Office of Administrative Services Update - November 2023

I would like to start my November report out with a huge thank you to Kimberly Duong, Business Office Manager at both Clovis and Madera Community Colleges, for leading Administrative Services the last two weeks of November while I was out on leave. Kimberly, you did a great job. Thank you.

In November, the District Budget Resource Allocation Advisory Committee (DBRAAC) Taskforce met twice and the full DBRAAC committee will meet on Friday, December 8 to hear about the work of the taskforce and consider recommendations from the taskforce regarding the funding of district services and also recommendations regarding allocation of the 30% (Supplemental Funding and Success). During fall 2022, DBRAAC was tasked with revising our resource allocation model to better align with the Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF). The committee first met and looked at allocation models used by other community college districts and looked at the data regarding supplemental funding and success. It became clear that there were many ways to allocate the 30% and the taskforce was then established to look at the many options. Each college recommended two representatives and Michelle Johnson and I were chosen to represent Clovis. On Friday, the taskforce will share the information we have looked at with the committee.

Earlier this semester, I asked College Council for an ad hoc to look at revisions to the Governance Handbook. We met once in November and looked at recommended changes to operating agreements from committees. We will also look at advisory group recommendations. There will be a survey regarding the handbook going out in January so we can get input from all constituency groups.

I attended a Stakeholder Committee Meeting with Fresno Council of Governments (COG) on November 16. COG is involved in regional planning with an emphasis on transportation. They are conducting a Microtransit Feasibility Study in Fresno County. They have identified eleven areas in Fresno County that have either limited or no fixed-route bus service. They gave an example of someone needing transportation and how that would work with Microtransit. COG is looking at book ahead and on demand services, using an app or by phone. An individual would request a ride. A vehicle would pick the individual up and take them to their destination. These rides would be shared. This is the second of several stakeholder meetings. COG plans to conduct a cost benefit analysis between December and February and have recommendations in April 2024.

On November 17, I had the pleasure of being on a panel for Leadership State Center, Class 23. This panel was comprised of former classified staff who had moved into management. The classified professionals in this class had many questions for the panel and I am so glad to see this professional development continuing for our classified staff as I was part of the first group to go through this training in 2021.

Thank you.

Lorrie Nichols Hopper
Vice President of Administrative Services