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District History

Rancho Santiago Community College District is one of the oldest community college districts in the state.
Santa Ana College
In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second junior college founded in Orange County.

An earthquake in 1933 damaged the Santa Ana High School building, prompting the campus move to North Main Street where it remained until 1947. A bond issue passed in 1945, paving the way for development of a 48-acre campus at the corner of 17th and Bristol Streets.
A new multi-college district
In 1971, Santa Ana College officially separated from Santa Ana Unified School District to form the Rancho Santiago Community College District. In addition to Santa Ana, the district serves Anaheim Hills, Garden Grove, Orange and Villa Park. In 1997, the college district's Board of Trustees voted to become a multi-college district.

The multi-college district includes Santa Ana College, Santiago Canyon College, Centennial and Orange Continuing Education Centers, the Digital Media Center, the Orange County Regional Fire Training Center, the Orange County Sheriff's Regional Training Academy and the district operations center.
Santiago Canyon College
In response to population growth in east Orange County, the district purchased 30 acres from the Irvine Company in 1978 where Santiago Canyon College now stands. The first permanent classroom building was opened in 1985, offering comprehensive programs as well as a full range of student services such as admissions and registration, financial aid, academic advising and job placement.

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​ Rancho Santiago Community College District is one of the oldest community college districts in the state. Santa Ana College In 1915, Santa Ana Junior College opened its doors to 25 students as a department of Santa Ana High School. It was the second junior college founded in Orange County.

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1971-Santa Ana College becomes part of RSCCD

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1971-Santa Ana College becomes part of RSCCD

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​Office of​​ Student Success, Equity, & Inclusion

SAC is a college where students can achieve their educational goals and a defined course of study free from racism and sexism, homophobia and any other assumptions and prejudices

Student Succes​s & Equity Committee Mission

​The Mission of the Santa Ana College Student Success and Equity Committee is to boost achievement for all students with an emphasis on eliminating opportunity gaps. To do this we make recommendations on how equity funding is allocated,​​ evaluate the use of that funding, and explore strategic ideas grounded in institutional research in order to support an education free from racism and sexism, homophobia and any other assumptions and prejudices

Student Equity and Achievement Program is a state-funded effort focused on demolishing all the achievement gaps for students from traditionally underrepresented communities. Santa Ana College uses research and the innovative talents of our faculty,​ staff, and administration to improve outcomes for all students. All of the people involved in SEAP are committed to the belief that it is our responsibility as an institution to improve the outcomes of all of our students regardless of their gender, race, income, disability, veteran status or foster youth status.

While equality ensures that access is available to all students, equity addresses outcomes. Equity is the work it takes by the institution to assure that, whatever the students' background, it provides the resources and support needed to achieve students' educational goals and outcomes.​

Strengths-Based Th​inking

A view of diversity in thought, culture, and traits as positive assets. Faculty, staff, and students alike are valued for what they bring rather than being characterized by what they need to work on or lack.

Student-Rea​dy College

An institution ready to serve a diverse group of students' measures learning outcomes to improve performance and adopts practices and organizational structure to ensure student success.

Transformative Framework

A transformative consciousness and practice that addresses the historical and sociopolitical causes of the inequities found in education and engages in data informed efforts to repair and restore our educational systems. It also interrogates the system, tools, and strategies of the traditional approach and produces innovative student-ready strategies for success. ​

​Cont​​act:​

Dr. Jeffrey Lamb
Vice President of Academic Affairs​

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ SAC is a college where students can achieve their educational goals and a defined course of study free from racism and sexism, homophobia and any other assumptions and prejudices ​The Mission of the Santa Ana College Student Success and Equity Committee is to boost achievement for all students with an emphasis on eliminating opportunity gaps.

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SAC President - Dr. Erlinda Martinez (2005-2017)

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SAC President - Dr. Erlinda Martinez (2005-2017)

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SAC President - Dr. Linda Rose (2017-2020)

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SAC President - Dr. Linda Rose (2017-2020)

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2017-Credit and Non-Credit Students are distributed the same student ID in order to decrease separation and thus support transfer rates.

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2017-Credit and Non-Credit Students are distributed the same student ID in order to decrease separation and thus support transfer rates.

