ASCCC President’s Update | September 2026

That commitment to opportunity extends beyond traditional pathways. California’s recognition of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Week provides an important reminder of the power of intentional partnerships to expand opportunities for students. In 2024, California established the fourth week of September as HBCU Week through ACR-222, recognizing the significant role HBCUs play in supporting Black student success. California’s community colleges have also continued to strengthen transfer opportunities through the California Community Colleges Transfer Guarantee Pathway, which connects students with HBCUs across the country.

These efforts reflect a broader principle that continues to guide our work: student success requires pathways that are accessible, intentional, and responsive to the diverse experiences and aspirations of our students. Whether we are strengthening transfer, reimagining curriculum, advancing baccalaureate pathways, engaging in statewide policy conversations, or building faculty leadership, our work must remain centered on expanding meaningful opportunities for students.

This President’s Update highlights that work in action, from implementation of our 2026–2029 Strategic Directions and local college visits to curriculum leadership, Common Course Numbering, legislative advocacy, statewide professional learning, and efforts to strengthen educational pathways. Together, these efforts demonstrate that our strategic direction becomes meaningful when we translate it into collective action grounded in collaboration, faculty expertise, and a steadfast commitment to our students.

California. With the Institute situated near the State Capitol, this year’s theme served as a powerful reminder that curriculum is not simply a collection of courses and programs. Curriculum is one of the most important ways that faculty members advocate for students, equity, educational opportunity, and student success.

Under the leadership of 2025–2026 Curriculum Chair and ASCCC Secretary Eric Wada, the Institute offered 72 hybrid breakout sessions organized across thoughtfully designed program strands. The strands, Buds, In-Bloom, Fruits, Equity, Specialists, and “The Garden,” created opportunities for faculty at different stages of their curriculum leadership journey to learn, engage, and share their expertise. “The Garden,” in particular, provided an intentional space for in-person conversation and the cross-pollination of ideas, reinforcing the collaborative spirit that is at the heart of curriculum work.

The breadth of the program reflected the rapidly evolving landscape facing California community colleges. In addition to sessions addressing sustainability, artificial intelligence, student voice in curriculum, culturally relevant practices, inclusion and belonging, and noncredit curriculum, the Institute featured general sessions with keynote speaker Rosanna Alvarez, who explored storytelling and leadership; representatives from the California State University and University of California systems discussed systemwide articulation; and updates from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office.

The success of the 2026 Curriculum Institute is a testament to the vision, preparation, collaboration, and commitment of the 2025–2026 ASCCC Curriculum Committee. Special appreciation goes to Eric Wada, Chair and ASCCC Secretary, for his leadership in developing and spearheading the program structure and implementation. His thoughtful approach helped create an Institute that was both responsive to the current needs of curriculum practitioners and forward-looking in its attention to emerging issues and leadership development.

Deep appreciation is also extended to the members of the 2025–2026 Curriculum Committee: Christopher J. Howerton, Second Chair and Area A Representative; Mai Her, College of the Sequoias; Jessica Eaton, Antelope Valley College; Gwen Earle, College of the Desert; Darlene Diaz, Santiago Canyon College; Aaron Benitez, West Los Angeles College; Angela Medina Rhodes, Rio Hondo College; Angela Burk-Herrick, Chaffey College; and Jeff Lamb, CIO Representative. We also honor the memory of Thomas Berry of San Bernardino Valley College, whose contributions and commitment to curriculum leadership remain part of the legacy of this work.

The 2026 Curriculum Institute demonstrated what is possible when faculty come together around a shared purpose. Through learning, dialogue, collaboration, and advocacy, the Institute reminded us that curriculum is where our values become practice and where faculty leadership can make a tangible difference in the educational experiences and opportunities available to our students.

The adoption of these Strategic Directions represented an important commitment by the organization to strengthen its capacity to serve California Community College faculty and to advance coordinated, equity-minded faculty leadership across the system. Since that time, the ASCCC has taken the next critical step: moving from strategic direction to implementation.

At the August 2026 Board of Directors meeting, members worked collectively to develop and adopt the ASCCC Strategic Directions and Goals 2026–2029 Work Plan. The project provides an integrated framework for translating the five Strategic Directions into specific three-year objectives, year one priorities, key performance indicators, and expected outcomes.

This work is significant because it establishes a mechanism for moving the Strategic Directions beyond aspiration and into measurable organizational action. The Work Plan also creates greater alignment among the Board of Directors, ASCCC office team, standing committees, regional representatives, and our statewide partners.

