Supervisors adopt resolution urging support and community dialogue to help City College through accreditation process

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors on April 23 adopted an amended resolution urging City College of San Francisco (CCSF) to preserve the institution’s educational quality and diversity, to prioritize achieving and maintaining accreditation, and to explore ways the city can support the college during a fiscal and governance crisis.

Context and vote: The measure, introduced by Supervisor Mar (as amended) and co‑sponsored by several supervisors, came after extended debate about the college’s financial shortfalls, state funding cuts and a set of 14 recommendations issued by the Accrediting Commission for Community and Junior Colleges. The board adopted the resolution as amended by unanimous roll call (11 ayes).

Why it matters: CCSF serves tens of thousands of students and provides workforce, English‑language and vocational training across the city. The college’s accreditation affects students’ eligibility for financial aid and the city’s larger workforce pipeline; supervisors noted that losing accreditation would significantly disrupt students and communities.

Major floor changes: Supervisors debated the degree to which the city should interfere with an independent elected trustees board. In committee and on the floor the author revised language to: (a) explicitly support the trustees’ accreditation work and stress that achieving accreditation is a priority; (b) change one clause from "inflating" a reserve to "growing" a reserve to remove pejorative wording; and (c) delete the phrase "competing unfunded budgeting" from a further resolve clause to avoid constraining city budget decisions. Supervisor Marr moved the amendments; Supervisor Cohen seconded; the motion to amend was adopted without objection; the final resolution was adopted by roll call vote (11 ayes).

Substance and follow up: The resolution encourages use of Prop A revenues (a November parcel tax measure that passed with roughly 73% of the vote, as noted by speakers) to keep classrooms open and calls for a city working group and additional in‑kind support discussions (examples noted included utilities or facility assistance). Several supervisors urged caution about directly substituting city general‑fund support for independent trustee decisions; others argued the city should be prepared to help if community access and instruction would otherwise be lost.

Ending: Supervisors expressed a willingness to form a joint working group with trustees and other stakeholders to explore practical, nonbinding forms of support that preserve accreditation, classroom services and the college’s equity goals.