Paul Berger

The Coast Community College District is mourning the loss of longtime trustee Paul Berger this week. Berger died January 29 following an illness. He was 82 years old. In November, Berger was re-elected to serve a fourth four-year term as trustee of the district. Berger represented portions of Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach and Fountain Valley. Board president Walt Howald said Berger's loss will be felt by the entire Coast District family. "Paul Berger was an icon in the Orange County education community," Howald said. "We are all saddened by this loss. He touched the lives of many students throughout his life. He was a great teacher, a great

trustee, and a great friend."

"Paul was an educator through and through. He truly cared about students. You could always count on him to attend events held by students and faculty," said Chancellor Ken Yglesias. "He gave much of his life to educating others."

Longtime fellow trustee Armando Ruiz served with Berger on the Coast District board for seventeen years.

"Paul was one of my dearest friends on the Board," said Ruiz. "He had a vision and a compassion for our students. His passing is a great loss for our district and our community and for me personally."

Berger received his Ph.D. in Educational Administration in 1963 from the University of California, Berkeley. Prior to his election to the Coast CCD in 1987, Berger was the principal of Fountain Valley High School for 15 years and retired from the Huntington Beach Union High School District in 1984 as the principal of Marina High School.

Berger is survived by his wife, Barbara and his daughter Stephanie Fitzpatrick.

Chancellor Yglesias Receives United Way's Hispanic Influentials Award

Ken Yglesias and Guests

Orange County United Way’s Hispanic Influentials recognized five community leaders at a recent dinner event at the Hyatt Regency in Irvine.  CCCD’s Dr. Ken Yglesias received the award in education.  Chancellor Yglesias was recognized for his work in higher education and his commitment to programs such as the El Viento Foundation Projects, KinderCaminata, Chicano Latino Conference and the Puente Program.

“Hispanic Influentials is different than other award ceremonies,” said Maria Chavez Wilcox, Orange County United Way CEO and President. “We identify those in the community that are truly reaching out and bring them together with the companies that can help invest in making a difference.”  

“It is a humbling experience to receive such an honor,” said Yglesias.  “It is my honor to be recognized for work on projects that aid Latino youth, particularly the El Viento Projects in the Oakview community of Huntington Beach.”

Also at the event, awards were given out for Community Service, Business and a Lifetime Achievement award. 

“We have only one life to live, one legacy to leave and one chance to make a difference,” said Wilcox. “Because of these individuals, Orange County is a better place to live.”

District Accepting Applications from Citizens Interested in Serving on Board of Trustees

The Coast Community College District Board of Trustees is soliciting applications from citizens interested in serving on the District's Board of Trustees.

At their meeting February 2, the Board agreed to use the appointment process to fill the vacancy on the Board created by the death of longtime Trustee Paul Berger. 

Eligible citizens submitted applications to the Board of Trustees for appointment to the Board seat. To be eligible, a candidate must be at least 18 years of age, a registered voter, a resident of Trustee Area 4, and must not be disqualified from holding civil office by the Constitution or any law of the State. 

Trustee Area 4 includes portions of Huntington Beach, Costa Mesa and Fountain Valley. A detailed map of Trustee Area 4 is available on the District web site (http://www.cccd.edu/board/map.aspx) and at the District Office. 

The Coast District Board of Trustees will interview candidates qualified for the appointment at a special meeting on Friday, March 18.

According to law, the Board has until March 30, 2005 to make a provisional appointment. The candidate appointed by the Board will fill the seat until the next regular election in November 2006, unless a citizen makes a successful petition to call for a special election.

Governer's 2005-06 Proposed Budget Presented to Board

In January, Vice Chancellor C.M. Brahmbhatt provided the Board with an update on the Governor’s proposed 2005-06 budget, unveiled January 10. 

No student enrollment fee increases were proposed for community colleges in the 2005-06 budget. 

Brahmbhatt said the proposed budget includes the following potential funding increases system wide: 

• $136.7 million, or 3 percent, for enrollment growth
• $195.5 million for cost of living adjustments (COLA), or 3.93 percent
• $20 million in one-time funds for economic development, specifically earmarked to increase coordination between community colleges and high schools for career technical education curricula
• $31.4 million set aside for potential restoration of Partnership for Excellence funds cut from last year’s budget, pending the outcome of a district-specific accountability mechanism under consideration by the Board of Governors

Brahmbhatt told the Board that the growth cap for the Coast Community College District in 2005-06 is set at 1.23 percent, which means the District will only receive state funds for enrollment growth up to that point.

Brahmbhatt told the Board that while the Governor’s budget did include some increases, it also includes proposals that would mean significant cuts to the District’s budget. Those include the following: 

• The Governor’s budget proposes shifting STRS retirement costs from the state to the district level could reduce community college funding statewide by $40 million. This would result in an ongoing cut of more than $1.2 million to the Coast District budget.
• In the 2004-05 budget, $80 million was included as the first of three years of funding aimed at bringing all community colleges closer to a per-FTE-based funding basis. However, a second installment of $80 million was not included in the 2005-06 budget.

Brahmbhatt reminded the Board that the Governors’ proposed budget will be revised based on state revenues in May, providing a clearer budget picture.

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Coastline Community College News

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New Orange County One-Stop Centers Grand Opening Ceremonies

The Orange County One-Stop Centers will welcome guests, employers and job seekers to its Grand Opening ceremonies. The Westminster event will take place on March 18, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. and the Irvine opening will be held on March 24, 2005 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.

The Orange County One-Stop Center and the Orange County Business Service Center, in partnership with Coastline Community College and funded through the County of Orange and Orange County Workforce Investment Board, serves businesses, employers, and job seekers to meet the workforce needs of northern and southern Orange County. Our Business Service Center recruitment services can be customized and include the following: a database of pre-screened job candidates, interview facilities, job fairs and workshops. Other services available to businesses include outplacement, career transition services, re-employment services, and other aid to companies and their workers impacted by plant closings or other adverse business developments.

Businesses are encouraged to list job openings and to use the One-Stop’s facilities to interview candidates for vacant positions. The One-Stop Center provides access to a network of vocational and technical institutions for training new and existing employees. Job seeker services include a Job Center with personal computers for resume preparation, access to copy and fax machines, internet access to CalJOBS and other job search websites, telephones for calling prospective employers, Career Resource Library, career assessment, planning and counseling and more. There are specialized representatives for veterans, seniors, youth, welfare and the disabled. Most services are free to employers and job seekers.

For more information, please contact Isabelle Krasney at x14927

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