WHEREAS, Under the CARES Act Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF I), Merritt College was allocated $1,497,284, with no less than 50% ($748,642) required to be distributed as direct Emergency Financial Aid Grants to students, and the college reported disbursing $448,533 to students during the initial phase of the pandemic [1];

WHEREAS, The California College Student Emergency Support Fund demonstrated the effectiveness of $500 emergency micro‑grants in supporting California community college students experiencing housing, food, and technology crises [2];

WHEREAS, Public safety for students is a rising issue at community colleges, [1];

WHEREAS, Having a mobile app will educate students on resources available in an emergency situation including earthquake, shooting, and simply feeling unsafe [2]; and

WHEREAS, Campus police can be easily notified of the situation and the location it takes place, and students discretely contact police if the student feels uncomfortable or needs assistance in a stressful situation [3]; Now, therefore be it

WHEREAS, AB 132 (Committee on Budget, 2021)[1] established the requirement for every California Community College to maintain a Basic Needs Center and Basic Needs Coordinator, supported by $30 million in ongoing funding and $100 million in one-time funding over three years from the 2021-2022 Basic Needs Services Support Allocation [2][9];

WHEREAS, The Cabrillo College Stroke and Disability Learning Center is an integral resource for the Santa Cruz County community, offering a dedicated facility and comprehensive programming that supports the mental, physical, and emotional development of its students; [1]

WHEREAS, The California Community College system serves 2.2 million students, yet Cabrillo College remains the only community college in California, out of the 116, to provide a specialized Stroke and Disability Center to this degree; [2]

WHEREAS, Food insecurity among students is a significant issue, with many facing challenges in accessing nutritious meals, which can adversely affect their academic performance and overall well-being;

WHEREAS, Extracurricular activities, including school events and clubs, play a crucial role in student development, fostering a sense of community, and enhancing educational experiences; and

WHEREAS, Access to consistent, nutritious food is critical for California Community College students to maintain the physical health, focus, and energy necessary for academic success, which is directly aligned with the basic health principles established by the World Health Organization [2] and along with the daily supplement of around 2000 calories for the average adult in the U.S. as recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations [3];

WHEREAS, California community college students face severe and compounding financial pressures due to persistent inflation, rising housing and food costs, and declining job availability, with statewide and national research indicating that nearly half of community college students experience food insecurity, over half experience housing insecurity, and a majority must work while enrolled—often exceeding 30 to 40 hours per week—thereby creating structural conditions in which unpaid student leadership roles are increasingly inaccessible [2][4][7][15][16];

WHEREAS, The California Community Colleges system serves over 2.1 million students annually, with more than 70% identifying as students of color [1, 2], and has committed through its systemwide Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Statement to ensuring equal educational opportunity for all students and to eradicating institutional discrimination and implicit bias from the system [3, 4]; 

WHEREAS, California is home to approximately one million individuals reporting Middle Eastern and North African (MENA) ancestry, with over 112,000 individuals in San Diego County, including 28,000 in East County [2][3][4] and in the Grossmont-Cuyamaca Community College District, 3,275 students (16% of the total student population) reported Middle Eastern race/ethnicity [5]; however, all of these numbers are undercounted due to delayed and inconsistent data collection standards, for instance, the California Community College system only began offering a “Middle Eastern” race/ethnicity catego

WHEREAS, "Catalog rights" are a critical protection that allow California Community College students to finish their degrees based on the requirements in place when they first started, ensuring they do not have to take extra classes if graduation rules change later;

WHEREAS, To keep these rights, the Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) and other districts require "continuous attendance," which usually means a student must attend at least one term every calendar year;