Reports to the Board of Trustees

Each month, President Torres gives a report on college activities, honors and achievements during the regular meeting of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees.

For previous reports, please see the board reports archive.

board reports archive

Board Meeting of March 9, 2026

This month's report includes items on:

Wins for Athletics with Scholar Team Honors

Some great Athletics news: Our Badminton and Men's Track and Field teams were selected as California Community College Athletic Association (3C2A) Scholar Team Recipients for the 2024-25 Academic Year. 

This distinction is especially meaningful, as it recognizes the collective academic achievement of an entire team. 

The teams’ accomplishments will be acknowledged at the 3C2A Scholar-Athlete Luncheon on April 1, part of the annual 3C2A Convention taking place in Burbank.

The Scholar-Athlete Luncheon celebrates California Community College student-athletes from multiple perspectives, including Scholar-Athletes and Scholar Teams and student-athletes who have achieved academic success in the face of significant challenges.

Congratulations to our phenomenal teams on earning this prestigious award!

The Beach is a Hit

"The Beach" is open — and it’s a hit! 

The first-ever beach volleyball matches in our new state-of-the-art beach complex — aka, The Beach — took place on February 6 and 12. 

During these season-opening home events, the Mountain Lions went 3-1 with impressive wins against Sacramento City College, Butte College and Sierra College.  The Beach was well received by our visiting community colleges, with wonderful compliments and congratulations offered by visiting coaches, student-athletes and spectators. 

The team has several competitions scheduled during winter and spring, including hosting the Northern California Pairs Championships in May.

Top left photo by Phil Weiss

Advocacy with the Community College League

I was honored to join fellow members of the Community College League of California (CCLC) on Feb. 26 in Sacramento, where we met with legislators to advocate on behalf of common course numbering.

Right: President Omar Torres (left) with CCLC staff Andrew Martinez, senior director, government relations (center), and Kristal Padilla, senior policy advocate (right) — and, of course, the 800-pound bronze grizzly bear statue in the temporary Governor's Office.

Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Visit #2

Our second visit for the Institutional Effectiveness Partnership Initiative Partnership Resource Team (IEPI PRT) program took place on Feb. 27, following the first in October.

An initiative from the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s office, the IEPI sends volunteers to provide technical assistance through its Partnership Resource Teams to other colleges in the system. 

The IEPI PRT typically conducts at least three visits to help develop and implement an Innovation and Effectiveness Plan. These visits focus on understanding needs, creating a plan and following up on progress. 

The IEPI PRT award included $250,000 to help fund our work across the campus to meet the stated goals.

Journalism Chair Named a Faculty Champion

More headlines for our Journalism Department: Farideh Dada, faculty coordinator and department chair for Journalism, was named a 2026 Center for Community News Faculty Champion by the Center for Community News at the University of Vermont. The center chose 150 journalism leaders from colleges across the country for this honor.

Faculty Champions were recognized for their efforts to start or expand university-led reporting programs in their region, and their contribution to a national movement of student-powered community reporting.

Each Faculty Champion will receive a $1,000 reward, peer support and coaching throughout the year.

Congratulations, Farideh! 

And More Breaking News for Journalism

In more outstanding news for our student newspaper La Voz, our journalism students and our Journalism Program, two more recent highlights reflect the strength of our students and program.

For the first time, La Voz received a Best of SNO (Student Newspapers Online) award, a national recognition that showcases outstanding student journalism from more than 500 participating high schools and colleges across the country. 

In addition, Wylder Robison, a student who completed an internship with our Senior Guided Pathways partner Successful Aging Solutions & Community Consulting, has been published on the front page of the February 2026 edition of The Outlook. 

“Both achievements underscore the powerful outcomes that emerge when students are supported through high-impact practices, mentorship and meaningful professional experiences,” said Thomas P. Ray, Ph.D., dean of Language Arts.

Congratulations to these enterprising students! 

Reflections on Early Childhood Education

The 2026 Child Development and Education Journey Conference took place at De Anza on Feb. 7. 

The conference, which reached its registration capacity, was attended by current and future teachers, child care home operators and members of the early childhood education community.

Jere Chang, an award-winning digital content creator, was the keynote speaker. De Anza instructors also hosted workshops at the event.

This year’s theme — Take a Seat in the Thinking Chair: Reflection in Action — invited participants to pause, reflect and make meaning of the “clues” they encounter daily in their classrooms. 

The conference is part of an innovative apprenticeship program that is preparing future teachers to meet workforce needs in the child care community, supported by a $1.3 million grant from the California Community College Apprenticeship Initiative.

Photos by Mike Mu

Welcoming the Year of the Horse

It was a joy to gather on February 18 with the Asian Pacific American Staff Association (APASA), Chancellor Lee Lambert, deans, senior staff, affinity allies and more friends for the APASA Lunar New Year Luncheon.

Lunar New Year 2026, which began February 17, 2026, and lasts until February 5, 2027, welcomes the Year of the Horse, specifically the Fire Horse.

One very moving part of the lunch was sharing family migration stories in an impromptu dialog. 

Happy Lunar New Year to all!

Photos by Karen Chow and Erick Aragon

Hayward Award Honors Commitment

I’m pleased to share the great news that our own Shagun Kaur was selected as a winner of the 2025-26 Gerald C. Hayward Award for Excellence in Education.

Kaur is a communications studies professor and vice president of the Academic Senate, while also serving as our Zero Textbook Cost (ZTC) grants coordinator.

The Hayward Award, supported annually by the Foundation for California Community Colleges, honors community college full-time and part-time faculty who demonstrate the highest level of commitment to their students, college and profession. 

The California Community Colleges Board of Governors will recognize recipients of the Hayward Award at its March 24 meeting in Sacramento. Award recipients are also invited to attend a hosted lunch with Academic Senate for California Community Colleges President LaTonya Parker Parnell.

Congratulations on this great achievement, Shagun!

Sandra Diaz Nursing Mini Conference

In celebration of Women's History Month, the Diversity Health Care and Engagement Committee held the 6th Annual Sandra Diaz Nursing Mini Conference on campus on March 3. 

The conference honors the late Nursing Program instructor Sandra Diaz, who was a vital member of the De Anza College community — first as a student, and later as a faculty member, colleague and friend.

With a theme of Transforming Healthcare Worldwide and funded by De Anza Student Government, the conference included lunch, a panel of registered nurses sharing their academic and career journeys, and workshops.

Women’s Resource and Advocacy Center Debuts

And in more Women's History Month celebratory news — we welcomed an important new center early this month. Our new Women’s Resource and Advocacy Center held its grand opening on campus on March 4, with a theme of “A History of Women at De Anza.” 

The center aims to provide a welcoming and inclusive campus community through a diverse range of programming and resources that increase awareness of and sensitivity to women’s issues and allied concerns.

The opening event included talks, a drum workshop, lunch and a resource fair.

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