On Friday, January 31, San Diego City College faculty and staff gathered at Seville Theater for the Spring 2025 Convocation, a large faculty meeting to discusses the current state of City College affairs.
City College President Ricky Shabazz was joined by Vice Presidents John Parker, Matilda Chavez and Marciano Perez to update City College faculty on last semester’s performance, plans for the upcoming semester and beyond, and to answer questions.
Later in the day, San Diego Community College District Chancellor Greg Smith joined the Convocation and spoke directly to City College staff to address their concerns in a town hall discussion.
Here are the most important topics addressed by both the chancellor and City College administration.
Measure HH Update and Spending
San Diego voters approved Measure HH in last year’s general election, awarding $3.5 billion in grants for the community college district. Of that, $850 million has already been issued, according to Vice President of Administrative Services John Parker.
Parker s elaborated on City College’s construction priorities, with student housing at the forefront. He also announced renovations to Seville Theater and the construction of beach volleyball courts in the Athletic Center.
Once these projects are completed, Parker stated that remaining funds would go towards miscellaneous projects, such as asbestos removal and additional A-building floors.
Future of Pride and URC
Vice President of Student Services Marciano Perez began with a reassurance to staff that despite current trends, City College’s mission statement and values remain unchanged.
“Our mission in student services is to welcome and inspire every student to identify and pursue their community, personal education, professional goals, and we prioritize accessibility, equity and social justice through student centered support services and education opportunities for global learning,” Perez said, reciting City College’s mission statement.
Furthermore, Perez stated that the Undocumented Resource Center is not going anywhere. During his speech, he confirmed that the URC had been formally institutionalized.
“[The work we do] does not change based on who’s sitting in an office over in Washington, DC, that we are still committed to our students,” Perez said.
The move comes as a response to the shift in federal policy since the election of President Donald Trump, who issued an executive order to cut back on diversity, equity, and inclusion programs across the country.
Campus Security and Homelessness
During the town hall section of the Convocation, security and safety were frequent concerns, particularly in regards to the homeless population having full access to campus. Smith was unwilling to increase campus security.
“There’s actually something here that could work if we could get a large enough entity to be able to do it,” Smith said. “I have a feeling that a regional housing authority could be that thing.”
While Smith made no promises that a regional housing authority would ever come to fruition, faculty was also concerned about the potential presence of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on campus. Prior to Convocation, Smith held an emergency meeting to update administrative procedure, restricting the ability to legally represent the district to just himself and the General Council. As a consequence, ICE cannot conduct business on City College campus.
“But if you’re here to conduct business, we do that at 3375 Camino del Rio South, not at City College,” Smith said.
Chancellor’s Forum
District Chancellor Greg Smith joined the Convocation halfway through to sit down and speak to the staff at City College.
Smith voiced his support for the City College administration in all departments, including his support of the Undocumented Resource Centers and Pride programs across the district. He added that while he fully expects funding for these programs to be cut, he is committed to maintaining the current level of services, and is willing to use reserve funds to do so.
“I’m saying it very publicly in very many spaces,” Smith said. “If that’s what it takes, I will do it.”
Parting Message
There was a consistent message amongst all who spoke at the Convocation – Don’t panic. Faculty were advised to be mindful of their emotions as they read the news in the coming years.
“There’s a difference between being informed and being consumed,” Smith said, quoting Burmese King, daughter of Martin Luther King Jr.
Smith emphasized the importance of communication.
“There’s so much I don’t know, so please do not hesitate to reach out and let me know what’s missing from my understanding, or what I haven’t said yet, or what I haven’t done yet,” Smith said.
EOPS Care and Next Step Director Mireya Gutierrez Saburo took the opportunity to express her gratitude.
“I can’t tell you how refreshing it is to hear you to know that you are so self aware of the fact of who you are, and yet you are advocating,” Saburo said.
