At their regular meeting on March 10, the Peralta Community College District Board of Trustees approved the district’s participation in POST certification, were briefed on the Peralta Colleges Foundation audit, and approved additional funding for multiple facilities projects. The board also held a moment of silence in remembrance of four longtime members from the Peralta community.

District officially approved to participate in POST

The board voted to approve the district’s participation in the California Peace Officer Standards and Training (POST) Program. A POST certification allows the district to hire and train peace officers and establish its own internal “college police department.”

The district is currently hiring for a Chief position, and trustees will vote on creating lieutenant and sergeant job positions at tonight’s meeting as a part of the approved “holistic hybrid safety model.” Interim Executive Director of Community Safety Abdul Pridgen wrote to The Citizen that the only similarity between the former Peralta Police Department and the future security model will be the POST certification.

Peralta Colleges Foundation Audit

CWDL, an independent auditor and consultation firm, presented the last two fiscal years of annual audit reports from The Peralta Colleges Foundation to the board. The Foundation was founded in 1971 and is the Peralta district’s auxiliary nonprofit that raises money for student programs.

The audit found that the Foundation had excessive cash balances in its checking account and that contributions were not being deposited in a timely manner, which resulted in donations “[sitting] idle rather than being invested or deployed to support students in accordance with the Foundation’s mission.”

CWDL noted that holding on to an excessive amount of cash in the bank increases financial risk above FDIC insured limits. According to the report, this will limit the Foundation’s ability to maximize returns to support students and scholarships, which is in the Foundation’s mission statement.

The district agreed to enter a Master Agreement with the Foundation to allocate support in cash management and disbursement of donations. At tonight’s board meeting, the trustees will vote on the approval of a new Foundation Manager position to oversee operations.

Laney Library

The Board voted to approve a $1.2 million change order with Thompson Builders Corporation to provide additional maintenance and repair work to the Laney College Library and Learning Resource Center Project. Groundbreaking on the new library commenced on Oct. 28 of last year, and once done is expected to be “spacious” and have glass walls to emphasize “natural light,” as well as being ADA compliant.

This change order increases the total construction budget for the Laney library to over $79 million. The construction project is expected to be completed in August of 2027.

Thompson Builders is also contracted to do the work for Merritt College’s Landscape Horticulture complex, which has totaled over $26 million in contracts.

More money for Laney’s locker rooms

The board approved a project authorization in the amount of $12,640 for reducing and monitoring hazardous building materials during the Laney College Locker Room Rehabilitation Project. Ninyo & Moore, a geotechnical and environmental sciences consultant, will oversee the service.

According to an investigation by The Citizen, the locker rooms hadn’t been updated since their construction in 1968, leaving the space in violation of Title IX for sex-based discrimination. The district agreed to repair the locker rooms to remain compliant with federal law.

Other items on the consent calendar 

The consent calendar is a list of agenda items that gets approved in one motion. All items were approved during the meeting.

11 faculty members completed their tenure-review process and earned their tenured status.

Trustees allocated a $10,000 grant to support Laney College’s student charter for the African American Male Education Network Development (A2MEND)  for “professional/career development, leadership training, networking opportunities, African-centered cultural efficacy, mentorship, and mental wellness.”

The district reorganized its Human Resources department, which established a new chain of command, job descriptions and titles to seven classified employees. The HR changes will go into effect on April 1.

In Memoriam

District Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson announced the passing of four Peralta community members. 

Robert McKnight, who served the district for 40 years as an adjunct faculty member. 

Christine Johnson McPhail, author and counselor, who served as a dean of students at the College of Alameda. 

Dominique Dozier, Laney alumna and part time librarian, who served Laney as the evening textbook reserves technician.

Francis Howard, who worked at Laney’s library as a part time reference librarian, and at Berkeley City College, when it was known as Vista College, as a library technician.

The meeting closed with a moment of silence for the four Peralta community members.

The next regular board of trustees meeting is scheduled today at 333 E. 8th Street, Oakland, CA. at 6 p.m.