The Work Plan reaffirms the ASCCC Mission, Vision, and organizational values while establishing a common framework for implementation, assessment, and continuous improvement. Importantly, the plan recognizes that strategic planning must be a living process that allows the organization to establish priorities, measure progress, listen to faculty, and adjust as the needs of the California Community Colleges evolve.

Five Strategies, One Integrated Direction: The five Strategic Directions are interconnected and collectively establish the foundation for the ASCCC’s work through 2029.

Strategy 1: Position the ASCCC as a Leading Voice for California Community College Faculty

The first strategy focuses on strengthening the ASCCC’s statewide voice through coordinated communication, meaningful partnerships, and increased faculty engagement. The Year One priorities include developing a comprehensive communications strategy, conducting a communications audit, exploring enhanced two-way communication platforms, developing communication templates and resources, and establishing an annual strategic planning and reporting process.

The Work Plan also calls for the development of a timely webinar strategy in response to significant fiscal, regulatory, and policy developments affecting faculty. This represents an important opportunity for the ASCCC to become even more responsive in providing faculty with timely information and creating spaces for dialogue around issues that directly affect our colleges and students.

Strategy 2: Promote Connection, Inclusion, and Collaborative Engagement

The second strategy recognizes that organizational strength is grounded in meaningful relationships and inclusive participation. The Year One priorities include establishing measures for field participation, developing an organizational IDEAA professional assessment, standardizing evaluation and participant feedback process, creating opportunities for faculty dialogue and reflection, and developing mechanisms to capture the voices of local senate leaders.

The strategy also calls for the development of organizational dashboards to monitor engagement and learning outcomes and the implementation of digital engagement tools. Together, these efforts will allow the ASCCC to better understand who is participating, whose voices are being heard, where opportunities for greater engagement exist, and how faculty experience their connection to the organization.

Strategy 3: Advance Organizational Trust, Accountability, and Long-Term Financial Sustainability

The third strategy focuses inward on the organizational foundation necessary to sustain statewide faculty leadership. The Work Plan calls for greater transparency in organizational decision-making, multi-year financial forecasting, review of financial models, operational efficiency assessments, and the development of a partnership and grant strategy.

The organization will also examine event programming and participation through the lens of both strategic alignment and financial sustainability. Equally important is the commitment to assess organizational trust among the membership and to establish annual financial sustainability reporting.

These efforts recognize that organizational sustainability is about more than financial resources. It includes stewardship, transparency, operational effectiveness, institutional knowledge, and maintaining the trust of the faculty we represent.

Strategy 4: Evaluate and Reimagine Organizational Structures, Processes, and Governance

The fourth strategy provides an opportunity for the ASCCC to examine whether our existing structures and processes are positioned to meet the needs of faculty and the California Community Colleges in the years ahead.

Year One priorities include addressing part-time faculty representation on the Board, expanding faculty understanding of Board service, clarifying organizational workflows, exploring part-time faculty participation throughout the organization, beginning a governance and parliamentary review, clarifying expectations for ASCCC liaisons, strengthening Board liaison support, and expanding statewide faculty recognition.

This work is particularly important because strong governance requires both effective structures and meaningful participation. Reexamining our organizational practices allows us to preserve what works, address areas where improvement is needed, and create additional pathways for faculty leadership.

Strategy 5: Promote Professional Learning That Builds Faculty Leadership

The fifth strategy recognizes professional learning as a central component of faculty leadership development. The Work Plan calls for a coordinated statewide professional learning strategy that responds to emerging educational, technological, and policy challenges.

Among the Year One priorities are the development of an ASCCC Artificial Intelligence Literacy Framework, an annual professional learning needs assessment, expanded leadership development programming, an inventory of professional learning partnerships, and an assessment of local college visits and Collegiality in Action services.

The development of an AI Literacy Framework is particularly timely. Artificial intelligence rapidly influencing teaching and learning, curriculum, academic integrity, assessment, accessibility, student data, and the workforce. Faculty must have opportunities not only to understand these technologies but also to participate meaningfully in determining how they are integrated into educational environments.

Responding to a Changing Higher Education Environment

The importance of this work cannot be separated from the environment in which California Community Colleges are operating. Global competitiveness, technological advancement, artificial intelligence, changing workforce expectations, accessibility requirements, transfer alignment, baccalaureate education, fiscal pressures, and continuing efforts to advance equity are reshaping higher education at an extraordinary pace.

