Superintendent/President Blog for February-March

Posted by lminor on
Taft College Cougar Connections

Welcome to your monthly newsletter for
February-March

Save the Date! Presidential Finalist Candidates March 23

On Monday, March 23, we will welcome the finalists for the Taft College presidential search to campus. Stay tuned to email for details on the time and location for each finalist’s forum. We hope you can attend and meet them!

Board of Trustees approves the SERP

At their February 11, meeting, the Board of Trustees approved the Supplemental Employee Retirement Program. Those who are participating have been notified. A total of 16 of our colleagues will be leaving us this spring. We wish everyone the best in their next chapter!

A green posted road sign reads "Retirement Just Ahead" against a blue sky.

Me too! Announcing Interim Supt./Pres. Minor’s Retirement

I can’t believe it’s been seven years since I joined Taft College! Seems like last week. The cat is officially out of the bag: I’ll be retiring in June. But I may still see you around town!

A gray cat is crawling out of a brown paper bag.

Taft College Reads Across America

Read Across America is the nation’s largest year-round literacy initiative, launched by the National Education Association in 1998 to motivate children to read. Celebrated annually on March 2, Dr. Seuss’s birthday, it encourages reading through events, book recommendations, and resources for educators and families. Many of our staff and students volunteered to read to local elementary school students. Thank you! (What book did the M&O/Facilities staff read? The Three Little Pigs, of course! It’s about facilities!)

Five college staff members holding children's books in a classroom as another staff member reads to children (children not pictured).
Two seated college athletes read books to 22 elementary school children in a classroom.

Upcoming Events: Athletics and ASO

For news and schedules on athletic events, link to: https://athletics.taftcollege.edu/landing/index

For upcoming ASO events and general information about all things ASO, link to: https://www.taftcollege.edu/student-campus-life/clubs-organizations/aso/index.php

Upcoming dates to know: First day of spring is March 20. First day of spring break is March 30.

Community Conversation: Calling All Adult Learners!

On Tuesday, April 8th, and Tuesday, April 15th, we will be hosting an Adult Learners Roundtable open to community members, featuring speakers and storytellers. Topics: TC Certificates & Degrees, CARE & CalWORKs, Non-Credit Adult Education. These events aim to raise awareness of what TC has to offer while also gathering valuable community feedback on desired certificate programs. We also hope our speakers will inspire adult learners to return to school and achieve their higher education goals.

Event Details: April 8th | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Taft City Recreation Center, Community Center Room (English session).

April 15th | 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM, Taft College Student Center (Bilingual session).

Programs are Growing!

Growth of the Welding program includes the addition of two sections of Pipe Welding classes during the Summer 2026 session.  To facilitate these classes, the welding facility has been expanded and two C-train storage containers, concrete pad, and additional lighting and electrical connections have been installed.  

Metal shop with some equipment.

The Associate in Science in Disability Services will have online course offerings beginning Fall of 2026.  There will also be non-credit versions of the same courses soon to follow.

Here’s another number for you: FTES is at 994 today, compared with 895 last spring semester, and 1,005 in fall semester. We’re getting there!

Facilities Master Plan Input

If you were unable to attend the listening sessions with AP Architects in creating our new Facilities Master Plan, please contact Justin with any comments, questions, or ideas (x7768, jmadding@taftcollege.edu). Your contributions and participation in these discussions are valuable to the development of the Facilities Master Plan. 

Accreditation Updates

We are beginning work on our ACCJC Institutional Self-Evaluation Report and are seeking faculty and staff volunteers. Subcommittees are aligned with four standards:
I – Mission & Effectiveness (Xiaohong/Rashitta), II – Student Success (Greg/Rashitta), III – Resources (Mike G/Heather), IV – Governance (Leslie)

Your participation is vital to a successful self-study—thank you for your commitment and support!

    Please contact the subcommittee chair directly for the standard you are interested in, to volunteer to help gather evidence for the ISER. Let’s make this truly a collaborative college effort.

