Linda Handy's Position Paper

By Linda L. Handy

Overall vision and discussion of numerous issues facing the Peralta District including restoration of public confidence, programs for a new economy, service to divese communities, fiscal stability, foreign travel, Chancellor accountability, and much more.

Linda's vision for the Peralta Community College District:

I see a District that has the Community in our Community Colleges in every way possible. I see a system of education that exudes excellence and provides a solid life foundation to a diverse student pool, many of whom may be the first in their families to attend college, and for whom the community colleges may be their only access to post secondary education. I see four community colleges that are bursting at the seams with so many students from our service area that we are hard pressed to find room to accommodate students from outside of the District who are clamoring to get in. I see constructive and comfortable teamwork between instructors and administrators who function in an environment of uncompromising mutual respect. I see a robust business partnership with our community that rewards local voters who consistently approve Peralta's funding measures by returning much of the wealth through contracting and sales opportunities. I see a community college district that is the e envy of the nation.

Linda on the major issues facing the Peralta District over the next few years:

Over the next several years the Peralta Colleges will be forced to address a broad base of issues including:

·Land Use # The District must approach land use policies with an eye towards maximizing material benefit to the District and ensuring environmental soundness. To accomplish this objective, the District must create substantial opportunities for public input and by deed demonstrate respect for community aware approaches to problem solving.

·Restoration of Public Confidence # Recently the District has had a rash of negative press covering a range of controversial and questionable actions. Currently, the Peralta Colleges do not seem to be held in high esteem by the community that it is supposed to serve. I don't believe in public relations gimmicks to cajole collective endorsement. Instead I believe that the best way to gain public acceptance is to serve the public well. Public confidence in the Peralta Colleges will be restored when instruction and student services are improved, greater fiscal accountability is instituted, management is tightened up, the veil of secrecy is lifted, the specter of back room dealing is eliminated and our community is put back into our community colleges in every way.

·Service to Diverse Communities # In the East Bay, the primary service area of the Peralta Colleges, ethnic diversity continues to broaden and various racial groups are coming closer to numerical parity. Thus, the District is faced with the challenge of maintaining relevancy to a wide array of people. To remain viable and attractive to students in our service area, the District must ensure that its course offerings map to the local population's educational needs and that supportive services are delivered in a caring and appropriate manner.

·Programs for the New Economy # Delivery of competent, reliable and applicable vocational education is one of the main community college missions statewide. Peralta must teach skills that are in demand for the jobs of today and the foreseeable future. This requires a constant dialogue with business and industry that fosters a mutually beneficial working relationship to match skills-based education to available and upcoming employment opportunities.

·Maintaining local focus while considering broad-based impact # In other words Peralta must "Think Globally but Act Locally". By educating our local students well, they will be equipped to be productive and self-sustaining members of society who contribute to our societal stability therefore making a positive difference in the world. In many ways this speaks to and requires vision, priority setting and action oriented planning. I will always be guided by the vision while pursuing the practical requirements to realize that vision.

·Maintaining Fiscal Stability # Sound fiscal management is a cornerstone in the foundation of any organization. I do not believe that the Board has been adequately positioned or informed to exercise the nature and level of fiscal oversight that is necessary. For example, there is no internal auditor, a position that in accordance with best business practices should be established, filled and reporting directly to the Board. Additionally, the Board should be engaged in directing budget construction more actively and earlier in the process.

The recent forays into provision of education to foreign students have been justified by the administration as a mechanism for generating additional District revenue. It should be noted that these revenues are not required to be applied to instruction; they flow to the General Fund. I believe that before reaching outside of its core mission in a search driven purely by money seeking, Peralta must first determine that existing resources are being expended in the most responsible and cost efficient manner. This would require strong checks and balances within the organization that do not now exist.

·Creating a Truly Community Based Organization Where Everyone Has a Voice # My theme is "Let's Put Community Back Into Our Community Colleges". I dwell on community because the primary mission of community colleges is to be a comprehensive educational resource for people who reside within a certain geographical area. Inherent in this notion is that all aspects of the community, including those working for the District, should be engaged at appropriate levels and junctures in its decision-making and functioning.

Linda on the role of the trustees in overseeing the work of the Chancellor:

The Board of Trustees is the keeper of the public trust, ultimately responsible for determining the District's direction, charting its course and overseeing implementation of its set policies. The Chancellor is hired by and works for the Board and should be wholly answerable to the Board. Trustees should be responsible for creating and providing to the Chancellor a specific job description with clearly and comprehensively defined measurable performance criteria. Trustees should further articulate and provide direction on specific expectations of implementation approach. Along with this, The Board must be committed to holding the Chancellor accountable through regular performance reviews that include appropriate correction direction and notice if warranted. This is a question about who is the boss and I do not believe that the Board as a whole has exercised its appropriate authority in managing the Chancellor's performance.

