Dear SDCCE Community,
I hope you all enjoyed a restful and meaningful four-day weekend in observance of Presidents’ Day and spent time with loved ones on Valentine's Day. This time gives us a moment to reflect on leadership, service, and the responsibility we carry in shaping the future values that resonate deeply with the work we do at SDCCE.
Each day, your dedication creates opportunity, expands access, and transforms lives. Thank you for the leadership you demonstrate in your roles and for the collective impact you make across our campuses and centers.
Enrollment Updates
Spring Update
SDCCE’s overall enrollment for spring stands at 25,406 (8% less than this time last year, and a 3% increase from last week), with a fill rate of 71%, which is less than last spring (77%). SDCCE’s overall headcount is currently 13,524, a decrease of 6% compared to this time last spring (14,357) and a 2% increase from last week (13,322). FTEF scheduled for the spring semester is 9% greater than last spring (194.00 to 210.72). View the enrollment report.
We’re excited to share that several programs are off to a strong start this spring, with impressive fill rates across the board: Child Development (95%), Emeritus (91%), ESL (83%), and Automotive (84%). These results reflect the incredible work happening across our campuses. Thank you to our Deans and their teams for their leadership, collaboration, and continued commitment to student access and success.
Connect with the President
I'm excited to continue offering the opportunity to Walk with the President! If you’d rather take a stroll around the Educational Cultural Complex instead of a Zoom meeting, join me for a refreshing walk as we continue to prioritize wellness. Don’t forget to wear comfortable walking shoes!
Individual walks or zoom meetings will be 20 minutes and are available on a first come first-served basis. If you would like to schedule an appointment with me, please email [email protected] for detailed information.
Lastly, you can utilize the anonymous sharing box. Your voice matters, and I look forward to continuing the conversation.
Help Name the New Mid-City Campus Building
QR CodeWith the passage of Measure HH, a $3.5 billion bond, the District is investing in significant projects across its campuses. One of these projects is a new Mid-City Campus Building, located at 5322 El Cajon Blvd. in San Diego’s Mid-City community. This building will support the continued growth and mission of SDCCE by expanding access to education, workforce training, and community services.
We invite students, employees, and community members to help shape this campus by suggesting a name for the new building. Your recommendation should reflect the values, history, and future of SDCCE and the community it serves.
Black History Month — One Hundred Years of Celebration
“One Hundred Years of Celebration” brought the ECC front lawn to life as our community gathered to honor Black History Month through culture, creativity, and connection. From the powerful poetry of Selah BlaK SoL to the captivating storytelling of Yolanda Marie Franklin and a soulful live saxophone performance by Erisa Nicole, each moment reflected the richness and resilience of Black history and artistry.
Guests also enjoyed delicious food from Chef Budda Blasian Soul Food LLC, adding flavor to an afternoon filled with inspiration and fellowship.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in celebrating legacy, excellence, and community. Take a look back at some of our favorite highlights from this unforgettable afternoon!
Lunar New Year
Our Lunar New Year event at the Mid-City Campus Lobby welcomed the Year of the Horse with culture, connection, and community spirit. The highlight of the afternoon was the amazing Lion Dance performance, symbolizing good fortune and joy for the year ahead.
Thank you to everyone who joined us in honoring this meaningful tradition. Visit our SDCCE Flickr to see more special moments from the celebration.
Black History Month Calendar of Events
Join us for additional events to celebrate Black History Month with Be Well CCE and the Black Student Success Program.
Be Well: Student-Focused Event
Drawing From Our Ancestors: Student Healing & Reflection Space
Wednesday, February 18 | 3:00 - 4:30 PM | Mid-City Campus, Room 117
Audience: Students
This student-centered gathering invites participants to reflect on emotional resilience within the Black diaspora. Through guided discussion and reflective activities, students will explore how ancestral knowledge, collective memory, and cultural practices inform how we cope, heal, and seek support today. The space is designed to affirm lived experience, reduce stigma around mental health, and encourage community-based healing.