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2017 - SAC joins GP Project with 19 other colleges. 

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2017 - SAC joins GP Project with 19 other colleges. 

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Twenty community colleges will participate in the California Guided Pathways Project, an effort to increase college completion that is modeled after the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Pathways Project.

The colleges, selected through a competitive application process, will design and implement structured academic and career pathways for all incoming students by 2019.

Guided Pathways "provides a framework for colleges to help students who face barriers to completing a college education," according to a press release from the Foundation for California Community Colleges.

The selected colleges are:

American River College

Butte College

Cabrillo College

College of the Canyons

Cosumnes River College

Chaffey College

Cuyamaca College

Los Angeles Trade Tech College

Long Beach City College

MiraCosta College

Modesto Junior College

Norco College

Reedley College

Rio Hondo College

Riverside City College

San Joaquin Delta College

Santa Ana College

Santa Barbara City College

Southwestern College

Yuba College

Over the next three years, the colleges will send teams to institutes to create pathways to high-quality credentials and develop strategies needed to implement them. College teams will comprise five people, including the president and a faculty leader. Each college will also receive support from pathways coaches.

Materials from the institutes will be available to all California community colleges interested in implementing the pathways approach.

AACC Pathway 2.0: AACC is accepting applications from colleges to participate in Pathways 2.0, which aims to help community colleges design and implement guided academic and career pathways at scale for all students. The deadline is June 1.

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20 colleges join California Guided Pathways Project - Community College Daily

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Twenty community colleges will participate in the California Guided Pathways Project, an effort to increase college completion that is modeled after the American Association of Community Colleges' (AACC) Pathways Project. The colleges, selected through a competitive application process, will design and implement structured academic and career pathways for all incoming students by 2019.

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2018 - SAC's community is introduced into GP visible intentionally threading credit and noncredit as well as equity into its prepping and planning. GP 1.0 begins.

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2018 - SAC's community is introduced into GP visible intentionally threading credit and noncredit as well as equity into its prepping and planning. GP 1.0 begins.

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2019-2021 - Skyline Equity Training for three groups including counselors, faculty (credit/noncredit/STEM) among others

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2019-2021 - Skyline Equity Training for three groups including counselors, faculty (credit/noncredit/STEM) among others

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SAC Interim President - Dr. Marilyn Flores (2020-Dec. 2022)

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SAC Interim President - Dr. Marilyn Flores (2020-Dec. 2022)

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2020-2021 - USC Race and Equity Institutes - Various stakeholders invited to participate in-person and via remote

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2020-2021 - USC Race and Equity Institutes - Various stakeholders invited to participate in-person and via remote

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2020- Establishment of Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI)

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2020- Establishment of Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (ODEI)

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Rancho Santiago Community College District is committed to building an inclusive educational community that is reflective of those with whom we teach, engage and collaborate.
​Everyone knows the golden rule, "Treat others the way you would like to be treated."
At Rancho Santiago Community College District we like to follow the platin​​um rule, "​Treat others the way THEY want to be treated."

As one of the oldest community college districts in California, Rancho Santiago Community College District (RSCCD) is stalwart amongst institutions of higher education and strives to enliven the principles that were etched by its founders. Motivated by a drive to provide cutting-edge learning and socially conscious programming, RSCCD agrees with the essential nature of growth and evolution.

In an effort to ensure substantive development is a standard, it is necessary to evaluate the character of educational implementation to guide the direction of the goals and outcomes the district seeks to achieve. Subsequently, the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (ODEI) was established with a primary focus to develop and build a more inclusive organization as related to race, ethnicity, disability, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation for our students, faculty, staff and the bevy of learners residing outside of our campus boundaries.

Developing successful diversity programs includes investing in our people​, analyzing the impacts of our national history in today's environment, so we can make changes for tomorrow to ensure equity is achieved in our campuses, district and ultimately communities, today.

Diversity and EEO Report-2021.pdf

Our Mission is to advance efforts to integrate diversity, equity and inclusion into our academic and employment tapestry and escort all learners into a transformational experience that more effectively readies them to engage the world with a renewed understanding. The praxis of the blueprint upon which the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion is founded will provide a myriad of learning opportunities for all. Ultimately, the learner will be set upon an educational pathway of paramount importance to achieve academic excellence, create and sustain a culture that celebrates diversity, is equitable and inclusive throughout the organization and to afford every stakeholder a voice.

