College News
ACCJC Accreditation Site Visits
ACCJC Peer Review Teams visited Woodland Community College, September 15-16, and Yuba College, September 17-18. Overall, the visits went well. At the scheduled Exit Meetings, the Peer Review Teams provided both colleges with initial findings, including commendations for their great work and recommendations for continuous improvement in specific areas. In the coming weeks, the Visiting Teams will finalize their reports and submit them to ACCJC Board for review and action.
Our colleges’ faculty, staff, and administrators do incredible work in serving students and the communities. The Governing Board, College and District Leadership express their deep appreciation to all college faculty, staff, and administrators who devoted a great deal of time to preparing for the ISER Reports and hosting the Peer Review Teams’ visits over the past two years.
College Presidents Board Report
At each Board Meeting, the college presidents give a report on their college, highlighting events and news around the college.
You can view Woodland Community College President Navarette’s report here.
You can view Yuba College President Dotson’s report here.
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Woodland Community College News
Celebrating Democracy in Action: Congratulations to President Navarette and Dean Reed
We are proud to announce that Dr. Lizette Navarette and Dr. Shannon Reed of Woodland Community College have been selected to receive the Democracy Works Award by the League of Women Voters. The League will honor the two leaders at the Davis Veterans Memorial Center Multipurpose Room, located at 203 E. 14th Street on Thursday, October 9.
The League of Women Voters is committed to informing voters on local politics and increasing access to voting and information. The League is a non-partisan, grassroots organization dedicated to voter education and empowering citizens to shape better communities across the nation.
We congratulate Dr. Navarette and Dr. Reed for their their leadership and dedication to strengthening democracy for all!
WCC Soccer season is underway! Come out and show your Eagle pride by cheering on the team. Soccer Schedule Linked Here.
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Yuba College News
Yuba College Recognized as a Caring Campus
Yuba College was recently awarded Silver Certification through the Caring Campus initiative by the Institute for Evidence-Based Change. This is the first time the college has received this recognition, which will last for the next three years. The award highlights Yuba College’s continued efforts to create a supportive, student-centered environment where belonging and connection lead to student success. Way to go, Yuba College!
Happenings around the college
Oct. 2: YC Outreach Event, Marysville High School College and Career Fair
Oct. 3: Women’s Soccer vs. Woodland College, 4 pm
Oct. 3: NTS, Baseball vs. Feather River College, 11 am
Oct. 6: YC Outreach Event, Placer County Foothills High Schools Consortium College Night
Oct. 7: Women’s Soccer vs. College of Marin, 4 pm
Oct. 8: Volleyball vs. Mendocino College, 6 pm
Oct. 9: Men’s Soccer vs. Woodland College, 6 pm
Oct. 10: Volleyball vs. Contra Costa College, 6 pm
Oct. 10: NTS, Baseball vs. Cosumnes River College, 11 am
Oct. 16: NTS, Baseball vs. Butte College, 4 pm
Oct. 17: Volleyball vs. College of Marin, 6 pm
Oct. 17: Men’s Soccer vs. Mendocino College, 4 pm
Oct. 18: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 7:30 pm
Oct. 19: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 2 pm
Oct. 21: Men’s Soccer vs. Contra Costa College, 4 pm
Oct. 23: Men’s Soccer vs. Lake Tahoe College, 4 pm
Oct. 23: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 7:30 pm
Oct. 24: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 7:30 pm
Oct. 24: Women’s Soccer vs. Los Medanos College, 4 pm
Oct. 24: Volleyball vs. Los Medanos College, 6 pm
Oct. 25: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 7:30 pm
Oct. 26: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 2 pm
Oct. 28: Men’s Soccer vs. Merritt College, 4 pm
Oct. 29: Volleyball vs. Solano College, 6 pm
Oct. 30: Puffs Play, YC-Marysville, Theatre, 7:30 pm
Oct. 31: Men’s Soccer vs. College of Marin, 4 pm
-Full Yuba College sports schedules are linked here.
-Theatre schedule can be found here.
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District Office News
Meet Our Staff: Samantha Dana
Say hello to Samantha Dana, Yuba College’s new Vice President of Instruction. She’s only been with the District for a short time, but she’s already inspired by the teamwork and strong sense of community she’s found here. “The power of community is so evident in how Yuba College operates,” she says. “It’s beautiful to see how we serve students and also support one another as faculty and staff.”
Samantha is passionate about the life-changing impact of community colleges. As a first-generation college graduate, she knows firsthand how education can open doors. She’s especially excited to cheer on the Niners this season and to help students connect their education to four-year universities and careers.
Outside of work, Samantha has a curious and adventurous spirit. Her first job was teaching leatherworking and metalworking at a Scouting camp, and she still loves exploring new things. She enjoys traveling and has made spontaneous road trips to Quebec, Seattle, Brian Head, and Wyoming — where she swears she found the best chai in the country. These days, she’s on a quest to find the best chai in Northern California, so recommendations are welcome!
A few fun facts: she’s a big Saturday Night Live fan, loves all things Halloween (haunted houses, parades, and spooky conventions), and unwinds with her family and an iced chai. She lives by the motto: “Stay ready so you don’t have to get ready.” Thoughtful, driven, and passionate, Samantha brings that same energy into her new role at Yuba College.
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Chancellor Pan Launches Monthly Virtual “Open Door” Sessions
Chancellor Pan now offers monthly virtual Chancellor’s Open-Door sessions.
These informal gatherings provide faculty, staff, and students across the Yuba Community College District an opportunity to engage directly with the Chancellor in a relaxed, conversational setting.
