The Cerritos College Board of Trustees has its monthly Board meeting on March 22 with the usual pledge of allegiance and comments from all the constituent groups across campus.

One of the more notable things that happened during the Board of Trustee meeting was that Felipe Lopez will now be the Executive Vice President, which was voted on during the closed session.

“The Board of Trustees approved the President/Superintendent’s appointment of Felipe Lopez, Vice President, Business Services/Assistant Superintendent as Executive Vice President,” the agenda notes

This would result in Felipe Lopez getting a 3% stipend of the Vice President’s current salary step.

Phillip Lee Squire, who was a Cerritos College Alumni in 1972 and served during the Vietnam war, talks about how the veterans were treated after Veteran’s Day.

“I’m proud to have served during the first integrated military,” Squire said, “We did not care about race, religion or politics, we cared only about one thing called character.”

“We who served in the Vietnam era were disrespected, spit on and called baby killers […] many Vietnam veterans to this day still suffer from those emotional scars.”

Dr. Lui Amador, the Dean of Student Equity and Success at Cerritos College, talked about why the National Vietnam War Veterans’ Day resolution is important.

“Our Vietnam service members endured and sacrificed so much during the war and yet, as they returned home as veterans, they were met with judgment, ridicule or indifference,” Dr. Amador said.

“This is why the district’s acknowledgment of the National Vietnam War Veterans Day is so important,” Dr. Amador adds, “To all the Vietnam era veterans, thank you for your service.”

The Board unanimously passed the resolution, officially acknowledging March 29th as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Mohaddisa Naqvi, ASCC President, gave updates for ASCC and talked about Ramadan and the importance of having prayer rooms at Cerritos College.

Naqvi said that she’d be celebrating Ramadan, which is marked by fasting and prayer for spiritual growth.

“As the ASCC President, while I myself have an office or a safe space, I would like to call it, to exercise my religion,” she adds, “Unlike me, some students do not have that privilege or option.”

The ASCC President said that the board should consider making a prayer room for Muslims and other students so they have a safe space to practice their beliefs.

“I believe that this would not only encourage students to proudly represent their identity, but also make Cerritos College a more diverse campus.”

After hearing the three presentations for the Sabbadical leave for the 2021-2022 academic year, the Board then considers Cerritos College to have a land acknowledgment, which was recommended by Student Trustee Hector Ledesma.

The Student Trustee noted that other community colleges have done a land acknowledgment and a comprehensive tool kit on the importance of the land acknowledgment.

“Although I don’t identity with American Indian or California Native American nations, I do think that it’s important to stand up for each other,” Trustee Ledesma said.

Trustee Ledesma adds that this can build community partnerships with indigenous communities, “I seek to build community partnerships and see how we can make things better from here on out.”