Important Announcements

August 26: EOPS Book Gift Cards and Bus Passes
From today until September 5, the EOPS Office in building 100 will have book gift cards available for students that are enrolled in 12 or more units and bus passes which are available to all EOPS students.

Student News

November 16: "The 800 Mile Wall" Movie Screening Tonight
A screening for the movie "The 800 Mile Wall" will be occurring tonight at 6:30 PM in Room 2131. The film takes a look at "...a failed U.S. border enforcement strategy that many believe has caused the death of thousands of migrants and violates fundamental human rights." (View Flyer)

November 12: Town Hall Meeting Set
Dr. Gould will be holding a Student Town Hall meeting next Thursday, November 12th at 2:00 p.m. in the College Center. We are encouraging our faculty to invite their students to attend if possible. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Student Affairs Office at (760) 355-6455 or the ASG President at (760) 355-6360.

September 2: Agriculture Club Meeting This Thursday
Dr. Patrick Pauley, IVC Director of Agriculture, would like to announce the first Agriculture Club meeting of the ’08-’09 school year which will take place this Thursday, September 4, at 5:30 pm in Room 1308. They will be electing officers, discussing this year’s "Pumpkin Patch", the Mid-Winter Fair, Greenhand Conference, IVC Ag Field Day and more. All are welcome regardless of major!

Campus News

October 16: 3rd Annual Faculty and Staff vs. Students Softball Game
The game will start at 10 AM and will be located at the Women's Softball Field. Faculty and staff will be charged $5, and there will be no charge for students.

September 2: 2009 Career Fair/College & University Day is Coming October 5
The 2009 Career Fair/College & University Day is designed to assist employers in attracting qualified applicants, assist students in discovering a challenging career, and promoting the linkage between educational preparation and employment opportunities (View Flyer and Registration Form).

September 2: 2009-10 Volleyball Schedule and Roster Available
On September 4 the IVC women's volleyball team will be having their first home game against College of the Desert at 5 pm in the DePaoli Sports Complex. (2009 Women's Volleyball Schedule and Roster).

August 31: El Valley Imperial Aqui Art Gallery opens September 4
IVC faculty, staff, alumni and a current student have artworks included in the upcoming juried exhibit El Valle Imperial Aqui at the Galeria de la Ciudad in Mexicali, Mexico.

The opening reception is at 8 p.m. Friday, September 4. The show runs through Oct. 9.

Faculty/staff include: Jorge Estrada, David Zielinski, Armando Javier Mendez Duran, Bernardo Olmedo, Tom Gilbertson, Sergio Camacho Gaytan, and myself, Carol Hegarty.
Alumni include: Raymundo Lopez Lopez, Eddie Shiffer, Kyle Herrera, Minerva Torres Guzman, Alfredo Guzman, Elizabeth M. Lopez, Joshua Novinger, Israel Carrillo Madrid, Irene Sanchez, and Alfonso Higareda.
Current student(s): Mayra F. Garcia.

(Gallery Poster and Directions, courtesy of Bernardo Olmedo).

July 1: Budget Update
Budget update regarding last night's late session in Sacramento (Read entire article).

June 18: IVC Budget Cuts and Fact Sheet
The Imperial Valley College Board of Trustees adopted a balanced budget last night for fiscal year 2009-10. You can learn more about the budget that was decided upon by reading the Budget Reduction Fact Sheet and the Budget Reduction Press Release.

April 27: Imperial Valley Featured in Los Angeles Times Article
The Imperial Valley was featured in an article in Monday's Los Angeles Times (Read entire article).

April 26: Imperial Valley Featured in San Diego Union Tribune Article
The Imperial Valley was featured in an article in Sunday's San Diego Union Tribute (Read entire article).

March 3: Imperial Valley College Mentioned in NY Times Article about the Recession
Featuring current information about the high unemployment rate in the Imperial Valley and how Imperial Valley College will provide a key role in preparing the workforce of the next generation for Imperial County (Read entire article).

January 20: 2009 Presidential Inauguration
Barack Obama is now officially President of the United States of America. The ASG held a very successful Inauguration Day Breakfast that had many students attend. If you missed the Inauguration Speech and would like to see or read it, please click on the following link: President Barack Obama's Inaugural Address.

November 11: Focus on IVC Newsletter, Issue 4 (Read Issue)

June 30: Stakes High to Pass Mid-Year State Budget Adjustments
Three bills failed to pass last night that would have cut $5 billion of the state's current $24 billion budget deficit. The decisions must be made by midnight tonight so another update will be issued when the results come in (Read entire article).

June 25: State to issue IOUs if budget changes are not made by next week
The State Senate and Assembly both failed to pass the revisions to the 2009-10 budget bill yesterday, but there seems to be a consensus that a decision must be made by next week. Payments to community colleges are planned to continued under Proposition 98 provisions, though students expecting Cal Grants will most likely not be receiving checks (Read entire article).

March 26: Increased Fear Amid Crumbling Budget Situation
Many community college leaders are meeting now to discuss their 2009-10 budgets and wondering how it can be done with so many uncertainties present (Read entire article).