Have a question, idea, or just want to say hello? Stop by virtually and join the conversation.
The sessions will be held via Zoom meeting link and the schedule is as follows:
- Wednesday, October 15: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Monday, November 17: 3:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Friday, December 12: 1:00 p.m. – 2:00 p.m.
- Thursday, January 22: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
- Wednesday, February 18: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.
- Monday, March 16: 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.
- Friday, April 17: 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.
*dates are subject to change
District Holiday Closures
Tuesday, November 11: Veterans Day
Next Regular Board Meeting
The Board of Trustees will meet for their regular meeting on Thursday, October 9, 2025 at Yuba College. The agenda will be released 72-hours prior to the meeting here.
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Fiscal Service Training
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Fiscal Update
2025–26 Budget Adoption
On September 11, 2025, the Yuba Community College District (YCCD) Governing Board adopted the Final Budget for Fiscal Year 2025–26.
State Budget and CCC System Overview
The State of California’s 2025–26 Budget, enacted on June 27, 2025, was developed amid a $12 billion shortfall (even after the state’s plans to close gap of $30 billion prior) driven by market volatility, rising Medi-Cal costs, and anticipated federal funding reductions. Despite these challenges, the budget maintains stable funding for the California Community Colleges (CCC) system and includes:
- $217.4 million for a 2.30% COLA to the Student-Centered Funding Formula (SCFF)
- $26.8 million COLA for select categorical programs
- $140 million for 2.35% enrollment growth (phased over two years)
Proposition 98 Rainy Day Fund Fully Depleted
- The 2025–26 State Budget confirms that the Proposition 98 Rainy Day Fund (Public School System Stabilization Account) will have a zero balance by the end of the fiscal year. After a full withdrawal of $8.4 billion in 2023–24 and a $455 million withdrawal in 2025–26—triggered by a decline in the Proposition 98 Guarantee—the fund is now completely exhausted.
- This means the state will no longer have a reserve mechanism to protect K–14 education funding (including California Community Colleges) from future economic downturns or revenue shortfalls, increasing the risk of volatility in funding for schools and community colleges.
District Funding Outlook and COLA Expectations
The State Chancellor’s Office advance apportionment calculation for 2025–26 is based on P-2 enrollment data reported in April 2025, which reflects only 0.02% of the 2.30% COLA being earned by YCCD. However, this preliminary estimate does not reflect the district’s final reported enrollment of 7,262 for 2024–25, which includes an increase of 89.22 Credit FTES.
Based on these updated figures, the district is planning to earn the full 2.30% COLA in 2025–26 and therefore the budget assumes earning of the COLA in the budget. These projections reflect YCCD’s continued focus on improving enrollment, student success outcomes, and SCFF performance metrics.
Budget Revision Plans
The proposed budget for adoption is based on preliminary cash reports from May 2025, which were received in late July and do not capture all funding received at the county level. Once the final cash reports from Yuba County are received and reconciled, the district will bring forward a revised budget to ensure alignment with actual revenues and to reflect the full scope of earned apportionment.
This approach ensures that the district remains fiscally responsible and responsive to evolving state and local funding conditions, while continuing to prioritize student access, equity, and institutional sustainability.
Bond Refinancing Saves Taxpayers $1.26 Million
At the July 10, 2025, Regular Board Meeting, the Governing Board authorized the issuance and sale of 2025 Refunding General Obligation Bonds (up to $18 million) to refinance the district’s 2015 Bonds, which were eligible for early redemption on August 1, 2025.
Key Outcomes:
- $17.675 million in Measure J bonds refinanced at lower interest rates
- $1.26 million in savings passed directly to local taxpayers
- Total taxpayer savings from all YCCD bond refinancings now exceed $100 million
- The district maintains a strong AA2 credit rating from Moody’s
YCCD worked with Dale Scott & Co., its municipal advisor since 2016, and Blaylock Van, LLC, the bond purchaser. Dale Scott presented a full overview of the refinancing initiative and taxpayer savings at the September 11th Board meeting.
“This refinancing reduces borrowing costs, passes savings directly to the community, and reflects our ongoing commitment to sound fiscal management.”
-Chancellor Dr. Shouan Pan
Employee Retention Tax Credit (ERTC) Update: $3.76M Secured Through Federal Tax Credit (net credit)
In March 2023, the Board approved an agreement with Synergi Partners to assess YCCD’s eligibility for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) a federal tax credit for employers impacted by COVID-19.
Process and Results:
- YCCD was found eligible for Q1 & Q2 of 2021, with a total credit of $6,990,086.73
- The district filed with the IRS on January 31, 2024
- On August 11, 2025, YCCD received $4,150,920 for Q1 2021:
- $3,208,815 in ERC credit
- $942,105 in IRS-issued interest
After a 12% contingency fee to Synergi Partners, the District retains $3,765,835. The board approved to designate these funding sources towards capital-related needs.
“This success was made possible by the initiative of Vice Chancellor Kuldeep Kaur and the dedicated efforts of Divinder Bains and Kathleen Miller, who led the complex documentation and filing process.”
-Chancellor Dr. Shouan Pan
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—– For current open positions, visit our hiring webpage for more information. —–
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Mission Statement: Yuba Community College District provides all individuals in our diverse communities access to high-quality, affordable higher education that is responsive to student needs. Our mission is to inspire and advocate for student success through our passion and commitment to teaching, learning, and social justice.
Vision: Our vision is to empower our students and strengthen our communities by providing equitable, student-centered learning opportunities.
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Would you like to have an event highlighted in a future newsletter? Email dwilliam@yccd.edu for consideration.