    Cybersecurity Quiz Success

    We are pleased to share that 76 employees successfully completed the recent cybersecurity quiz, demonstrating strong campus participation. Thank you for your continued support and commitment to maintaining a safe and secure workplace. Your engagement plays an essential role in strengthening our college’s cybersecurity awareness and overall protection efforts.

    A green circle with a check box and the word "quiz" in the middle.

    Website Implementation

    Website Implementation: Progress continues on the new website implementation. Meetings have been held with all departments to review content and determine what needs to be cleaned up and migrated to the new content management system (CMS).

      VAR: Vision Aligned Reporting

      The college sent a team to participate in the two-year VAR Academy, sponsored by the California Community Colleges Chancellor’s Office and The RP (Research and Planning) Group. Through cross-departmental collaboration, the team is identifying strategic ways to leverage funding to support student success. View the team’s poster (below) highlighting key findings presented at the VAR Academy convening. More updates on VAR will be shared soon! Contact Xiaohong for more information.

      A poster with 8 sections: VAR area, VAR activity, VAR activity descriptions, disaggregated data 2024-25, student subgroups experiencing gaps, "aha moments, key conversations sparked by the data, actions taken or planned to address equity gaps.

      January 2026 – Superintendent/President’s Blog

      Posted by lminor on
      Taft College Cougar Connections

      Welcome to your monthly newsletter for January!

      WELCOME BACK and Happy New Year!

      Welcome back after our winter break! It’s great to see the parking lot full again. We are welcoming students back with a “welcome week” booth and some fun activities. Faculty and staff, please join in!

      Information tables set up at Taft College with staff attending the tables to hand out information and a snack bag. A sandwich board sign says Welcome Week.
      Students playing pool and relaxing in the Student Center. A sandwich sign board says Welcome Week Events with a schedule of events.

      Enrollment Updates

      Enrollment for the spring semester has increased over last spring, but this is before the census date drops and before final registration for late start and second-half classes, so it is not our final count for spring. We are still below our target of pre-pandemic enrollment, but we are headed in the right direction.

      A line graph detailing student enrollment numbers for credit FTES by years 2020-21 to 2025-26.
      FTES
      2019-202020-212021-222022-232023-242024-252025-26
      Summer347 344248211244292333
      Fall118310648258128779561005
      Spring1075928708665799895965
      Total 26052336178116891920214323030

      SERP: Still Available Through Today, Friday Jan. 23

      As a reminder, the deadline to elect participation in the Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan (SERP) is Friday, January 23.  If you have questions on the plan or need assistance with the form, please contact Heather del Rosario (x 7809) or Trudi Blanco (x 7727).

      New “MyTC” Landing Page

      The MyTC landing page will launch a new interface next week. As many of you may have already heard, this new MyTC landing page is designed to provide more information and a more user-friendly experience.

      We encourage you to preview the new page here https://experience.elluciancloud.com/tc549/ and share your feedback. If anything is missing on the landing page, please send your feedback directly to ir@taftcollege.edu or xli@taftcollege.edu.

      VOLUNTEERS NEEDED! For ACCJC Self-Study Report

      It’s time to begin gathering evidence for our next ACCJC Institutional Self-Evaluation Report, and we need your help! The Accreditation Taskforce held its first meeting last week and formed subcommittees aligned with the four ACCJC standards:

      • Standard I – Institutional Mission and Effectiveness: Co-Chairs: Dr. Rashitta Brown Elize and Dr. Xiaohong Li
      • Standard II – Student Success: Chair: Greg Bormann
      • Standard III – Infrastructure and Resources: Co-Chairs: Mike Giacomini and Heather de Rosario
      • Standard IV – Governance and Decision-Making: Chair: Dr. Leslie Minor

      Faculty and staff are encouraged to volunteer to serve on one or more subcommittees. Please reach out directly to the chair(s) of the standard you are interested in supporting.  Your participation is essential to a successful self-study, and we appreciate your willingness to contribute to this important work.

