Candidate for
Trustee; Peralta Community College District; Trustee Area 4

Working for Peralta's Future: Why I'm Running

by Nicky González Yuen, Candidate for Peralta's Area 4 Board Seat

I am running for the Peralta Community College Board of Trustees Area 4 seat representing most of Berkeley and all of Emeryville and Albany. With 15 years of community college teaching in political science, a law degree, a Ph.D., and 25 years of community leadership and advocacy, I think I can make an important difference on the Peralta Board.

I believe that the central issue of our time is who benefits and who suffers from the upturns and downturns in our economy. Will we keep alive the American Dream of equal opportunity, a good education and a good job? Or will we let our education systems fall apart and deny millions of Americans the chance to take care of their families and live their lives to the fullest? Will we stand aside while the powerful run our country into the ground? Or will we organize and mobilize to take back our country? My experiences and background shape the values I would bring to the Peralta Board. I understand first-hand how important educational opportunities are for working students and see their daily struggles. I am also the son of immigrants who came here to live the American Dream of equality and opportunity. I know what this opportunity meant for us but now I see that dream disappearing as good jobs and a quality education are becoming inaccessible to regular families.

At the local level we fight out these big ideas by way of setting policy and establishing budgets in the board rooms and city halls of our local institutions. The community colleges are central to this struggle because it is there that we can level the playing field of educational opportunities. Peralta has all the ingredients for a great education- eager and talented students, hard-working and qualified staff, and proximity to a world-class university. We also have a varied, and potentially vibrant economy. With these resources we can build a community that dedicates itself to working for the common good. We can have openness and accountability in all decision-making processes. We can provide security and fair compensation to those working hard to educate our students.

My priorities on the Peralta Board would be:

• Student Access: Fighting for better access to education through lower fees for students;

• Quality Education:
  --Completing and furnishing the new state-of-the-art Vista College campus in downtown Berkeley;
  --Showcasing the District's best practices to replicate and build on what is already great at Peralta;
  --Developing strong ties to local community initiatives through student service learning in non-profit and educational institutions, internships, and business/campus training partnerships; and
  --Looking towards the future by enhancing and expanding Peralta's environmental education & job training for a sustainable future, green jobs and smart growth.

• Openness and Accountability: Creating the administrative and fiscal conditions for the District to focus on its primary mission of providing a great education to students; and creating an open and inclusive process of governance, especially in the areas of budget and finance;

• Spending our Dollars Wisely: Reducing administrative overhead and bringing staff compensation towards the norm for the Bay Area's other community college districts.

With experience and values, I can help lead this district to greatness. For more information, please go to: http://www.nickygy.org.