March 16: Student Rally in Sacramento Today
Thousands of students, faculty and supporters from California's colleges and universities are expected to descend on Sacramento today to remind Californians of the importance of maintaining the state's investment in higher education (Read entire article).

February 25: Send a "Thank You" Letter to Governor Schwarzenegger
Typically, lawmakers and legislative staff receive hundreds of contacts leading up to a major decision, and then nobody sticks around to say "thanks" after it has been made. While there is a lot in this budget to dislike, the fact is that community colleges were treated extraordinarily well given the budgetary circumstances (Read entire article).

February 19: Legislature Approves 18-month Budget Plan
This morning the State Legislature approved major revisions to the current year (2008-09) state budget, and approved a spending plan four months early for the 2009-10 fiscal year. One important item in the approved budget was the removal of an additional $120 million proposed cut (Read entire article).

February 12: Budget, Stimulus Details Reached
The state budget deal agreed to in Sacramento will be cutting Proposition 98 spending for K-12 and community colleges by $5.6 billion for the current fiscal year (2008-09) and by $3 billion for the next fiscal year (2009-10). Legislative leaders are counting on roughly $3 billion in state fiscal stabilization funds included in the federal stimulus to backfill the state-level cuts. More details on the specific cuts will be available soon (Read entire article).

January 27: Latest Budget Update
With the state's incoming cash expected to be insufficient to meet expenditure needs soon (leading to IOUs), a budget deal is widely expected in the next two weeks (Read entire article).

January 5: More on the Governor's Budget Proposal
Funds for community colleges will essentially remain constant in 2008-09 and 2009-10, with allowances for 2% and 3% enrollment growth, respectively. The previous 20% cuts to categorical programs are not part of the current new budget proposals offered by the governor, though the governor has proposed the elimination of the $39.8 million provided for a 0.68% cost of living adjustment (Read entire article). 

December 17: Vote on Republican State Budget Plan Expected Today
Last night the Assembly voted on the Democrat plan that offered an 18-month package of $19 billion in cuts and revenue increases which failed on party lines. Today the Assembly will reconvene at noon to vote on the Republican plan. The State Senate is also expected to vote on a separate compromise package at 5:00 pm (Read entire article). 

December 16: Republican Budget Relies on Cuts
For community colleges this would mean a $1 billion cut. This would be an 18-month reduction that would cause deep cuts to students services programs and cause hundreds of thousands of students to be turned away (Read entire article, Update).

December 10: Senate Budget Subcommittee on Education to Meet Today
At 1:30 pm today the subcommittee will be meeting to review proposed cuts to K-12, community colleges, UC and CSU (Read entire article).

December 8: Special Legislature Session Today
With the California unemployment rate at 8.2% as of October, and already $292 million in cuts to community colleges, public officials and newspapers are stepping up to say that we need to look at community colleges as part of the solution rather than the problem. Community colleges are the most affordable higher education and training solution for both the state and families, and our unmatched network can quickly deliver the tools for economic recovery across the state (Read entire article).

December 1: New State Legislature to be sworn in, Special Session Likely
Items to be discussed are the governor’s budget proposal, which includes $332.2 million in cuts to community colleges and the Legislative Analyst’s Office proposed current-year community college cuts of $100 million (Read entire article).

November 11: Fees to be increased to $30/unit; enrichment class to be cut
The Legislative Analyst’s Office has proposed to increase class fees to $26 per unit on January 1, 2009 and to $30 per unit on July 1, 2009. In addition there would be funding cuts to enrichment courses such as pilates, racquetball, golf, ballroom dancing, drawing and photography. Overall, community college funding would be cut by $200 million in 2009-10 (Read entire article).

November 6: $322 Million Cut Proposed for Community Colleges
A special session for the state legislature was called today where the governor proposed $4.7 billion in new taxes and $4.5 billion in budget cuts. The $322 million cut for community colleges would include $39.8 million to the cost-of-living adjustment and a five percent cut to each district’s general apportionment, totaling $292.4 million (Read entire article). 

October 10: Mid-year cuts to the budget likely
First quarter revenues fell 5.4% below projections and it is now believed that the recently approved state budget is out of balance by over $5 billion. Even though the state cannot afford to cut funds and deny 300,000 students from attending community colleges, K-12 business officers were told to "prepare for the worst" which applies to community colleges as well (Read entire article).

October 8: Focus on IVC Newsletter, Issue 3 (Read Issue)

September 23: State Budget Signed in private by Governor
Nearly 3 months into the 2008-09 fiscal year Governor Schwarzenegger signed the State Budget into law in private stating that "this budget is nothing to be proud of." Looking ahead to the 2009-10 fiscal year we must remember that the state is still amidst a severe financial crisis and many legislators believe that the current budget is "pushing the problems into next year." For now, the State Controller has said that payments will be expedited to the colleges within a week (Read entire article).