      Update from CCC Chancellor, Sonya Christian, on DEI Legal Status

      A federal court has invalidated the February 2025 U.S. Department of Education “Dear Colleague Letter” on DEI and its related certification requirement, and the Trump administration has withdrawn its appeal, leaving both unenforceable. This resolves a year of legal uncertainty for colleges by reaffirming that the guidance violated the First Amendment and federal rulemaking procedures, reducing immediate compliance or funding risk. No action is required at this time; institutions should continue their existing commitments to equity and inclusion. If anything changes, we will hear from the CCCCO.

      Resilient by Design: A Report from the American Association of Community Colleges

      The National Center for Higher Education Management Systems (NCHEMS) has prepared a thoughtful and thorough report for the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) on the future of community colleges, stating community colleges “face an uncertain and rapidly changing future that will require resilience from both colleges and their students.” Read the full report here: https://www.aacc.nche.edu/programs/resilient-by-design/ and let’s discuss ideas that will work for us!

      Written in the sand on a beach: Goodbye 2025 Hello 2026

      Taft College for December 2025

      Posted by lminor on
      Taft College Cougar Connections

      Welcome to your monthly newsletter for December!

      Holiday Closure

      The college will be closed for the winter break December 24 through January 1, re-opening for business on January 2, 2026. (Hard to believe I just typed 2026.) Spring semesters classes will begin on January 20 (Tuesday).

      Thanksgiving Food Boxes: Update

      The Basic Needs program gave out 176 care boxes filled with food to feed the families of our students, during the week before Thanksgiving. ASO students filled the boxes with food donations and distributed them to students on campus and some in Bakersfield.

      Myisha Cutrona (Student Life Coordinator), Sereen Evans (student volunteer), Giselle Hovind (Cougar Support Center), and Allan Mejia (student volunteer) fill food boxes.

      VOLLEYBALL!!!

      WOW! What an amazing season our women’s volleyball team had! We are all so proud of our Cougars! The team’s win-loss record for the season was 30-3. They made it to the “Elite Eight” for the state play-offs and finished with a rank of fifth in the state. CONGRATULATIONS to our entire roster and to Coach Mallori Rossi and Assistant Coach Ryah Snedden! The team’s trip to the state play-offs came after being named the Central Valley Conference (CVC) South Division Champions, with a perfect 13-0 record in conference play. They also broke Fresno City’s remarkable decades-long 198-match winning streak against conference opponents.

      And to add to the congratulations, on Dec. 4, our own Athletic Director Kanoe Bandy was inducted into Hall of Fame for the California Community College Women’s Volleyball Coaches Association! Kanoe coached Taft volleyball for 33 years and served 22 years as CCCWVCA secretary/treasurer. She has dedicated decades of service and leadership to the sport, not to mention her own student-athlete career. Well-deserved, Kanoe!

      More Happenings with ASO and Athletics

      Keep up to date on ASO activities with the Calendar of Events for December. ASO has been busy this month! Events this week include the annual ugly sweater contest (Mon.), a visit from the TUHS winter jazz band (Tues.), ornament and card making (Weds.), and pajama day and gift exchange (Thurs.)

      Athletics! Is there a competition today? Let’s find out. Link to the TC Athletics calendar.

      Missed a competition and want to know what happened? Catch up with TC Athletics news stories. Recent “Community Connections” partnerships have included Black Gold Brewing, Paleteria y Neveria Mangos, and Acme Jewelry. Contact Athletics if you would like your organization or service club to connect.

      Our other Taft College Athletics teams have fared well against our competition. In Women’s Golf Faith Hamstreet finished 10th overall in the state California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) championships. Men’s Soccer (10-6-6) finished 4th in Central Valley Conference, won 1st round of CCCAA playoffs beating San Francisco City College, and lost in the second round to Evergreen Valley College. Women’s Soccer (14-7-1) finished 2nd in Central Valley Conference and lost in the 1st round of the CCCAA playoffs to American River College. Women’s basketball is nearly undefeated with a 12-1 record in pre-conference play. Looking forward to a great conference season with the team and Coach Lagmay!

