Reports to the Board of Trustees
Each month, Interim President Dela Rosa gives a report on college activities, honors and achievements during the regular meeting of the Foothill-De Anza Community College District Board of Trustees.
For previous reports, please see the board reports archive.
Board Meeting of October 5, 2026
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Welcoming the New Academic Year |
In the News |
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Giving |
Rankings |
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In the Community |
Around Campus |
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Sports Report |
Welcoming the New Academic Year
Fall Kicks Off with Welcome Events
De Anza kicked off the fall 2026 academic year with two festive events — one that gathered us in community and another that brought a historic showing of new students to campus and provided them with a demonstrated sense of belonging before the start of the quarter.
Opening Day
Opening Day, on September 17, was an opportunity for the De Anza community to come together and
reflect on how we can best help our students reach their educational goals.
Our theme of Designing for What Matters built on the districtwide theme of Designing the Future, while naming our collective work of this year: Reaching clarity on our priorities in our new context of transitioning to a basic aid funding model, with a focus on student timely educational goal attainment.
The conversations we began on Opening Day, along with others, will continue through town halls throughout the year, starting on Oct. 9.
View the full Opening Day presentation and other videos on our website.
Above: Attendees gather in the VPAC for Opening Day 2026 presentations.
Welcome Day
Welcome Day offers new students an opportunity to meet instructors and fellow students, take tours, ask questions, learn about opportunities and more.
This year, our Welcome Day goal was to facilitate a sense of belonging for new students.
With that goal in mind, we expanded the program to support that sense of belonging across campus and to ease the anxiety many new students feel arriving on a large campus for the first time.
The numbers show the results of our efforts.
- Attendance: 2,200 students, double last year's turnout
Early survey results are strong:
- 84% of respondents would recommend De Anza to others after the event
- 83% said they can see themselves belonging at De Anza
- 90% said they felt welcomed to De Anza College
These numbers reflect the design choices we made this year — not just a bigger event, but a more intentional one.
These sorts of events contribute to persistence, an area we’ll spend the year focusing on to update our strategic plan.
The day was full of great energy and excitement, a feeling our multimedia team captured in several fun reels:
- Welcome Day Recap
- Meet Your Staff and Professors
- Advice to New Students from Staff and Professors
- Meet Your New De Anza College Classmates
Opening Day and Welcome Day were outstanding kickoffs to fall quarter. We’re already looking forward to next year’s events.
Above: Interim President Chris Dela Rosa (left); Dean of Equity and Engagement Michelle Hernandez (center); and Vice President of Instruction Ram Subramaniam (right) at Welcome Day.
Right: Student tour guides prepare to lead a Business and Finance Village tour.
Giving
$30,000 Gift to Support Workforce Programming
De Anza has received a generous anonymous gift of $30,000 to support workforce innovation programming. The purpose is being confirmed with the donor.
In the Community
De Anza’s $947 Million Impact on California’s Economy
A new economic impact report found that De Anza College generated an estimated $947 million in economic impact for Santa Clara County in FY 2024-25, including support for approximately
6,000 jobs.
The report also estimates that De Anza students will receive higher future earnings than workers with a high school diploma or equivalent.
Additionally, the report estimates that FY 2024-25 students will generate $401 million in added state and local tax revenue by the end of their working lives.
For every dollar of public money invested in De Anza, the report projects that taxpayers will receive a cumulative value of $3.
Sports Report
Fall Sports Underway
De Anza’s fall sports teams are in action, with football, men’s and women’s soccer and women’s volleyball competing across the region.
Early highlights include:
Football’s 35-31 home-opening win over Laney College and a 31-13 road victory at American River College- Men’s soccer’s 2-0 shutout of American River
- Women’s soccer wins over Madera, Woodland and Skyline
- Women’s volleyball’s back-to-back 3-0 sweeps of Los Medanos and Skyline
Upcoming Games
- Football: Oct. 10 at San Francisco
- Men’s soccer: Oct. 6 vs. Skyline, at De Anza
- Women’s soccer: Oct. 6 at Ohlone
- Women’s volleyball: Oct. 7 vs. Skyline, at De Anza
In the News
De Anza Student Quoted on AI’s Effect
De Anza student Nas Antonio was pictured and quoted in a September 22 EdSource article covering entering college students’ concerns about AI’s potential effects on their learning, chance of getting a job and the future.
Antonio, who’s set his sights on transferring to San Francisco State University or San José State University, says he objects to using AI to replace the work of artists, but he sees the value in using some AI tools that don’t generate answers for students.
Read the article: College-bound Bay Area high school students say AI is useful, and a source of anxiety
Rankings
De Anza Ranks Among Top 25 in Nation
A new WalletHub article named De Anza as the 22nd best community college in the nation.
The article ranked colleges based on their ability to offer the best education at the lowest price.
Around Campus
Heritage Month and Week
Fall quarter includes two important heritage observances:
Latine Heritage Month, Sept 15.-Oct. 15
This month celebrates the histories, cultures, traditions and contributions of Americans with ancestors from Mexico, Spain, the Caribbean, and Central and South
America. We'll be posting videos throughout the month that showcase what students
love about their culture.
AANAPISI Week, September 27-October 3
Asian American and Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institutions (AANAPISI)
Week celebrates AANAPISIs, like De Anza, and their commitment to expanding access to higher education and improving outcomes for Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander students.