These changes require the ASCCC to remain both grounded and responsive. We must remain grounded in our statutory and regulatory responsibilities, our commitment to faculty primacy in academic and professional matters, and the principles of shared governance. At the same time, we must remain responsive enough to recognize emerging challenges and opportunities and to prepare faculty leaders to engage them thoughtfully.

The 2026–2029 Strategic Directions and the August Work Plan provide us with the framework to do both.

Work Ahead

The adoption of the Work Plan represents an important transition for the ASCCC. We have moved from asking, “Where do we want to go?” to the more consequential questions of “What will we do, how will we know whether we are making progress, and how will we remain accountable to the faculty we serve?”

The answer will require collective effort. No single committee, officer, Board member, staff member, or statewide leader can implement this plan alone. Its success depends upon the engagement of local academic senates, faculty leaders, regional representatives, statewide committees, the Board of Directors, Executive Committee, ASCCC staff, and many system and organizational partners.

As we enter the next phase of the 2026–2027 academic year, our responsibility is to turn the commitments contained in the Strategic Directions and Work Plan into meaningful action.

The goal is not simply to create a stronger organization for its own sake. The goal is to strengthen the ASCCC’s capacity to lead, advocate, connect, empower, and develop faculty so that California Community College faculty are prepared to shape the future of higher education and, ultimately, better serve our students.

The Strategic Directions give us the roadmap. The Work Plan gives us the mechanisms for implementation. Our collective leadership will determine what we accomplish along the way.

Committee to visit local campuses. These visits are designed to strengthen connections, support local senate work, and ensure that the perspectives, questions, and concerns of local academic senates are heard at the state level.

During a visit, ASCCC representatives serve as a liaison between the statewide Senate and your local academic senate. We are there first and foremost to listen, to learn about your priorities, hear about the issues you are navigating, share ASCCC resources and information that may be helpful, and gather questions or concerns that can be brought forward to the ASCCC President for consideration and response.

A local visit can take many forms. ASCCC representatives can meet with the local senate president, executive committee, full academic senate, or any group that best meets the needs of your campus. Whether you are seeking a conversation about shared governance, faculty leadership, statewide initiatives, or a particular challenge facing your senate, we are here to listen, connect, and serve as a resource.

Listening, Learning, and Building Trust

My recent visit to Los Angeles City College on August 27, 2026, offered a meaningful example of why these campus connections matter. At the invitation of College President Dr. Amanuel Gebru, I had the opportunity to attend the college’s convocation and engage the campus community in a conversation about something essential to the health of any academic community: how we work with one another.

The conversation invited us to consider collegiality and trust as a shared responsibility and not as a problem to be fixed. Every member of a college community has a role in creating the environment in which we work, learn, and serve students. Faculty, students, classified professionals, staff, administrators, and leaders may have different responsibilities and perspectives, but we are all participants in the culture we create.

At the heart of that shared responsibility are the relationships we build with one another, because the strength of an academic community is shaped not only by what we do, but by how we connect, communicate, and care for one another. Dr. Isis Artze-Vega reminded us that relationships matter for learning and thriving, and that personal wellness matters. That insight extends beyond the classroom. The relationships we build with one another shape whether people feel respected, heard, supported, and able to contribute. This led us to consider a question that I believe is relevant to every academic senate and every college community: What can each of us do to build the relationships and trust that allow our college community to thrive?

Trust connects directly to participatory governance. This type of governance depends on trust. Not because we will always agree, but because we need to know that we can bring forward different perspectives, engage in honest dialogue, and participate in decisions that affect our academic community. Collegiality, therefore, cannot simply mean being agreeable. Collegiality means being able to disagree while continuing to respect one another and work toward a shared purpose.

During the visit and many alike our conversations centered on three ideas. First, relationships are built through our actions. How we listen, communicate, follow through, and respond to one another either strengthens or weakens trust. Second, disagreement does not have to damage relationships. We can have difficult conversations, challenge ideas, and raise concerns while maintaining respect and dignity. Third, culture is a shared responsibility. No single constituency, office, or individual creates the culture of a college. We all contribute to it and therefore, we all have an opportunity to shape it.

Ultimately, this is about more than how we feel about one another. It is about our ability to work together on behalf of students. When trust is stronger, dialogue can be more honest. When dialogue is more honest, participatory governance can be more meaningful. And when we work together more effectively, we are better positioned to create the conditions in which our students and the people who serve them can learn and succeed.

