Michael D. Ward

The committee meeting agenda focused on a state and district budget update, specifically addressing the Governor's May Revision. Key topics included discussions on out-of-state employees' information requests, an estimation of actuals for the 2025-26 fiscal year compared to the prior year, a proposal for the 2026-27 tentative budget, and updates to travel regulations. Informational items included various financial calculations and status reports on funded positions and cash flow.

The committee discussed recaps of previous sustainability field trips and plans to continue organizing future trips. Updates on communication efforts regarding educational flyers were shared, and the committee coordinated their participation in upcoming Earth Day events. Additionally, the members discussed the deployment and usage of composting bins across college campuses.

The committee discussed the upcoming meeting schedule, organized sustainability-focused field trips, and reviewed plans for Earth Day events at the respective colleges. Updates were provided regarding composting initiatives on campus, including the status of compost bin deployment and evaluation of composting practices.

The Board of Trustees held a hybrid regular meeting where they addressed several procedural and administrative matters. Key discussion topics included student reports, public comments concerning veteran support programs and staffing, and the approval of various consent agenda items, such as affiliation and educational service agreements, purchase agreements, and facility-related contracts. The board also received presentations on apprenticeship pathways and the Rising Scholars Program, recognized student and faculty achievements, and heard reports from the Chancellor, college presidents, and various committee chairs. Additionally, the board conducted a closed session to discuss public employment, labor negotiations, and anticipated litigation involving the Chancellor and Board President, resulting in procedural decisions regarding minute-keeping and independent investigations.

The Rancho Santiago Community College District Budget Allocation Model (BAM) is a formal document detailing the district's revenue allocation process based on the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF). The model aims to provide financial stability, fiscal accountability, transparency, fairness, predictability, and consistency for the District's colleges and operations. It outlines how the three SCFF allocations (Base, Supplemental, and Student Success) are distributed and defines revenue and expenditure responsibilities for Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College, and District Services and Operations. The BAM includes guidelines for managing reserves, deficits, and revenue modifications, and is designed to align with the district's vision, mission, and strategic plans, undergoing annual review by the Fiscal Resources Committee.