The five-part plan aligns internal operations with educational goals across College of San Mateo, Skyline College, and Cañada College.
San Mateo, California – In alignment with the San Mateo County Community College District’s (SMCCCD) establishment of a Performance Audit Unit, staff presented a draft of the District’s first-ever Internal Control Plan (ICP) to its Board of Trustees on July 30, 2025. The ICP is now available for public review on the District’s website, along with a feedback form for community input, before it will be considered for formal Board adoption at a public meeting later this calendar year.
“This plan represents a significant step forward in how leadership will manage and serve across the District,” said SMCCCD Chancellor Melissa Moreno, J.D. “By aligning our internal operations with national standards and tailoring them to our local needs, we are reinforcing our commitment to accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement, all in service of our students, faculty, and the communities we support.”
The framework for this new plan is designed to align the District’s internal processes with its strategic objectives: ensuring efficient and effective operations, producing reliable internal and external reporting, and maintaining compliance with applicable laws and regulations. To help meet these objectives, the plan borrows concepts from the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s (GAO) Standards for Internal Control in the Federal Government, commonly known as the “Green Book”. It is structured around the five key components for clear internal communications: Control Environment, Risk Assessment, Control Activities, Information & Communication, and Monitoring. Each element includes underlying principles that are tailored to the specific needs of SMCCCD.
Each component includes core principles that support campus-level governance, management, and centralized services. The ICP aims to establish a common reference point for all three colleges, helping District leadership achieve shared operational objectives effectively and consistently. Ultimately, the ICP promotes transparency and builds trust with both internal stakeholders and the broader San Mateo County community.
Chancellor Moreno added in the written report: “This draft ICP incorporates best practices adapted from leading public and private educational institutions. It is the district’s intent that this Plan serves as a living document, regularly reviewed and updated to meet the evolving needs of our district and the communities we serve.”
Media Contact: David McLain, Community & Government Relations, SMCCCD, (650) 730-8049 or mclaind@smccd.edu.
About San Mateo County Community College District (SMCCCD): SMCCCD operates three colleges, Cañada College, College of San Mateo, and Skyline College, that provide community college educational services to the residents of San Mateo County. The District’s colleges serve over 30,000 students annually and offer the first two years of college-level instruction in various transfer and career-technical programs. The District is governed by a six-member Board of Trustees, with five voting members elected by voters from designated areas of the County and one nonvoting student member elected by students. For more information, see: https://smccd.edu/.
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