The conversations that take place during local visits are shaped by the needs, priorities, and experiences of each campus. Sometimes those conversations focus on participatory governance, faculty leadership, statewide initiatives, or emerging challenges; at other times, they create space to explore the relationships and practices that shape how we work together. ASCCC’s Guidelines for Dialogue can be a useful resource in these conversations. The guidelines are not intended to prevent disagreement. Rather, they provide a foundation for engaging disagreement in ways that build understanding, protect relationships, and strengthen our ability to work together. Because if collegiality and trust are a shared responsibility, then how we talk with one another is where that responsibility begins.

My visit to Los Angeles City College reinforced for me that local visits are not simply opportunities for ASCCC to share information. They are opportunities for us to listen, learn, reflect, and build relationships. When we enter a campus, we should first seek to understand its experiences, its history, its successes, and its challenges before asking what comes next. That kind of listening allows us to better understand the context in which local academic senates are doing their work and helps ensure that statewide support is grounded in the realities of our colleges.

dialogue. Whatever format best serves your needs, ASCCC is here to listen, connect, share resources, and strengthen the relationship between the statewide and local academic senates. Your campus experience matters. Your questions matter. Your voice matters. We are here to serve you. Request an ASCCC Local Visit.

Common Course Numbering (CCN): Building the Next Phase

The work to advance California’s Common Course Numbering (CCN) system continues to move forward through ongoing collaboration among faculty, the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, and our intersegmental partners. The intersegmental CCN Council continues to meet monthly to consider the next phase of implementation, with discussions focused on template-first review processes, future development priorities, advocacy efforts, and considerations for quarter-system templates.

The CCC Chancellor’s Office CCN Scope and Sequencing Workgroup has also provided recommendations to the CCN Council. These recommendations will be reviewed and discussed as the Council considers which courses should be prioritized for future development and how those priorities can inform the template development cycle. This work is an important part of ensuring that CCN continues to develop thoughtfully, transparently, and in ways that support student mobility while recognizing the expertise and leadership of faculty across California’s higher education segments.

CCN and the Future of Articulation

As CCN implementation advances, an equally important conversation is emerging around the relationship between CCN course templates and articulation. On May 15, 2026, the Intersegmental Committee of Academic Senates (ICAS) issued a memorandum to the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office, California State University Chancellor’s Office, and University of California Office of the President addressing the potential use of CCN course templates as a basis for articulation determinations.

The memo recognizes the Course Outline of Record (COR) as the official document within the California Community Colleges for describing the core components of a course and builds upon previous ICAS guidance affirming the use of CORs in articulation, course equivalency, and transfer eligibility determinations. Considering CCN, ICAS affirms that an approved CCN course template has the potential to serve as a basis for certain systemwide articulation determinations when the template contains sufficient detail to meet UC and CSU requirements for baseline transferability.

Importantly, the memo recognizes that articulation is not one single process. Baseline transferability, Cal-GETC, course-to-course articulation, and major preparation each serve different purposes. The current CCN articulation work is focused on baseline transferability and general education, with the possibility of exploring additional forms of articulation as the process matures. Where a CCN template has not yet been approved, the COR remains the default document for determining baseline transferability and articulation. Even when a CCN template is approved for systemwide transferability, CORs should continue to be maintained and updated in the appropriate systems of records to preserve opportunities for additional articulation review and alignment with campus-specific general education and degree requirements.

Faculty leaders are encouraged to read the full ICAS memorandum and consider its implications for the future of articulation, faculty primacy, and student mobility across California’s public higher education system. Read the Full ICAS Common Course Numbering Templates Memo — May 15, 2026

Leading the Conversation Beyond the Memo

The ICAS memo is an important contribution to an intersegmental conversation that requires continued faculty leadership. As we move forward, strong ASCCC leadership will be essential to centering these discussions on students and on the outcomes, we are seeking to achieve for them. We must consider the relationship between maintaining existing articulation agreements and developing systemwide articulation; the role of the COR and CCN course templates; and the opportunities and barriers of template-first approaches.

Our goal should not be to choose between innovation and the practices that have served students well. Rather, we should ask how we can evolve our articulation processes in ways that expand student mobility, reduce unnecessary barriers, preserve academic quality and faculty primacy, and provide clarity and consistency for students across systems and institutions. A systemwide approach has the potential to create significant benefits for students, but those benefits must be considered alongside the complexity of existing articulation relationships and the need to maintain pathways that serve students beyond the scope of a single CCN template.