Be Well: Faculty & Staff-Focused Event
Drawing From Our Ancestors: Faculty & Staff Support Conversation
Thursday, February 19 | 12:30 PM - 1:30 PM | Mid-City Campus, Room 117
During Staff Support Group (Flex)
Audience: Faculty & Staff
This session creates space for faculty and staff to reflect on emotional labor, resilience, and care work within Black communities and institutions. Framed through an ancestral lens, the conversation will examine how educators and staff navigate support systems, boundaries, and wellness while serving students. The session aligns with Flex programming and prioritizes collective reflection and restoration.
A2MEND Signature Event: Elevate Your Voice
Wednesday, February 25 | 4:00 - 6:00 PM | Mid-City Campus, Room 117
Audience: Students, Faculty & Staff, Community
Change is coming this week! SDCCE is launching a redesigned website (sdcce.edu) with a fresh look, new navigation, and a better experience on all devices. As we transition to the new site, some links may change and you may experience minor delays during the first few weeks after launch. We appreciate your patience as we continue fine-tuning and enhancing the site. Stay tuned as we complete the redesign project!
Join the San Diego Community College District’s Faculty Leadership Development Academy (FLDA) this Spring 2026 to strengthen leadership skills and support succession planning.
Applications are open now, with a deadline of Friday, February 20, 2026. Confirmation of enrollment will be sent by then, and the first module kicks off on Friday, March 6, 2026. Space is limited, so early registration is encouraged. Extra applicants will be placed on a waiting list.
Develop your leadership potential and help shape the future of our district!
Join us for ALICE (Alert. Lockdown. Inform. Counter. Evacuate.), a comprehensive active shooter and safety preparedness training designed to equip participants with practical strategies for responding to critical incidents. Led by trained SDCCD Police Officers, this session combines an informative lecture presentation with hands-on drills and real-life scenarios to build awareness, confidence, and readiness.
- February 27, 2026
- 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Cesar Chavez Campus – Multipurpose Room
A minimum of 15 attendees is required to run the training.
Join us for a CPR & AED Awareness Course designed to provide a foundational understanding of what cardiac arrest is and what it isn’t along with insight into other life-threatening medical emergencies. This hands-only CPR training includes practice on mannequins and an introduction to using an Automated External Defibrillator (AED). The session is led by Nate Balch from the San Diego Project Heart Beat Training Center.
- March 9, 2026
- 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM
- Cesar Chavez Campus – Multipurpose Room
Gain the knowledge and confidence to respond in an emergency and help create a safer community.
Additional training opportunities are available on the safety training page.
ICE Protocol Event
As we continue our commitment to campus safety, we invite you to attend an upcoming ICE Protocol Q&A Session at our Mid-City Campus on Tuesday, February 24, from 1:00–3:00 p.m.
This session is intended to provide clarity, address questions, and support our campus community through open dialogue and shared understanding after a successful session at Spring Institution Day. We encourage all employees to attend and participate.
To ensure a thoughtful and productive discussion—and to allow us to address as many questions as possible within the allotted time—we are asking participants to submit questions in advance by February 17. Questions submitted ahead of time will be given priority, and any remaining time will be reserved for live questions during the session.
We are also pleased to share that Ljubiša Kostić, General Counsel, will be joining us again to help address legal and procedural questions.
Join the SDCCD Town Hall event on February 19, 2026, facilitated by Chancellor Smith, which will feature panels focused on:
- Programs & Support Services that uplift Black students
- Black Serving Institution (BSI) state designation for City and Mesa colleges
And a short video about the All-African Diaspora Education Summit (ADES) Conference in Ghana.
2024-2025 Annual Report
With scholarship season underway, we invite you to reflect on a year defined by impactful milestones, inspiring student achievements, and innovative programs that strengthened our community and expanded opportunity across SDCCE.
Explore the full 2024–2025 Annual Report and see the impact in action.
If you’re inspired to further support student success, please consider making a gift through our Foundation.
Together, we continue moving #ForwardTogether to create brighter futures for our students and community.
Hoop Hysteria
Join the SDCCE Foundation for a full day of non-stop basketball to support our students' basic needs. Teams will compete in this exciting fundraiser that brings our community together for a great cause!
The event will take place on Sunday, April 12, 2026, at 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. at the Jackie Robinson YMCA.
Volunteer at the event: We’ll need friendly faces to help with check‑in, guest support, activity stations, and more. Just a few hours of your time makes a huge difference.
