Welcome Lale Yurtseven, New Business Instructor

Please welcome Lale Yurtseven, who will be joining our full-time Business faculty. Ms. Yurtseven will be teaching courses across the Business curriculum. Ms. Yurtseven is Turkish, grew up in Germany, and is multi-lingual, speaking English, German, and Turkish.

She holds an M.B.A. in International Management and a B.A. in International Relations from the Monterey Institute of International Studies. She has been an adjunct faculty member, teaching Business, at both De Anza and West Valley Colleges for over eight years. She has also served as a grant manager promoting business and education collaboration throughout the California Community Colleges system.

She started an Entrepreneurship Center at West Valley College, where she counseled students and community members who are interested in starting a business. Prior to her experience in education, Ms. Yurtseven worked in management positions at both fortune 500 companies as well as startup companies. She also founded an information technology company, and continues to serve on its board to this day.

New SparkPoint Center

It has been said that many of our students are a “flat tire away from dropping out of college” as they have limited resources available to support themselves as they are pursuing their education. In the past, we have been unable to address these basic needs of our low-income students. The SparkPoint Center at Cañada College is being established to provide support services to give students the tools they need to remain in college.

To get the Center up and running, the college has received a “Working Families Success Network” three-year $100,000 grant administered by Achieving the Dream with funding from several foundations – Annie E. Casey, Kellogg, Bank of America and Lumina. The Working Families Success Network (WFSN) is a national initiative to advance a fresh approach to helping low-income families achieve financial stability. The network is made up of national and local foundations, community colleges, and community-based organizations.

The WFSN strategy, known by some as an integrated services approach, is helping community-based organizations and community colleges rethink how they serve working families through the bundling and sequencing of complementary services and supports in the three key areas:

Education and employment services: Services that provide students with the skills needed to enter and retain employment and advance in the career of their choice.

Work and income supports: Services that assist students in accessing public benefits and other income supports in order to increase family economic stability and encourage college retention and completion.

Financial and asset building services: Services that build the financial knowledge of students, increase their access to savings and wealth-retaining financial products and encourage the meeting of both short and long-term financial goals.

The key outcomes for participants in the SparkPoint Center include job placement and retention, increased family income, credit score improvement and increased completion rates for college degrees or training programs.

In addition, SparkPoint at Cañada College will be part of a regional United Way of the Bay Area network of financial education centers designed to serve individuals and families who are working to achieve financial self-sufficiency. This Center is modeled after the SparkPoint at Skyline College and will significantly improve our overall support provided to students.

A Steering Committee for the SparkPoint at Cañada College is meeting this summer to make plans to begin providing services in late fall 2014. We will keep the campus posted on the progress made in the development of the Center through regular reports in the Olive Hill Press.

Submitted by Dr. Robin Richards, PharmD

Degrees Submitted for Approval

As nearly everyone knows, SB 1440 mandated that the CSU and the community college systems develop transfer degrees (AA-T or AS-T) to facilitate transfer of students from the community colleges to the CSUs. Templates for each degree were developed by discipline faculty from both systems and then each community college was required to determine whether they have the courses to fit in the template. Each CSU has to determine whether they have a similar degree and how the student can complete the Bachelor’s degree in 60 semester units after transfer with the AA or AS-T. New templates are released for degree development in February and September.

The faculty at Cañada College has been diligently working to develop and get approval for the degrees for which we have the programs and courses. To date, we have submitted 20 degrees to the State Chancellor’s office for approval and (as of) July 1 have received approval for 17 of these. Some of these degrees were very straightforward and others required significant course updating and revision and/or development of new courses. Of the templates expected to be released in September, we should be able to develop 2-3 additional transfer degrees for our students.

Anthropology

Art History

Business Administration

Communication Studies Philosophy

Computer Science

Early Childhood Education

Economics

Elementary Education (pending state approval)

English

Geography

History

Kinesiology

Mathematics

Physics

Political Science (pending state approval)

Psychology

Sociology

Studio Arts

Theatre Arts (pending state approval)

Submitted by Dr. Janet Stringer, MD, PhD

Program Prioritization and Budget Allocation Update

Last week, Governor Brown signed a new $108 Billion State Budget that should be viewed as being generally favorable to the needs of California Community Colleges. While the Community College System budget still has not recovered to pre-economic crisis levels, the new State Budget contains substantial improvements meant to ensure that colleges can better serve our communities and students.

