Sylvia Barakat

The Board of Trustees meeting covered several key operational and academic topics. The Board heard reports regarding the creation of a 501(c)(3) to fundraise for advocacy, California state budget implications for community colleges, and concerns regarding demographic representation on the Board. Academic updates included the status of standing committee memberships, faculty hiring priorities, collaborative governance handbooks, and findings from an educational visit to Arizona State University regarding course template consistency. Additionally, a presentation was provided on the role of financial aid in driving access, equity, and student retention, highlighting the performance of Pell Grant recipients in student success metrics.

The board meeting included discussions on several key items, such as the approval of the closed session agenda, requests to address the board regarding closed session and non-agenda matters, and reports from representatives of the Associated Student Government, Academic Senate, and employee organizations. The meeting also featured a presentation on the 2024-2025 financial audit report for the district, including the financial statement audit and the bond audit for measures C and CC.

The Board of Trustees conducted their annual organizational meeting, which included the election of board officers for president, vice president, and clerk, and the appointment of representatives to the Los Angeles County School Trustee Association, the Los Angeles County Committee on School District Organization, the California Community College Trustees Board, and the Compton Community College District Foundation. The Board also reviewed the code of ethics, set the regularly scheduled meeting dates for 2026, and approved a settlement agreement regarding a grievance from an academic employee. Public comments were received from faculty members advocating for a fair contract.

The Board of Trustees held a special meeting to conduct interviews for the Trustee Area 2 vacancy. Key discussion topics included the formalization of the interview process for the three candidates, clarification of time allotments for candidate responses to questions, and receiving public comments regarding the qualifications and community involvement of the applicants.

The meeting included updates on campus construction projects totaling $160 million, including student housing slated for Fall 2027, and the announcement of $700,000 in new grants from the College Futures Foundation. Compton College was also designated as a Black Serving Institution. The Executive Committee reported on the review of Foundation Bylaws Articles I--VI, with proposed revisions presented for consideration. The Foundation Director provided updates on the Foundation Manager search, noting the reposting of the position in January, and reported that the 2025 Giving Tuesday campaign raised approximately $1,600. Key action items involved the review and discussion of proposed edits to the Foundation's bylaws, particularly concerning Board composition and representation balance, agreeing to pause District appointments until non-District seats are filled. Section 4 of Article IV regarding "Terms of Service" was approved, allowing members up to five consecutive two-year terms with a mandatory one-year wait period. The Board also approved the revised Scholarship Agreement, making it effective December 19, 2025. Finally, the Scholarship Workgroup membership was confirmed and assigned three primary goals, including reviewing Policy 100.