Make a donation: Every contribution matters — truly. Even $5 helps expand the Basic Needs support that our students rely on. Click on the link to donate: Donate
Show up and cheer: Bring your energy to the stands! Invite family, bring friends — let’s pack the gym and show our students and community what SDCCE spirit looks like.
Your involvement, in any form, helps ensure that every SDCCE student has the support they need to stay on their educational journey.
For more information on how to support, visit the Hoop Hysteria website.
On Friday February 13, 2026, SDCCE and the SDCCE Foundation attended the San Diego Voice & Viewpoint 13th Annual Gala, celebrating 66 years of continuously telling stories through the lens of the Black perspective. The Voice & Viewpoint has provided news coverage and a working partnership with the community including SDCCE, embracing not only African and African American people and events, but all those who make up our communities of color.
ECC Theatre Renovation
The ECC Theatre Renovation continues to make progress!
- The construction site is active Monday - Friday, 7am - 3:30pm.
- After 8 months of demolition, we see new cement being poured for a new dressing room, restroom, scene shop, laundry room, and storage areas.
- The ECC Theatre operations will expand to accommodate CE student performances. These new spaces are essential in supporting the performing arts.
- Check out the demolition of the second level deck on the live stream link: ECC Theatre Renovation
Thank you to our Theatre Director, Silvia Nogales, for playing a pivotal role in the theatre renovation and for keeping us informed on its progress. You can now follow the theatre on Facebook and Instagram @Educational Cultural Complex Theatre & Community Room.
Bond Projects Update
Below is an update of the current Measure HH Bond projects for our college. We have also developed a current projects page with updates on each project.
ECC Building Trades (Welding Renovation)
- Pre-Design/Programming Phase was completed in January 2026.
- Final Programming Concept was approved by leadership in January 2026.
- Schematic Design Kick-Off Meeting scheduled for mid-February 2026.
- Targeting October 2026 for DSA (Division of the State Architect) submittal.
ECC Ceramics
- Construction Documents were submitted to DSA (Division of the State Architect) in December 2025.
- Anticipating DSA Approval & Permit by July 2026.
- Swing space discussions are underway.
- Targeting November 2026 to start Construction Phase.
ECC Community Room Renovation
- Design is ongoing, with Construction Documents underway.
- Page-Turn to review 100% Design Development drawings with the District was completed last week.
- Additional interior space and courtyard options are being reviewed with Project Stakeholders.
- Live Archive discussions are ongoing.
- Targeting May 2026 for DSA (Division of the State Architect) submittal.
ECC Seismic Upgrades
- Design Team is performing a seismic evaluation of the Main Building as part of a standard procedure required by DSA (Division of the State Architect).
- Seismic improvements to be implemented in phases and captured in current ECC projects to minimize campus impacts. Any remaining areas of the facility will become it's own standalone project.
- Materials testing is underway and expected to be completed by February 2026. Temporary patchwork to follow.
- Results will determine seismic upgrade requirements throughout the Main Building.
ECC Theater Renovation
- Foundation work, underground utilities, and waterproofing installation are ongoing.
- Slab-on-grade concrete pour for the new building addition is scheduled for Thursday, 02/12.
- New trailers for temporary pantry have been delivered. Temporary infrastructure to energize trailers is ongoing.
- Pantry move is scheduled for Friday, 02/13.
CE Mesa Campus Building Envelope Improvements
- Feasibility Report of the exterior building was completed.
- Budgetary cost and schedule estimates are ongoing.
- Schematic Design Kick-Off Meeting scheduled for mid-February 2026.
- Targeting July 2026 for DSA (Division of the State Architect) submittal.
Mid-City Expansion
- Final Report with budgetary cost estimate was submitted to Leadership in January 2026.
- Targeting February 2026 for approval of conceptual design.
- RFQP to be issued for Design-Build Services in March 2026.
Mid-City Renovation
- Final Programming Meeting to review scope options with Project Stakeholders was held last week.
- Programming Scope Option to be selected by mid-February 2026.
- Final Report with budgetary cost estimate to be submitted to Leadership in March 2026.
- Targeting March 2026 for approval of conceptual design.
- Design team to incorporate final presentation comments from Project Stakeholders into Final Report.