The largest portions of the State Community College Budget, funds for apportionment, have no real effect on Cañada College. We are part of a community supported college district, and as such, we rely on County-level funding rather than State-level funding. Among the benefits of being “Community Supported” is that the college actually receives greater per-student funding than if we relied on state funding for apportionment. Our County-based funding process is still tied to enrollment at each of the SMCCCD colleges, but the system affords us resources that would not otherwise be available if we were singularly tied to state enrollment funding.

Nevertheless, there are areas and programs in which the college is still very much dependent on state funding. These areas are generally in Student Services and Support. The new State Budget provides continued support for our many “categorical” service programs. Statewide, DSPS was funded $114,223,000; EOPS was funded $88,605,000; Economic Workforce Development was funded $50,000,000; Part Time Faculty Compensation budget was funded $24,907,000; and Part Time Faculty Office Hour budget was funded $3,500,000. Each of these budget lines has an actual, or potential, positive effect on Cañada’s bottom line. In addition, the State authorized new expenditures under the Student Success and Support Program of some $70,000,000.

This is all good news and comes in the wake of discussions the college community held in the last month of the Spring Semester in which we examined the effects of the loss of Measure G funding to college operations. This community supported parcel tax is set to end at the end of this month. The loss in operating funds to the college will be approximately $2.3 Million annually. In April and May, the members of the Planning and Budget Committee, along with some 40 campus faculty and staff representing Instructional and Student Services programs, met to examine options and make recommendations of what the college might do in terms of addressing the loss of Measure G funding, as well as to discuss use prioritization of additional funds, including “One-Time Funds” available through County funding mechanisms, and Grant funds. 

Those involved in the review process took a rather courageous course as they set aside their own interests in search of answers to how we can continue to best serve our students with fewer resources. The number one priority for the group was to preserve instruction as much as possible. Also at the top of the priority list were programs meant to improve student success. Several programs, some funded through Measure G, others funded with "One-Time-Funds" or General Fund resources, received less significant support from the group. While their importance was recognized, their urgency in promoting student success was considered measurably less. The prioritization list was forwarded to me, as President, for review and consideration in developing the final college expenditure plan for 2014-2015.

I have carefully considered the recommendations and understand the values behind them, and I share those values. It is important for us to redouble our commitment to the mission of serving this community in a manner that ensures it has the programs and services necessary to provide the transfer and workforce development tools for our students to meet their goals. So, it was with an eye to stretch and utilize every dollar available to us to meet the financial needs of our programs that guided me in developing the final expenditure plan.

Fortunately, our advanced, effective planning over the past few years has put us in a better position to address our financial challenges than we might otherwise have been. So, as we are about to close the books on fiscal 2013-2014, and now that we have a fuller understanding of our funding stream, given the Governor's Budget and the County's own financial assessment, I want to share with you some of the expenditure priorities I am employing for the new academic year. 

The fact is that our resources are a bit stronger than predicted two or three months ago. We are finishing the year with an Ending Fund Balance of well over $500,000. We have some $1.1 Million in unspent Measure G Reserves, we are receiving a "final payout" of Measure G funds of more than $200,000 at the end of this month, and local property tax receipts are greater than expected allowing the District to provide a substantial "backfill" to Measure G lost revenues of perhaps as much as $500,000. Thus, while I continue to believe it prudent to temper our spending, I am also conscious of not "over-reacting" with unnecessary reductions that might adversely affect student success.

Keeping within the priorities and values provided by the PBC, I am budgeting small reductions in instructional costs which will be realized by eliminating heavily under-enrolled sections; reducing operating costs in CIETL; defunding the Trustee's Project Fund; eliminating the Grants Development Office; employing small operational reductions in Library services; slightly reducing the funding of peer mentorship programs; eliminating some General Fund and Measure G funding in Workforce Development; shifting some counseling funds to resources available with the new Student Success and Support Program; shifting Veteran's Center funds permanently to the General Fund; and shifting some Measure G supported Financial Aid services to the General Fund.

In consultation with Chief Business Officer, Vickie Nunes, we estimate that these reductions and shifted resource allocations will result in a reduction of about $600,000 from funds currently tied to Measure G. These reductions, along with the resources we have identified to carry us through the coming year, and with further time to analyze and plan in 2014-2015, give me confidence that the college can survive the loss of Measure G funds with a robust budget that allows us to effectively serve our students. 