This is precisely where faculty leadership matters. As CCN and articulation processes continue to develop, ASCCC must help ensure that systemwide and intersegmental discussions remain transparent, student-centered, academically sound, and grounded in the expertise of faculty who understand curriculum, articulation, and the diverse needs of our students and institutions. The question before us is not simply how we implement CCN, but how we shape its implementation so that it strengthens not inadvertently narrows the pathways available to our students.

As this work progresses, continued faculty engagement and understanding of CCN will be essential. Upcoming CCN office hours will provide opportunities to learn more about evolving work, hear updates on implementation, and engage with colleagues around the development of future course templates. Please save the following dates and join us as we continue building a CCN system that supports student success and strengthens transfer and mobility across California.

Common Course Numbering Support Office Hours
September 17, 2026, 11:00 am-12:00 pm
October 19, 2026, 1:00 pm-2:00 pm 
November 10, 2026, 12:00 pm-1:00 pm
December 2, 2026, 2:00-3:00 pm, via Zoom Events

Questions or feedback may be directed to ccnsupport@asccc.org or info@asccc.org.

to a higher education landscape being reshaped by artificial intelligence, workforce transformation, changing policy environments, and evolving student needs.

At the center of this issue is a question that extends across many of its contributions: How do we embrace change while remaining grounded in what matters most? The Center Must Hold: Reinventing Teaching and Learning in the Age of AI and AI in California Community Colleges: Equity, Access, and the Challenge of Preserving Critical Thinking invite us to consider how artificial intelligence is changing teaching and learning while challenging us to preserve the human relationships, critical thinking, creativity, and academic values at the center of education. These conversations remind us that innovation should not simply be about adopting new technologies; it must be about thoughtfully considering how those technologies can support learning and student success.

The issue also highlights the essential role of faculty leadership in shaping curriculum and academic policy. Curriculum Processes: Equity and Accessibility to the COR(e), MQs and the Imperative of Faculty Participation in the Disciplines List Process and Defining Professional Experience: Clarifying Minimum Qualifications and Faculty Primacy Under Title 5 reinforce the importance of faculty expertise, discipline knowledge, and faculty primacy in decisions that define academic quality. These articles remind us that the processes through which we develop curriculum, establish qualifications, and maintain academic standards are not merely procedural. They are expressions of our commitment to equity, quality, accessibility, and student opportunity.

Several contributions focus directly on the work of academic senates and the structures that make meaningful participation possible. The Art of Participation: Expanding Faculty Engagement in the Resolutions Process, The Art of the Debate: Preparing an Effective Plenary Session Debate Position, and The Art of the Amendment: Refinements, Clarity, Strength offer practical reflections on participation in our statewide deliberative processes. Together, they reinforce that shared governance is strongest when faculty understand the process, engage thoughtfully, and recognize that disagreement and dialogue are essential to collective decision-making.

The importance of relationships and how we work with one another is another powerful thread throughout this issue. Where’s the Beef? Addressing Conflict with Cultural Humility and Transparency in Practice: The Brown Act and Recent Legislation remind us that effective governance requires both respectful engagement and a clear understanding of the structures within which we operate. Similarly, Equivalency Without Chaos: Effective Practices for Academic Senates in Multi-College Districts speaks to the importance of clarity, consistency, and collaboration when local academic senates navigate complex governance responsibilities.

Equity remains central throughout the August Rostrum. Articles such as Universal Design for Learning in Counseling, Universal Design for Learning, Equity Advocates: EEO Representatives for Fair Hiring Practices, and Left Out in the Cold: Why LGBTQIA2S+ Students Have Long Been Excluded from Equity Conversations in Community Colleges challenge us to consider how our practices, policies, and learning environments can either expand or limit opportunity. Recognizing and Combating Spirit Murder in California Community Colleges During our Sociopolitical Climate further calls attention to the importance of creating educational environments in which students and colleagues can experience belonging, dignity, and support.

The issue also demonstrates the expansive role of California community colleges in connecting education to economic mobility and the needs of our communities. California’s Master Plan for Career Education, From Course Completion to Job Offers: Aligning Curriculum with Industry for Skills-Based Hiring, and How Academic Senate Leaders Can Support CTE Faculty and Programs examine the relationship between curriculum, workforce preparation, and meaningful career pathways. From Classroom to Fireground: A Community College–Fire Agency Model for a Paid Firefighter 1 Apprenticeship Pathway offers a concrete example of how partnerships can create innovative pathways that connect students directly to employment opportunities.

