly 3 million students each year, enrolls three out of every ten Californians age 18-24, educates the majority of the state’s workforce, and provides a stepping-stone for students on the pathway to four-year and graduate degrees.
California Community Colleges educate 80 percent of firefighters, law enforcement officers, and emergency medical technicians.
In addition, 70 percent of the nurses in California received their education from community colleges.
Thanks to a commitment from The Bernard Osher Foundation, every dollar raised through HAC will receive a 50 percent match that will be donated to the CCCSE.
The ultimate goal is to build a $100 million scholarship endowment that will provide desperately needed financial support hundreds of thousands of students over the coming years.
The CCCSE was established in 2008 thanks to a $25 million gift from The Bernard Osher Foundation. The foundation also committed another $25 million as a challenge grant to the California Community Colleges as an incentive to raise an additional $50 million for the endowment by June 2011.
To learn more about HAC, be a part of this historic event or donate to the cause, visit www.HandsAcrossCalifornia.org.
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- Written by: Editor
Measure J contains strict financial safeguards, including a requirement that independent audits be conducted annually to ensure that bond funds are spent only on the classroom and facility improvements as identified in the original ballot language.
Roxie Azparren, auditor for Matson and Isom, presented the annual YCCD Proposition 39 and Measure J General Obligation Bonds Performance Audit to the Measure J Citizens’ Bond Oversight Committee (CBOC) at its quarterly meeting on March 1, 2011.
The performance audit verified that Measure J bond revenues were expended only for the construction, acquisition, furnishing, and equipping of the district projects approved by the voters and that no funds were used for salaries of school administrators or other operating expenses of the district.
In addition, the audit found that the district properly accounted for the proceeds and expenditures of Proposition 39 and Measure J General Obligation Bonds. As such, the CBOC approved the audit report.
Eleanor Mackensen, chair of the Measure J CBOC, presented the 2009-10 Proposition 39 and Measure J General Obligation Bonds Performance Audit to the YCCD Board of Trustees at their regular session. The Board of Trustees unanimously accepted the report.
“It is my pleasure to present to the community the audit report on the expenditures of the Measure J bond program,” said Mackensen. “The Audits were reviewed by the committee last month and everything was found to be in order.”
The auditing firm also found that the bond fund financial statements presented fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Measure J Bond Program as of June 30, 2010, and the changes in financial position and cash flows thereof for the year then ended in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United State of America.
No material weaknesses were found and auditing tests disclosed no instances of noncompliance.
Measure J was passed by voters in the eight counties served by YCCD in November 2006 to repair, renovate and add facilities for community college services.
The Bond Construction Program, scheduled to complete in 2014, is at its half-way mark, with projects progressing on time and on budget.
“Our program managing partner, AECOM, architectural and construction firms, and the over 100 local businesses and subcontractors employed by the Measure J program are doing an outstanding job, providing jobs for our community, and contributing positively to the local economy,” said Dr. Nicki Harrington, Chancellor, YCCD.
In related news, the board adopted a resolution authorizing the issuance and sale of General Obligation Bonds under Series C in the amount of $35 million. Series C will be issued within the legal limit of $25 per $100,000 of assessed property values within the district.
The slight increase is based on the current economic downturn and the subsequent decrease in property values in our region.
Thanks to Measure J, the board was also able to approve at last night’s meeting the donation of athletic equipment to Colusa High School (CHS).
The Yuba College Athletic Department recently purchased new equipment for the track and field program through the Measure J furniture, fixtures and equipment budget assigned to the Building 1200 renovation project.
As a result, some older equipment that is still usable became expendable, including 40 hurdles and four starting blocks.
The YCCD Board of Trustees approved that this equipment be donated to CHS.
“On behalf of Colusa High School, I would like to thank … [the] Yuba Community College [District] for the donation of hurdles, starting blocks and miscellaneous track equipment,” said Colusa High School Principal Dave McGrath.
