Siskiyou Joint Community College District Board of Trustees Announces Appointment of Provisional Trustee for Area 4

Weed /COS – During their regular meeting on Tuesday, November 18, 2025, College of the Siskiyous’ Governing Board of Trustees appointed Dr. Christal Duncan as Provisional Trustee representing District Area 4, which includes the area of schools located in Yreka; expanded to include more of the City of Yreka, shifting the border between Area 4 and Area 7 north to Lennox and Terrance Drive. In this plan, Area 4 includes 71% of the City of Yreka.

The district accepted a letter of resignation from Area 4 Trustee Barry Ohlund effective October 22, 2025. Pursuant to Ed Code Section 5091, “the community college district governing board shall, within 60 days of the vacancy, either order an election or make a provisional appointment to fill the vacancy.” Pursuant to California Education Code Section 5091, the district undertook the recruitment process to fill the vacant trustee seat within the sixty (60) day timeline. Notices were published in newspapers of general circulation and in three public areas within the district. Candidate applications were due Monday, October 20, 2025.

At the November 18, 2025, meeting, the Governing Board interviewed one provisional trustee applicant. The board also discussed and chose to provisionally appoint the candidate as a trustee during open session of the November 18, 2025, meeting. Motion was made to nominate Dr. Christal Duncan as a provisional Trustee for Area 4. Dr. Duncan will serve as Trustee representative for Area 4 until the next regular election of the Board of Trustees in November 2026. (If a petition is filed, then a special election must be held.)

Dr. Christal Duncan is a retired Ob/Gyn who dedicated 35 years of her life to providing care to women and families. After working at Fairchild Medical Center for many years, she concluded her medical career in April 2025, having also served as the Chief of Staff. Throughout her career, Dr. Duncan mentored numerous nurse practitioners and medical residents and was deeply involved in missionary work in Nigeria.

Dr. Duncan is originally from Los Altos, California, and graduated from the University of Washington in 1976 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry. After marrying and starting her family, she pursued her medical degree at the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, where she also completed her residency.

Following her residency, Dr. Duncan and her family moved to Yreka, where they have lived ever since. Her son attended the College of the Siskiyous, where he played football as a tight end and earned his Associate of Arts degree. He then went on to Eastern Illinois University on a full football scholarship.

Dr. Duncan is excited to continue contributing to the community by serving on the Board of Trustees. She looks forward to engaging with the college and its diverse educational offerings and is committed to supporting its mission of excellence.

In her free time, Dr. Duncan she enjoys volunteer work at her church Siskiyou Christian Fellowship, with World Medical Mission in Africa, and with the Rotary Club of Yreka. She also hikes, bikes and plays pickleball regularly. She and her husband hiked the Grand Canyon 1 year ago, and frequently hike Mount Shasta, the Marble Mtns, and the Trinity Alps.

source: COS Public Relations Office