      State Budget Summary

      The state Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO), the Legislature’s nonpartisan policy and fiscal advisor, has published their forecast of the 2026-27 state budget. Here is their summary of our current status and a look forward.

      California’s latest budget forecast delivers a short-lived financial uptick for education, but the underlying message is far less reassuring. The temporary bump in revenues—fueled mostly by volatile gains in the AI-driven tech sector—pushes the Proposition 98 guarantee slightly upward for now, but analysts warn that this surge is anything but stable. Even with nearly $7.4 billion in one-time funds on the table, the state’s own fiscal outlook makes clear that community colleges are benefitting from a momentary ripple, not a reliable wave of support.

      While the near-term funding may help reduce some payment deferrals, this comes with a clear caveat: it is a short-term patch for long-term structural problems. One-time money can temporarily soften the blow, but it cannot address ongoing needs like expanding student services, maintaining aging facilities, or supporting new initiatives without risking future cuts. 

      Looking ahead, the warning signs are hard to ignore. The state’s fiscal health is increasingly tethered to the unpredictable performance of a single sector, leaving education funding vulnerable to sudden downturns. With Proposition 98 reserves nearly depleted and the potential for declining revenues as soon as the AI boom cools, community colleges should brace for renewed budget strain in the coming years. The temporary windfall may provide a brief reprieve, but the long-term outlook suggests continued volatility—and the real possibility of deeper financial challenges ahead.

      Spring Enrollment Updates

      Spring term open enrollment is fully underway. In the line chart below showing spring to spring comparison points, you can see that compared with this time last year, we have about the same number in FTES (full time equivalent students). We are still down considerably from pre-covid enrollments, so let’s keep up the good work to encourage students to enroll and to complete their programs of study.

      Instruction Updates

      This fall Taft College started the first cohort of Medical Assistant certificate students. For the Spring 2026 semester Taft College will be offering several 8-week and hybrid sections. This will help to decrease the amount of time students will spend achieving goals such as the Management Certificate of Achievement. Select 8 week and hybrid sections are paired with another course in sequence or with another course within the major. For example, ART 1500 is paired with ART 1600, ETHN 1510 is paired with SOC 1510. Taft College is also offering evening/night sections during the Spring 2026 semester. The list of night classes includes: COMM C1000, DRAM 1510 & 1535, ENGL C1000, ETHN 1510, PHED 1601/1611/2001, POLS C1000, PSYC 2205, and STSU 1019. New courses offered include: ENGL 1502 Composition and Reading for Multilingual Students, HIST 2000 Critical Thinking and the Historians Craft, and POSC 1504 Introduction to International Relations.

      Update: SERP (Supplemental Employee Retirement Plan)

      The SERP retirement incentive benefit option is still open. If you missed the group orientation or the individual meetings with consultants last week, you still have the option to meet via Zoom to talk with a consultant. You are not required to meet with a consultant, but those who have participated have found it helpful. Contact HR for a Zoom appointment. If you are considering the incentive plan, you will have until Jan. 23 to submit your letter of retirement and documentation. The Board of Trustees will make their final determination of plan implementation in February. The SERP effective date is July 1, 2026.

      Reaching Out

      Our Outreach team continues to be busy meeting with potential students at middle schools, high schools, and community locations to make sure we are known in the region as a great option for college. Recent visits have brought TC to Buena Visa H.S., North H.S., Vista H.S., Bakersfield H.S., Shafter H.S., Golden Valley H.S., KHSD CTEC, and Maricopa Middle School. Students from Stonecreek Jr. High School visited campus over three days, bringing about 400 students for fun CTE activities to highlight workforce preparation. Students analyzed crime scenes, learned medical basics, practiced virtual welding, and more.

      The outreach team is also working with Taft Union H.S., Vista West H.S., Del Oro H.S., Frontier H.S., and Bakersfield H.S. Workforce Academy. Our community Open House took place Dec. 8. Watch for upcoming events beginning in January for our Cougar Express and Cougar Days.