My thanks to everyone who participated in the expenditure prioritization process: Your patience, professionalism, and dedication, are what makes Cañada College such a special place.

Announcing the Colt Academy

A new program is being piloted this summer. The Community of Leadership and Transfer Success (COLTS) Academy is a 4-day student support program that begins on Monday, July 28 and ends on Thursday, July 31st. This summer program was created through a collaborative effort across many departments and student support programs. The steering committee consists of representatives from Counseling, ASCC, A2B, BTO, TRIO, STEM, Transfer Center, Career Center, EOPS/CalWORKS, Learning Center, and Outreach. We hope to also include faculty, the financial aid office, and the Welcome Center.

The purpose of the Academy is for students to:

1. Connect – meet fellow Cañada students, faculty, and staff.
2. Lead – learn their leadership style and how and when to apply it.
3. Succeed – walk away with a Transfer Success Portfolio equipped with tools and resources for college success.

We hope to serve 50 new students in this summer pilot; the target group will be first-time freshmen who have completed our Priority Enrollment Program (PEP). COLTS Academy will feature fun and interactive workshops, a powerful mix of peer leaders who will be the students’ mentors-for-the-day, free academic resources, and an amazing opportunity for students to get a head start on their academic career at Cañada College.

Some of the activities will include:

• Exploring learning styles
• The Growth Mindset (developing your brain like a muscle)
• First-year survival (tips and tools on how to be academically prepared)
• Transfer 101 (the fundamentals of understanding transfer)
• Financial aid and budgeting
• “Who you are matters” (exploring the student experience)
• Career Exploration
• How to get involved (with ASCC!)
• And so much more! 

If you or your department would like to contribute or volunteer for COLTS Academy, please contact our steering committee at (650) 306-3111 or email iwillsucceed@my.smccd.edu.

Cañada College Students in CSU Summer Arts Program

Two of our MART students have been accepted into the CSU Summer Arts program. Sharon Wong and Ace Del Rosario are the students, admitted via portfolio review, to the program.

The CSU Summer Arts animation series has been running for several years, and during the six-week program, students work with and are mentored by artists from studios such as Nickelodeon, DreamWorks, and Pixar, as well as CSU animation faculty. The students make professional and peer contacts, with the goal of producing a portfolio- or demo reel ready piece of work by the end of the program.

Summer Arts is a very competitive program, with students from all over California applying. That we had two accepted speaks volumes about the dedication and effort of our students and the quality of the work they produce.

Sarahi Espinoza Honored at the White House

Cañada College Broadcast Journalism Major, Sarahi Espinoza, was named one of 10 DACA recipients of the Champions of Change award by the Obama administration.

Espinosa was brought to the United States from Mexico by her parents when she was just four-years-old. She moved back and forth between Los Angeles and the Bay Area, living with relatives and friends. It was a difficult transition and her father eventually moved back to Mexico. When she turned 16, Espinosa’s mother left for Mexico, but Espinosa remained behind to live with her brother’s family and finish high school at North Hollywood High School. After graduating from high school in 2008, Espinosa moved back to the Bay Area to live with a sister in East Palo Alto. She worked as a babysitter and registered for classes at Foothill College as an AB540 student. That spring she learned that her dad was diagnosed with stomach cancer. Her mother was caring for him, but they did not have enough money to pay their bills. Espinosa dropped out of school and began babysitting full time to send money to her parents.

In 2011, her father passed away. At that point, she was determined to go back to school to earn her college degree. She learned about Redwood City's Cañada College from Educators for Faire Consideration (E4FC) and was told to contact Adriana Fernandez, a student at Cañada, who put her in touch with Margie Carrington and Trish Guerrara.

She applied for DACA or Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals status in 2012. As one of 600,000 recipients, Espinoza became eligible to get a driver's license and a job. She now works for the Girl Scouts of Northern California and teaches in environmental science and technology programs.

After enrolling at Cañada College, Sarahi taught herself how to program so she could build a website (www.sarahi.tv) to educate other DACA recipients about scholarship opportunities. (DACA recipients are given a 2-year deportation deferment.) It was this website that got the attention of the White House.

ABC7 News broadcast live from the campus with a story on Sarahi.