Other articles highlight the importance of expanding opportunity and recognizing the experiences students bring with them. Institutionalizing Credit for Prior Learning to Advance Vision 2030 and Credit for Prior Learning in 2026 emphasize faculty leadership in creating consistent practices that recognize learning gained outside traditional classroom settings. These efforts can support student mobility and provide more equitable pathways toward completion while maintaining the academic standards that faculty are responsible for protecting.

The August issue also celebrates the people and programs that make our colleges stronger. The recognition of the Rising Scholars Program at College of the Canyons through the ASCCC Exemplary Program Award, the honoring of Sheila C. Smith and Shagun Kaur with the Hayward Award for Excellence in Education, and the recognition of the 2025 Norbert Bischof Faculty Freedom Fighter Award remind us that leadership is found throughout our system. These recognitions give us an opportunity to celebrate individuals and programs that demonstrate what is possible when commitment, courage, innovation, and service come together.

 Finally, Realize the Pride, Part II and Faculty and Students Empowering Pathways to Law: A Student Perspective brings us back to the people at the heart of our work. Their perspectives remind us that our policies, programs, governance structures, and innovations ultimately matter because of the students and communities they are intended to serve.

Collectively, the August 2026 Rostrum is a reflection of a faculty community actively engaging in the challenges and possibilities before us. It asks us to think boldly about AI and innovation while remaining grounded in critical thinking and human connection; to advance equity while maintaining academic quality; to strengthen workforce and career pathways while honoring faculty expertise; and to participate fully in shared governance while remaining willing to listen, deliberate, disagree, and learn from one another.

As we navigate a period of significant transformation, this issue reminds us that the future of California community colleges will not be defined solely by the changes taking place around us, but by how intentionally we respond to them. Our responsibility is to remain engaged, thoughtful, courageous, and connected to the students and communities we serve. The August Rostrum offers both reflection and inspiration for that work, and a reminder that faculty voice, faculty expertise, and collective leadership remain essential to shaping what comes next. Read the full issue here.

(PAVC) through a California Community Colleges delegation’s visit to Ghana. This work builds on the faculty leadership and commitment demonstrated by the ASCCC when delegates adopted Resolution 111.06, Support for the A²MEND/California Community College Pan-African Virtual College (PAVC), during the 2025 Fall Plenary Session. The resolution affirmed ASCCC’s support for developing this innovative partnership and its potential to create meaningful educational connections between California’s community colleges and institutions across Africa.

The initiative, being developed through a collaboration among the California Community Colleges, the African American Male Education Network and Development (A²MEND), and the University of Ghana, represents an opportunity to build educational connections that extend well beyond geographic boundaries.

The Pan-African Virtual College is envisioned as an innovative and accessible educational network that connects higher education institutions in Ghana with California’s community colleges. At its heart, the initiative is about creating opportunities for students and educators to learn from one another, exchange knowledge and expertise, and develop meaningful academic and workforce connections. It also creates space to elevate Africa-centered perspectives, knowledge, and pedagogy while sharing the technical and career expertise of the California Community Colleges.

Nkrumah Mausoleum and Museum, and other sites provided important historical and cultural context. The journey also included time at the University of Ghana, Accra Technical College, the University of Cape Coast, and the A²MEND Site of Racial Healing Center.

Among the most significant moments were the beginnings of formal partnership through Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with Accra Technical College and the University of Ghana. While an MOU is an important institutional milestone, the deeper significance is what it represents: a commitment to relationship building, shared learning, and the possibility of creating educational pathways that connect students and faculty across California and Ghana.

The visit also offered an opportunity to engage history in a deep personal and human way. Traveling to places such as Assin Manso Heritage Village and Ancestral River Park and Elmina Castle created space to acknowledge the histories that connect Africa, the African diaspora, and the United States. These experiences remind us that educational partnerships are not built solely through agreements and programs. They are built through relationships, listening, shared experiences, and a willingness to learn from one another. As part of this journey, the Accra Convening on Slavery, Memory, and Museum Development offered an opportunity to reflect on how history is remembered, preserved, and shared across generations. We invite you to learn more about this important work through the following brief trailer: 
https://youtu.be/lfeF9MAfwmY?si=4dAdkbwd8eR6ci8T

The Pan-African Virtual College represents an opportunity to imagine higher education differently. By connecting institutions across continents, we can create new avenues for students to exchange ideas, develop global perspectives, explore career opportunities, and understand their learning within a broader human and cultural context. For faculty, the initiative creates opportunities to collaborate across borders, share pedagogical practices, and contribute to an educational model that recognizes the value of knowledge generated in both Africa and the African diaspora. 

