Statement of PAUL FONG, Candidate for Governing Board Member Occupation: Incumbent/Professor Education and Qualifications: Political Science, Tenure-Track Faculty During the 36 years as a district resident, I have always devoted my time and skills to serving our community. As your trustee these past four years, I continue my dedication and service by consistently attending all regularly scheduled public session meetings and serving as the current board president. I have kept my promises and commitments and have maintained the trust of the nearly 47,000 voters who elected me by: * appointing new visionary leadership -Chancellor and College President * advocating to end bifurcated fees and reinstating uniform fees for all resident students * providing competitive annual salary increases and benefits for faculty and staff while solving our district's financial crisis * promoting cultural diversity and excellence * maintaining high academic standards * encouraging open government for community involvement Our colleges rank as two of the finest in our nation for training, academic transfer, and degree programs. We have balanced competing needs with given resources while securing a safe reserve for sound fiscal budgeting. As your re-elected trustee, I pledge to continue working along with our community, government, and industry to maintain our college districts accessibility, accountability, and responsiveness to all. I sincerely appreciate your vote for my second term in office.