SAN MARCOS — Amid a dispute over a cost of living adjustment in the current contract, Palomar’s classified employees union initiated negotiations resulting in a public hearing at the upcoming governing board meeting.
The board is set to meet for the third time this year March 10 at 5 p.m. The public hearing will begin discussions on contract negotiations with the Council of Classified Employees (CCE) for the 2026-29 term.
The hearing comes in the midst of an ongoing disagreement between the district and CCE. CCE filed a complaint in August 2025 with the California Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) over a cost-of-living adjustment for the 2025-2026 academic year. PERB records show the case marked closed Feb. 25.
The board will also vote to approve the creation of a process, job profile and timeline for the selection of a new college president by Jan. 1, 2027.
Members of the CCE and the Palomar Faculty Federation have raised several issues during the public comment portion of the last two meetings. The board has been met with repeated calls to create a campus Immigration and Customs Enforcement policy and to reinstate the anti-racism policy, Board Policy 3000, and follow a shared governance process for any future removal.
The meeting will take place at 5 p.m. on March 10 in person at LRC-438 and via Zoom. The entire agenda can be viewed online. For information on submitting a public comment, visit the Palomar Governing Board webpage.