YCCD board discusses redistricting trustee areas

Diana Vasquez, Appeal-Democrat, Marysville, Calif.
·2 min read

Oct. 16—Yuba Community College District board members will have to adjust district trustee areas to be in compliance with the California Voting Rights Act (CVRA).

Board members discussed the issue during Thursday's meeting.

"Title 5 requires all the districts across the country to look at their district maps following the completion of the census," said James Houpis, interim chancellor of YCCD during the board meeting.

Chris Schmidt, associate director of Cooperative Strategies, an educational firm consultant, informed board members that YCCD's current trustee areas are out of compliance based on the 2020 census total distribution. According to Schmidt, the benchmark to be in compliance with the CVRA is that the population variance, between the most populated trustee area and the least populated trustee area, must not exceed 10 percent. Based on the 2020 census data released, Cooperative Strategies determined that the YCCD's trustee areas have a variance of 11.7 percent. In working with districts throughout the country, more than 50 percent of districts will need to redraw their boundaries, Schmidt said during the board meeting.

Schmidt informed the board that the data showed an overall population growth of 8 percent. Hispanic, Latino and Asian groups all saw increases. The Hispanic and Latino population is the largest protected class in the district at 36.2 percent, according to Schmidt.

"You're just out of compliance," Schmidt said. "In speaking with our geographic information system team, they're hopeful that since it's so small, they're hoping that a slight enlargement of the trustee area six would close that gap between the largest and smallest populated director area."

The draft timeline presented during the meeting states draft maps will be posted to the YCCD website by Nov. 1 so they can be reviewed during board meetings through January.

In other business:

-YCCD board members also passed a resolution adopting the YCCD strategic plan 2021-27. The strategic plan states the vision, values, and goals within the YCCD district for the next seven years. Changes integrated into the strategic plan were the additional values of social justice and intellectual diversity. Another goal added into the plan was ensuring that colleges meet or exceed all accreditation standards. Advocacy in health services was also added as a goal in the plan. The YCCD also added a goal to commit to community partnerships and relationships within the local communities the district serves.