Political Philosophy for Mary C. Lattig

Candidate for
Governing Board Member; Kern Community College District; Trustee Area 2

I am married to an life-long educator. I have been actively involved in our community for many years serving on numerous boards, an active Rotary member, and appointee of the Planning Commission. Together, my husband and I, represent over 30 years in the field of education. We are long time residents of Ridgecrest and have owned a business in Ridgecrest (serving all our outlying communites) for ten years. No doubt we are invested in our community and have been for a long time. No wonder we care about the very assets our community can boast about. One of our most important assets being our Community College. The ability of a community to offer higher educational opportunies creates a community of highly qualified workers and business leaders.

I care that we continue to attract qualified and dedicated instructors to our communities. I care that the degree programs meet the needs of our communities. In order to insure our students of highly qualified instructors and desirable programs the Borad of Trustees must be willing to work together to that end. I will serve as an informed, intelligent, and dedicated trustee. I will be available to answer questions, and act in the behalf of the communities represented in Area 2.

I want to continue the tremendous success of the growth of the Mammoth Lakes Campus. I want to answer the needs of students needing special training programs in the Bishop area and California City. I will work for the continued development of the Ridgecrest Campus. I will represent faculty, students, staff and community members alike. The opportunity for each of our communities to offer highly regarded programs is my priority. With the retention of highly qualified staff, we will continue to grow our programs and reputation.

As a high school teacher I regularly speak with students about training and education beyond high school. More and more I am hearing students elect to stay in their respective communities to launch their educational pursuits. Their decisions are to some degree economical. However, I also hear them speak about the desire to attend classes which are not overcrowded, classes that are not so highly impacted that they cannot get access. Students are paying attention to the "bang for the buck" and are finding community college a great deal! I am excited to be involved in this educational goal. I will work to insure access to classes and highly qualified instructors who are motivated and determined to give them a great educational experience.

The Kern Community Colleges is highly regarded for the articulaiton of degree programs with our State Colleges and Universities. I want to maintain that articulation by insuring the availability of courses and access to them. The recent decision to cut course sections the week before classes began left students in a mad dash to realign their courses of study. Was this a funding decision or an administrative blunder? Could this have been in the best interest of our students? Add to this the decision to contract for a lower rate for electricity by giving the utility company the right to shut down the college when load demand from Los Angeles grew. Is it appropriate to shut down a college, send intructors home with pay and deny students access to their education for the benefit of L.A. consumers? I do not agree with these decisions. I do not feel they are in the best interest of our student population.

In closing, I am concerned with the fiscal management of public funds by the current administration. If you feel as I do and would like to see a change in "business as usual", then join me in my bid by voting for change on November 3.