President's Office

February 5, 2026

(1) Board Action to Preserve Foothill-De Anza as a Fear-Free Learning Space

On Monday, the Foothill-De Anza Board of Trustees adopted Resolution 2026-06, prohibiting the use of district facilities and resources for federal immigration enforcement activities. This action reaffirms our commitment that Foothill is a place for learning, not surveillance, and that our spaces are never appropriate for such activities.

During Super Bowl weekend, campus parking lots and spaces are receiving enhanced signage and monitoring by campus safety officers and contracted temporary security staff. This precaution aligns with our long-standing support for undocumented and mixed-status students.

Continuing that support, the Board also reviewed enrollment reports showing that Foothill-De Anza is experiencing the same Dreamer enrollment decline seen statewide. In response, the California Student Aid Commission has launched the I Heart CA Dream Act campaign in partnership with Immigrants Rising, the California Association of Financial Aid Administrators, and Institutional Solutions. The campaign promotes accurate information, community, and best practices to better serve California Dream Act applicants—a statewide echo of the strong support Dreamers already receive here. Explore more, including the Courageous Conversations Toolkit, here.

(2) MIPC and Element 451

The Mission Informed Planning Council (MIPC) will meet this Friday at 1 p.m. in Room 1901 or via Zoom. The agenda is available here. A key item will be the adoption of the student engagement platform Element 451.

At this meeting, we’ll review results from a recent technology landscape analysis. In alignment with the Chancellor’s goal of building a “unified, equitable tech infrastructure,” the launch of Element 451 will enhance our ability to reach current and prospective students through timely, personalized, and data-driven communications about enrollment, support services, and completion milestones. This change also moves us toward consolidating multiple platforms currently in use, many of which offer less functionality.

If you’re interested in learning more about this powerful platform, join us at the MIPC meeting. A full demonstration is scheduled for Feb. 20, but this Friday’s meeting will offer valuable context—and a sneak peek.

Also, did you know that we now have a functioning shuttle moving between Foothill, De Anza, Sunnyvale Center, and student housing? Student Trustee Maria Blaze is presenting her work.

(3) Blueprint for Success (BP4S) Kickoff

We officially launched the Blueprint for Success (BP4S) implementation with a collegewide event that invited faculty, classified professionals, and students to see themselves as co-authors of Foothill’s Blueprint for Success. The event helped our community connect with the transformational work ahead.

If you couldn’t make it, the presentation materials and a slide deck will soon be posted on the BP4S website. Photos capturing the energy, creativity, and care of the event will also be shared.

(4) Resource Allocation Model Taskforce

The Resource Allocation Model (RAM) Somos Uno Taskforce has kicked off its work to examine how funds flow across the district and to design a transparent, equity-minded model that aligns resource investments with student success and impact. This work is massively important as it creates the model for how our total revenues are divided between Foothill, De Anza, and Central Services.

(5) Advocacy in Sacramento

Last week, I joined Chancellor Lambert and our Board President in Sacramento to visit elected leaders and advocate for stable community college funding—particularly for categorical programs such as the Student Equity and Achievement (SEA) Program and the Strong Workforce Program (SWP). These programs are critical to staffing and sustaining impactful initiatives, yet both funding lines have been constrained by the absence of a cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) year over year. Unfortunately, the Governor’s proposed budget once again withholds a COLA for these funding lines next year.

We also urged support for policy measures that expand baccalaureate pathways and promote workforce innovation. Our next steps include continued advocacy at the National Legislative Summit in Washington, D.C.

Yours in service,
Kristina

Dr. Kristina Whalen
President, Foothill College