May 2021

President's Update

California's Budget Needs Input from Community College Students

Vice President of Legislative Affairs, Andrew Nickens

We are now headed into the final phase of the budget process. Decisions about whether there will be funding for financial aid reform, basic needs centers, and mental health will be made in a matter of days.

There will be two final opportunities to provide public comment and we want to hear from students like you. The California State Senate will hold its final hearing on Tuesday, May 18 beginning at 9:00 am and the Assembly’s hearing will be on Wednesday, May 19 beginning at 9:30 am.

We need you to attend the hearings by phone to provide your input. Public comment will take place at the end of the hearings, and we do not know how long the hearings will go so public comment could be anywhere between 10:30 am and 1:00 pm. We will provide a better estimate next week.

If you can attend to express support at one or both hearings, please let your region's Legislative Affairs Director know. The Governor's May budget proposal will be released May 14th, which will guide what we want to convey at the hearings, so please stay in touch with your region's Legislative Affairs Director for more details next week!

Anti-Asian Hate Town Hall

On May 7th, the SSCCC held an anti-Asian Hate Town Hall. The town hall provided a forum for students to share their stories about their experiences with Anti-Asian Hate on their own campuses and in their communities, as well as what support or resources they need. Members of the SSCCC Intersegmental Success for People of Color Task Force organized the town hall with keynote presenters who included Board of Governors member Hildegarde Aguinaldo, Vice-Chancellor of Student Services Rebecca Ruan-O'Shaughnessy, and Dr. Rowena Tomaneng. Both the task force members and the keynote presenters were members of the Asian and Pacific Islander community and shared what their identity means to them, their own experience in their community and on our campuses, how the recent acts of violence and anti-racism have affected them, as well as the importance of allies for the community. 

If you missed the town hall, you can find the archive on our YouTube Channel at this link. 

State of the Senate 

As the 2020 - 21 SSCCC year winds down, the SSCCC Board Officers reflect on our accomplishments during the year in this State of the Senate video. This update provides you with the SSCCC's accomplishments in the area of diversity, equity, and inclusion, legislative advocacy, regional affairs, finance, and communications. You can also find more detailed information in the SSCCC May Report to the Board of Governors found on our website at this link. As you will discover, the SSCCC has been very busy this year with building the organization, particularly our infrastructure, while promoting policy changes, empowering student's voice, and representing the 2.1 million students at all levels of the California community college system level. We close this year with many successes.   

SSCCC Fun Facts

Did you know that the SSCCC Board of Directors met for the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic in April?  Meet most of the SSCCC 2020 - 21 Board of Directors! We will be meeting again in person in May and June. If you're in the area, consider visiting a board meeting. Information can be found on our website calendar. Note: Covid-19 safety precautions are in place so ensure you are either vaccinated or have a negative test at least three days prior to attending the meeting.  

UPCOMING EVENTS

Executive Committee and Board Meetings 

• SSCCC Board of Directors Meeting, May 14 - 15, 2021, SFO Hyatt Regency
• SSCCC Executive Committee Meeting, June 4, 2021, Teleconference
• SSCCC Board of Directors Meeting, June 11 - 12, 2021, San Diego

All SSCCC Board of Directors and Executive Committee meetings are available via teleconference. 

Events

• Professional Development Event, October 1 - 3, 2021, Long Beach Westin 
• Spring 2022 General Assembly, April 1 - 3, 2022, Sacramento Holiday Inn

Region and Caucus Meetings

Check out all the SSCCC events including Regional Meetings, caucuses, and webinars on the SSCCC Calendar.  

Check out the calendar on the SSCCC website (link above) for the agendas and call information at least 72-hours prior to the meeting.