Our Vision reinforces the Board of Trustees' core values of diversity, equity and inclusion by recognizing the importance of diverse viewpoints, equitable learning, and promoting the richness of our cultures. The Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion aims to espouse these values to attract and retain diverse individuals, to listen, to educate, and to advance professional and personal development.

RSCCD promotes diversity, equity and inclusion through our projects, curriculum and programs. We a re dedicated to creating an equitable and inclusive workplace where employees can feel welcomed and accepted. Our aim is to foster a creative and innovative workplace where all employees feel a sense of belonging. ​

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Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

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​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​The Rancho Santiago Community College District is committed to building an inclusive educational community that is reflective of those with whom we teach, engage and collaborate. ​Everyone knows the golden rule, "Treat others the way you would like to be treated."

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2020-Rancho Academy Mentorship Program-Diversifying Part-Time Faculty 

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2020-Rancho Academy Mentorship Program-Diversifying Part-Time Faculty 

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2020-Thrive Center-Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic with food distribution to community and students 

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2020-Thrive Center-Responds to COVID-19 Pandemic with food distribution to community and students 

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2021-2022 - BYLAWS OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE OF THE FACULTY OF SANTA ANA COLLEGE Updated and Approved in 2022 (Amended 2023) - Formalizing new AS Exec structure

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2021-2022 - BYLAWS OF THE ACADEMIC SENATE OF THE FACULTY OF SANTA ANA COLLEGE Updated and Approved in 2022 (Amended 2023) - Formalizing new AS Exec structure

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2021 - Start of Intersectional, Race, and Social Justice (IRSJ) Advising Committee - Academic Senate Begins

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2021 - Start of Intersectional, Race, and Social Justice (IRSJ) Advising Committee - Academic Senate Begins

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2021-23 - SAC's Equity Minded Teaching & Learning Institutes for SAC Credit and NonCredit Faculty led by SAC Facilitators - Cohorts 1 and 2

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2021-23 - SAC's Equity Minded Teaching & Learning Institutes for SAC Credit and NonCredit Faculty led by SAC Facilitators - Cohorts 1 and 2

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2021 - 2022 - Obear Training Cohort (Combination of all stakeholders particpated - classified professionals, faculty, and admin)

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2021 - 2022 - Obear Training Cohort (Combination of all stakeholders particpated - classified professionals, faculty, and admin)

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Summer 2022 - Diego Navarro's Five-Day Equity Learning Institute @ SAC

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Summer 2022 - Diego Navarro's Five-Day Equity Learning Institute @ SAC

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2022-Thrive Center: Gets a Center and expands their services 

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2022-Thrive Center: Gets a Center and expands their services 

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2022- 100 Men of Color & NAACP Collaboration 

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2022- 100 Men of Color & NAACP Collaboration 

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2022-23 AS Elections start via new Bylaws

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2022-23 AS Elections start via new Bylaws

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SAC President - Dr. Annebelle Nery (January 2023-Present)

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SAC President - Dr. Annebelle Nery (January 2023-Present)

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Spring 2023 - New AS Exec Team elected to start a two-year term in Fall 2023 (Bylaws amended to start at the end of the academic year to prep for new AS 2023-2025)

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Spring 2023 - New AS Exec Team elected to start a two-year term in Fall 2023 (Bylaws amended to start at the end of the academic year to prep for new AS 2023-2025)

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2023-Leading from the Middle Announcement

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2023-Leading from the Middle Announcement

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​​(Santa Ana, Calif.) - Two teams from Santa Ana College (SAC) have been selected to participate in the Leading from the Middle (LFM) Academy. This is the first time SAC will participate in the program, which focuses on developing and strengthening middle leadership capacity to create positive change on community college campuses.

The LFM Academy, in partnership with the California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, provides a unique opportunity for cross-functional teams of tenured and adjunct faculty, administrators, classified professionals and researchers to have a dedicated space to cultivate leadership skills and knowledge, gain new mindsets, and learn from one another. Only 12 spots are allocated for community colleges at LFM Academy each year, and SAC secured two of the spots.

