FAS Newsletter November 2025

Welcome Message 

Hello everyone,

We’re excited to share the very first edition of our Finance & Administration Newsletter 
— your go-to spot for updates, highlights, and helpful tips from the teams that keep our college running smoothly. 

Each Fall and Spring semester this newsletter will bring you the latest on campus projects, budget and planning news, process improvements, upcoming deadlines, and behind-the-scenes stories about the people and departments making it all happen. 

Our goal is to keep you informed, connected, and inspired as we work together to support the mission of our college and the success of our students.

Thanks to the Finance and Administrative Services team for all that you do every day to make this community a great place to learn and work!

– Vice President of Finance and Administrative Services, Dr. Queen E. King

VP of FAS Updates

Operational update:

• IContracts: Great news! Bakersfield College is expanding view-only access in iContracts, making it easier for staff to search for and view contracts and related materials. This update helps everyone stay informed and find what they need faster. 
• Budget office completed FY26-27 training with various constituent groups. Attendees received copies of the presentations. The presentations can be located at Bakersfield College Budget Resources
• Please look forward to training regarding the new Key procedures, co-operative agreements/contracts, and business services changes. 
• We have new catering contracts with Mossman’s and Hodel's. Please note that Bakersfield College has first right of refusal. Before an event organizer can hire an outside caterer (like Mossman’s or Hodel's), Bakersfield College’s own food services team must first be offered the chance to cater for the event. If the college’s food services department declines or can’t accommodate the request, then the organizer is free to use one of the approved external caterers. This policy helps ensure that the college’s internal food service operations are supported and given priority whenever possible.

Facilities Update:

The Five-Year Facilities Master Plan has been completed and officially approved by the Board of Trustees. The 2027–2031 Five-Year Construction Plan (covering the 2027–2028 funding year) was submitted on July 1, 2025. In October 2025, the college also submitted its Scheduled Maintenance Plan, outlining deferred maintenance projects and funding requests to support the ongoing care and improvement of campus facilities. Currently, we are working on finalizing winter 2025 and summer 2025 projects.

• Completed Summer Projects 
• Upcoming Winter Projects
  • Baseball Dugout Replacement 
  • Allied Health Chiller Installation
  • Forum Air handler Replace
  • DC Science & Tech HVAC
  • Delano Welding Lab Expansion
  • Mass Communications
  • Security gates & Bollards
  • Campus Lighting
• Future Projects
  • Artificial Turf Installation
  • ADA projects
  • Language Arts Restroom upgrade
  • Infrastructure Campus Wide Rekeying
  • Infrastructure Solar Inverter Repairs
  • BC Delano Center Campus Monument Sign/Sidewalk and Landscape
  • Restroom Upgrade FACE Phase II
• Construction projects
  • CSS project: On September 3, 2025, Teeter met with key stakeholders from the CSS Building to kick off the planning phase of the project. Currently, there are no plans to move staff from the building during this stage.
  • AG Building (Estimated completion – Spring 2026)
  • Student Housing (Estimated completion – Spring 2026)
  • Pool Equipment Building (Estimated Start date – January 2026)
  • Soccer Fields (Planning Phase)
  • Center for Student Success (Planning Phase)

Maintenance & Operations – New Work Order is in place!

Earlier this year in March the Maintenance & Operations department transitioned from a deprecated work order system called SchoolDude to the vendor’s improved replacement system called Brightly. Moving to this new cloud-based program has led to improvements in the workflow process for M&O staff and the campus community at large. There is now less confusion and more transparency, thanks to better communication.

Brightly’s system provides a significant improvement in the user experience, from the creation of a work order request, to automated and M&O team generated communication regarding the status of work orders, to the completion of work and the closing of work orders. The system automatically sends emails to the requester (the person who requested a service) throughout the process, including any changes made to the work order, such as status being changed to work in progress, complete, or any other status.

To create a work request log into the system at the following link: Asset Essentials | My Requests (dudesolutions.com), which will take you to Bakersfield College’s Brightly new work order request webpage shown below. This page can be saved in your browser’s favorites for easy access. The link to the Brightly work request page can also be found on the BC Employee’s website here: Employee Resources | Bakersfield College Faculty & Staff. Look for the red link bar near the top of the page and locate the “M&O Request” link.

The old work order system called SchoolDude is no longer monitored, and work orders submitted there will not be addressed. Please use the new Brightly work order system to request all Maintenance & Operations work orders. If you have any work orders in the SchoolDude system that have not been completed, please submit a work order in the new Brightly system through the links above, and if it is an urgent matter contact the M&O office at x4221 or email us at mogeneral@bakersfieldcollege.edu. 