      Online WebAIM Accessible Documents Training Still Available

      Are you interested in learning how to make your materials accessible, that is, creating content that can be easily read, understood, and navigated by all people, including those with disabilities? Registration is open for WebAIM Accessible Document Trainings, sponsored by the California Community Colleges (CCC) Accessibility Center. This training program is designed to equip participants with the skills to create, evaluate, and optimize accessible documents in Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF. Participants also have access to a bonus module focusing on Excel accessibility. Participation is free and the training is online, self-paced. Participants who successfully complete the self-paced course and assessments will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. Register Here for one of the upcoming cohorts: November 3, 2025 – February 2, 2026; or December 1, 2025 – April 13, 2026.

      WebAIM logo for WebAIM accessibility training article

      Reminder: A New College Website is on the Way

      Our current website contract will end in May, and based on feedback and suggestions from the campus community, we will be moving to a new website platform. The new site will offer more features, be easier to manage, and result in more than 30% annual cost savings.

      This transition reflects our commitment to improving usability, ensuring better access to information, and using resources wisely to support student success.

      What will College Look Like?

      As you’re thinking of the upcoming new year and imagining possibilities, you may be thinking about what changes are in the works for higher education. The Public Policy Institute of California has released a report on state enrollment projections entitled “The Future of Higher Education Enrollment in California.” Link here for the full report:  https://www.ppic.org/publication/the-future-of-higher-education-enrollment-in-california/

      A few of the effects on enrollment include the overall economy, public investment in higher education, demographic shifts (fewer children in K-12 will mean fewer college students later), and challenges/uncertainties for community colleges more than for the UC or CSU systems. A slight increase in enrollment is expected until 2035, with declines after that. Notably, projections for California differ from other states.

      See you at the holiday potluck Dec. 16, 11 to 1!

      Have a restful break! If I don’t see you sooner, see you next year!

      Taft College For November 25

      Posted by lminor on
      Taft College Cougar Connections

      Welcome to your monthly newsletter for November!

      Halloween Re-cap

      Halloween was loads of fun for our Children’s Center kids! Watch our trick-or-treating in action.

      Image of a pumpkin.

      Veterans Resource Center

      The Veterans Resource Center is now open in their new location in G-1. The Center recently received a Certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman Vince Fong, U.S. House of Representatives (20th Congressional District of California) to acknowledge the quality work they do. Stop by the Center in their new location and find out about the valuable resources and support the Center staff provides to our veterans, active-duty service members, and their families here at Taft College.

      Join the Veterans Resource Center staff and Taft Kern County Library in the TC Student Center, Nov. 4-6, 12:00-2:00, for a card-making event to provide veterans and active-duty military personnel .

      All current TC veterans and active-duty service members are invited to pick up a free meal voucher as a thank you for Veterans Day. Pick these up at the Student Center, Nov. 4-5, 12:00-2:00.

      Students sitting at a table during the veterans resource display in the cafe

      Veterans Day

      The college will be closed on Nov. 11 in observance of Veterans Day. No classes will be held that day.

      All are welcome to celebrate the day with food, music, and fun, sponsored by the City of Taft on Tues., Nov. 11, 10:00, at Veterans Memorial Park at 217 E. Kern Street in Taft. TC Veterans Resource Center staff will be on hand to celebrate with you. City of Taft Veterans Day celebration information flyer.

      U.S. flag and logo for Veterans Day Nov. 11, 2025.

      Enrollment Update

      Enrollment has stabilized for the fall semester with late-start and second-half courses now in session, and census reports submitted. Student enrollment is still about 6% above last year at this time, but still well below pre-covid numbers of 2018. Spring enrollment has begun! We are a little above where we were last year at this time. Let’s keep the momentum going! We all play a part in working toward student success.

      “I got a 2.39% Raise!”

