About 100 employees and students at Palomar College held a rally Tuesday at the same time as the school’s governing board meeting to pressure the board to approve cost of living increases, fill vacant positions and reinstate an anti-racism policy. This was the second rally the school’s Council of Classified Employees has organized in response to recent moves by the Palomar Community College District Governing Board majority that took control a year ago. The rally was an escalation of one they held in October, said Anel Gonzalez, president of the council, which represents most of the school’s employees in positions that don’t require a teacher certification. “This is not a reaction; this is a movement,” Gonzalez said. “The board does not get to hold our campus hostage. We want a future built on respect, stability, safety, and student success, and we’re coming together to demand it,” The crowd held up signs, chanted slogans and listened to speeches outside the college’s library as the governing board met inside. The meeting was broadcast to the people outside, who at times reacted loudly enough for those in the public meeting to hear. Board President Holly Hamilton-Bleakley said she appreciated hearing the concerns shared at Tuesday’s meetings. “The board has been, and continues to be, fully committed to the good governance of Palomar College,” she said. “As the newly elected president of the governing board, I will continue to work collaboratively with my fellow board members as we focus on the success of our students, engage with constituents at the college and in our communities, and ensure the fiscal stability of the college.” Perhaps the biggest point of contention between the employees and district leadership is whether classified employees get a cost-of-living increase, also known as a COLA. The contract between the union and the district calls for the employees to get the annual “state funded COLA” beginning July 1. However, because of state budgeting guidelines that prevent drastic cuts, the community college district didn’t receive additional money based on the state’s 2.3% cost-of-living adjustment this year. In August, the school’s classified union filed a complaint about the disagreement with the California Public Employment Relations Board, an independent state agency responsible for overseeing labor relations between most of the state’s public employers and their employees. Another concern speakers at the rally shared was that there are many unfilled positions at the school this year. “People are doing two jobs, and it’s hurting our community,” Gonzalez said. “Our working conditions are [the students’] learning conditions.” When there aren’t enough people in classified positions, it affects teachers and students, said Lawrence Hamilton Lawson, co-president of the college’s faculty union. Leaving some positions vacant is part of a strategic hiring process that includes a needs assessment and budget considerations, district officials said. The district had a $3.2 million budget deficit last year and expects a deficit of about $7.2 million for the 2025-26 fiscal year and more than $6.5 million for each of the two years that follow. Money to cover this deficit is expected to come from spending reductions and the district’s $29 million reserve fund. The rally comes during an important and turbulent time for Palomar College. Superintendent and President Star Rivera-Lacey left the school at the beginning of the month for a job in Riverside. The board is responsible for finding her replacement. They voted unanimously Tuesday to appoint Assistant Superintendent/Vice President of Instruction Tina Recalde as the school’s interim leader during the search. At the same time, the board majority has angered some employees and students with moves related to diversity, equity and inclusion. The board majority on these and other recent votes is new board President Hamilton-Bleakley, new Vice President Yvette Marie Acosta and Jacqueline Kaiser. Leaders with the unions that represent classified employees and faculty shared resolutions of no-confidence Tuesday approved recently by their leadership. The classified union specifically named Kaiser and Acosta, while the faculty union also including Hamilton-Bleakley. The classified union leadership chose not to include Hamilton-Bleakley because she has taken time recently to meet with them to better understand their work and culture, Gonzalez said. The board majority voted last month to replace an anti-racism policy with a subcommittee tasked with exploring other options. The board also voted 3-2 in April to remove land acknowledgements from meetings. “I urge this board to reflect seriously on the message you are sending through what you chose to remove, minimize or dismiss as insignificant, because, to those living with the consequences, it was never ‘no big deal,’” Alyssa Vafaei, an instructional designer at the college, said at Tuesday’s meeting. Palomar College is based in San Marcos with education centers in Escondido, Fallbrook and Rancho Bernardo. It has an enrolment of approximately 29,000 students. ...read more read less