August 30, 2019

COLLEGES WELCOME STUDENTS ON FIRST DAY More than 44,000 students started classes in the Coast Community College District on Monday, August 26. Of those, some 15,000 are new to the District. Coastline College had student life welcome tables offering resources at all three campuses—Newport Beach, Garden Grove, and Westminster-Le-Jao. At Golden West College, it was all hands on deck starting at 7 a.m. as lines stretched out for Admissions and Records. Likewise, Orange Coast College employees were wearing their “Ask Me” buttons ready to help students navigate the campus.

Chancellor Weispfenning kept to tradition with a first-day visit to all three Colleges. The chancellor offered his appreciation—along with pizza—for Admissions and Records staff. He also checked in with the students waiting in line. Welcome activities at Coastline, Golden West, and Orange Coast continue for the remainder of one of the busiest weeks of every year.

CHANCELLOR’S SCHEDULE WEEK OF September 2, 2019

Holiday, Labor Day Monday (District Closed) In the District Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday Acting Chancellor Dr. Marco Baeza Thursday BOARD MEETING DATES September 4, 2019

Regular Board Meeting

COLLEGE HIGHLIGHTS To view the Coastline President’s Bulletin, please visit the following link:

blog.coastline.edu

To view the Golden West College News Room, please visit the following link:

www.gwcnews.com

To view Orange Coast College news, please visit the following link:

www.orangecoastcollege.edu/news

COASTLINE HOSTS FLEX DAY WITH FOCUS ON PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT More than 320 attendees enjoyed an August 23 State of the College address by Coastline College President Adrian and a keynote address by Dr. Victor Rios, a leader in equity in education. Rios shared his personal journey from incarceration to education and encouraged the assembly to consider “Emotional Guided Pathways” in work with students. He encouraged faculty to be open with students. “When you forget where you came from, you forget where your students come from,” Rios said. In the afternoon, Coastline faculty participated in various activities, discipline meetings, and a workshop developing strategies for incorporating emotional support into online classes. Also in attendance were Board President Lorraine Prinsky, Trustee Mary Hornbuckle, Trustee David Grant, and Natalie Nagthall, regional Guided Pathways coordinator for the Chancellor’s Office.

Coastline’s First Day Report COASTLINE WELCOMES STUDENTS The opening day was smooth. Students were welcomed at all sites with resource tables and various activities, including voter registration. Among those taking part in the welcome were Associated Students officers, campus deans and dean of student affairs, the Classified Senate president, faculty librarian, and career center coordinator.

GOLDEN WEST OFFERS FREE OCTA BUS TRAVEL TO ALL ENROLLED STUDENTS Transportation and education officials gathered on the campus of Golden West College on Wednesday to mark the expansion of the Orange County Transportation Authority’s student bus pass program, allowing enrolled students to travel free on any OC Bus.

“We know that many of our students struggle to get to and from our campus,” President Tim McGrath said. “This partnership is proof of our commitment to increase access to Golden West College, for our students and the community we serve.”

The student program allows full-time and part-time students enrolled at the college to download a free pass via the OC Bus app or to use their student identification cards to ride free on the regular OC Bus system, allowing them to get to school, to work, or wherever the bus travels across Orange County.

Funding for the three-year pilot program is a partnership between OCTA and Golden West College. For the first year, the cost of the program is funded through a grant OCTA was awarded from state cap-and-trade funds, available through the Low Carbon Transit Operations Program. For the second and third years, the Associated Students of Golden West College will cover the cost, with no additional student fees.

Golden West’s First Day Report GOLDEN WEST ENROLLMENT UP The first day went very well. With enrollment up in both our non-credit and credit classes, our parking lot was fuller and lines longer than they have been for many years. We were busy starting at 7 a.m. on Monday. It’s been “all hands on deck” welcoming students to campus ever since.

ORANGE COAST’S FLEX DAY DRAWS 135 PRESENTERS AND 600 ATTENDEES

Orange Coast College’s Fall 2019 Fall Flex Day was a success, boasting 81 unique sessions with 135 presenters and 21 poster presentations. Nearly 600 employees were in attendance. The August 23 sessions were held from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m. Topics included “Guided Pathways – Interventions,” “In Their Shoes: An Exercise in Equity,” and “Cyber Security at School and at Home.” Faculty, staff, and managers had an opportunity to hear from Dr. Angelica Suarez. The presentation, titled “My Unguided Pathway,” mapped her journey from first-generation college student to president of Orange Coast College. The day concluded with an ice cream social in front of the OCC Planetarium. All presenters were given an OCC-branded, checkered picnic blanket as a “thank you” for their efforts.

Orange Coast’s First Day Report

20,000 STUDENTS ARRIVE AT OCC We welcomed approximately 20,000 students to the fall semester, with employees proudly wearing their “Ask Me” buttons ready to help students navigate the campus. In an effort to mitigate the impact of parking due to the many construction projects, the college launched its shuttle service to and from the fairgrounds.

This week, I visited the staff of Admissions and Records at all three Colleges for a first-day-of-class lunch. Like many traditions, there is both fun and meaning in these first-day pizzas. The meaningful part for me is thanking the staff while meeting some of our newest students.

During the visits, I heard from students about how staff members guide them in making their earliest collegiate decisions. Serving alongside our faculty, Coast staff play a vital role in the success of students by sustaining numerous programs and services.

Last week, we celebrated the opening of Coastline College’s third and newest Veterans Resource Center. Meanwhile, new pirates learned to Navigate OCC in a day-long intensive overview of student services. Likewise, this week, we saw Golden West launch the College Pass Program with OCTA—an example of student leadership with staff support. These programs are tangible demonstrations of daily staff engagement with students.

Next month, I will again visit each College to host Coffee Breaks. Like the first-day pizzas, the coffee adds a bit of fun and energy to our meaningful conversations. I look forward to hearing from staff, faculty, and management as we continue to support our students.

Have a great weekend,

John Weispfenning, Ph. D. Chancellor