      Yes, you did! On October 8, 2025, the Board of Trustees approved a 2.39% salary schedule increase for all constituent groups, effective retroactively from July 1, 2025. The new pay rates are reflected on the October end of month payroll, with retroactive payments processing for the November 15 payroll. You may wonder why the district instituted raises during a challenging budget time. The faculty collective bargaining agreement (CBA) outlines an annual salary comparison process that resulted this year in the increase, and the Board decided that in the interest of retaining good employees, the salary increase would apply to all groups.

      TC Safety App: Taft College Safe

      If you have not yet done so, please consider an “opt in” to Taft College Safe so that you can be notified of emergencies, share your location, access campus emergency plans, find support resources, report tips, and more. Find the app on your app store (iPhone app store, or Google play).

      Logo "Taft College Safe" for downloadable safety app.

      Happenings with ASO and Athletics, and a New Student Club

      Keep up to date on ASO activities with the Calendar of Events for November.

      Athletics! Is there a competition today? Let’s find out. Link to the TC Athletics calendar.

      Missed a competition and want to know what happened? Catch up with TC Athletics news stories.

      In the posted articles you will also see features on the “Community Connections” the Athletics Dept. is making right here. So far, connections partnerships have included Kiwanis, TIL, and Lincoln Junior High Volleyball team. Contact Athletics if you would like your organization or service club to connect.

      Members of TC staff and TIL students in the gym at the college featured for community connections night.

      Circle K International is a new student club at Taft College, part of the Kiwanis organization. Students can build leadership skills and make new connections while serving the community through local and global projects. Co-advisors are Dr. Xiaohong Li and Susan Groveman. Contact either Xiaohong or Susan for more information: xli@taftcollege.edu or sgroveman@taftcollege.edu.

      Hall of Fame!

      The 10th annual Hall of Fame event this past weekend, Nov. 1 and 2, honored Donny Harrel (Distinguished Alumnus), LaNell Howell (Distinguished Classified), Mike McDougal (Outstanding Athlete), Jason Phillips (Outstanding Athlete), Debra Wooley (Distinguished Confidential), and the 1977 California State Championship Football Team (Outstanding Team Achievement). The event weekend included the “Blast from the Past” reception on Saturday night, a campus tour on Sunday, and dinner with induction awards on Sunday. It was a great event and a great way to celebrate our colleagues and former students who helped make Taft College such a special place. We were fortunate to have guests and inductees able to attend the event from the community, from greater Kern County, and also from out of state. The food was fantastic, and the Student Center sparkled. Many thanks to our Hall of Fame Committee and to the Foundation for making it possible.

      Table set up for Hall of Fame ceremony. It includes plates, cups and a program detailing the events proceedings.

      Who’s New

      We are excited to announce Seth Rowland has joined Taft College as the new Distance Education and Instructional Design Coordinator. Seth brings to TC over a decade of experience in public education, both in-person and online. Seth has a strong background in LMS design and management, and online course development. Outside of work Seth enjoys spending time with his sons age 20 and 14, watching the Dodgers, and creating different pieces of art out of pure silver.

      Welcome also to adjunct instructors Karina Navarro and Luai Qubain.

      Power BI Training

      Making informed decisions is at the heart of supporting our students’ success. The Office of Institutional Research (IR) is offering a Power BI training to help our campus community turn data into actionable insights.

      Power BI is an interactive data visualization tool that allows us to explore trends, monitor progress, and make evidence-based decisions with confidence. By learning how to use Power BI, faculty and staff can better understand student needs, strengthen program planning, and allocate resources more effectively—all with the shared goal of improving student outcomes. This training is a great opportunity to build data literacy across our college, empowering every department to use information in meaningful ways that drive student success.

      The IR Office will host a Power BI training on November 17 at 9 a.m. in T-14. If you’re interested in attending but haven’t yet responded to the Power BI training survey previously, please email  ir@taftcollege.edu to reserve your spot.

      Power BI Logo

      A New College Website on the Way

      Our current website contract will end in May, and based on feedback and suggestions from the campus community, we will be moving to a new website platform. The new site will offer more features, be easier to manage, and result in more than 30% annual cost savings.

