Peralta’s District Academic Senate (DAS) wrapped up the 2024-25 school year on May 20, 2025, with a special session in the district boardroom. The meeting saw DAS elect officers for the upcoming 2025-26 academic year — to be led by Laney's Leslie Blackie as president — and salute retiring 10+1 champion Joseph Bielanski (foreground on the right in the photo below).
In 34 years at Peralta, Dr. Joseph Bielanski (foreground on the right in the photo below), BCC’s longtime articulation officer, served as DAS president and as an appointed member of the California Community College Board of Governors. DAS wishes Dr. Bielanski all the best in retirement and looks forward to visiting him in the sunny Castro.
President Blackie will be joined on the 2025-26 DAS Executive Committee by VP Tom Renbarger, Secretary Laure Allen-Requa, and Treasurer Fatima Shah. After two terms in the DAS presidency, Matthew Goldstein will return to CoA’s Humanities Dept.
Dr. Goldstein had these comments to share:
“As I wrap up my second and final term as DAS president, I’d like to thank Peralta faculty for the honor and privilege of allowing me to serve as their 10+1 representative. I'm grateful in particular to Laney's Leslie Blackie, CoA's Jennifer Fowler, BCC's Matt Freeman, and Merritt's Tom Renbarger, college senate presidents whose astute judgment and warm camaraderie made DAS work a pleasure. And Treasurer Andrew Park's service was truly invaluable and much appreciated.
“Last, I’d like to thank all the faculty who worked so hard over the last couple of years, both at the district and at their home colleges, and in partnership with staff, administration, trustees, and students, to help DAS lead the effort to overhaul Peralta’s shared governance model, a new approach I’m confident will position our colleges and district to serve East Bay students and communities more effectively. I am proud of the work we’ve done together and look forward to continuing it in new ways in the years to come.”
DAS thanks Peralta TV staff — Angel Hunter, Bendi Yilmaz, and Joe Sullivan — for managing audio-visual technology for DAS meetings over the last two years.