- Budgetary cost and schedule estimates are ongoing with programming refinement exercise underway.
- Schematic Design Phase to initiate upon Notice to Proceed.
Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging (SIB) Task Force Updates
The Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging (SIB) Task Force meets monthly to further our conversations on continuing to implement proactive strategies for tracking students who are facing immigration challenges, as well as the importance of reporting any sightings of ICE on campus to the Chancellor or District General Counsel. Reports of ICE near campus (off campus) should first be directed to the COS, who, in collaboration with the Deans, will take appropriate and informed next steps to address the situation.
We have a dedicated webpage with Know Your Rights Information, District protocols, resources, and more curated by our Safety, Inclusion, and Belonging Task Force.
Please take a moment to review the safety cards for navigating ICE incidents on campus. These resources are designed to guide employees on the steps for reporting.
Additionally, new posters and stickers were passed out at Institution Day along with the emergency whistles. If you would like these resources, please contact us. We still have posters and whistles available for those who did not receive one.
SDCCDsafe
Don't forget to download the SDCCDsafe App to enhance your safety on and off campus. It is available in the Apple App Store and Google Play It is the official safety app of San Diego Community College District. The app features emergency contacts, crisis alerts, location services features, in-app tip reporting, and much more! The app also lets you stay connected by inviting a trusted friend or family member to virtually accompany you through a safety walk—so you’re never truly alone, even when they’re not nearby.
Classified Professional Weekly Spotlight
This week’s Classified Professional Spotlight shines on Ryan Lee, our District Network Specialist in IT.
As he approaches two years with the district this April, Ryan shares that what stands out most to him is the genuine care people show for one another—not just as colleagues, but as individuals. That strong sense of community is what makes his work especially meaningful.
In his role, Ryan helps keep our systems running smoothly behind the scenes, ensuring students and employees stay connected and supported every day. Outside of work, he enjoys staying active through rock climbing and camping embracing adventure and the outdoors whenever he can.
Thank you, Ryan, for the expertise and positive energy you bring to our district!
Faculty Weekly Spotlight
This week’s Faculty Spotlight shines on our Emeritus Instructor, Matthew Giles!
With 10 years of teaching under his belt, Matthew shares that his passion for education continues to grow stronger each year. His enthusiasm for guiding students and fostering creativity is matched only by his love for music.
A dedicated jazz musician, Matthew thrives on collaboration and the joy of playing alongside fellow artists. Don’t miss the chance to see him perform an exciting Latin & Blues duet with Ron Franklin at the upcoming Emeritus Concert on April 25th — it’s sure to be an unforgettable performance!
A reminder that all requests of the Communications Department must be approved by a dean or vice president and requires submission of a request form. You can find the Project Request Form link on the Faculty and Staff Resources Page of our website. Allow ten working days for a request to be completed. If a request needs immediate attention, please complete the form and contact the Public Information Officer.
For SDCCE professional development opportunities, visit the professional development web page for upcoming workshops.
President's Updates
- Here are a few more highlights from my recent trip to Washington, D.C.—an inspiring time of advocacy, connection, and representing our SDCCE community.
- I truly enjoyed experiencing the powerful performances at the Black History Month event. Each artist brought depth, culture, and storytelling to the stage, reminding us of the richness, resilience, and lasting impact of Black history and artistry. The energy in the room was inspiring, and it was meaningful to see our community come together in celebration, reflection, and appreciation.
- Thank you to everyone who took the time to me send birthday wishes—I’m truly grateful for all the kind and thoughtful messages. A very special thank you to EPC for transforming our meeting into such a meaningful celebration, complete with a heartfelt video message and the incredible surprise of establishing the Tina Maria King Resiliency Fund to support student scholarships through the Foundation. I am deeply touched and sincerely appreciative.
The Research Corner
This week, we invite you to check out the Headcount Dashboard for our institution that looks at the student headcount in the last 5 years and has been updated to include data up to 2024/25. This dashboard allows user to break down the data by Term, Academic Year, and even different types of demographics such as Gender, Ethnicity, Age Group, among many others. The Headcount Dashboard may be found on the following link: Headcount Dashboard. Please take a minute to review this resource and email [email protected] if you have any questions.
Best,