Bakersfield College Department of College Safety (BCDCS)

The Bakersfield College Department of College Safety (BCDCS) is a full-service department here on the Panorama campus as well as the Arvin, Delano, Southwest, and Weill Institute campuses. The BCDCS Officers are the district’s first responders on each of our campuses. Our officers are trained in safety and security activities as well as first aid/CPR/AED. Our Officers patrol the Panorama campus 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year. They patrol the remote campuses during staff and student hours.

BCDCS Cadets 

BCDCS employs numerous student workers that we call Cadets. We have about 20 cadets employed this semester! Their responsibilities include helping in the office, patrolling the campus, providing escorts to staff and students, helping at football games and other events and assisting officers with various duties.

At your service

The BCDCS telephone number is (661) 395-4554. This number is answered 24/7/365. During the day BCDCS has a full-service dispatch center and after hours the calls are transferred to a cellular telephone that is assigned to an on-duty officer. Should you have any concerns or see something that needs our department’s response please do not hesitate to contact us!

Dining Commons

Serving Excellence, Building Community 

Welcome back to another exciting semester! Our Dining Commons team has been hard at work over the summer, and we're excited to share our accomplishments and what makes us unique on campus.

Summer 2025 Highlights: "What We Did This Summer" Major Event Hosting

• Professional Development
  • Completed department-wide training initiatives
  • Organized educational field trip for our culinary team to enhance skills and knowledge
• Convocation Success
  • Prepared and served 1,600 hamburgers for the college's Fall Convocation ceremony
  • Demonstrated our capacity to handle large-scale campus events with excellence
• Renegade Roast Cafe Beautification
  • Completed new artwork/ mural project over the summer months
  • Enhanced dining atmosphere with fresh, vibrant artwork with creative seasonal café drink menus to match.

By the Numbers: Our Daily Impact Data-Driven Excellence with Fidel

• 1,500 meals served daily in Dining Commons & Cafe
• 4 to 6 Catered Events Daily
• Average meal value: $10 per serving
• Commitment to quality, nutrition, and customer experience for our campus community

What Makes Us Different

Food Services Team strive to provide affordable and nutritious meals. Dining Commons offers:

• The famous and improved Panorama Grill
• Pizza Station featuring hand tossed & Italian inspired pizzas
• Rotating daily specials including Blue Zone inspired dishes
• Tex-Mex inspired "Burrito Bar" alternating with "Asian Inspired Food Bar"

Meet The Food Services Team

Our success stems from dedicated and highly skilled managers, classified, temporary and student employees, who bring years of experience to campus dining. From data-driven decision making to hands-on culinary expertise, our team ensures every meal meets the highest standards.

Our BOH (back of the house) and FOH (front of the house) teams combines creativity with efficiency, capable of everything from daily meal preparation to special event catering. Their professional training and commitment to excellence shows in every dish served-whether it's a regular Tuesday lunch or 1,600 Convocation burgers.

Looking Ahead

This fall, we're building on our summer successes to continue serving as the heart of campus dining. From daily meals to special events, we're here to nourish our campus community with quality food, professional service, and the welcoming atmosphere that makes Dining Commons special.

• Average meal value: $10 per serving
• Commitment to quality, nutrition, and customer experience for our campus community.

Employee Updates

• Current retirement (Juan Alaniz – Public Safety 1)
• New employees (Cecilia Gabaldon – Administrative Assistant – FAS)

Upcoming Dates & Deadlines

• Budget Forum – December 1, 2025, at 4:00 PM
• November 27th & 28 – Thanksgiving Break

Fun Corner 

Our department had a blast participating in the “I Was Boo’ed” game!

It was a great way to spread some Halloween cheer and surprise each other with treats. Even with just a few snapshots, you can see the smiles and festive spirit that made this activity so enjoyable for everyone!

Closing Message

Thank you for taking the time to read this edition of our Finance & Administration Newsletter. I’m continually inspired by the dedication, professionalism, and collaboration shown by our teams across the college. Your hard work plays a vital role in supporting our mission and ensuring the success of our students and community.

As we move forward, I welcome your feedback, ideas, and stories for future issues. If there’s something you’d like to highlight or share, please reach out to us at [insert email address]. Together, we can continue strengthening the connections that make Bakersfield College such a great place to work and learn.