Desmond Meagley
Laney athletics members line up for their turn during public comment.
The Peralta Community College District convened for a Board of Trustees Meeting on April 8, where several athletic department leaders, student-athletes, and cosmetology students showed up for a passionate public comment regarding potential cuts, which they argued will impact future opportunities available to students if approved. Peralta Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson recognized several employees for the 2025 Employee of the Year Award, while the Board of Trustees approved a multi-million dollar contract for a new library and learning resource center at Laney College and increased fees for international students.
Laney athletes weigh in on potential cuts:
During public comment, Laney athletics director John Beam, various coaches, and groups of student athletes took the opportunity to voice their concerns over districtwide budget cuts and their possible effects on Laney’s athletics programs.
“Right now, with what’s going on in the district, cuts, possible mergers, all these different things, there’s a lot of anxiety going on,” Beam said.
Although a specified announcement for cuts to the athletics department has not been announced, Beam and student athletes pleaded with the Board of Trustees to keep sports programs funded, citing the impact their programs have on transferring students and the dire state of the women’s locker rooms. Several women’s athletes also spoke out on the potential closure of the pools.
“Our locker room looks like something out of a Stephen King novel,” Laney Aquatics student Nikia Durgin stated. Durgin emphasized the importance of women’s sports as a “resource worth maintaining”.
Laney baseball coach Francisco Zapata said that due to previous funding cuts the team holds fundraisers to the team’s needs.
“We know the recipe to prop these young men and women up, so let’s fight to keep it,” Zapata said.
Cosmetology students want night classes to stay:
Cosmetology students also voiced their support for keeping night classes open, which they believe are at risk of being cut. Laney College is home to one of the few publicly funded, more affordable options for cosmetology students in California.
Netra Alexander, a cosmetology student, said during public comment that evening classes should not be part of these cuts. She argued that these classes are sometimes the only option for students, including student parents and those who work during the day, to participate in the program and pursue their passions.
“Removing this option will force most of us to drop out or indefinitely delay our graduation. It’s not about convenience, it’s about survival,” Netra said.
The Citizen reached out to the Dean of Career & Technical Education, Alejandra Tomas, to confirm any proposed cuts to the Athletics and Cosmetology departments, but did not receive a response by the time of publication.
Resignation Incentive:
The board approved the finalized version of the Voluntary Resignation Incentives program for Service Employees International Union (SEIU) Local 1021. The incentive agreements for SEIU, Peralta Federation of Teachers (PFT), and stationary engineers (Local 39) all differ slightly.
Resignation incentives are only applicable to a maximum of 75 full time employees district-wide per union; each employee will receive $35,000 added to their final paycheck. Local 39 and PFT union members who accept the incentive must have a minimum of 20 tenured years at the district, while SEIU members are only required to have 17 years.
The district claims these resignations will save money in the long run, as the district looks ahead at a deficit between $11.5 and $13.5 million for the upcoming fiscal year.
2025 Employee of the Year staff recognition:
Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson shared words of encouragement and thanked employees who won the 2025 Classified Employee of the Year Award. Classified employees are non-teaching staff who support the functions at each college. The five employees recognized at the meeting included:
Berkeley City College: Natalia Fedorova
College of Alameda: Shuntel Nathaniel
Laney College: Janice Browne
Merritt College: Jamila Saleh
District Service Center: Brandi Carter (formerly Brandi Howard)
“Their leadership within our district and the broader community highlight the essential role classified employees play in fostering student success and strengthening our learning environment,” Gilkerson said in her speech to the winners.
Action Items:
Action Items are items on the agenda that the Board votes on individually. This meeting’s action items included a presentation by EOPS representatives from all four campuses and a declaration of April as EOPS month.
The board also approved an $89,633,415 contract with Thompson Builder Corporation for construction services to build a new Laney library and learning resource center. The project is expected to be completed by 2027.
Trustees voted to approve a revised 2025-26 Nonresident Tuition Fee. California community college districts have various options for how they set international student fees. Per state average calculations, Peralta cannot lower the international fee by less than the state average of $400 per unit. Previously, Peralta submitted a $370 per unit rate to the state, which was rejected.
With new approved updates, the fee for non-resident students for the 2025-26 school year will now be $400 per unit, a $24 increase from the original plan.