President's Office
July 24, 2025
Dear Foothill Colleagues,
A few days ago, Chancellor Lambert communicated some rather momentous news. In short, the Foothill-De Anza Community College District has officially transitioned to a community-supported or “basic aid” funding model, meaning we will now rely primarily on local property taxes and student fees rather than state Student Centered Funding Formula (SCFF). This shift provides greater fiscal autonomy and flexibility in the long term but also brings added responsibility to steward public resources effectively.
It would be natural to ask, “what’s going to be different at Foothill College now that we are a community supported district?”
The short answer for the near term—not much. In the message below, I’d like to explain why we need to temper our initial expectations.
I'll start by noting that our college mission and priorities remain unchanged. The goals/priorities emerging in our strategic plan, The Blueprint for Success, are aligned with the state's SCFF funding model. They are also, and more importantly, aligned with our mission, responsive to forecasted demographic shifts, and center student success for the underserved.
Moreover, many of the metrics in the state SCFF model are used to determine the allocation of other money we receive from the state, most notably, categorical funds. We must stay focused on attracting and serving Pell-eligible students, a key determinant for the College's allocation. At Foothill College, we have 41 full-time equivalent employees funded through categorical funds. Two of the largest programs, the Student Equity & Achievement Fund (SEA) and the Strong Workforce Program (SWP), which account for over seven million dollars in annual funding, did not receive COLA adjustments in the state budget and have not received COLA for several years. When we start to see increased revenue from this new funding model, we must prioritize funding these positions through our general fund, rather than the increasingly limited SEA and SWP resources.
We also need to use our local funds to backfill other areas where the State has zero-funded or underfunded the California Community College system. These include a lack of State funding for scheduled/deferred maintenance, instructional equipment and library materials, a significant decrease in College Promise funding, and the need for technology upgrades. It is also important to note that the national political climate is expected to usher in a significant decline in revenue from non-resident tuition, especially international students.
As the district adjusts to this new funding model during the 2025–26 transition year, other key priorities include developing a new resource allocation model responsive to both Foothill and De Anza Colleges, strengthening financial management practices, maintaining high-quality student services, and complying with California Community College regulations, including the 50% law and our Faculty Obligation Number (FON). Fiscal discipline will remain critical to ensure sustainability and public trust.
To guide the transition, the district will launch the Somos Uno Task Force on Resource Allocation in Fall 2025, co-chaired by myself and President Torres and composed of representatives from all constituency groups. The task force will recommend a new internal funding allocation model between the colleges and central services, propose policy updates, and help build a long-term fiscal framework aligned with District values and board guidance.
I will talk more about the shift to Basic Aid and our path forward on College Opening Day, but I am excited and optimistic about the long-term prospects for our college and our District and I look forward to working with you as we navigate our way forward under this new funding model.
Yours in service,
Kristina
Dr. Kristina Whalen
President