Dear 69萝莉 Colleagues,
As we move closer to the start of the fall semester, I am energized by the momentum building across 69萝莉. While summer provides a natural opportunity to reflect on our accomplishments and prepare for what comes next, this season also represents a time of focused planning, collaboration, and action. Across the college, teams are working diligently to ensure our students return to a campus ready to welcome them, support them, and help them achieve their goals.
Before sharing updates, I want to celebrate an extraordinary college achievement. According to the State Chancellor鈥檚 Office data, 69萝莉 is ranked No. 1 for university transfers among the 116 California community colleges. This achievement reflects the dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment of our faculty, classified professionals, administrators, and students. More importantly, it is an important reminder about how we transformed lives every day through our collective action. Thank you for the passion, care, and excellence you bring to this institution.
Across campus, each area is thoughtfully planning and preparing to shape another successful academic year. Much of the work that transforms students鈥� lives happens long before the first day of class. It is found in collaboration, innovation, and countless efforts that often happen behind the scenes. I am pleased to share a few highlights from across the campus that reflect the dedication and collective impact of the community.
Student Services: Preparing for Registration Saturday
One of the first opportunities to welcome students this fall is Registration Saturday on August 15, from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. This one-stop event provides prospective and returning students with personalized support for admissions, registration, financial aid, counseling, academic planning, and more. If you have the opportunity, please help spread the word to prospective students, friends, family, and members of our community. Thank you to everyone for stepping up to make this important event a success.
Academic Affairs: Building Enrollment Momentum
Fall enrollment continues to show positive momentum. We currently have 7,543 students enrolled, a 2.04% increase over this time last year, with FTES also increasing 1.87% to 2,317.56, placing us at 84% of our fall enrollment target.
As we close out the fiscal year, our P3 enrollment totals remain strong. With an increased goal, we have generated 7,132.29 FTES of the target 7,218, achieving 98.8%鈥攕o let鈥檚 just say 100% of our annual enrollment goal. We have successfully expanded student access, advancing our educational mission.
Administrative Services: Strengthening Our Foundation
Administrative Services recently completed another successful fiscal year close and is now focused on finalizing the college's budget for Board adoption in early September. These efforts help ensure the college has the resources, systems, and infrastructure necessary to support students and employees throughout the coming year.
Looking ahead to the fall, several actions will strengthen operations across the campus:
- Administrative Services Academy returns following a positive inaugural year, continuing to help employees better understand administrative and financial processes while removing barriers to getting work done.
- The Print Shop Roadshow will introduce departments to the full capabilities of our on-campus Print Shop, helping campus partners better plan and utilize this valuable resource.
- Emergency Preparedness Training will take place August 10鈥�12, strengthening campus readiness and our shared commitment to safety.
-
The Evening Administrative Program will relaunch with updated training on August 18, with additional information coming soon.
Accreditation: Reaching an Important Milestone
69萝莉 has successfully completed its comprehensive Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) for the current accreditation cycle. The report was certified by the Board of Trustees in June and submitted to the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (ACCJC) in July.
This important milestone reflects months of collaborative work across the college and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to continuous improvement and institutional excellence. We now look ahead to the Core Inquiry process this fall and the focused site visit in Spring 2027. Thank you to everyone who contributed to this significant accomplishment.
Strategy & Equity: Expanding Opportunity
Our Strategy & Equity team continues advancing initiatives that strengthen partnerships, expand opportunity, and support student success.
This fall, we look forward to:
- Hosting the inaugural President's Innovation & Impact Council Fundraising Dinner on October 29, bringing together community, industry, and philanthropic leaders to invest in innovative opportunities for our students.
- Launching SPARK, our new monthly Equity Newsletter celebrating the people, programs, and partnerships advancing belonging and student success across campus.
- Participating in the prestigious New America & ACCT Accelerator Work-Based Learning Capacity Building Grant Cohort, strengthening employer partnerships and expanding meaningful work-based learning opportunities for our students.
President's Office: Global Engagement
In September, 69萝莉 will send a delegation of ten faculty and staff to Ghana to participate in an international summit focused on leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, and educational collaboration. The delegation will explore opportunities to strengthen global partnerships, expand learning opportunities, and bring back ideas that support student success, workforce development, and institutional excellence. I look forward to sharing highlights from the experience and the partnerships that emerge this fall.
Marketing & Communications: Connecting Our Community
Our Marketing & Communications team continues implementing initiatives designed to strengthen how we communicate, collaborate, and tell the 69萝莉 story.
Unified Social Media Presence: To strengthen our digital presence and better serve students, we are consolidating the college's social media accounts into our primary 69萝莉 channels. Through Hootsuite, departments are working together to coordinate messaging, expand the reach of campus stories, and provide students with one trusted source for events, resources, and opportunities. This collaborative approach reduces duplication, increases visibility, and helps students stay informed and connected.
Canva Enterprise: Departments will soon have access to brand-approved templates for presentations, flyers, social media graphics, and more, making it easier to create professional, engaging materials while maintaining a consistent 69萝莉 brand.
New Information Hub: This fall, we will launch a new SharePoint Information Hub that will serve as the college's central location for internal announcements, policy updates, deadline reminders, department news, frequently used forms, and campus resources. As part of this transition, content currently shared through Viking Weekly will be consolidated into a single community newsletter, helping reduce inbox clutter while creating a more streamlined and consistent communication experience.
As you enjoy these final weeks of summer, I encourage you to embrace this season for what it offers鈥攁n opportunity to renew, reflect, and prepare for the important work ahead. Whether you are spending time with family and friends, enjoying the outdoors, traveling, or simply taking a well-deserved break, I hope you find moments to refresh and return energized for the exciting year ahead.
The energy and care you invest now鈥攚hether through planning, collaboration, innovation, or well-earned rest鈥攈elp ensure that when our students return, they are welcomed by a college ready to help them thrive.
Thank you for everything you do to make 69萝莉 such an exceptional place. Your dedication, expertise, and unwavering commitment make a profound difference in the lives of our students every day. I look forward to welcoming everyone back to begin relatively soon.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, take good care of yourselves, and as always鈥擥o Vikings!
Warmly,
Jennifer Taylor-Mendoza, Ph.D.
President