September 16: Focus on IVC Newsletter, Issue 2 (Read Issue)

September 16: Focus on IVC Newsletter, Issue 1 (Read Issue)

August 28: Math 119 - Elementary Statistics Approved for CSU GE-Breadth and IGETC
Carol Lee, Articulation Officer at IVC, is happy to announce that the college has just received official notice that our Elementary Statistics Math 119 course has been approved for the CSU GE-Breadth (Area B4) and IGETC (Area 2/Mathematics) effective for Fall 2008. This notice is the culmination of months of working together with the CSU and UC System Offices to approve the IVC course for general education.

August 18: Collaboration Between Schools and Industry Crucial to Overall Student Success
Gonzalo Huerta, Dean of Instruction for Applied Sciences at IVC, talks about the Career Technical Education Initiative and how he looks forward to enhanced collaboration between Valley elementary, middle, and high schools can work together to prepare students for college and the workforce (Read entire article).

September 19: State Budget Signing Close
The State Senate and Assembly have approved the final pieces of the 2008-09 state budget in order to prevent a veto from Governor Schwarzenegger. After the Governor signs the budget the State Controller has said that he will expedite payments to schools within a week (Read entire article).

September 17: Governor Schwarzenegger to Veto Budget
Yesterday the state legislature approved a new state budget, but the Governor has just announced that he will be vetoing the new spending plan. If the Legislature were to override his veto he would respond by vetoing the nearly 1,000 bills that were passed at the end of session that are currently awaiting his signature (Read entire article, Update).

September 16: State Legislature Approves Budget, Sent to Governor for Approval
Both houses approved the state budget yesterday and has now been sent to the Governor for approval. The specifics of the budget are good for California’s community colleges considering the state’s fiscal condition (Read entire article).

September 11: Budget Update
Talk is stirring that the State Senate will pass the state budget tomorrow. For community colleges the positive features of the budget would be: 2 percent enrollment growth funding, no cuts to student support programs, and maintained funding for the Cal Grant program (Read entire article).

California Legislature Still Debating on State Budget
No definitive action has taken place on choosing this year’s state budget, though legislators are increasingly aware that the budget impasse has reached the point of creating real hardship for California public agencies, including community colleges (Read entire article).

September 3: As Republican Plan Emerges, Budget Remains Elusive
Governor Schwarzenegger kindly requests that the Legislature vote on and approve the compromise budget he proposed two weeks ago, as the state goes into previously unknown territory with a budget that is already 80 days overdue (Read entire article).

August 29: Senate Votes Down Budget Proposal
The Republicans in the Senate have voted down the budget proposal with 24 against the new budget and 15 in favor (Read entire article).

August 29: Senate Budget Vote Today at 10 a.m.
Don Perata has just announced that the Senate will vote on the budget today at 10 a.m. on a modified version of the Governor’s August Budget Proposal (Read entire article).

August 28: As Another Payment is Delayed, Legislative Deadline Looms
Yesterday, the State Controller deferred another payment that should be made to community colleges due to the state budget impasse. This week the governor insisted that he would hold out as long as it takes, even if that means he has to "wait until November or even December without a budget." While such a delay is highly unlikely, it is possible that the standoff could continue another three to six weeks, meaning community colleges would miss another state payment (Read entire article).

August 22: Budget Stalemate Continues
Despite last weekend’s flurry of activity that looked like a budget deal might be close at hand, key deadlines approach in the next few days with legislative leaders far apart. Inside the Capitol, key staff believe something will happen in the next couple of days or, instead, in several weeks, which is now seen as more likely (Read entire article).

July 31: KUDOS to Carol Lee, Director of the IVC Transfer Center
Learn how Carol Lee helped Rosa Ramirez, the current Finance Manager for Holtville, pursue her higher education. If you’d like to read this IVC Success Story, please click here.

July 28: IVNewsday Talks with IVC about Upcoming Fall 2008 Activities for Students
ASG President Chantilee Mendenhall and Student Affairs Associate Dean Sergio Lopez talk with IVNewsday about Fall 2008 Activities. If you would like to watch the video please click here.

July 21: Justina Aguirre named Associate Dean of Nursing and Allied Health
Justina Aguirre, a veteran hospital administrator and a former student of the IVC Nursing Program, has been named Associate Dean of Nursing and Allied Health at IVC (Read Entire Article).

July 14: Student Foreign Exchange Program Coming in 2009
History professor Eric Jacobson has completed agreements with three learning institutions - Kaifeng University in Beijing, China and the Kuftaro Foundation and Islamic Studies Center, both in Damascus, Syria - to partner with IVC in a foreign exchange program. In April 2008 the IVC Board of Trustees approved a student exchange policy and named Jacobson as the program facilitator. Jacobson expects the program to be ready in 2009, and in the meantime he is looking to add additional schools in Mexico and other countries. If you are interested in participating in the program, please call Jacobson at 760-355-6284 (Read Entire Article).

May 6: Frank Fernandez at the State Capitol
Frank Fernandez, current President for the State Student Senate and former IVC ASG President, was in attendance today at the capitol when Governor Schwarzenegger made his announcement about the endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation. Click here to view image.

May 6: $70 Million For California Community College Students
Governor Schwarzenegger applauded the $70 million dollar gift to the California Community Colleges Scholarship Endowment from the Bernard Osher Foundation (Read Entire Article).