De Anza College Quick Notes

This email was sent to all students registered for fall quarter.

Nov. 3, 2025

Quick Notes for the Week of Nov. 3

De Anza Named Among Nation’s Top Community Colleges

Selected for $1M Aspen Prize Competition

De Anza received the honor of being included among 200 community colleges named by the Aspen Institute to be eligible to compete for the $1 million Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence. Selection criteria included student outcomes data, such as retention, completion, transfer, and bachelor’s attainment rates.

We've made the first cut in this competition three times before:

  • in 2023 for the 2025 competition
  • in 2021 for the 2023 competition
  • in 2019 for the 2021 competition

The Aspen Prize process identifies and celebrates community colleges that provide a roadmap of effective practices and strategies for other colleges to follow.

Next we’ll submit an application and participate in a rigorous review process that will culminate in the naming of the Aspen Prize winner in spring 2027.

Read more about the institutions chosen to compete in this year’s Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

Construction Impacts Tomorrow, Nov. 4, Through Early December

Former Flint Center; Beach Volleyball Area; Buildings S5, E3 and S4

Various construction and maintenance projects will take place tomorrow, Nov. 4, and continue through Tuesday, Dec. 9, as detailed below:

  • Tuesday, Nov. 4: Landscapers will apply herbicide to control invasive weeds in the newly landscaped area where the Flint Center once stood.
  • There will be minor impact as no one will be allowed to walk in the project area during the maintenance work.
    • Thursday, Nov. 6: As part of the beach volleyball area construction, the remaining temporary fencing around the area will be removed on Thursday, November 6. The fencing around the new sidewalk on the north side of the Kirsch Center for Environmental Studies building extending to the soccer walkway will remain in place until further notice.
  • Tuesday, Nov. 4, through Tuesday, Dec. 9: Roofers will begin demolition and replacement of wood siding at buildings S5, E3 and S4, in that order. All work areas will be enclosed with fencing, which will be repositioned from wall to wall as the crew progresses through each building.

The work will cause minor disruptions and noise from the demolition and replacement of wood siding, as well as partial obstruction of walkways caused by fencing.

As reported previously:

Restrooms in L5, S2 and S6 will be unavailable through April 2026. Signs will be posted to provide directions to other available restrooms.

Parking Enforcement Begins This Week

Fall Quarter Parking Permits

Parking for students and employees will remain free for the 2025-26 academic year. However, the Foothill-De Anza police will begin enforcing restrictions on parking in staff spaces this fall.

Students and Visitors

  • Parking is free.
  • Permits are not required for fall.
  • Do not park in staff-designated spaces.
  • Enforcement for staff-designated parking spaces will begin Nov. 1: Warnings will be issued for the first two weeks, then citations for vehicles parked in staff spaces without an employee permit showing.

Starting with the winter 2026 quarter, a new online system will be in place for students and employees to obtain free parking permits. Watch for more information on this new system, later in the fall quarter.

For any questions, please contact the Foothill-De Anza District Police.

On-Campus Photo and Video Shoot Tomorrow

We Are Looking for Student Models!

The Office of Communications is looking for student models to participate in an upcoming on-campus photo and video session tomorrow, Nov. 4. The session will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., but students are welcome to arrive late or leave early. Please let us know your time of arrival through the contact form below.

We are seeking a broad range of students for this photo session, including those in our new Senior Guided Pathways program, to reflect the diversity of our student body.

If selected, students’ pictures and videos may be used in a variety of marketing or informational materials for the college. These may include the college website, social media posts, printed brochures and flyers, billboards and other types of advertising.

If you are interested, please use the sign up form to let us know your availability.

You can also find more information at deanza.edu/communications/photo-shoot. Please contact Chelsey Taniguchi at taniguchichelsey@deanza.edu if you have questions.

This Week

Free Hot Food Every Wednesday

The World Food Movement, formerly Sattvic Meals Foundation, will be coming to campus every Wednesday, from 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., to provide free, hot meals to students. You can stop by Roary’s Market, located in The Hub in the Baldwin Winery Building, to pick up your meal.

Foothill College Veterans Resource Center 5k This Sunday, Nov. 9

Foothill College is hosting a 5k run, walk or roll to support its Veterans Resource Center this Sunday, Nov. 9, at 8 a.m., at the Foothill campus. Proceeds help strengthen programs, services, scholarships and community connections. Please register online. The entry fee is $25 for military members and veterans and $45 for the general public.

Awards and Accomplishments

Cross-Country Coast Conference Championship Win

Congratulations to the women’s cross-country team and head coach Andy Ponce de Leon for winning the Coast Conference Championship last Wednesday, Oct. 29, in Salinas. The women’s team beat Hartnell College, the highest ranked team in the state, by one point! Coach Ponce de Leon was also voted 2025 Coast Conference Head Coach of the Year for women’s cross-country by his peers.

We are also proud of the men’s cross-country team, which placed second in the championships! Both teams will be competing again this week at the Northern California Championships in Fresno.

You can read more about the teams on the Coast Conference website.

New Euphrat Museum of Art Exhibit

“Invoke-History” Now Through Dec. 11

The Euphrat Museum of Art’s newest exhibit, “Invoke-History,” showcases artwork drawn from lived, ancestral and community stories that preserve and present history through the artists’ creative lenses. The exhibit was named for a software command used to retrieve or repeat past commands, reflecting the theme of the artwork.

Artists include Cynthia Brannvall, Caleb Dowdell, Tatyana Fazlalizadeh, Colleen Quen, Marlene Larson, Kristin Lindseth, Oscar Lopez, Tony May, George Rivera, Flo Oy Wong and Bing Zhang.

The exhibit is open now through Dec. 11. You can celebrate the opening of the exhibit at the artist reception on Saturday, Nov. 15, from noon-2 p.m. There will be live music and refreshments.

The museum is open Tuesday through Thursday, from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. It will also be open during the De Anza Flea Market on Saturday, Dec 6., from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., and the First Thursday spoken word and open mics on Nov. 6. and Dec. 4, from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The museum is open to tour groups by appointment.

The image to the right of the paragraph is “Nos Moviamos, Creiamos y Valorabamos” by Oscar Lopez.

You can read more about “Invoke-History” at deanza.edu/euphrat/current.

Mark Your Calendar

Events

Be sure to check these program websites for:

You can also check the Events Calendar for additional events and details.

This Week

Next Week

Tell us about your event! Use the online form at deanza.edu/communications/tell-us.

Dates and Deadlines

  • DatesVeterans Day Holiday – No classes and offices closed – Tuesday, Nov. 11

Visit the Academic Calendar page to see more important dates and deadlines by quarter.

College GovernanceGovernance Meetings

Learn more about college governance at deanza.edu/gov.

Tell Us!

Quick Notes is an email digest of timely information for De Anza students, faculty and staff. Watch for it in your inbox regularly.

Use the online form at deanza.edu/communications/tell-us to let us know about an upcoming activity or other news that you want to share with the rest of the college community. That's the best way to get your item on our radar for the website Events Calendar, newsletter and social media planning.

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