California Community Colleges Board of Governors President Epstein and Chancellor Oakley Issue Statements on the Death of Board Member Alma Salazar

October 06, 2020

Christina Jimenez

cjimenez@@cccco.edu

T 916.322.4004

Sacramento, Calif. – California Community Colleges Board of Governors President Tom Epstein and Chancellor Eloy Ortiz Oakley issue statements on the death of Board Member Alma Salazar:

“Alma Salazar was a relentless advocate for educational and employment opportunity for low-income Californians in both her work and her service on our Board of Governors,” said Epstein. “She was passionate in her commitment to students and the proposition that community colleges are powerful forces for social and economic progress. We will miss her deeply.”  

“I am profoundly saddened by the news of the passing of Board of Governors member Alma Salazar. I had the pleasure of working with Alma for more than 10 years,” Oakley said. “She was a tireless advocate for Californians of all backgrounds and a dedicated board member who always championed community college students. With her passing we lost a truly remarkable Californian.”

Salazar was Executive Vice President of UNITE-LA. She held multiple positions at UNITE-LA, including vice president from 2008 to 2014 and director from 2000 to 2008. She earned a Doctor of Education degree in educational leadership and a Master of Public Policy degree from California State University, Long Beach.

The California Community Colleges is the largest system of higher education in the nation, composed of 73 districts and 116 colleges serving 2.1 million students per year. California community colleges provide career education and workforce training; guaranteed transfer to four-year universities; degree and certificate pathways; and basic skills education in English and math. As the state’s engine for social and economic mobility, the California Community Colleges supports the Vision for Success, a strategic plan designed to improve student success outcomes, increase transfer rates and eliminate achievement gaps. For more information, please visit the California Community Colleges website or follow us on Facebook and Twitter.

###