Pima Community College

The meeting featured a recognition celebration for students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community partners for their various accomplishments. Key actions included the swearing-in and pinning ceremony for the new Police Chief for the Pima Community College Police Department. Board members shared current event highlights, including acknowledgments of the college's women's basketball national championship, various student success programs, industry and legislative breakfasts, donor appreciation events, and the ribbon-cutting ceremony for the FIT Lab.

The Governing Board met to discuss and act upon various agenda items, including the inactivation of a certificate program, multiple intergovernmental agreements with organizations such as the Arizona State University, the Department of Veteran Affairs, and the Pascua Yaqui Tribe, and amendments to existing agreements regarding cyber security and nurse education. Additionally, the board approved several contracts involving software subscriptions, service maintenance, and hardware procurement, as well as minor policy updates and the adoption of an emergency operations plan. Action items included the approval of employee medical and pharmaceutical benefits, the formalization of the mission and vision, and a failed motion to transition study sessions to a virtual format.

The meeting addressed several agenda items primarily under the Consent Agenda, focusing heavily on Intergovernmental Agreements. These agreements include implementing Centralized Administrative Processes for the Arizona Teachers Academy (ATA) spanning 2026-2030, a Dual Faculty Agreement with Tohono O'odham Community College (TOCC), a Student Placement Agreement with Phoenix Union High School District (2026-2031), an agreement with the Pinetop Fire District for Paramedicine education services (2026-2031), an amendment with the Arizona Department of Corrections, Rehabilitation and Reentry Department, and a funding distribution agreement with the Arizona Department of Economic Opportunity. A contract with CuraLinc Healthcare for Employee Assistance Program Services (2026-2031) was also approved. Action items included minor updates to Board Policy, setting the Academic Year 2026-2027 Tuition & Service Fees, defining Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Parameters, and approving a resolution to call for a General Obligation Bond Election for the November 3, 2026, ballot. Further action involved an Intergovernmental Agreement with Pima County for election services and naming opportunities for facilities at the West Campus Workforce Development Center and the Center of Excellence in Health Professions.

The primary discussion centered on the purpose, structure, and effectiveness of the All College Council (ACC) within the current shared governance framework. Key topics included whether ACC serves a unique role or duplicates efforts of other bodies, leading to broad agreement on strengthening its purpose rather than dissolution. Discussions also focused on clarifying the distinction between governance and representative groups, the necessity of maintaining a strong student voice, addressing inconsistent attendance and accountability, and differentiating ACC's operational role from the strategic role of the College Leadership Council (CLC). A recommendation emerged to conduct a structured 'governance system mapping' exercise involving all groups to clarify roles and decision pathways. Next steps identified include coordinating governance alignment, reviewing the ACC charter, and planning a system mapping session in Spring 2026.

The meeting commenced with the Pledge of Allegiance and roll call, noting the anticipated virtual attendance of Vice Chair Bernal Morales. A Land Acknowledgement recognizing the traditional lands of the Tono Odum and Pasuyaki peoples was presented. During the call to the audience, a faculty representative presented survey results indicating a significant positive increase in faculty morale and perception of meaningful input into collegewide decisions, attributing this to shared governance efforts, while also requesting exploration into increasing the supplemental pay rate for faculty. Board members shared updates, including participation in the Arizona Chamber's legislative preview and a call for continued advocacy for college funding. The primary focus then shifted to Annual Meeting Action Items, resulting in the two-year reappointment of Board Member Rial as the Arizona Association of Community College Trustees representative and two-year appointments for Board Members Randall and Barza to the Finance and Audit Advisory Committee. The administrative reports included a summary of the Annual Financial Report for the year ending June 30, 2025, which showed significant year-over-year increases in revenues (totaling $254 million) driven by tuition increases, enrollment growth, property tax revenue, and federal grants (including financial aid). Expenses also increased significantly, primarily due to budgeted personnel increases across instruction and other areas.