On Tuesday, December 14, Bill Hedrick was a unanimous selection by his peers to serve as the Riverside Community College District Board of Trustees president for the coming year. Meanwhile, Jose Alcala was selected to serve as vice president and Virginia Blumenthal as secretary.
Mary Figueroa, who represents Area 3 and is in her 28th year as an RCCD trustee, had been serving as president for the last two cycles.
Hedrick, the Area 1 representative, previously served as vice president. He was first elected to the RCCD Board of Trustees on November 8, 2016. Prior to his election, Hedrick was a trustee for Corona-Norco Unified School District for 22 years.
“I am honored to have been selected by the trustees as president of the Board. I am excited to continue the work of my predecessor, Mary Figueroa, in ongoing efforts to fulfill our mission to promote equity, access, and student success,” Hedrick said. “Additionally, with my fellow trustees and the RCCD community, we will strive to restructure and restore programs and services so seriously impacted by the pandemic as our colleges adjust to the new normal and seek new paths to meet the educational needs of our region.”
Hedrick has spent his professional life in public education, serving as a classroom aide in Los Angele s Unified, an adult ESL instructor through Rancho Santiago Community College District, and a classroom teacher in Los Angeles, Orange, and Rialto Unified School Districts. He also served as president of the Rialto Education Association for 12 years. Hedrick served as field staff for the California Teachers Association. In that capacity, he served as an advocate for students, families and educators in California's High Desert and provided advocacy and training across a variety of topics, including wealth inequality, economic justice, and labor history.
Hedrick earned a BA in Social Science (History) and an MA in Education from California State University, Los Angeles. He holds a life teaching credential and bilingual certification (Spanish).
Alacala (Area 4) was elected to the Board in 2018 and is a graduate of Riverside City College. Blumenthal (Area 2), also a graduate of RCC, was first elected to the Board in 2006. Tracey Vackar (Area 5) and Figueroa will serve as at-large members for the coming year.
After the swearing in ceremony, the Board of Trustees voted to retain its current slate of committee and community assignments. The Board meets bi-monthly and is responsible for approving District policies, adopting the annual budget, approving the employment and dismissal of academic and classified employees, evaluating the chancellor, and approving contracts.
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