National Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15 – October 15, 2025)
National Hispanic Heritage Month, celebrated from September 15 to October 15, honors the diverse histories, cultures, and contributions of Hispanic and Latino communities. It's an opportunity to recognize the profound and lasting impact they have had on the United States.
The presence of Latinos in the Americas dates back centuries, with Hispanic people shaping the nation's history since the Revolutionary War. After the Mexican-American and Spanish-American wars, the United States acquired territories in the Southwest and Puerto Rico, incorporating their populations and further expanding the Hispanic American presence.
Today, the Latino population in the United States is over 60 million, making up 18.9% of the total population, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. This makes them the largest racial or ethnic group in the country. Latinos continue to enrich the nation as entrepreneurs, athletes, artists, public servants, and scientists.
General Restorative Practices: Restorative Justice Training
Circles for Social Change will be conducting an in-person Restorative Justice Training on Friday, October 3, 2025 (Time is TBA). Circles for Social Change believe the harm we consciously and unconsciously inflict upon each other are not resolved with punishment and disconnection. Transformation and healing occur by understanding and responding to root causes and unmet needs that bring about harmful behavior. Circles for Social Change will be conducting an in-person Restorative Justice Training on Friday, October 3, 2025 (Time is TBA). Circles for Social Change believe the harm we consciously and unconsciously inflict upon each other are not resolved with punishment and disconnection. Transformation and healing occur by understanding and responding to root causes and unmet needs that bring about harmful behavior.
For these changes to occur, we must do the inside work of gaining awareness of our assumptions and biases and developing skills and resiliency to engage with others in authentic action. Through courageous and vulnerable conversations, and an emphasis on relationship building, Circles for Social Change generate awareness and invite transformation with insight, accountability, and healing.
New Student Housing Groundbreaking Ceremony!
College of the Siskiyous invites the community to attend the official Groundbreaking Ceremony for its new Student Housing Complex on Friday, October 10, 2025, from 2:00 to 4:00 pm in Parking Lot C at the Weed Campus. This event marks a significant milestone for the college as the construction of a new mission-driven housing community designed to provide affordable, sustainable, and high-quality housing for students begins.
The new facility is part of the college's ongoing commitment to enhancing student experience and supporting academic success by addressing the critical need for additional on-campus housing. The new complex will feature modern amenities and a living environment conducive to learning and community building.
If you plan to attend the ceremony, please notify our Public Relations Office by emailing pio@siskiyous.edu or calling (530) 938-5373. We hope to see you there!
39th Annual COS Foundation Scholarship Fundraising Dinner and Auction
Dinner will be held at the Sons of Italy Memorial Hall in Weed on Saturday, October 11. This year's theme is "Masquerade – Black & White." Tickets are now on sale - $30 per person and may be purchased from staff in Building 95 at the Weed Campus or from COS Foundation and Scholarship Committee members. Proceeds from this event support the COS Foundation Scholarship Program. The members of the Weed Sons of Italy will provide the catering. Please help us support our students by attending this fun event.
Stay Connected
Sign up today for COS Connect. This is a free system used to notify students and staff of emergency-situations, campus closures, or general information. To sign up click on the COS Connect button located on the COS homepage and follow the directions to get sign up. Need help, send an email, call the office, or stop by for a chat.
Come Join Our Team
We are looking for new volunteers to join the Eagle's Nest team. Volunteers work as cashiers, screening items as they come in, price merchandise, repair items, research antiques, etc. There is never a dull moment at the Eagles Nest. We are also looking for student workers. If you know of anyone who may be interested in volunteering or working as a paid student worker, have them call (530) 938-4663 or stop by the Eagle’s Nest Shop to speak with Angel Keen, Shop Supervisor.
Upcoming Activities & Events:
Event dates, times, and locations based on information available at the time of publication and are subject to change.
September 2025
October 2025
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It has been a very busy start to the fall semester. Here's an update on current projects.