      This transition reflects our commitment to improving usability, ensuring better access to information, and using resources wisely to support student success.

      ACCJC Workshop

      Last Thursday, Taft College hosted our first ACCJC Institutional Self-Evaluation Report (ISER) Workshop, led by ACCJC representative Kevin Bontenbal. The session was very successful and well-attended by faculty and staff. Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate and engage in the accreditation process.

      The ACCJC standards have changed since our last ISER, and this workshop provided valuable insights as we begin preparations for our next accreditation cycle. Although our next ACCJC visit is scheduled for 2028, the important work of evidence gathering and report writing will take place primarily in 2026 and 2027.

      If you missed the workshop, please visit the College Accreditation website here or reach out to ir@taftcollege.edu to review materials and access the workshop handout.

      WebAIM Accessible Documents Training Available

      Are you interested in learning how to make your materials accessible, that is, creating content that can be easily read, understood, and navigated by all people, including those with disabilities? Registration is open for WebAIM Accessible Document Trainings, sponsored by the California Community Colleges (CCC) Accessibility Center. This training program is designed to equip participants with the skills to create, evaluate, and optimize accessible documents in Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe PDF. Participants also have access to a bonus module focusing on Excel accessibility. Participation is free and the training is online, self-paced. Participants who successfully complete the self-paced course and assessments will be awarded a Certificate of Completion. Register Here for one of the upcoming cohorts: November 3, 2025 – February 2, 2026; or December 1, 2025 – April 13, 2026.

      WebAIM logo for WebAIM accessibility training article

      Report on CCC – CSU – UC Transfers

      The Public Policy Institute of California (PPIC) has released a report entitled “Improving Transfer from Community College to the California State University.” The report examines how well the California Community Colleges (CCC) and California State University (CSU) systems are facilitating student transfer. Highlights: Most CCC students intend to transfer, only one in five will do so within four years. Most transfer to a CSU. About 2/3 of admitted students actually enroll, but most who enroll graduate within four years. Strengthening the transfer pipeline is critical for the state to reach degree attainment goals.  

      Watch your email for information and SAVE THE DATE for our annual Thanksgiving potluck, Nov. 20!

      T-shirt featuring "one thankful cougar" and fall designs
      Banner saying Happy Thanksgiving with fall color leaves.

      Cougar Connections

      Posted by lminor on

      Dear TC Community,

      Welcome to the inaugural edition of Cougar Connections, a monthly newsletter from the Office of the President designed to inform, inspire, and strengthen the ties that unite our students, staff, faculty, and broader community. Each month, you’ll find:

      • College Updates – Brief messages highlighting our priorities, progress, and vision.
      • Student Spotlights – Celebrating student achievements and activities.
      • Campus Highlights – News from academic programs, events, and initiatives shaping our college.
      • Community Connections – Stories of collaboration and outreach beyond our campus.
      • What’s Ahead – A look at event dates and opportunities coming up at TC.

      At Taft College, we believe leadership isn’t just about direction — it’s about connection. This newsletter reflects that belief and our commitment to communication and celebration. Thank you for being part of the journey. I look forward to building this connection with you — one story at a time. Let me know if there are issues or events you would like to see included.

      Leslie Minor, Interim Superintendent/President, Taft College

      It’s Halloween Season!

      Group photo with children and adults dressed in Halloween costumes.

      Pint-sized jack-o-lanterns, superheroes, ghosts, goblins, and more will invade campus on October 31 for the annual Children’s Center trick-or-treating event. Please RSVP to Myisha and ASO if you would like to participate: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfql7zBLJ8FVnWowKiM4f-jNxfLOU5UXlm9n6acTOjgb8uadA/viewform

      ASO will sponsor Dia de los Muertos events for TC students and staff on October 30th. ASO also sponsored a number of fun, delicious, and well-attended events for Hispanic Heritage month: tamale making, mariachi band, line dancing, and pinata livened up the quad the Student Center.

