The Board of Trustees reconvened on Thursday, Sept. 14 to commence the fall 2023 semester, beginning with a stir from City College faculty involving Antioch University’s facility involvement on campus.
Antioch University is a private, non-profit university that rents both classrooms and offices in the Interdisciplinary Center and Business/Communications Center on City College’s west campus, which provides an alternative source of income for City College. The faculty has expressed concerns and observations about the treatment between City College facilities and Antioch University.
One of the first speakers at the meeting was newly elected Academic Senate President Kimberly Monda, who previously served as the academic senate president from 2014-2017.
“I am back here for a reason,” Monda said. “We have a lot of rebuilding to do in a lot of different ways.”
Monda further explained that during the first Academic Senate meeting on Wednesday, Sept. 13, five City College faculty members prepared speeches explaining their frustration with the facility use agreement with Antioch University. Monda appeared at the board meeting to help voice the concerns on behalf of the City College faculty.
At the senate meeting, faculty members expressed worries including lack of proper air conditioning, accommodations for over 200 Antioch-reserved parking, and priority over utilities in City College classrooms for Antioch.
Bronwen Moore, a mathematics professor at City College, illustrated some problems during the academic senate meeting.
“Chromebooks, furniture, dual projectors, those were all grant funded resources brought into the college specifically by the faculty for our students.” Bronwen said. “Please include us in the conversation.”
Cornelia Alsheimer presented the SBCC Faculty Association report to the trustees during their public comment section, and also voiced concerns about Antioch University.
“Giving another university a home on our campus is not a small undertaking.” Alsheimer said. “Such a project needs involvement and consolation with all groups on campus.”
During the business services section of the meeting, Trustee Veronica Gallardo stood firm in her opposition to the facility use agreement with Antioch.
“I see the need for the fiscal addition of revenue, I don’t think that’s the way to do that.” Gallardo said. “This is nothing against our partners at Antioch or their mission vision. I want to see something that is sustainable and something that is going to work for Santa Barbara City College and this is not it for me.”
Jonathan Abboud, president of the board, commented on Gallardo’s frustrations.
“This is just for the fall, I support this fully and we will have lots of communication and more conversations about this before the board hears it again.” said Trustee Abboud.
The board ended with seven yeses and one no from Trustee Gallardo to approve the facility use agreement.
The board will meet again on Thursday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. in the MacDougall Administration Building.
