As the chancellor of the San Mateo County Community College District, I stand tall in the work of our district in the last two years, rooted in transparency, trust, accountability and continuous improvement — unlike anything before. We are strengthening community trust with a new whistleblower program, an independent performance audit unit, and stringent safeguards to ensure responsible stewardship of taxpayer dollars. We have an Internal Control Plan modeled after the “Green Book” and provide open access to the work of the district in alignment with the San Mateo County Civil Grand Jury’s 2023-24 recommendations for public institutions in the county to have internal controls.
It is a simple fact that our district’s needs far exceed available funds. The Board of Trustees is actively reviewing capital improvements, technological infrastructure and scheduled maintenance, while also considering whether public financing is even a viable option. It will take about a year before the board can make sound, informed decisions, which will include evaluating an internal savings plan, private financing, and potential state and local funding sources.
Our immediate priority is to make our piloted free college legislation permanent. Free college has expanded opportunities for county residents by removing tuition barriers, and enrollment has grown by more than 24% over the last two years, opening doors for thousands of first-generation students and working adults from our most marginalized communities who might otherwise never attend college.
I invite readers to join me in shaping the future of our colleges.
Chancellor, San Mateo County Community College District
(2) comments
Thanks for your letter, Ms. Moreno, updating us on actions regarding the SMCCCD but I doubt many are ready to forgive and forget what occurred in the past, especially without a track record of the effectiveness of improvements proposed/put into place. How is this “free college” being paid for? Donors? For now, I’d bet many don’t mind helping to shape the future of our colleges as long as none of our taxes pay for it.
Well Ms. Moreno - don't be so generous with other people's money. There is no such thing as FREE. Can you provide any evidence that all of these freebies are benefiting our community? I am also not sure what the bond issue would do for your budget other than pay for salaries and overhead. Most of the facilities on the campuses are underused so try to maximize your existing resources first. I for one will not vote for the bond measure.
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