As this work continues, the promise of the Pan-African Virtual College will be measured not simply by the partnerships established, but by the relationships and opportunities that grow from them. The Ghana visit was an important beginning. It reminded us that sometimes the most transformative work begins by crossing a bridge, entering a new space with humility and curiosity, and recognizing how much we can learn from one another.

effectively to the needs of their students and communities. This year, ASCCC’s engagement on community college baccalaureate legislation illustrates the importance of remaining actively engaged as legislation evolves and as amendments can significantly change the impact of a measure.

In May, ASCCC invited statewide partners to join coalition letters in support of AB 2301 (Soria) and AB 2694 (Alvarez) after both measures advanced from the Assembly Appropriations Committee. During the 2026 Spring Plenary Session, ASCCC delegates had adopted resolutions supporting both bills. Resolution 113.01 S26 supported AB 2301, which sought to establish a community college baccalaureate pilot program in nursing, expanding affordable pathways for Associate Degree in Nursing graduates to complete a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Resolution 113.02 S26 supported AB 2694, which sought to modernize regional duplication standards for community college baccalaureate programs.

At that stage, both measures represented opportunities to expand affordable, workforce-aligned bachelor’s degree pathways, particularly for place-bound, working, rural, and underserved students. AB 2301 focused on strengthening the nursing workforce pipeline, while AB 2694 proposed changes intended to make the community college baccalaureate framework more responsive to regional workforce needs and improve coordination across California’s public higher education segments.

As the legislative session progressed, however, significant amendments changed the policy landscape. On August 28, 2026, ASCCC formally expressed opposition to SB 960 (Cabaldon) and AB 2694 (Alvarez/Pacheco) as amended. This represented a change from ASCCC’s previous support positions because the August 27, 2026 amendments introduced a framework that raised substantial concerns about equitable access, regional responsiveness, and the ability of colleges to develop programs based on local student and workforce needs.

ASCCC’s concerns are centered on three fundamental issues. First, the amended framework would condition future baccalaureate opportunities in part on historical districtwide award and transfer metrics. Such an approach raises concerns about creating a ceiling on opportunity for communities whose student outcomes are shaped by longstanding socioeconomic and structural factors. Second, the proposed framework did not sufficiently account for differences in district size, geography, and regional workforce demand, potentially applying similar limitations to districts with substantially different missions and service areas. Finally, the amendments were introduced late in the legislative process, leaving limited opportunity for meaningful statewide consultation, field review, and analysis of potential unintended consequences.

ASCCC’s response reflects an important principle in legislative advocacy: support for a bill is not unconditional when subsequent amendments materially change its potential impact on students, colleges, and faculty governance. Faculty leadership requires us to remain engaged throughout the legislative process, evaluate amendments carefully, and advocate for policies that advance equitable access rather than unintentionally limiting opportunity.

The experience also reinforces the importance of developing a thoughtful, student-centered framework for the future of California’s community college baccalaureate programs. Community colleges serve students whose educational pathways are often shaped by geography, employment, family responsibilities, economic circumstances, and access to existing four-year opportunities. Any statewide framework for expanding baccalaureate education must therefore account for the diversity of our students and communities while maintaining appropriate academic and quality safeguards.

As we look toward the next legislative session, ASCCC will continue to engage with legislators, system partners, local academic senates, and other interest groups to advance a framework that expands opportunities, responds to regional workforce needs, preserves faculty primacy, and keeps students at the center of the conversation. Our advocacy must remain grounded in partnering with the Legislature next session to build an equitable, faculty-informed baccalaureate framework.

Follow the ASCCC Legislative Tracker for regular updates as the new legislative session approaches.

California’s community college students. 

Distance Education. Item 4.2 addressed proposed regulatory changes to Title 5, Sections 55200, 55204, and 55210, concerning distance education. The proposed amendments would update the regulatory framework by clarifying that the Chancellor’s Office maintains definitions for distance education modalities, aligning allowable non-instructional activities with federal requirements, removing the existing 51 percent instructional threshold for identifying a course section as distance education, and eliminating the annual requirement for colleges to report distance education outcomes to their local governing boards. As distance education continues to evolve, faculty engagement remains essential to ensuring that regulatory modernization supports innovation while maintaining academic quality, meaningful student learning, and appropriate local academic processes.