The Yuba Community College District spans eight counties and nearly 4,200 square miles of territory in rural, north-central California. It has colleges in Marysville and Woodland, an educational center in Clearlake, outreach operations at Beale Air Force Base and in Williams, and will be adding an outreach facility in Sutter County as part of the Measure J facilities bond.
For more information about YCCD visit www.yccd.edu.
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- Written by: Editor
One hundred and 20 CAMP students and staff from across the state of California will participate in this three day event that will consist of the educational workshops, motivational speakers, leadership and trust exercises.
The CAMP Statewide Conference is a collaborative effort by the California CAMP Directors Consortium.
Chairing the conference is Mendocino College CAMP Director Minerva Flores.
Mendocino College was a CAMP grant recipient from 2002-07 and was selected again in 2009 for another five-year funding cycle.
“I am absolutely thrilled that we will be able to sponsor the event this year,” said Flores. “The workshops and speakers who participate in the conference provide valuable information for first generation college students of a migrant farmworking background. What is most impressive of the CAMP Statewide Conference is how students from across California come together and bond by sharing similar experiences.”
She went on to state that “Motivating and encouraging our young adults to continue in higher education is the focus of this conference.”
CAMP assists students who are migratory or seasonal farmworkers (or children of such workers) enrolled in their first year of undergraduate studies at an institution of higher education (IHE).
The funding supports completion of the first year of studies. Competitive five-year grants for CAMP projects are made to IHEs or to nonprofit private agencies that cooperate with such institutions.
The program serves approximately 2,000 CAMP participants annually. In California there are nine programs, either at two-year colleges or universities.
CAMP services include outreach, counseling, tutoring, skills workshops, financial aid stipends, health services and housing assistance to eligible students during their first year of college.
Limited followup services are provided to participants after their first year.
There is a $100 registration fee for the conference that begins at 9 a.m. in the Little Theater on the Ukiah Campus of Mendocino College, 1000 Hensley Creek Road.
For more information, please contact the Mendocino College CAMP Office at 707-467-1008 or email us at
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- Written by: Karalena Cole
Carlé's key chain prom fundraiser party was held last Friday, April 1, celebrating Angie's advisory along with the top sales people who were Ray Raylon, Desiree Bauer, Karalena Cole, Stevie Cook, Heidi Kratz, Raina Golden, Jorge Vieira and Jonathan Warren.
They were rewarded with some pizza, soda and a good time for all of their hard work for a “timeless” prom.
Paintball also was held last Friday and was a blast! We would like to thank Lucas Powell and Jorge Vieira for leading and cleaning up paintball, and also thank Michael and Starr Skidmore for providing this opportunity. This brings students together, while teaching them teamwork.
April 1 also was the halfway point grade checks of this the fifth grading period. Students have only one and a half grading periods left to get all the credits they need for this year.
Spring-bling is this week on Friday, April 8. Students are stoked to celebrate the festivities that will take place. “Spring-bling” is a “holiday style” celebration bringing everyone together for some activities (additional information in next week's article).
Two more senior portfolio celebrations were held on Thursday, March 31. Brandon Haggard and Tyler Sterling were able to show off their very own styles in two great presentations. Congratulations, graduating seniors!
The “Every Student Can Succeed” dinner took place on March 31. Carlé student Nia Edmunds, who is a perfect example of someone who has been through a lot but works as hard as she can to succeed in life, was feted at the dinner.
“The entire staff at Carlé unanimously chose Nia Edmunds because of the amazing manner in which she has overcome unbelievable obstacles in her life,” said Principal Ed Zander. “We believe that she truly exemplifies the spirit of the 'Every Student Succeeds' award. She has overcome many obstacles in her life and has never lost sight of her future goals. Whatever Nia does she will be great at because she has never let her trials and tribulations slow her down. Nia exemplifies the word resilience. We are all so proud of her accomplishments.”
Karalena Cole is a student at Carlé Continuation High School in Lower Lake, Calif.