5911 Reminder
Safety is a priority at the College of the Siskiyous, and the Safety Committee is dedicated to constantly monitoring and improving procedures and communications on our campuses. Our Emergency 5911 line is monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week by Facilities and Lodge personnel during regular operational days of the academic calendar. It is important to know when to use 5911 versus 911 and FMX.
When to Call 5911: In the event of a Maintenance or Custodial non-medical emergency on the Weed or Yreka campus please call 5911. This number can also be used for the Safe Walk Program, campus escort available, Monday - Thursday 3:00 to 10:30 pm and Friday from 3:00 to 6:30 pm.
When to Call 911 (Emergency): In the event of an immediate medical emergency requiring assistance from the police, fire department or an ambulance please bypass 5911 and call 911.
If you call 911, be prepared to state the location, nature of the emergency, and if known, other details such as physical descriptions, injuries and symptoms.
FMX: All other normal or routine requests should go through the FMX website. Here are some "how to" video links: How to Schedule and How to Create Work Requests.
Check for updates: Watch your email for confirmation and a link to monitor your request. It will show a "Pending" status until approved by an administrator.
FMX and why we use it:
The time between campus connections is much shorter this month but that didn't change the fact that much has happened.
Due to unforeseen resignations, we’ve had a lot of changes in our Student Housing Department. Please join us in welcoming Sam Dean as our new Interim Director of Student Housing & Student Life and Mollie Sellman as our new Student Housing Coordinator. These two will do a wonderful job in their new roles, and we are appreciative of their eagerness to serve. We will be evaluating how to best fill, in the interim, the vacancy in the position of Director of Outreach & Retention. I would like to show appreciation for Sam Dean, Mollie Sellman, Julia Franco, and Maggie Crowder for stepping up on a weekend when everything fell apart in housing and we were stressing coverage. These four came together and we made sure our students were safe and avoided any major disasters. Thank you!
This month we will host our annual KinderCaminata event on Friday, September 26 for Siskiyou County Kindergartners. We look forward to having their smiling faces on campus. On Wednesday, October 8, we will hold our annual COS Preview Day & Transfer Fair. Local high school seniors and our own COS students will get to meet with university and college representatives and see our own programs at COS. Both events will be a wonderful time. On Friday, October 10, we will break ground for our new Student Housing Project. This has been a long time coming, and we are so excited about it. I truly believe this project will be transformative for the campus and bring so much student life, activity, and benefits to our entire campus and all our students.
With the end of August, it sadly means the conclusion of the TRiO Student Support Services (SSS) grant at COS. After approximately 30 years, SSS will close its doors. The SSS program has impacted thousands of students over its time at COS. It has provided dedicated support services, valuable college tour trips, memorable fields trips, fun events and activities, support for students who want to transfer, and so much more. Many have served in the SSS department over the years, and they have included dedicated staff, directors, counselors, and students. The program would not have been the success it was, if not for each of them. I want to thank our current staff, Director, Stephanie Wroten, Program Specialist, Mollie Sellman, and Administrative Assistant II, Julissa Gonzalez. Your contributions to the success of so many have not gone unnoticed, and your positive impact will be felt by the students you served in their years to come. Thank you, TRiO SSS team!
Since the NASFAA visit in April, the entire institution has got to work to address the areas of concern identified from the visit. The amount of work that has gone into this has been tremendous. I want to highlight first and foremost the FA Team. Maritza Cantarero, Haley LeBoeuf, Virginia Taylor, Erin Harbin, and Grace Rodriguez have been absolute superstars! They have been addressing challenges and deficiencies and have made more progress than I think any of us thought was achievable in this short amount of time. There is much to still do but the wind is at our backs, and this team is making it happen. Thank you to each of you! In addition, many outside of the Financial Aid Department have been actively assisting and scoring huge wins. I apologize if I miss anyone but I want to call out Ben Harris, Dawnie Slabaugh, Matt Donaldson, Anne-Marie Kuhlemann, Michael Reetz, Kristi Wilson, Veronica Coots, Chris Delcour, Jesse Roberts, Kirk Thomsen, Ray Boutin, Meghan Witherell, Dr. Mark Fields, Ryan Galbraith, Melissa Ericsson, and Dr. Char Perlas. Each of these individuals has been involved in helping to make some big and necessary changes. Some of them pulled off what I would even consider borderline miracles to make things happen. Thank you! It is because of the backing of the entire institution that we are getting this all done. I'm beyond proud and grateful. Siskiyous Strong!