Disciplines List Revisions. Item 4.3 addressed proposed revisions to the statewide Disciplines List, which establishes the minimum qualifications for faculty in California community colleges. Following the ASCCC’s established annual review and consultation process, the proposal recommended adding Counseling-Mental Health and Uncrewed Aircraft Systems (UAS) Technology to the Disciplines List and modifying the existing Brewery, Fermentation, and Distillery Sciences discipline.

These recommendations reflect an extensive faculty-led process. Discipline faculty bring forward proposed changes, which are reviewed through hearings and deliberation at the ASCCC Fall and Spring Plenary Sessions. The ASCCC then works in consultation with the Chancellor’s Office to develop recommendations for consideration by the Board of Governors. The current proposals reflect hearings conducted during the 2025–2026 academic year for Discipline List Proposal ASCCC Resolution: Mental Health Counselor; Discipline List Proposal ASCCC Resolution: Brewery, Fermentation, and Distillery Sciences; Discipline List Proposal ASCCC Resolution: Uncrewed Aircraft System (UAS) Technology, as well as prior hearings during 2024–2025 concerning Discipline List Proposal ASCCC Resolution: Brewery, Fermentation, and Distillery Sciences. The latter revisions returned to the Board for clarity and reconsideration because the changes were not fully reflected in the July 2025 Board agenda.

The Disciplines List process is an important example of faculty primacy in practice. It recognizes that faculty within the disciplines are best positioned to identify evolving fields, determine appropriate minimum qualifications, and help ensure that statewide standards remain academically sound and responsive to changes in education and the workforce. Through this process, faculty expertise informs statewide policy while maintaining a clear connection between minimum qualifications, academic quality, and student success.

Stay Connected: ASCCC Upcoming Events, Webinars and Office Hours

Join colleagues from across California in meaningful opportunities for professional learning, shared governance, leadership development, and statewide engagement. Volunteer Application to Serve on a Committee remains open throughout the year, providing faculty with opportunities to contribute their expertise, expand their leadership, and help shape the future of California’s community colleges.

Mark your calendars and make plans to participate in these exciting opportunities. Join your colleagues across California to engage in professional learning, governance, and statewide conversations.

Board of Directors Meetings

Meetings provide leadership and guidance for statewide faculty initiatives:

Board of Directors Meeting
September 18, 2026, 10:30 am to September 19, 3:30 pm 
Mira Costa College/SpringHill Suites by Marriott San Diego Carlsbad
3136 Carlsbad Blvd, Carlsbad, CA 92008

Board of Directors Meeting
October 16, 2026 - 9:00 am-5:00 pm, Virtual

Board of Directors Meeting
November 4, 2026 - 11:00 am-5:00 pm 
Grand Bay Hotel San Francisco, 223 Twin Dolphin Dr, Redwood City, CA 94065

2026 Fall Area Meeting: October 9, 2026, 9:00 am-3:00 pm

Area A Meeting, via Zoom Events
Area B Meeting, via Zoom Events
Area C Meeting, via Zoom Events and Mt. San Antonio College
Area D Meeting, via Zoom Events and Mt. San Jacinto College's Temecula Valley Campus

Upcoming Events

Just Transition: Academic Academy for Climate Justice and Action
October 23, 2026, 9:00 am to October 24, 12:15 pm 
Hyatt Regency Newport Beach, 1107 Jamboree Rd, Newport Beach, CA 92660

2026 Fall Plenary Session
November 5, 2026, 8:00 am to November 7, 2026, 5:00 pm 
Grand Bay Hotel San Francisco, 223 Twin Dolphin Dr, Redwood City, CA 94065

Looking Ahead

Reflecting with Gratitude

As I reflect on the work before us, I am deeply grateful for the faculty leaders, local academic senates, statewide committees, and partners who continue to show up, engage in difficult conversations, share their expertise, and believe in the power of participatory governance. As we move from strategic direction to implementation, may we continue to listen before we respond, understand before we assume, and lead with both courage and care. There is much ahead of us, but I am confident in what we can accomplish when we remain connected to one another and grounded in our shared purpose. Thank you for your trust, your partnership, and your continued commitment to our students, our colleges, and one another. It is an honor to serve alongside you as we shape the future of California’s community colleges together.

President, Academic Senate for California Community Colleges
and ASCCC Board of Directors Members