The Contra Costa Community College District governing board approved a revised plan to eliminate nine classified positions during an emergency meeting Friday, March 13, reversing a failed vote just two days earlier and meeting a March 15 deadline to issue layoff notices.
The updated resolution — a modified version of the previously rejected “Resolution for Reduction of Classified Professionals” — passed 3-1, with one abstention. Board President Diana Honig and Trustee Andy Li again voted in favor of the measure, while Trustee Rebecca Barrett abstained. Trustee John Marquez switched his vote from abstaining Wednesday to voting yes Friday, allowing the measure to pass. Vice President Fernando Sandoval was absent from both meetings.
Marquez said the decision came after further review of the district’s financial situation.
“It pains me, but I’ll take the heat for it,” Marquez said before the vote. “I just have to do what I think in my heart is the right thing for the betterment of the whole.”
The revised resolution reduced the number of proposed layoffs from 10 to nine positions across Contra Costa College and Diablo Valley College. District officials said the changes were necessary to meet a legal deadline to issue notices and to address a structural budget deficit.
The meeting itself was tense and fast-moving, with dozens of employees and community members speaking during public comment. After brief board remarks, the vote was called quickly and the meeting was adjourned shortly after.
“This up and down is really difficult for the classified professionals in this district,” said Jeanie Smith, president of 4CD Local 1, during public comment. “Our people are really concerned about being able to provide services.”
Speaking on behalf of classified staff, Michael Simpson, program coordinator for Los Medanos College’s MESA learning community, criticized the process and the district’s priorities.
“I feel a sense of shock and deja vu, as if we are stuck in a loop,” Simpson said. “The people who keep our campuses functioning are treated as expendable.”
Lindsay Litowitz Souza, program coordinator for LMC Student Life, questioned the timing of the meeting and the short notice given to employees, which made it harder for more people to attend.
“I’m disappointed that we’re here on a Friday night,” Litowitz said. “I have colleagues who can’t be here because they don’t have the time off or childcare to attend.”
District administrators said the emergency meeting was required to meet a March 15 deadline for issuing layoff notices. According to Associate Vice Chancellor of Human Resources Jeffrey Michels, the revised proposal reflects adjustments made after hearing feedback from employees and the community.
“This is not the same resolution,” Michels said. “We are required to have a special board meeting tonight.”
Layoff notices, commonly referred to as “pink slips,” were sent to affected employees the following day, beginning a process that could still change in the coming months.
Irene Sukhu, classified senate president at LMC, said employees were informed of their options, including potential reassignment to other positions across the district.
“Everyone received their notices saying that they were going to be laid off,” Sukhu said in an interview. “There’s a deadline where they have to make their decision.”
Under the district’s union contract, employees may request a hearing and can be reassigned based on seniority through a process known as “bumping,” which can displace other workers. 118 classified professionals across the district could be affected as the process unfolds. Uncertainty remains among employees.
“I’m not getting comfortable right now,” Sukhu said. “I can only anticipate that there will be a new phase of people that’ll be affected.”
Concerns about layoffs and their impact on student services have prompted ongoing demonstrations across campuses. Weekly solidarity gatherings organized by Local 1 continue at LMC and other sites.
In a March 19 email to faculty, United Faculty President Marina Crouse said the layoffs reflect broader financial pressures facing the district, including declining funding and structural budget challenges.
“These losses do not just represent positions — they represent colleagues, programs and vital student services that cannot be easily replaced,” Crouse wrote.
While district officials say some layoffs may be mitigated through reassignment or rescinded notices before final decisions are made in June, employees and faculty leaders warn the cuts will have lasting effects on campus operations and student support.
As the process continues, classified staff and faculty say they will remain engaged in board meetings and advocacy efforts, as uncertainty over the district’s financial future persists.
