Week of March 24, 2025

Good morning, all.

Executive Order to Dismantle the Department of Education

While President Trump has issued Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities and ordered the dismantling of the Department of Education, the future of the Department is unclear. Executive Order alone is not sufficient to abolish it. Efforts to stop this are already underway: Teachers Unions Sue Trump Administration Over Push to Shut Education Dept. We will continue to monitor and share information as it becomes available. In the meantime, we will serve our students as we always have, through the exemplary programs and services we provide. Thank you for your continued focus on our collective work.

Here's some information that you may share with your students:

• CSAC EOM 2025-06: Response to Federal Executive Order Titled "Improving Education Outcomes by Empowering Parents, States, and Communities, March 20, 2025"
• CSAC EOM 2025-05: Joint Statement on Ensuring Continued Access to Aid for All California Students
• California Student Aid Commission (CSAC): Mixed Status Families California Dream Act Application Toolkit (CADAA)

Know Your Rights Training

On Friday, General Counsel Kirsten Corey and SCCCD PD Officer Poundstone facilitated a Know Your Rights training. Thank you to those who attended and asked so many good questions. For anyone who was unable to participate but would like the training, I've provided the link. We will continue to work on next steps.

Strategic Plan (2025-29)

College Council is finalizing the first draft of the Strategic Plan and will now be forwarding to constituency bodies for their review. The plan will be forwarded to ASG, Academic Senate, and the Classified Senate for first and second reads beginning with the Classified Senate this week. Please watch agendas from your constituency group for an opportunity to provide feedback.

Music Department Spring Concert

On Monday, March 24, I had the opportunity to attend the Spring Concert at the Shaghoian Concert Hall featuring the Concert Choir (MUS-31), the Global Drumming Ensemble (MUS-23), as well as Guest Artist, Christopher Garcia. Kudos to Tony Gennaro (Director), Joy Gaje (Piano Accompanist), and our students! It was a beautiful evening filled with beautiful music and voices! The students' stellar performance, especially their joint performance with Christopher Garcia, whom they had only met previously via Zoom, are a testament to the quality of the teaching and to their hard work.

Monica Chahal, Ed.D. (she/her)