The Citizen

The Citizen Investigates: Outside Speaker Fees

Payments range from $150 to $60,000 in the absence of a district-wide policy

David Rowe and Pamela Rudd • June 22, 2023

Over the past three years, the four colleges of the Peralta Community College District have invited a number of outside speakers to conduct workshops for students, faculty, and staff without formal district-wide policies set in place to determine how much they should be paid. Records obtained by The Citizen show that fees paid to these speakers range widely, from as little as $150 to as much as $60,000.

Peralta awaits Dept. of Education response to its proposed financial aid fixes

District’s ability to administer Title IV funds at risk

David Rowe, Associate Editor • May 30, 2023

Over $23 million in annual federal grants and loans issued to Peralta Community College District (PCCD) students could be in jeopardy, according to a report issued on Feb. 1 by the Department of Education’s...

Acting CoA President Diana Bajrami “doesn’t know how to do things halfway”

Former econ professor making the most of her time as acting president

David Rowe, Associate Editor • May 1, 2023

Diana Bajrami has less than a year to accomplish her ambitious goals for College of Alameda (CoA) as its acting president but she is not letting that slow her down. Bajrami was named to the position...

Alameda County District Attorney’s Office reverses itself on recusal from Thomas case

David Rowe, Associate Editor • April 21, 2023

Update as of 6/18/2023: On June 15, the pre-trial hearing was rescheduled, and will now take place Aug. 3 at 9 am. Correction 5/18/2023: An earlier version of this story named Clifford Blakely as...

Peralta District custodian staffing levels fall short of industry guidelines

Trustees set to approve $1.5 million to hire an outside cleaning firm Tuesday

David Rowe, Associate Editor • April 11, 2023

Custodians working for the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) have experienced a dramatic increase in their workloads since in-person instruction began last semester. While the colleges have...

District Attorney’s Office recuses itself from Thomas case

Appointment of Royl Roberts creates a potential conflict

David Rowe, Associate Editor • February 19, 2023

Appointment of Royl Roberts Creates a Potential Conflict By David Rowe, Associate Editor February 18, 2023 Correction 5/18/2023: An earlier version of this story named Clifford Blakely as the...

Peralta Colleges continue to offer incentives to students for spring semester

David Rowe, Associate Editor • February 15, 2023

After offering free tuition for the Fall 2022 and Spring 2023 semesters, the four colleges making up the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) are offering cash payments in various amounts and...

Peralta Colleges regain full accreditation after three year struggle

Accrediting Commission says district has 'corrected deficiencies'

David Rowe, Associate Editor • February 6, 2023

After three years of uncertainty regarding their accreditation status, the presidents of the four colleges (Laney, Merritt, Berkeley City College, and College of Alameda) in the Peralta Community College...

Judge affirms state citation and fine issued to Community Ready Corps for 2020 Peralta security contract

Zulu Community Protection Services also cited, but did not appeal and has not paid the fine

David Rowe, Associate Editor • January 30, 2023

In a proposed decision issued on Dec. 20, Administrative Judge Karen Reichmann affirmed a citation and $5,000 fine issued to Community Ready Corps (CRC) and its founder, Earl Harper, by the California...

Low level of adoption for PCCD’s AC Transit bus pass program

Fewer than one-third of students paying for EasyPass actually claimed one

David Rowe, Associate Editor • December 16, 2022

Despite support from the Peralta students who voted in an April 2022 election for reinstatement of the AC Transit EasyPass program, only 31% of students being charged for the pass actually claimed...

Peralta district bonds receive first upgrade in nine years

Two rating agencies cite progress on financial and accreditation challenges

David Rowe, Associate Editor • November 18, 2022

After nine years of downgrades on its bond ratings, the Peralta Community College District (PCCD) received positive news last month from Standard & Poor’s (S&P) and Fitch, two industry leading...

Reiss, Quindlen, and Yohannes lead in races for Peralta Board of Trustees

Kevin Jenkins’ apparent City Council win would create another open board seat

David Rowe, Associate Editor • November 9, 2022

2022 election coverage Incumbent Board of Trustees candidate Cindy Reiss, along with first-time candidates Louis Quindlen and Sheweet Yohannes, lead in their respective areas, according to election...