Candidate for
Board Member; Marin Community College District

Recreating our values at College of Marin

1. Vision. At the very least, we need to create a collective vision to have a long-term focus. A clear and dynamic vision convinces people we're serious about being in the education business. The vision is what will hold us together -- a goal to work towards, and for campus leadership to articulate on our campuses and in the larger Marin community. We need to value the importance of a vision.

2. Talent. We have too much talent at College of Marin to be in the predicament we are in today. Without vision, our talent will desert us when we need them most. Coalitions of talent working together for a common vision is what drives our mission to reality through combined action supported with resources. We need to create support systems that honor our talent and nurtures their work. We must create environments people will want to live in and thrive in. Talent needs respect and a means to participate in the big picture. We need to value the diverse talent we have at College of Marin.

3. Trust. We used to presume trust as a component of the working contract -- not now. We need to return to a system of trust through the elimination of the "US vs. Them" mentality. Silos of "independent contractors" need to be nurtured into the fold through systems and process that value input and honors individual intellect in collaborative decision making. We need to build trust in our current and prospective students so they know we stand behind their educational goals. We need to give them the best we have. We need to value and bring trust back into our relationships.

4. Flow of Information. We need to embrace our technology in our decision making process by utilizing our Intranet to inform and receive input into our change processes. Facts need the ability to move quicker than rumors. Information technology has to be a vital link to our talent that can't be present at all meetings, but need to be informed and also have a means to participate. Our students need to create and have access to their educational goals and records, which can also be accessed by faculty and counselors. We need to value information as the basic ingredient of institutional learning and growth.

5. Complexity. Twenty-five years ago it was possible for a tradesman or professional to understand nearly everything about their craft. Today -- forget it! No one understands the California Ed code, or the U.S. tax code, or even shared governance. This is true of many fields. What we must cultivate is an educational environment that works as a cohesive unit, knowing that our mission is achieved by having the parts work in unison and harmony to deliver our curriculum and support services. Complexity can work for us and even enhance our mission if we work together to serve our students.

6. Education. We must always honor learning, including our own, by never assuming we have all the answers. Today's complexity demands interdependence of our disciplines and programs. We need to concern ourselves and serve the diverse student needs by educating ourselves and sharing our knowledge across institutional boundaries. By continually asking questions our growth and resolve will never be in question, but instead will always be in quest of knowledge that will transform our reality and institution into our collective vision for the college.

College of Marin has a long and rich story to tell. As we write the few chapters of our generation will they be about our successes or our failures. Will we overcome our differences? Will the stories told in twenty years be stories of greatness and a willingness to change, or will the story tell of pettiness and self-interest? I'm ready to begin writing chapters of greatness for our generation. Are you?