"We are proud to have two teams representing SAC in the Leading from the Middle Academy," said Dr. Annebelle Nery, president of SAC. "Through this program, we are confident that our dedicated faculty and staff members will use their skills and knowledge to lead innovative system-changing practices and bridge the equity gap to ensure student success."

Nery said SAC's two participating teams are a classified-led (administrative) team and a faculty-led team, each selected for the project they will undertake during their year in the LFM Academy. "It is rare for not only a classified-led team to be selected, but also for two teams from the same college to be selected," she added.

Classified-Led Team Will Focus on First-Year Math Success

SAC's classified-led team will focus on access to support services on campus to help students in first-ye​ar math courses and to prevent dropouts. The team will focus on implementing best practices to improve success for male students of color, who make up 57 percent of the student body and underutilize support services. The project will involve extensive research to identify effective strategies to equip students with tools necessary to achieve academic success. Team members include Candice Lehman, instructional center specialist; Tanisha L. Burrus, student services coordinator for the Center of Teacher Education; and Guadalupe Merino, adjunct faculty and alumna.

Faculty-Led Team Will Help Increase Capacity for DEI Initiatives

SAC's faculty-led team will use its year to develop the college's capacity to implement diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) principles and practices for the campus community. The team will begin with a review of the hiring experience of new faculty to ultimately broaden awareness and cultural responsiveness to underrepresented and underserved students. This effort to build an inclusive campus community culture includes revising processes and practices of new faculty recruitment from job announcements and applications to hiring practices. Additionally, the team will revise and develop recommendations to infuse best DEI practices campus-wide in a leadership series in the Professional Development program for existing faculty and staff, as well as the New Faculty Institute, a year-long college district program. Lastly, the team will share learnings. Team members include Chantal Lamourelle, Child Development and Education Studies faculty and Student Equity coordinator; Dr. Merari Weber, Continuing Education associate professor and ESL coordinator; Dr. Osiel Madrigal, Workforce Development coordinator, Vocational Business associate professor and Education Department chair; Dr. Anushi Seneviratne, Child Development and Education Studies adjunct faculty; Jasmin Hudson, People and Culture Title IX specialist; and Emelyne Camacho, People and Culture faculty coordinator.

For more information about the LFM Academy, visit https://rpgroup.org/Leading-from-the-Middle. To learn more about Santa Ana College, please visit www.sac.edu - classes start every eight weeks.

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About Santa Ana College:
Santa Ana College (SAC), which turned 100 years old in 2015, serves about 54,696 students yearly. At SAC, students can work toward completing an associate degree, university transfer, career/workforce training or a bachelor's degree in occupational studies. As part of Santa Ana College, the School of Continuing Education located at Centennial Education Center offers FREE classes throughout the community for adults of all ages and academic backgrounds. Santa Ana College is an award-winning college and was recently ranked as one of the nation's top two-year colleges awarding associate degrees to Latino and Asian students and named one of the best community colleges in California by Intelligent.com. The college is also recognized throughout the state for its comprehensive workforce training programs for nurses, firefighters, law enforcement and medical personnel. Santa Ana College is one of two comprehensive colleges under the auspices of the Rancho Santiago Community College District.​

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Two Santa Ana College Teams Selected for Leading from the Middle Academy

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​​ ​​(Santa Ana, Calif.) - Two teams from Santa Ana College (SAC) have been selected to participate in the Leading from the Middle (LFM) Academy . This is the first time SAC will participate in the program, which focuses on developing and strengthening middle leadership capacity to create positive change on community college campuses.

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October 2023 - Courageous Leadership Institute - One year led by SAC Faculty and Classified Professionals (Credit and NonCredit) - 20 faculty (10 PT and FT/credit and noncredit and 10 classified credint and noncredit classified professionals) 

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October 2023 - Courageous Leadership Institute - One year led by SAC Faculty and Classified Professionals (Credit and NonCredit) - 20 faculty (10 PT and FT/credit and noncredit and 10 classified credint and noncredit classified professionals) 