The Delta College Board of Trustees considered 16 consent agenda items at the Oct. 1 board meeting but discussed only three and removed one.
The agenda item removal was regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) of the District and the Teachers Association (SJDCTA) becoming the Equity Action Task Force.
One of the topics discussed was the removal of three bookstore auxiliary services clerk positions. Listed in the organizational chart, these positions have been vacant since fall 2021.
President of the Board, Dr. Charles Jennings, asked if the elimination would change the budget.
“Yeah, this alters the budget in the food services fund,” Vice President of Administrative Services, Augustine Chavez said.
The MOU, as presented, states: “Both and the District and CSEA [San Joaquin Delta College Chapter 359] concluded that there are no impacts or effects associated with this action due to the bookstore not having the volume of customers or sales.”
The department management will re-evaluate this decision in the 2025-26 fiscal year for bookstore needs.
The other topic covered was AA degree programs’ approval, revision and termination. Faculty presented to the board the termination of the Spanish Language program for the AA degree program. The argument is there’s already a transfer degree path (AA-T). The question is why is there an additional AA degree in Spanish?
“I had a concern regarding that, because if the only degree that we offer is the AA-T, we’re not necessarily serving the needs of students who may choose, do not matriculate to the University of California or the California State University. And I think it’s a mistake, to blatantly, remove local degrees, in deference of the transfer degree, just because the transfer degree exists,” said Jennings.
Someone from public comment mentioned that some faculty members agreed with the Department of World Languages and Global Studies decision.
“They do have another route they can take to a local degree, where they wouldn’t have to take the additional units towards the GED pattern… If they want a degree, in Spanish they have to transfer out. But they could still take Spanish as part of the world languages and global studies local degree.”
In Sept. 2023, the California Community College (CCC) chancellor’s office adopted Vision 2030 promotes equity and degree transfers. The CCC wants to encourage students to obtain degrees to transfer. The faculty saw the AA Spanish degree as redundant.
Trustees motioned and voted, and the final decision was no.
Also notable during the meeting was recognition and congratulations to Professor Jordan Giannoni Harless for her receipt of the Athena Young Professional Award.
Another congratulations and recognition was noted for Mountain House becoming the 483rd city in California.