      Link to ASO events calendar for October https://www.taftcollege.edu/student-campus-life/clubs-organizations/calendar/index.php and for November https://www.taftcollege.edu/student-campus-life/clubs-organizations/calendar/index.php

      Budget Challenges

      The West Kern Community College District, Taft College, created a budget with a deficit going into fiscal year 2025-26 based upon revenue assumptions aligned with the Governor’s 2025-26 budget. Changes to the budget may occur as additional funding information becomes available. Some of the factors creating our current budget issues include slow enrollment growth, state funding deferrals, the student centered funding formula (SCFF), and deficit spending, resulting in a deficit of $803,000. Look for more detailed discussion on the budget in our November newsletter. Expect regular updates from our VPAS, Mike Giacomini, throughout the year.

      Enrollment Updates

      Enrollments are ticking up from our lowest point in 2022, but we are not fully caught up from the losses during covid. We are up more than 6% in FTES (full time equivalent students) from this time last year and finally broke 1,000 in FTES, for the first time since 2020. We have nearly the same number of sections as we did pre-covid. Let’s keep up the momentum — we’re moving in the right direction!

      Priority Registration

      Priority registration for Spring 2026 begins on Monday, October 27th, 2025 for the first group. Registration dates and times for each student are automatically assigned by the registration system and are set approximately 2 weeks before registration. Students may enter the registration system any time beginning on or after the assigned registration date and time. Students can log into their online student account via MyTC to check registration status, and assigned registration date and time, by clicking on Students > Registration > Registration Status. If students miss their day and time, they may log into MyTC and register. Link to priority group registration dates here: https://www.taftcollege.edu/admissions/accepted-students/register/priority-registration.php

      Taft College Employee of the Month

      In case you missed it… the entire Taft College Facilities, Maintenance and Operations team was honored as the September Employee of the Month. Manny Aguire, Keith Stearman, Shawn Tofte, Carlos Sillas, Chris Miller, and Ivan Almanza were recognized for their problem-solving, skill, positive attitude, and collaboration. Congratulations M&O!

      Oildorado!

      Another Oildorado celebration has wrapped up. This 10-day celebration of Taft’s history and the impact of the oil industry includes dozens of events from a grand parade, concerts, gala, casino, oil field skills competition, civic luncheon, vendor fair, melodrama, and so much more. Our Board of Trustees President, Kathy Orrin, played a “bad guy” in the melodrama performance. Meanwhile, Trustee Billy White was a “good guy” among the roaming sheriff’s posse arresting hooligans to toss in the hoosegow. Three of the 12 Maids of Petroleum are current TC students. Two of the oil field skills competitors are dual enrollment students at TC. Several of our employees met with interested community members at our TC outreach table at the vendor fair. Our own TC baseball team took home parade honors for best community group.

      Baseball players from Taft College marching in a parade.

      Who’s New at TC

      This semester we welcomed two new full-time tenure-track faculty members. Jonathon Over is the new Engineering instructor, and Becki Dodson joins the Dental Hygiene faculty. Welcome to new adjunct instructors Stacie Horton, Sukhraj Mehat, Karin Navarro, Hunter Perry, Katrina Price, Brittany Villagran, Stephanie Webster, and Andy Wu.

      Job Fest

      The Kern County Job Fest 2025 will be held at Taft College on Thursday, Oct. 23, 9-noon. Connect with local employers and learn about available jobs. Get help with applications and resumes. Admission and parking are free. All are welcome!

      ACCJC Workshop — Everyone Welcome

      Officials from our accreditors, ACCJC (Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges), will hold a workshop on Thursday, Oct. 30, 9-12, in the Cougar Room, to familiarize us with the new standards we will use to prepare our ISER (Institutional Self-Evaluation Report). All are welcome to attend. The work of continuous quality improvement includes all of us! Watch for a newsletter from IR to keep us up to date on the work that begins now toward renewing our accreditation in 2028. Let’s all be involved!

      Presidential Search

      The search for a permanent Superintendent/President is underway. Progress updates will be provided by HR, with the search process expected to take the next several months and the position filled July 1.

      Happy Haunting!