As many of you may already know, TRIO Student Support Services (SSS) at College of the Siskiyous has ended due to the conclusion of federal funding. While we are saddened to see this chapter close, we are deeply grateful for the many years of meaningful work, student success, and community partnerships that SSS has fostered on our campus.
Through SSS, Siskiyous students have been supported in achieving their academic and transfer goals, guided through the university application process, and encouraged to dream bigger. Beyond academics, SSS has created spaces of connection, whether through workshops, holiday gatherings, pancake breakfasts, or travel opportunities that expanded horizons. The impact of these experiences will remain with our students and staff long after the program's closure.
Although SSS will no longer continue, the mission to support our students remains. We encourage all students to continue utilizing the many resources available across campus. Our dedicated faculty and staff are ready to assist students as they pursue their educational and personal goals.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to every student, staff, and faculty member who has contributed to the success of TRIO SSS. Your commitment, collaboration, and care have made a lasting difference in the lives of our students. Now, come party with us one last time on October 31 in the ASC lobby!
Please enjoy an SSS slideshow recap.
The Fall semester has gotten off to a busy start in the library. So far 157 students have taken advantage of our semester-long textbook checkout program and have checked out a total of 325 books! Sixty-eight students have checked out over 100 books from other areas of our collection as well. Thankfully, we now have Cheyanne Nile and Briana Oesterle-Snodgress on our team to help! Many of you may already know Cheyanne from her (continuing) work in the ASC and Briana from her time as a COS student (she graduated this Spring). We are happy to have their welcoming presence, enthusiasm, and expertise in the library.
The ASC and Library have partnered to create a joint Instagram account which we hope will help raise student awareness about our services and events. Follow us if you want to be in the loop too! Two events you will see posts about are the library's monthly Board Game Night (coming up on September 22) and Music Appreciation Hour on Friday afternoons from 2:30 to 3:30 pm, when Art faculty Chris Clother will play music from our large vinyl record collection. Employees are welcome at all events.
The College of the Siskiyous Fire Technology Program is deeply saddened to inform the campus community of the recent passing of Dan Ballard.
For more than 20 years, Dan exemplified professionalism, loyalty, and dedication to the Fire Academy. A proven leader, he positively impacted the lives of thousands of students who came through our program.
Dan served a full career with the United States Forest Service while also contributing as an Adjunct Instructor. Following his retirement from the USFS, he devoted himself fully to the Fire Technology Program, serving in numerous roles including Fire Director, Program Coordinator, Adjunct Instructor, Physical Training Instructor, and Wildland 1C Module Coordinator.
Known for being tough, especially in Physical Training, and leading by example, Dan inspired countless students who were fortunate enough to learn from him. His legacy of leadership and mentorship will live on through the many firefighters he helped shape. Dan pioneered the Mike Wilson Memorial Scholarship, dedicated to the former Fire Technology Coordinator, who was also Dan’s brother-in-law.
A scholarship has been established with the COS Foundation. The family requests contributions are made to the COS Foundation - Mike Wilson/Dan Ballard Memorial Scholarship, please specify Wilson/Ballard Scholarship in the Special Instructions.
We extend our deepest condolences to his family - especially Betty, Jason, and Steven - during this difficult time.
No other reports received.
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