Linda on faculty:

Peralta's faculty is our "First line of defense". Peralta cannot deliver quality education without good teachers. Peralta cannot hold on to good faculty over the long term without providing livable and competitive wages and benefits. If Peralta does not demonstrate that it values faculty by providing workplace security and fairness and doing all that it can towards retention, what message is being sent to our students?

As a former Dean of Education I know that instructors are the face of education for the students. They are the curriculum and teaching experts who have the greatest degree of contact with the reason for community college existence, the students. As a result, members of the faculty possess a wealth of knowledge about what happens in and is needed within their educational environment. Additionally, they would be intimately aware of policy impacts within classrooms. Therefore, faculty should be an integral component in policy development; their expertise should be sought and respected. Faculty can provide valuable input on potential impacts of actions proposed by others. Also, if they are included in the policy development process, the resulting product will enjoy more universal buy-in, thus assuring a greater degree of adherence and success.

Linda on instruction and administration funding priorities:

The community colleges exist to educate. Education is the business that the District is in. Therefore, by definition, instruction must be the highest priority. The Board and top administration must examine all aspects of operations and offerings and pursue actions that have as their primary aim increasing enrollment. According to the 50% rule, this would generate additional resources for instruction. Further, the District must identify all issues that deflect enrollment to other districts and institute a District-wide improvement initiative.

Through a thorough and structured assessment, administrative and operational inefficiencies must be identified and an improvement plan crafted and implemented.

Linda on Peralta's international focus:

The first word in community colleges is community and it is there for a reason. We need to keep our focus local. This begs the issue of mission and priorities and service to our local community is the community colleges' core purpose for existing.

I believe that the issue of international travel is a question of balance and priorities. Again we must keep in mind that the main mission is to educate locally and that a comprehensive international community is right here in the East Bay. If the District could legitimately state that it is maximally meeting local educational needs with a high level of excellence, then it might be legitimately positioned for the luxury of expanding outside of our borders to engage in international activities. If that were the case, an appropriate approach would include creating substantial opportunities for local students to receive direct benefit. For example, an exchange type program might be created through which local Peralta students derive credits from participation. Since the District is not yet at that point, our focus should remain at home.

Linda on local business utilization:

It is absolutely inexcusable that Peralta does not currently have a strong and committed local business utilization policy and program. Our district residents have generously approved every recent Peralta bond measure appearing on the ballot. It is imperative that Peralta demonstrates its appreciation by spending these resources locally as much as possible. I will be an outspoken and unequivocal advocate for local business utilization in every aspect of our spending.

Linda on construction of Vista College:

I support Vista College. As a Trustee I will work to assure that the Vista project demonstrates sound fiscal responsibility and is well and logically planned. I will look for balance within the District to assure that the creation of the Vista campus does not diminish the existing colleges. As the development proceeds, I will vigorously fight to assure that local businesses directly benefit from the funds to be spent on this project.

Linda on Peralta's no-bid contracting:

As a regular practice, government agencies provide mechanisms in contracting policies and procedures to allow for no-bid award of contracts in specifically prescribed circumstances, such as emergencies or where it can be clearly and unquestionably documented that only one source has the capacity to deliver the needed goods or services. However no-bid awards should be the exception, not common practice. No bid awards should only be made according to rigid application of specific and comprehensively documented guidelines and procedures. Also, they should always be reported and justified in a full and open public forum.

Linda on why she is running for this office:

I run for this office because my district's current representative is not focused on local needs. I will put Peralta first. I have a strong background in higher education, history of delivering positive, community oriented outcomes, and demonstrated track record of ensuring student capability to succeed in life

Frequently I evoke the phrase "We are the people that we have been waiting for". In other words I can't stand idly by, waiting for someone else to step to the plate, grapple with the tough issues and provide solution leadership. As I have observed the District's functioning, I have become increasing upset at misguided priorities and feel that these needs to be a change. I want to be a leader in that effort. My objective is to be a positive change agent. I run as a reform candidate. Our area is wonderfully diverse in its peoples and culture mix and once elected, one of my goals is to make a difference in numerous areas including district culture.

As put forth in my vision statement, I wholeheartedly believe that our Trustees should set the standards for community colleges everywhere. The Peralta Community College District should exemplify worth in every aspect of its functioning, including educational accountability, environmental and social responsibility, fair treatment of employees and overall District excellence.

I will be the Trustee that makes a difference