Published May 28, 2021

To the Shasta College Community:

Success Stories
We had a great time Friday night celebrating our graduates.  Thank you to our Student Services team for all they did to make it happen.  Thanks as well to the Physical Plant staff and Campus Safety staff.  What a team effort this was!

There are so many stories that could be shared, but I just have a couple to highlight for you.  Thanks to Chris Rodriguez for sharing the following with me: “I just want to give a shout out to Rosa Yadira Contreras, one of three Shasta College Student Fellows in the California Humanities’ Democracy and the Informed Citizen Emerging Journalist Fellowship Project.  This semester, the three student fellows are Catherine Wylie, who’s reporting on the Shasta County Juvenile Justice System; Laura Duran, who’s reporting on the experiences of minorities in Shasta county; and Rosa Yadira Contreras, who’s exploring DACA, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, and its impact on north state youth. Please check out California Humanities’ profile of some of their student 31 fellows (our own Rosa Yadira Contreras has top billing!):  https://calhum.org/democracy-and-the-informed-citizen-program-2021-cohort/

Also congratulations Marketing team for the wins at the CCPRO and NCMPR annual competitions. Your work, your dedication, and your creativity are recognized as some of the very best on the state and national level. Each year we enter just a few of the many, many pieces you design through the year at these two competitions. Below are the awards and placements we took. CCPRO had 328 entries from 35 colleges and districts this year. Judges awarded 111 winners in 40 different categories. NCMPR awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze in all 53 of their categories for entries from across the nation. 

1.    CCPRO- California Community College Public Relations Organization (statewide community colleges)

a.      Brochure Series- Division A: Gold. College Connection welcome brochure, designed by Andrew Near. 

b.      Charles Cropsey Photography Award: Gold (hurdler), Silver (RPD Fire Chief), Peter Griggs photographer

c.      College Promotional Video- Long format: Gold, Anthem video, Diamond Studios creative production, EWD producer, Peter Griggs Director. https://youtu.be/ccfeP2BZxJQ 

d.      Magazine: Bronze, TRIO, designed by Joy Williamson

2.      NCMPR- National Council for Marketing and Public Relations (All community colleges across the nation)

a.      Quick turn video: Bronze, LTO, first log delivery. Peter Griggs, Director. https://youtu.be/PG538W1I-Zs 

 

Some business updates
Collective Bargaining - From time to time I have people ask me about progress on negotiations. Both sides commit time and energy toward coming to agreement.  You may not know that updates can be viewed on the college website at this link:  https://www.shastacollege.edu/faculty-staff/human-resources/collective-bargaining/

Covid-19 – We continue to see changing guidance as the national and state authorities are easing restrictions, hinting at changes coming June 15, and the like. Yet guidance from various places do not completely match up, especially as changes occur. Please remain patient as we work through things, but I am excited for our plans in bringing student services and more classes back. 

Construction news – we have some great news on construction.  If you have not been following things, materials costs have been rising dramatically adding to the historic cost increases for construction we have seen the last 2-3 years.  Simply put, our Measure H bond dollars are not going nearly as far as we had planned back in 2015 & 2016 when more typical cost escalations were anticipated. However, because of the great work of our team, we have been able to qualify two projects for matching state funding so far.  The 200 building remodel is included for construction match in the Governor’s May Revise, budgeted to bring us $15,589,000 toward the remodel construction costs.  Additionally, the 800 building remodel was approved for an initial $482,000 for developing preliminary plans and working drawings, which means we hope to have an additional $4,725,000 for construction included in the 2022-23 State budget.  These funding will supplement the bond program and help us get several additional projects done over time.  A final note – remember, bond dollars are restricted for construction costs by law and are a separate bucket of funding from our general operational budgets. 

OK – I hope you have a great summer and thank you once again for your amazing work over the past year. 

Joe Wyse
Superintendent/President
Shasta-Tehama-Trinity Joint Community College District
11555 Old Oregon Trail
Redding, CA 96049-6006
530-242-7510